TicketsCINCINNATI – Cincinnati head football coach Scott Satterfield has hired Nate Woody as the Bearcats’ new defensive coordinator, as announced on Tuesday.
Woody comes to Clifton following a highly successful six-year stint at Army, leading the American Conference in total defense each of the last two years, the Black Knights’ first in the league.
"I’m excited to announce Nate Woody as our defensive coordinator," Satterfield said. "I have known Nate since bringing him in 2013 to Appalachian State, where our defenses had tremendous success over several years. He has continued to coach outstanding, aggressive defenses at Army. He’s one of the best coordinators in the country. I’m pleased to welcome Nate and his family to Cincinnati."
He worked with Cincinnati co-defensive coordinator/linebackers coach Cortney Braswell at Army from 2021-22 and under Satterfield at Appalachian State for five years (2013-17).
“I am excited to reunite with Coach Satterfield at Cincinnati,” Woody said. “I have had the utmost respect for him since our time at Appalachian State. I am looking forward to connecting with the staff and student-athletes as we build into the spring and fall.”
Over those six years at West Point, Army finished in the top-25 twice and was 24-9 in November/December with bowl wins over Missouri, Louisiana Tech and UConn. It was in the top-15 for total defense three times, leading the nation in 2020.
Team highlights for 2025 included a road win at Kansas State, snapping UTSA’s 25-game home conference win streak and dominating 9-3 UConn, 41-16, in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl. Two defensive players also earned All-Star game bids to the College Gridiron Showcase and Hula Bowl.
The 2024 season saw Army win a program-record 12 games and the AAC title. The Black Knights led the nation in red-zone defense, allowing only 24 scores (18 touchdowns) in 40 trips (60 percent). Army’s 15.5 ppg allowed was fourth nationally, and it was only the third season since 1996 that the academy surrendered under 220 points or less on the year, all while playing 14 games.
The secondary logged 18 interceptions that season, sixth in the country and Army’s most since 1988.
The Black Knights finished the 2023 season on a four-game win streak, allowing only 12.3 ppg in that stretch, while also ranking 18th nationally in red-zone defense.
The 2022 season saw consistent improvement throughout the season, culminating in only 15.0 ppg allowed during the team’s 5-2 finish and ranking third nationally in pass defense for the year.
The squad was also 15th nationally in total defense in 2021 and No. 1 in 2020, Woody’s first at the academy. The Black Knights that year held Desmond Ridder and the eventual-Peach Bowl Bearcats to a modest 331 yards in a 24-10 game at Nippert Stadium.
Prior to West Point, Woody was a defensive analyst at Michigan (2019), defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach at Georgia Tech (2018), defensive coordinator at Appalachian State (2013-17) and defensive coordinator at Wofford (2000-12) to cap a 22-year career with his alma mater.
Woody was a four-year starter for the Terriers from 1980-83, playing two years at defensive back and two at linebacker. He was an Honorable Mention All-American and served as a team captain in 1983. He graduated with his bachelor’s degree in business economics in 1984.
Woody and his wife, Rebecca, have two sons: Nicolas and Jacob.
The hire is contingent upon a university background check.