TicketsNate Fuqua (pronounced FEW-quay) joined the Cincinnati football staff as co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach in 2023. He brought a decade of defensive coordinator experience to the Bearcats.
In his first season at UC in 2023, he led an outside linebackers unit that was headlined by transfer Daniel Grzesiak, who finished with 46 tackles and team highs of 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. Grzesiak was selected for the Tropical Bowl all-star game following the season. Overall, the Cincinnati defense featured two All-Big 12 performers in defensive linemen Jowon Briggs and Dontay Corleone.
Prior to joining the Bearcats, Fuqua served as the defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach at Georgia State for six seasons, from 2017 to 2022. He led some of the top defenses in Panthers’ history, including a 2021 squad that set school records with 38 sacks and 92 TFLs.
Under Fuqua’s tutelage, Georgia State’s run defense ranked second in the Sun Belt in rushing yards allowed in both 2020 and 2021. The Panthers also ranked 11th in the nation with 25 turnovers forced in 2022.
Among the highlights during Fuqua’s time at GSU were a landmark victory over Tennessee in 2019 where his defense held the Vols to just 93 yards rushing, and a LendingTree Bowl victory over Western Kentucky in 2020 where the Panthers held the high-powered Hilltoppers’ offense to a season-low 284 yards. Georgia State also held Arkansas State to -3 yards rushing in a win in 2021.
Fuqua was nominated for the Broyles Award in 2017. He coached 24 all-conference players and five Panthers earned pro contracts during his time at GSU.
Before joining Georgia State, Fuqua coached for 12 seasons at his alma mater Wofford. He directed the defense for three seasons, helping lead the Terriers to the FCS quarterfinals in 2016 when Wofford ranked fifth in the nation in total defense (287.2) and sixth in scoring defense (17.1 ppg).
A nose tackle in college, Fuqua was a four-time All-Southern Conference player and two-time All-American for the Terriers, including first-team recognition as a senior in 2002. He was elected to the Wofford College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.