January 05, 2026 | Football
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina head coach Blake Harrell announced Monday that Jordon Hankins has been hired as the Pirates’ new defensive coordinator.
Hankins arrives in Greenville following a five-year stint at the University of Memphis, where he served as defensive coordinator from 2024–25, linebackers coach from 2021–25 and assistant special teams coordinator from 2021–23.
During the 2025 season, Memphis posted an 8–5 record and earned a berth in the Gasparilla Bowl. The Tigers’ defense ranked among the nation’s top 50 in six categories, including red-zone defense, interceptions, rushing defense, turnovers gained and fourth-down conversion defense. Four defensive players earned All-American Athletic Conference honors under Hankins’ guidance.
Memphis showed significant defensive growth in 2024, leading the nation with 15 fumble recoveries and finishing tied for second nationally with a plus-18 turnover margin. The Tigers forced 26 turnovers, six more than the previous season, while making major strides against the run—improving from 77th nationally in rushing defense in 2023 to 15th in 2024. That marked the program’s best rushing defense performance since 2003.
The Tigers also improved in several other defensive areas, including sacks, scoring defense and total defense. Memphis recorded 25 sacks in 2024, cut its scoring defense by five points per game and jumped from 111th to 66th nationally in total defense. Hankins’ unit consistently limited opposing rushing attacks, holding teams to 67 or fewer rushing yards six times.
Hankins first took over defensive play-calling duties prior to the 2023 Liberty Bowl, where Memphis held Iowa State to zero rushing yards. That season, the Tigers finished 10–3 and captured a Liberty Bowl victory, marking just the fifth 10-win season in program history.
Before Memphis, Hankins coached at Marshall, where he helped lead the Thundering Herd to a Conference USA Championship Game appearance, and spent a decade at UT Martin, including three seasons as defensive coordinator. His defenses at UT Martin consistently ranked among the best nationally in scoring defense, red-zone defense and total defense.
A former linebacker at UT Martin, Hankins earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the university. Originally from Hohenwald, Tennessee, he brings extensive defensive experience and a proven track record of player development to the East Carolina program.
