Football Welcomes Back Nate Atkins as Defensive Backs and Nickels Coach

MUNCIE, Ind. - - After a brief stint as the linebackers coach and special teams coordinator at Dayton, Ball State football welcomes back Nate Atkins as the new defensive backs and nickels coach, according to head coach Mike Neu.

"Nate has been an important part of our staff for the past three seasons, and we are excited to welcome him back to the Ball State football family," Neu said. "A highly accomplished student-athlete himself, Nate knows what it takes to develop top-notch student-athletes on and off the field. I have no doubt he will help elevate our defensive back and nickel groups."

A three-year member of the Ball State staff from 2020-2022, Atkins spent the past two months at Dayton, where he worked with the linebackers and specialists. In his limited time on the Flyers staff, Atkins also headed recruitment of his respective skill groups.

Before his time at Dayton, Atkins started his Cardinals coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant in July 2020. In his year in that role, Atkins assisted in coaching Ball State's front seven, primarily working with the defensive line. His effort helped the Cardinals claim the 2020 Mid-American Conference Championship and earn the program's first-ever bowl win versus San Jose State in the Offerpad Arizona Bowl.

Atkins was promoted to defensive assistant and project coordinator in June 2021 and spent the past two seasons helping develop the program's defensive backfield, primarily the safeties. He also assisted with game planning and running group drills.

A four-year starter at William & Mary from 2016-19, Atkins began his coaching career with the Tribe as a voluntary graduate student assistant for the 2020 spring semester.

As a student-athlete at W&M, Atkins was just the 12th player to be voted team captain twice in the 126-year history of the program. He started all 44 games over his collegiate career and ranked eighth in program history with 316 career tackles upon graduation.

After redshirting for the Tribe in 2015, he started all 11 games in 2016, ranking second on the team with 74 tackles. He was selected All-Colonial Athletic Association Third Team as a sophomore in 2017 after leading the team with 96 tackles and ranking fifth in the conference at 8.7 tackles per game.

Atkins earned his first team captain honor as a junior in 2018 and again led the squad in tackles with 68. His career culminated in 2019 with another team captaincy, and he was a national semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy, considered the "Academic Heisman." The award recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance, and exemplary leadership.

Football Welcomes Back Nate Atkins as Defensive Backs and Nickels Coach

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