JONESBORO, Ark. - Northwest defensive line coach Rashad Pittman has departed for the same position at Arkansas State University, the Red Wolves' athletic department confirmed on Thursday.

Pittman had spent five seasons at Northwest as part of a coaching staff that captured a national title in 2020, three trips to the NJCAA Division I Football Playoffs (2021, 2022, 2024), three MACCC titles (2020, 2021, 2024) and a trio of MACCC North Division championships (2020, 2022, 2024). 

Pittman will join an Arkansas State coaching staff led by head coach Butch Jones, who held previous head coaching stints at Tennessee (2013-17), Cincinnati (2010-12) and Central Michigan (2007-09). Jones has also held other coaching positions under Nick Saban at Alabama (2018-20), as well as West Virginia (2005-06), where he served as the Mountaineers' wide receivers coach.

"Rashad Pittman has a track record of developing defensive linemen into all-conference and All-America performers, who have contributed to successful college programs at multiple levels," said Jones.  "He helped lead Northwest Mississippi Community College to a national championship and has been part of coaching staffs that won numerous conference titles, working with defensive fronts that have consistently performed at a high level.  Rashad is a great addition to our staff, and we want to welcome him, his wife Allison and their sons, Rashad, Jr. and Alec, to our Red Wolves football family."

During his Northwest tenure, Pittman helped develop 15 future four-year players from the Rangers' defensive line, including NJCAA All-Americans D.J. Burgess (Charlotte), Jyekeveous "Red" Hibbler (NC State, Mississippi State), and a slew of Division I signees, such as Tyeland Coleman (Florida State), Rayyan Buell (Ohio, Colorado, Memphis), Quinzavious Warren (Jacksonville State, UTEP) and more.

Most recently, Pittman had coached a defensive front that featured three First Team All-MACCC North Division performers and two All-NJCAA Region 23 selections. Burgess earned Honorable Mention NJCAA All-America for the second consecutive season under the guidance of Pittman. The Rangers defense allowed just 106.2 rush yards per game and totaled 31 sacks, 77 tackles for loss and 39 quarterback hurries. 

Pittman's defensive front helped Northwest limit opponents to just 93.7 rushing yards per game in 2023, good for seventh nationally among NJCAA programs. In 2022, the Rangers' defense racked up 34 sacks, 17 interceptions and held opponents to 20.4 points per game. Pittman guided the 2021 Northwest defensive line to a top five national ranking for fewest yards allowed per game at 243.7, with only 87.2 of those coming on the ground.

Prior to Northwest, Pittman spent two seasons at the NCAA Division II level with Southern Arkansas University, where the Muleriders boasted one of the most robust defensive line units in the Great American Conference. Under Pittman's direction, the Muleriders ranked as one of the top three defensive units for rushing defense, sacks and total defense. 

Pittman specifically coordinated the rushing, third down and red zone defensive play-calling, producing five All-Great American Conference performers and two NCAA All-Americans over the previous two seasons. Pittman also helped develop Cliff Harris Award finalists DaVondrick Lison and Antonio Washington, along with the conference's runner-up in tackles-for-loss, Anthony Washington.

Prior to his time at SAU, Pittman held a stint at Northeastern State (Tahlequah, Okla.) as the RiverHawks' defensive line coach, helping guide a defensive line unit that totaled 48.5 tackles for lost yardage with 14.0 of those coming as sacks.
 
Before his stint with the RiverHawks, Pittman spent the 2016 season as the Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Ends Coach at Carthage High School in Carthage, Mo., following a previous stint as the school's defensive line coach from 2011-13. During the 2016 season, Pittman helped Carthage win its first conference championship since 1987 and appear in the Class 5A Missouri State Quarterfinal game.
 
Pittman also spent two seasons at traditional Division II powerhouse Pittsburg State University during the 2014 and 2015 season. In his initial season with the Gorillas, Pittman served as a graduate assistant with the interior offensive linemen and helped coach the 2014 offense to lead the conference in total offense and first downs. The 2014 squad also was named co-champions of the Midwest Intercollegiate Athletic Association.
 
During the 2015 season, Pittman served as a defensive graduate assistant and coached the defensive tackles. The defensive unit finished with 33 sacks that season, 22 of those were attributed to the defensive line.
 
As a player, Pittman was an All-MIAA performer at Pittsburg State and a two-time captain and a four-year letterman. Additionally, Pittman received the Ronald Moore team award, which is presented to the most outstanding freshman.

A national search for the Rangers' next defensive line coach is currently underway.