The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Football
Gentry, Nick
Nick Gentry
- Title:
- Outside Linebackers
- Email:
- ngentry@uab.edu
- Phone:
- 975-9536
Nick Gentry was named the outside linebackers coach on March 1, 2018 and enters his fourth season as an assistant coach at UAB.
In his first three years, Gentry’s unit has been one of the most productive groups in the nation at rushing the quarterback. Since Gentry’s arrival, the Blazers have compiled 112 total sacks and 277 TFL, while ranking top 10 nationally in total defense all three years.
The defense has guided the Blazers to winning three straight C-USA West Division titles and two of the last three Conference USA Championships.
In 2020, Gentry’s group once again led the Blazers to a top 10 national ranking in total defense. The Blazers have finished top 10 in total defense each of the three years Gentry has been coaching the outside linebackers.
During the 2020 season, Jordan Smith led the group with 4.5 sacks and 9.5 TFL (in nine games). His efforts earned him into becoming First Team All-Conference USA. In two years with Gentry, Smith compiled 97 total tackles, 27.0 TFL and 14.5 sacks and was one of the most dominant players in Conference USA during that span.
Smith would go on to be the first UAB player selected in the NFL draft since returning to action in 2017 and the 15th player overall selected from UAB. Smith was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round.
In 2019, Gentry guided sophomore Smith to Second Team All-Conference honors and Alex Wright to C-USA All-Freshman Team accolades. Smith had 10.0 sacks, which was the fifth most in a single season at UAB, and also added a team-high 17.5 TFL. Wright led all C-USA freshmen in TFL (8.5) and sacks (4.5).
Gentry’s unit shined in 2018 during his first year as an assistant which resulted in UAB winning a program-record 11 games and capturing the school’s first Conference USA title and bowl game victory.
Led by jack linebackers Jamell Garcia-Williams, Tre’ Crawford and Stacy Keely, the Blazers finished ninth nationally in total defense and set the school record for sacks (48) and TFL (111).
The duo of Garcia-Williams and Crawford combined for 18 total sacks as Garcia-Williams led the team with 9.5 sacks while Crawford had 8.5. Garcia-Williams also added a team-high 15.5 TFL en route to being named a Second Team All-Conference USA performer.
The 48 total sacks and 111 total TFL ranked the Blazers fifth nationally in both categories.
Gentry was a part of Nick Saban’s first recruiting class and played at Alabama from 2007-12, where he won two national championships with the Crimson Tide.
Upon graduation, Gentry's coaching career began as a defensive analyst at the University of Tennessee in 2012 where he worked primarily with defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri.
After one year at Tennessee, Gentry joined Clark's staff at Jacksonville State in 2013 as a graduate assistant on the defensive line and helped guide the Gamecocks to an 11-4 overall record and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.
Gentry was then promoted to a full-time assistant in 2014 coaching outside linebackers and defensive ends. He would coach there through 2017 and helped lead the Gamecocks to an FCS national championship appearance versus North Dakota State while coaching three time All-American and Buck Buchanan award winner Darius Jackson.
He also coached two-time All-American Chris Landrum as well as Academic All-Americans Joseph Roberts and Dalton Campbell while at JSU.
Gentry is married to the former Magen Mathis and they have two sons, Brennan and Copeland.
In his first three years, Gentry’s unit has been one of the most productive groups in the nation at rushing the quarterback. Since Gentry’s arrival, the Blazers have compiled 112 total sacks and 277 TFL, while ranking top 10 nationally in total defense all three years.
The defense has guided the Blazers to winning three straight C-USA West Division titles and two of the last three Conference USA Championships.
In 2020, Gentry’s group once again led the Blazers to a top 10 national ranking in total defense. The Blazers have finished top 10 in total defense each of the three years Gentry has been coaching the outside linebackers.
During the 2020 season, Jordan Smith led the group with 4.5 sacks and 9.5 TFL (in nine games). His efforts earned him into becoming First Team All-Conference USA. In two years with Gentry, Smith compiled 97 total tackles, 27.0 TFL and 14.5 sacks and was one of the most dominant players in Conference USA during that span.
Smith would go on to be the first UAB player selected in the NFL draft since returning to action in 2017 and the 15th player overall selected from UAB. Smith was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round.
In 2019, Gentry guided sophomore Smith to Second Team All-Conference honors and Alex Wright to C-USA All-Freshman Team accolades. Smith had 10.0 sacks, which was the fifth most in a single season at UAB, and also added a team-high 17.5 TFL. Wright led all C-USA freshmen in TFL (8.5) and sacks (4.5).
Gentry’s unit shined in 2018 during his first year as an assistant which resulted in UAB winning a program-record 11 games and capturing the school’s first Conference USA title and bowl game victory.
Led by jack linebackers Jamell Garcia-Williams, Tre’ Crawford and Stacy Keely, the Blazers finished ninth nationally in total defense and set the school record for sacks (48) and TFL (111).
The duo of Garcia-Williams and Crawford combined for 18 total sacks as Garcia-Williams led the team with 9.5 sacks while Crawford had 8.5. Garcia-Williams also added a team-high 15.5 TFL en route to being named a Second Team All-Conference USA performer.
The 48 total sacks and 111 total TFL ranked the Blazers fifth nationally in both categories.
Gentry was a part of Nick Saban’s first recruiting class and played at Alabama from 2007-12, where he won two national championships with the Crimson Tide.
Upon graduation, Gentry's coaching career began as a defensive analyst at the University of Tennessee in 2012 where he worked primarily with defensive coordinator Sal Sunseri.
After one year at Tennessee, Gentry joined Clark's staff at Jacksonville State in 2013 as a graduate assistant on the defensive line and helped guide the Gamecocks to an 11-4 overall record and an appearance in the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.
Gentry was then promoted to a full-time assistant in 2014 coaching outside linebackers and defensive ends. He would coach there through 2017 and helped lead the Gamecocks to an FCS national championship appearance versus North Dakota State while coaching three time All-American and Buck Buchanan award winner Darius Jackson.
He also coached two-time All-American Chris Landrum as well as Academic All-Americans Joseph Roberts and Dalton Campbell while at JSU.
Gentry is married to the former Magen Mathis and they have two sons, Brennan and Copeland.
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