Lenoir-Rhyne University Men's Football

Doug Socha was named the 24th head football coach of Lenoir-Rhyne University prior to the 2024 season and begins his second season at the helm of the program in 2025. Coach Socha had a successful first year with the Bears, leading them to a 10-3 record and a spot in the second round of the NCAA Playoffs. Their NCAA Playoffs opening round victory over West Alabama was just the third road playoff victory in school history. Nine Bears were named to the All-SAC Team while Nic Cheeley was named a D2CCA and Academic All-American. Jalen Ferguson set a new record for single-season passing yards and Adonis McDaniel became just the sixth receiver in program history to total 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Socha came to Hickory from Keiser University (Florida) where he served as the head football coach for six years, accumulating a 55-15 record on his way to winning the NAIA National Championship in 2023.   Socha, who started the football program at Keiser, led the Seahawks to their first national championship in 2023 with a 12-2 record. After the title-winning season, Socha was named the 2023 AFCA NAIA Coach of the Year.  He was also named The Sun Conference Coach of the Year four times during his six-year tenure at Keiser.  During his time in West Palm Beach, Socha led the program to a .786 winning percentage and a .916 winning percentage in The Sun Conference. Socha led the Seahawks to five straight conference titles and appeared in the NAIA playoffs five consecutive seasons, including a semifinal appearance in 2020 and back-to-back national championship appearances in 2022 and 2023.  Socha's teams at Keiser produced impressive numbers on both sides of the ball, including an average of 402.8 yards per game, 218.3 rushing yards per game, 184.6 passing yards per game, and 35.6 points per game. His 2023 Seahawks team registered a school-record 3,169 yards on the ground with 47 rushing touchdowns. The defense held its opponents to 18.5 points per game, 90.3 rushing yards per game, and 28.5% completion rate on third-down conversions. The Seahawks were ranked number one in NAIA in forced fumbles and number two in sacks and fumble recoveries.    During his tenure with the Seahawks, Socha coached 24 All-America honorees and 76 all-conference players. He also coached 14 conference major award winners. Socha also led the team with excellence off the field during his time with Keiser. During his six years, the Seahawks received 123 Academic All-Conference awards, 59 NAIA Scholar-Athletes, 19 CSC Academic All-District selections, and five CSC Academic All-Americans.   Before Keiser, Socha served as an NFL offensive quality control coach for the Buffalo Bills in the 2016 season and assisted with coaching the running backs and scout team defense. In that role, he worked directly under Greg Roman and Anthony Lynn while being responsible for the organization and distribution of the offensive game plan.   At the high school level, Socha served as a coach for nearly a decade. At Oxbridge Academy, Socha launched the program in 2012 and served as head coach for three years, leading the ThunderWolves to a 28-6 record, two independent championships and one district title. He was recognized as the 2015 Sun-Sentinel Coach of the Year and the 2014 Gold Coast Coach of the Year.   While at American Heritage School, Socha served as the athletic director and head football coach of the school from 2010-12. In his two seasons, he led the Stallions to a 22-5 record and a state championship title, a state runner-up, and two district titles. Prior to becoming the head coach at the American Heritage School, Socha was the program's offensive coordinator for four seasons. In the position, he was responsible for the No. 1 ranked offense in Florida in 2007. During his time as offensive coordinator, the program won the district championship in all four years, including two state championships.   In addition to his most recent college coaching success, Socha was the recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Buffalo. From 2000-05, Socha oversaw the overall planning and implementation of recruiting efforts while also being responsible for the development of the wide receiver group. He got his start in collegiate coaching at the College of the Canyons as a defensive backs coach in 1998.   Socha is a graduate of California State University-Northridge where he received his bachelor's degree in kinesiology. Prior to graduating, he played football at Los Angeles Valley College and Mesa State as a defensive back. As a renowned speaker, Socha has presented at multiple events, including the Glazier and Nike Coach of the Year Clinics.   Socha and his wife, Carrie, are proud parents of six beautiful children, including two who have graduated college and have joined the coaching ranks. Their son Cade is currently the offensive analyst at University of Hawaii and their daughter Camryn is an assistant women's soccer coach at Nova Southeastern. They have two high school age daughters, Ana and Monica, who enjoy playing soccer; and two elementary age sons, Kolbe and Gabriel, who are avid hockey players.   Doug Socha File:   2024-Present: Lenoir-Rhyne University  - Head Coach     2017-2023: Keiser University  - Head Coach   2016: Buffalo Bills  - Offensive Quality Control   2012-2015: Oxbridge Academy  - Head Football Coach   2010-2012: American Heritage School  - Head Football Coach/Athletics Director   2006-2010: American Heritage School  - Offensive Coordinator   2001-2005: University of Buffalo  - Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers   2000: University of Buffalo  - Defensive Graduate Assistant/Inside Linebackers   1998-2000: College of the Canyons  - Defensive Backs Coach   1997: Grand Junction High School  - Defensive Backs Coach  Doug Socha Lenior-Rhyne Year-by-Year Record Year Overall Record SAC Record 2024     10-3 (2nd Round of NCAA Playoffs) 7-2 All-Time Overall SAC 1 year 10-3 7-2

Isaiah Gray joined the Lenoir-Rhyne coaching staff in the Spring of 2025.  He joined the staff following a season as the Assistant Linebackers Coach at the University of West Georgia. During his time in Carrollton, Gray helped the Wolves to an 8-3 record in just their second year as an FCS program. West Georgia ranked No. 1 in the ocuntry in fourth down defense, ninth in total sacks, and 10th in overall defense. They finished the season ranked No. 22 in FCS.  Gray came to UWG from Butler Community College where he coached the defensive backs for three seasons. There he coached a JUCO All-Americans in Craig Royal and finished his stint there by winning the Jayhawk Conference in 2024. In three seasons at Butler, Gray mentored over 15 defensive backs who went on to play Division I football. Prior to that, Gray was at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa as the DBs coach for a season in which he coached the Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-American. He began his coaching career at Highland Community College (Kansas). There he coached the number one JUCO cornerback in the Country, Brian George, who went on to sign with Texas A&M. Gray was a two-year player at Highland Community College before his final two seasons of eligibility at the University of Central Oklahoma. A native of Warner Robins, Georgia, Gray earned a general studies degree from Central Oklahoma in 2020. Isaiah Owens Profile 2026-Present: Lenoir-Rhyne University - Assistant Defensive Backs Coach 2025: University of West Georgia - Assistant Linebackers Coach 2022-2025: Butler Community College (Kansas) - Corners/Safeties 2020-2021 - Ellsworth Community College (Iowa) - Defensive Backs/Punt and Kick Returners 2019: Highland Community College (Kansas) - Defensive Backs/Punt and Kick Returners 2018: Central Oklahoma - Student-Athlete 2016-18: Highland Community College - Student Athlete

Eryk Schaftlein joined the Lenoir-Rhyne staff in the Spring of 2026 following five years coaching the offensive line at Lewis & Clark College (Oregon). The former Lewis & Clark All-Conference guard was the lead assistant coach working with the offensive line for the Pioneers in 2025. He also served as the co-running game coordinator, the team's equipment manager and the lead recruiter for Sacramento, California.  Schaftlein helped Lewis & Clark put together a fantastic offensive season in 2024. Senior Nathan Lein earned his third-consecutive All-Conference accolades, after he was named to the NWC Honorable Mention Team. The Pioneers averaged 138.7 rushing yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry with 17 total rushing touchdowns. The team integrated a new left tackle and had to constantly mix and match lineups as several starters missed time due to injury or sickness.     During the 2023 season, Schaftlein worked with three Lewis & Clark offensive linemen who earned All-Conference honors: Nathan Lien (Northwest Conference Second Team), Mike Lloyd (NWC Honorable Mention Team) and Max Atchison (NWC Honorable Mention Team). It was the first time three Lewis & Clark offensive lineman were named to the NWC All-Conference Team since 2011.  Schaftlein played right guard at Lewis & Clark from 2017-2020. He was named to the Northwest Conference Honorable Mention Team as a junior. During his four years as a Pioneer, the football program won multiple games every season, including posting their wins in almost as a decade during his junior campaign (4-5).  He is orginially from Lodi, Calironia, and graduated from Lewis & Clark College with his Bachelor of Rhetoric & Meida Studies. 

Justin Hilliker enters his second season as the Defensive Line Coach / Special Teams Coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne. Hilliker comes to LR after spending the past six seasons at Keiser in various roles.  Hilliker began as the tight ends coach for his first three years at Keiser before shifting to the defensive line and special teams coach for his final three seasons. Hilliker helped the Seahawks to a national championship appearance in 2022 and a national championship victory in 2023. In total, Keiser went to five NAIA appearances and Hilliker was part of back-to-back undefeated regular seasons in 2019 and 2020. Keiser won four consecutive conference championships from 2019-22.  In 2022, Keiser led the nation in kick off return yards (1,217) and averaged a nation's-best 31.2 yards per kick return under Hilliker. Keiser kicked 21 field goals in 2022 which led the NAIA and converted at an 80.8 percent clip.  In total, Kesier was 49-11 with Hilliker on staff and 29-1 in conference play. Prior to joining Keiser, Hillker spent 22 seasons in the high school ranks including stops at Park Vista, Seminole Ridge Community, and Jupiter Community. In that time, he worked with both sides of the football in various roles.

Nick Vagnone enters his second season as the Linebackers Coach / Recruiting Coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne. Prior to joining LR, Vagnone spent two seasons at Keiser, where he helped lead the program to a 2023 NAIA National Championship.  At Keiser, Vagnone was the linebackers coach and coached Jaelin Willis, who set three records in 2022 with 112 tackles, 59 unassisted tackles and six forced fumbles. Willis was an All-American that season. In his two seasons at Keiser, he helped lead the Seahawks to a 22-6 record, including a 22-1 mark over NAIA opponents. Keiser advanced to the NAIA National Title Game in his first year, and took home the National Championship during his second season.  Prior to Keiser, Vagnone spent two seasons at Wingate University as a defensive graduate assistant. During this time he assisted with the coaching of linebackers and defensive linemen where three of his athletes earned all-conference honors and one earned all-region. Prior to Wingate, Vagnone spent five seasons between multiple high schools where he served as an assistant coach and eventually as a defensive coordinator. Vagnone received both his Bachelor of Arts in history and his Master of Arts in Sport Management from Wingate University. He played inside linebacker for the University of Charlotte for three seasons before transferring to Wingate to finish out his playing career.   

Chris Young joined the Lenoir-Rhyne Football coaching staff as the Wide Receivers Coach prior to the 2025 season. Young has as an extensive coaching background with stops at IMG Academy, North Carolina A&T, Elon, Colgate, and the University of Albany.  Prior to joining Lenoir-Rhyne's staff, Young was an assistant coach for national high school power IMG Academy. There he helped develop three wide receivers that signed Power 4 scholarships and led the offensive to improvements in points per game, passing yards per game, total yards per game, completion percentage, and pass efficiency.  During the 2023 season Young as the Offensive Coordinator at North Carolina A&T where he implemented all offensive game plans, schemes, and installations. Over the last five games NC A&T averaged 27.5 ppg and finished with the fourth ranked rushing attack in the CAA.  From 2019-22 he was the Wide Receiver's Coach at NCAA Division I Elon. He developed three all-conference wide receivers in his three seasons with the team, the first all-conference receivers Elon had in 10 years. The offensive improved every year Young was a part of the team, going from 57th in 2019, 34th in 2021, and 27th in 2022. In addition to their on field success, his position group GPA was a 3.1 for four consecutive semesters. Young spent a bulk of his time at NCAA Division I FCS Colgate University, coaching there from 2003-2019. He began as an Wide Receivers Coach / Special Teams Coordinator and was the Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach from 2014-19. He was a part of one of the biggest stories of the 2018 FCS season when Colgate went 10-2 overall and 6-0 in conference play on the way to an appearance in the national quarterfinals after beating James Madison in the second round. Along the way, Colgate averaged 27.0 points per game, including 344.3 yards per outing. In 2017, Young coached first-year quarterback Grant Breneman to Patriot League Rookie of the Year honors, as the Raiders rolled to their ninth conference championship. During the season, Breneman wrapped up one of the best campaigns by a first-year quarterback in Colgate history, completing 56.7 percent of his passes for 1,594 yards with 18 touchdowns to five interceptions. His 18 TD passes tied him for the fifth-best by a Colgate quarterback in a single season and were the most since 2009. For his efforts, he was named one of 20 finalists for the STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award, presented annually to the nation's best first-year athlete at the FCS level.   Before spending time as Colgate's offensive coordinator, Young spent 11 seasons coaching wide receivers. During his tenure, Young tutored nine First Team All-Patriot League honorees, two Second Team picks and had both starting wide receivers named All-Patriot League in 2005, marking the first time in league history a team had both of its receivers recognized after the regular season by the Patriot League.   During the 2003 season, both J.B. Gerald and Luke Graham broke the school record for receptions in a season on the way to a 15-1 record and a berth in the FCS national title game. One year later in 2004, Graham and Dwayne Long were named First Team All-Patriot League as Colgate finished 7-4. In 2005, Long was again a first Team honoree and helped the Raiders win the Patriot League title.   In 2006 and 2007, Erik Burke was awarded All-League recognitions before Pat Simonds was tabbed First Team All-League and Offensive MVP after breaking the school record for receiving yards in a single season. One year later in 2008, Simonds became only the fifth Colgate player in program history to go over 1,000 yards receiving in a season. Under Young's guidance, he went on to set the school record for touchdowns with 15 in a single season while going over the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season in helping Colgate go 9-2 in 2009.   During his career, Young has shown a great willingness to expand his coaching knowledge. As part of the NFL's Minority Internship Program, Young worked with the Kansas City Chiefs during the summer of 2011 to assist with the quarterbacks and wide receivers. Other stints have come in 2012 with the NCAA/NFL Coaches Academy, in 2013 with the Green Bay Packers' wide receivers and quarterbacks and the San Diego Chargers' wide receivers before working with the Tennessee Titans' receivers in 2015.   Young joined Colgate after time at Albany, where he worked with the Great Danes' tackles and tight ends as a graduate assistant. Prior to Albany, Young served as wide receivers coach during the 2002 season at Canisius.   A three-year letterwinner at Colgate, Young earned First Team All-Patriot League honors in his senior season as a tight end after playing linebacker in his first three seasons with the Raiders.   Born in Mount Vernon, N.Y., Young graduated from Colgate in 1997 with a degree in sociology and anthropology.   

Cade Socha joined the Lenoir-Rhyne Football coaching staff as a Tight Ends Coach prior to the 2025 season.  From 2022-24 Socha was an Offensive Analyst for for the University of Hawaii, working his way up to Pass Game Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach.  Prior to his time with the Rainbows Socha was a wide receivers graduate assistant at the University of Nevada (2021), a student assistant at Keiser (2020), and a defensive intern at San Diego (2020). While at Keiser he helped them advance to the NAIA Football Championship semi-finals and a second consecutive conference championship in 2020. A wide receiver at Keiser, he tallied 14 receptions for 125 yards and touchdown during his two-year career, playing in 20 games.   

Steve DeMeo enters his second season at Lenoir-Rhyne as the Quarterbacks Coach / Pass Game Coordinator. DeMeo comes to the Bears from LSU where he spent two seasons.  At LSU, DeMeo spent two seasons with the Tigers as a graduate assistant. He had a wide array of responsibilities which consisted of helping the offense with day-to-day operations, game planning and coaching. While there, LSU went 20-7 and beat Purdue in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl 63-7 in 2022. In 2023, LSU topped Wisconsin 35-31 in the ReliaQuest Bowl.  Prior to his time at LSU, DeMeo was at the University of Nebraska for four seasons and is served as an assistant quality control coach. In his first season in Lincoln in 2018, DeMeo was a graduate manager that assisted the offense, focusing specifically on the Husker offensive line. That year, the line helped Nebraska rank 25th nationally in total offense. In 2020, DeMeo started working with the tight end group and the Nebraska offense finished second in the Big Ten in rushing offense.  DeMeo went to Lincoln after serving on Scott Frost's staff at UCF for three years from 2015-17 as an undergraduate assistant. A Florida native, DeMeo earned his bachelor's degree from UCF in 2017. He played QB at Pace in his collegiate days. 

Nick Vagnone enters his first season as the Linebackers Coach / Recruiting Coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne. Prior to joining LR, Vagnone spent two seasons at Keiser, where he helped lead the program to a 2023 NAIA National Championship.  At Keiser, Vagnone was the linebackers coach and coached Jaelin Willis, who set three records in 2022 with 112 tackles, 59 unassisted tackles and six forced fumbles. Willis was an All-American that season. In his two seasons at Keiser, he helped lead the Seahawks to a 22-6 record, including a 22-1 mark over NAIA opponents. Keiser advanced to the National Title Game his first year, and took home the National Championship during his second season. Vagnone received both his Bachelor of Arts in history and his Master of Arts in Sport Management from Wingate University. He played inside linebacker for the University of Charlotte for three seasons before transferring to Wingate to finish out his playing career.

Robbie Owens enters his second year as the Defensive Coordinator / Defensive Backs Coach at Lenoir-Rhyne in 2025. Owens brings over 27 years of coaching experience to LR with 15 of those coming as a head coach.  Most recently, Owens spent three seasons at Keiser where the helped the Seahawks win the 2023 NAIA National Championship. Following the National Championship, Owens was named the 2023 FootballScoop NAIA Coordinator of the Year as his defense limited 10 of 14 opponents to less than 100 rushing yards, including just 51 in the 31-21 win over Northwestern in the NAIA national title game. For the season, Keiser limited opponents to just 288.5 yards per game, including only 91 per game on the ground, and 18.5 points per game. The Seahawks were great because they were prolific at turning teams over. Keiser swiped 15 interceptions and recovered 24 fumbles on the season, turning three of those 39 takeaways into touchdowns. Keiser led the nation in fumble recoveries. Defensive back Wendol Philord was an AFCA First Team All-American and an AP Second Team All-American on the year. He was the Sun Conference's defensive back of the year, set the school record with seven fumble recoveries, and is the only player in school history to take multiple picks back for touchdowns.  Owens also helped Keiser to a National Championship appearance in 2022 and his defense set the school record for forced fumbles (21), fumble recoveries (16) and passes defended (73).  Prior to coming to Keiser, Owens served as the Head Coach at Helix Charter High School in La Mesa, California. At the helm, Owens led Helix to five straight CIF San Diego Championships and coached four consecutive CIF Defensive Players of the Year. In 2019, he was named the KUSI Prep Pigskin 2019 San Diego Coach of the Year.   At the collegiate level, Owens spent time as the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator at Colorado Mesa University where he helped the team to two RMAC Championships (2000, 2003) and six playoff appearances.   Owens entered college football as a walk-on at Boise State before transferring to Colorado Mesa. He has spent 27 seasons in coaching and spending more than a decade as a head coach in the California high school ranks. Owens coached Helix Charter High School to five straight San Diego city championships.  A native of Shoshone, Idaho, Owens earned his Bachelor’s degree in Human Performance and Wellness from Colorado Mesa University. Owens also holds a Master’s degree in Sports Administration from the University of Northern Colorado.   Owens is married to Kelly Ehmsen, who earned her nursing degree at Colorado Mesa University. They have two sons, Zack and Jacob.

Zack Owens enters his second season as the Defensive Assistant / Analytics / Football Operations coach at Lenoir-Rhyne. Prior to joining the Bears, Owens spent three years at Keiser where he helped the program to a 2023 NAIA National Championship.  Owens helped the Seahawks to a National Championship appearance in 2022 and had four players named AP NAIA All-Americans and three student-athletes receive AFCA All-America honors. During his tenure, Keiser produced 13 all-conference honorees as well as the SUN Offensive Player of the Year, SUN Back of the Year, and SUN Receiver of the Year. 

Jalani Lord enters his second season as the Offensive Line Coach / Running Game Coordinator at Lenoir-Rhyne in 2025. He comes to LR after spending the previous seven seasons at Keiser where he helped the program to a 55-15 mark and a NAIA National Championship in 2023.  In his time at Keiser, Lord worked with the offensive line as well as the running game and helped the Seahawks to five NAIA Playoff appearances, including back-to-back berths in the NAIA National Championship game. As Keiser went 12-2 with a National Championship win in 2023, the Seahawks averaged 226.4 yards per game on the ground under Lord and ran for 47 touchdowns in 14 games. Keiser averaged 5.5 yards per attempt and nearly had two 1,000 yard rushers. Jaden Maizinger ran for 1640 yards and 23 touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry and Andrew Burnette had 993 yards rushing with 14 touchdowns while averaging just shy of 7 yards per rush. Meizinger would go on to be named an AP Second Team All-American and his 1,640 yards rushing ranked second among all NAIA running backs. Meizinger set the school record for all-purpose yards with 1,797 and the 23 touchdowns were also a program best. In the national championship game, Meizinger ran for 261 yards on 22 carries, including a 75-yard TD on the first play, to earn Most Outstanding Offensive Player honors. Lord was part of back-to-back undefeated regular season teams in 2019 and 2020 and five consecutive conference championships. In 2022, he produced a pair of 1,000 yard running backs in Marques Burgess (1,217) and Meizinger (1,057).  Prior to his arrival at Keiser, Lord spent seven seasons as the Offensive Coordinator at Seminole Ridge High School, one season as the Assistant Coach at IMG Academy, and three seasons as the Offensive Quality Control Coach at Florida Atlantic University. At Seminole Ridge, Lord helped the team to a pair of District Championships and a Regional final.   Lord received his Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion at Florida Atlantic University.