North Carolina A&T State University Men's Football

North Carolina A&T head football coach Vincent Brown named Alex Purviance his defensive assistant coach on April 12, 2023. Before his time in Aggieland, Purviance served as the secondary and defensive line quality control at Yale University during the 2022 season, leading the Bulldogs to an Ivy League championship.  The previous season, he worked as an outside linebacker quality control at Furman University. His collegiate coaching career started at his alma mater, William & Mary. Purviance served as a defensive/special teams quality control. Purviance played four seasons as a linebacker at William & Mary, mostly under current Brown when Brown served as the Tribe's defensive coordinator/linebackers coach.  Purviance appeared in games for the Tribe for three straight years while earning CAA Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll accolades.

North Carolina A&T head football coach Shawn Gibbs named Greg McGhee the Aggies offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on January 13, 2025. McGhee is one of the young outstanding offensive minds in Division I-FCS football. Before the age of 35, he already has his second offensive coordinator position after leading the West Liberty (WVa.) offense as coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2022.   Before coming to A&T, McGhee worked as the pass game coordinator and quarterbacks coach at his alma mater, Howard University, for two seasons (2023-24). In 2023, the Bison had the second-best passing offense in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). McGhee arrived at West Liberty as a graduate assistant in 2020 before getting promoted to quarterbacks coach in 2021. A year later, he was promoted to offensive coordinator.   During his time as a collegiate coach, McGhee worked in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, completing fellowships with the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings, Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs. He began his coaching career in 2017, serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Baldwin High School in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pa., for three seasons.  As a player, McGhee put together one of the best collegiate careers in MEAC history. McGhee served as a four-year starter at Howard (2011-14), earning two MEAC Offensive Player of the Year awards. In 2014, he was named co-offensive player of the year, sharing the award with A&T running back great Tarik Cohen. In 2011, the MEAC announced him as their rookie of the year.  McGhee remains second on the MEAC’s all-time list in completions (731). He is the conference’s all-time leader in passing attempts (1,296) and total offense. He holds the conference record for total offense in a single season.  In 2024, Howard University inducted McGhee into its Athletics Hall of Fame.  Professionally, McGhee has played for the Canadian Football League’s (CFL) Montreal Alouettes, the Toronto Argonauts, and the British Columbia Lions at the quarterback position. He also played QB for the Arena Football League’s Philadelphia Soul. McGhee graduated from Howard in 2015. 

North Carolina A&T head football coach Vincent Brown announced Keith Henry as an assistant football coach on the Aggies staff on April 5, 2023. Henry will be making his second stint with the Aggies football program as an assistant coach. He will coach safeties in his return to Aggieland. Henry brings three decades of collegiate coaching experience on all levels, including more than 15 years on the NCAA Division I-FCS level. He comes to N.C. A&T after serving as the Western Carolina Catamounts special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach since 2019. Before going to Western Carolina, Henry made coaching stops at Charlotte (2017-18), Catawba College (2013-16), and Wake Forest (2001-11), where the Demon Deacons went to five bowl games during Henry’s 11-year stay. At Catawba, Henry served as the Indians defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for four seasons. During that span, All-America linebacker Kyle Kitchens earned South Atlantic Conference (SAC) and region defensive player of the year during the 2015 season, leading the Indians to the SAC championship. In addition, the defense forced 28 turnovers, including a league-leading 11 interceptions, and ranked second in NCAA Division II in scoring defense. A bulk of Henry’s career was spent working on a Jim Grobe-led staff. Henry spent 17 seasons with Grobe, including six seasons with Grobe at Ohio University as the outside linebackers, defensive end and special teams coach. The Bobcats went 27-20-1 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during Henry’s tenure there. Wake Forest won the 2006 ACC title and earned a berth in the 2007 Orange Bowl that same season. From 2006-08, the Demon Deacons posted a 28-12 record, including three consecutive bowl appearances. Henry coached outside linebackers, defensive ends and defensive backs over the 11 seasons he spent in Winston-Salem, NC. Henry’s first stint coaching on the East side of Greensboro produced a championship, but it was not in football. Henry was at N.C. A&T from 1993-95, where he coached linebackers, wide receivers and defensive backs at various times.  He coached baseball at A&T from 93-94, helping the Aggies baseball program win the MEAC title in ‘93. In 1994, Henry earned MEAC coach of the year honors. His other football coaching stops include a one-year stop at Charleston Southern and one season as a graduate assistant at Gardner-Webb. Henry also accepted a summer internship with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars in 2013, serving as an assistant with the inside linebackers during training camp and into the preseason. Before coaching at Catawba College, Henry played for the Indians from 1984-88. He earned All-America honors from his safety position and was named All-SAC all four years. He also served as team captain for two years, won the Harvey Stratton player of the year award, and graduated with a then-school record 398 career tackles and 20 interceptions. Henry graduated from Catawba in 1989 with a degree in physical education from the Salisbury, N.C. school. In addition, he has his master’s degree from N.C. A&T in athletics administration. Catawba inducted Henry into its Sports Hall of Fame in 2000. He was inducted into the South Atlantic Conference Hall of Fame a year later. Henry played professionally in the Arena Football League. Henry and his wife, Nicole, have four children: Kristie Foster, K.J. Henry, Maya Henry and Isaiah Henry, and two grandchildren: Makhi and Malachi.