Jack Witte Named Linebackers Coach at Georgia Southern
12/30/2025 1:25:00 PM | Football
New hire comes from LSU
STATESBORO - Jack Witte, who has coached at a pair of SEC schools over the past four years, has been named the linebackers coach for the Georgia Southern football program, as announced Tuesday by head coach Clay Helton. Witte (pronounced WITTY) comes to Statesboro after two years on the Bayou as a defensive analyst working with the linebackers for LSU.
"We are thrilled to announce that we have hired Jack Witte as our new linebackers coach," Helton said. "Jack has worked at the highest level of college football and brings valuable experience from his time at LSU and Missouri, where he coached and developed some of the top linebackers in the country. His background with elite programs, his attention to detail and his ability to connect with players will be a great addition to our defensive staff. We are excited for Jack to bring that championship-level mindset to Georgia Southern as he joins our football family and helps continue to elevate our program."
While at LSU, he worked with Harold Perkins Jr. and Whit Weeks, who were both named to the Lott Trophy watch list. The trophy is awarded annually to the nation's best defensive player for impact on and off the field. Both players earned All-SEC honors under Witte's tutelage.
"I am beyond grateful to join the Georgia Southern staff," Witte said. "The people, the pride, and the tradition here are unmatched. I am excited to get to work. Hail Southern!"
Witte arrived at LSU after two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant at Missouri, where he worked under defensive coordinator Blake Baker. Missouri's defense played a significant role in the Tigers winning 11 games and capping the year with a 14-3 win over No. 7 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
As a unit in 2023, Missouri ranked No. 4 in the SEC in scoring defense (20.8 points per game) and No. 5 in the league in both rushing defense (122.8) and total defense (336.1). Missouri led the SEC and ranked No. 4 nationally in fumbles forced (17), and they were No. 11 in the nation in sacks with 39. The Tigers were also among the Top 20 in the nation in fumbles recovered (No. 16 with 10) and tackles for loss (No. 18 with 88).
Missouri's 2023 defense featured three players who earned All-SEC honors – defensive end Darius Robinson, linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper and defensive back Kris Abrams-Draine.
Prior to Missouri, Witte served as a defensive graduate assistant at Tulane for two years (2020-21). He got his start in coaching in 2018 as an administrative graduate assistant at Northwestern State, where he worked primarily with the Demon linebackers for two years.
Witte had a four-year playing career at Millsaps College. He was a member of the Dean's List and Millsaps, and also served as a recruiting assistant for the Millsaps College football program.
Witte finished his senior season at Millsaps third on the team in total tackles with 52, including four for loss and half a sack. His 31 solo tackles were the fourth most on the team, and he also added two pass breakups.
Some of Witte's other coaching experiences include interning at Mental Edge Sports in Covington as well as being a camp counselor at the Matt Forte Football Camp in Slidell and the Day of Champions Football Camp under former Northern State head coach Ken Heupel.
A 2018 Millsaps graduate in business administration, Witte earned his master's degree in health and human performance at Northwestern State in 2020 and a master's from Tulane in coaching psychology in 2021.
"We are thrilled to announce that we have hired Jack Witte as our new linebackers coach," Helton said. "Jack has worked at the highest level of college football and brings valuable experience from his time at LSU and Missouri, where he coached and developed some of the top linebackers in the country. His background with elite programs, his attention to detail and his ability to connect with players will be a great addition to our defensive staff. We are excited for Jack to bring that championship-level mindset to Georgia Southern as he joins our football family and helps continue to elevate our program."
While at LSU, he worked with Harold Perkins Jr. and Whit Weeks, who were both named to the Lott Trophy watch list. The trophy is awarded annually to the nation's best defensive player for impact on and off the field. Both players earned All-SEC honors under Witte's tutelage.
"I am beyond grateful to join the Georgia Southern staff," Witte said. "The people, the pride, and the tradition here are unmatched. I am excited to get to work. Hail Southern!"
Witte arrived at LSU after two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant at Missouri, where he worked under defensive coordinator Blake Baker. Missouri's defense played a significant role in the Tigers winning 11 games and capping the year with a 14-3 win over No. 7 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
As a unit in 2023, Missouri ranked No. 4 in the SEC in scoring defense (20.8 points per game) and No. 5 in the league in both rushing defense (122.8) and total defense (336.1). Missouri led the SEC and ranked No. 4 nationally in fumbles forced (17), and they were No. 11 in the nation in sacks with 39. The Tigers were also among the Top 20 in the nation in fumbles recovered (No. 16 with 10) and tackles for loss (No. 18 with 88).
Missouri's 2023 defense featured three players who earned All-SEC honors – defensive end Darius Robinson, linebacker Ty'Ron Hopper and defensive back Kris Abrams-Draine.
Prior to Missouri, Witte served as a defensive graduate assistant at Tulane for two years (2020-21). He got his start in coaching in 2018 as an administrative graduate assistant at Northwestern State, where he worked primarily with the Demon linebackers for two years.
Witte had a four-year playing career at Millsaps College. He was a member of the Dean's List and Millsaps, and also served as a recruiting assistant for the Millsaps College football program.
Witte finished his senior season at Millsaps third on the team in total tackles with 52, including four for loss and half a sack. His 31 solo tackles were the fourth most on the team, and he also added two pass breakups.
Some of Witte's other coaching experiences include interning at Mental Edge Sports in Covington as well as being a camp counselor at the Matt Forte Football Camp in Slidell and the Day of Champions Football Camp under former Northern State head coach Ken Heupel.
A 2018 Millsaps graduate in business administration, Witte earned his master's degree in health and human performance at Northwestern State in 2020 and a master's from Tulane in coaching psychology in 2021.
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