STATESBORO - Alex Garwig, who has experience at five Power 4 schools, has been announced as the new linebackers coach for the Georgia Southern football program by head coach Clay Helton. He comes to Statesboro after working at Texas A&M and Duke under defensive mastermind Mike Elko.

"I am honored to be named the linebackers coach at a university with such storied football tradition, and I am so grateful to Coach Helton and Coach Bailey for this incredible opportunity," Garwig said. "I look forward to contributing to the Georgia Southern football program and Statesboro community."

Garwig has had stops at Texas A&M, Duke, Ole Miss, UMass, Maryland and Michigan during his young career, working exclusively on the defensive side of the ball. He has worked under some of the top names in the college football landscape, including Lane Kiffin, Elko, Pete Lembo, DJ Durkin, Tyler Santucci, Coleman Hutzler, Jay Bateman and Matt Barnes.

"We excited to welcome Alex Garwig to Statesboro," Helton said. "Coach Garwig brings elite knowledge of our defensive system having worked under Mike Elko at multiple stops. He has seen college football at the highest level having been at Michigan, Ole Miss, Duke and Texas A&M. He has had the opportunity to work with our defensive line coach before in Cedric Douglas and has been on staff with Coach Bailey. You include Coach Safford in the back end and you have an elite defensive staff. "

In 2024, Garwig was a senior defensive analyst at Texas A&M, working with a strong linebacker group that helped lead the Aggies to a national ranking and a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl. In 2023, he was a senior defensive analyst for a Duke team that had one of the best seasons in program history. He worked with the safeties and nickels in Durham for a defense that finished first in the ACC in scoring defense and third in red zone defense.

In 2022, he had his first stop in College Station as he served as a defensive analyst for the Aggies and worked with the linebackers. He assisted with game-planning and positional development during his short stint with the Aggies. He helped coach Edgerrin Cooper, who went on to be a second-round NFL Draft pick by Green Bay in 2024 and earned All-America honors.

Before that, he worked at Ole Miss for two seasons as a senior defensive analyst with the linebackers. During his time in Oxford, Ole Miss posted an overall record of 15-8, including an appearance in the 2021 Sugar Bowl. There, he mentored both Chance Campbell and Mark Robinson, a pair of linebackers who went on to be taken in the NFL Draft.

He spent the 2019 season at UMass as a graduate assistant, working with the nickels and sam linebackers.

Garwig's three previous three seasons came at Maryland. In 2018, Garwig guided the Terrapins' nickelbacks in all facets, including planning meetings and practices, while also ensuring players were on track with academic responsibilities. Antoine Brooks, Jr. was named All-Big Ten second team and as a whole, Maryland's scoring defense moved up 41 spots in the FBS rankings from the previous season. His three-year stint in College Park also saw Garwig contribute to game planning, opponent breakdowns, playbook organization and press box scouting on game days.

While an undergraduate student at Michigan, Garwig spent three years assisting the football program in several capacities. Among his other responsibilities, Garwig broke down game and practice film, supervised student managers and assisted coaches in evaluating prospects. Garwig was on staff as the Wolverines reached the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl both in 2013 and 2015.

A native of Upper St. Clair, Pennsylvania, Garwig earned his undergraduate degree in sport management from Michigan in 2015. He added a master's of professional studies in 2018 while at Maryland.