NCCU Football Names Offensive, Defensive Coordinators

DURHAM, NC ­ North Carolina Central University head football coach Rod Broadway has made two additions to his coaching staff, naming Darrell Asberry as offensive coordinator and Clifford Yoshida as defensive coordinator.

Asberry, a former professional football player in the Canadian and World Leagues, has served as offensive coordinator at Albany State University, Jackson State University and, most recently, Coahoma Community College.

Yoshida, a 34-year coaching veteran, has held gridiron coaching positions at Utah State University, California State Polytechnic University, Wake Forest University, Duke University, Virginia Tech, Southern University, East Carolina University, North Carolina A&T State University and Towson University.

“They are both knowledgeable and experienced coaches,” said NCCU head football coach Rod Broadway. “They bring to our program the same vision and work ethic that I have.”

Asberry graduated from Jackson State University in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. He lettered two seasons as a quarterback with the Tigers, earning team offensive M.V.P. honors as a senior.

The Baton Rouge, Louisiana native went on to play professionally as a wide receiver and quarterback with the Shreveport Pirates of the Canadian Football League in 1994-95 and as a wide receiver with the Amsterdam Admirals of the World Football League in 1995-96. After his playing days, Asberry worked as offensive coordinator, wide receivers and quarterbacks coach at Albany State for two seasons (1997-1998).

He then became the running backs coach at his alma mater in 1999, before earning a promotion for the 2000 campaign. As offensive coordinator at Jackson State (2000-2002), Asberry supervised the top offensive unit in NCAA Division I-AA, averaging 485 total yards per game in 2002. In 2001, the Tigers led the I-AA rankings with 344 passing yards per outing. Asberry spent last season as offensive coordinator at Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, Mississippi.

Yoshida comes to NCCU via Towson University, where he served as defensive coordinator last season. During the 2003 campaign, the Tiger defense topped the Patriot League in takeaways, placed second in pass defense and third in rush defense.

A 1963 graduate of California State Polytechnic College in Pomona, CA, Yoshida received honors as Most Valuable Football Player and Athlete of the Year before earning a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education. He then served in the United States Marine Corps as Company and Platoon Commander until 1970, when he was honorably discharged with the rank of captain.

Yoshida took his first coaching job that same year as defensive end and linebacker coach at Utah State University. After spending the 1971 campaign as offensive line coach at his alma mater (Cal Poly Pomona), he returned to Utah State as defensive coordinator and linebacker coach in 1972.

The next eight years were spent in the Atlantic Coast Conference. From 1973-77, Yoshida was the defensive coordinator and linebacker coach at Wake Forest University. He then spent four seasons at Duke University, where he served as defensive line coach (1978-79), defensive backfield coach (1980) and defensive coordinator (1981).

Yoshida journeyed to Virginia Tech as defensive line coach for five seasons (1982-86) before returning to Wake Forest in the same capacity from 1987-92.

He made a stop at Southern University as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach in 1993, until settling in at East Carolina University for eight seasons as defensive line coach (1994-98) and director of football operations and recruiting coordinator (1999-2001). Yoshida worked as associate head football coach and defensive coordinator at North Carolina A&T State University in 2002, before heading to Towson University for the 2003 campaign.

OTHER ADJUSTMENTS ON COACHING STAFF
Along with the hiring of two new coordinators, Broadway has named second-year NCCU assistant coach Trei Oliver recruiting coordinator and wide receiver coach. Robert Massey, who worked with wide receivers for the Eagles last season, has been reassigned to defensive back coach.