Eddie Whitley Jr. - Football Coach

Eddie Whitley Jr.

Title:
Assistant Coach, Defensive Backs
Alma Mater:
Virginia Tech, '12
Year at UCLA:
1st in 2026

Eddie Whitley Jr. enters his first season as the defensive backs coach for the UCLA football program in 2026. He arrived in Westwood after spending the previous six seasons at James Madison University. The 2026 campaign marks Whitley’s 10th season of coaching.

Whitley coached all three defensive back positions at James Madison, having worked with the cornerbacks in 2024-25, rovers in 2021-23 and safeties in 2020. Whitley assisted one of the nation’s top defenses each year through the Dukes’ reclassification from the FCS to FBS; James Madison ranked top-10 in total defense in each of the 2020 and 2021 seasons while in the FCS, and 2022 and 2025 seasons in the FBS.

Most recently in 2025, James Madison recorded just the 10th unbeaten conference record in Sun Belt history, going 8-0, and captured the program’s first Sun Belt Championship. James Madison secured a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP) for the first time in school history with the No. 12 seed and earned its highest AP ranking in program history at No. 19. The Dukes finished the season with a 12-2 record following their CFP First Round appearance.

Whitley assisted one of the nation’s elite defenses at James Madison in 2025, ranking fifth in the FBS with 266.6 yards allowed per game and 13th with 18.4 points allowed per game. Whitley’s corners helped the Dukes lead the Sun Belt with 181.6 passing yards allowed per game. James Madison held opponents to under 200 yards of total offense in five contests and a sub-50.0 completion percentage seven times.

The 2025 cornerbacks room was highlighted by a pair of All-Sun Belt performers in Justin Eaglin (Second Team) and Elijah Culp (Third Team). Eaglin ranked fourth in the conference and led the Dukes with four interceptions and was joined by Culp, each with eight pass breakups.

In 2024, James Madison went 9-4 and secured its first bowl championship victory with a 27-17 win over Western Kentucky in the 2024 Boca Raton Bowl. The Dukes’ defense ranked first in the FBS in turnover margin (1.54), third in takeaways (29), sixth in fumble recoveries (12), seventh in both interceptions (17) and pass efficiency defense (111.48), 21st in scoring defense (20.5) and 23rd in total defense (321.8), leading the Sun Belt in all categories. Whitley aided in the development of Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) Second Team All-American Terrence Spence who finished the season tied for the Sun Belt lead and fourth in the FBS with five interceptions. Spence signed a contract in October 2025 to play for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

Whitley coached under Curt Cignetti at James Madison from 2020-23 prior to Chesney’s arrival. In those four seasons, Whitley helped the Dukes to a 38-8 record, the program’s first-ever FBS bowl game appearance, two NCAA FCS Playoff berths and two Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) co-titles and Sun Belt East Division titles.

In 2023, James Madison posted an 11-2 record, finished first in the Sun Belt East Division for the second straight year and earned the program’s first berth in an FBS bowl game, the 2023 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. The Dukes’ defense finished fifth in the FBS in rushing defense (83.8), 20th in scoring defense (19.5), tied for 26th in interceptions (13) and 30th in total defense (333.8).

During James Madison’s first FBS season in 2022, Whitley’s group helped the Dukes rank fifth in the country in total defense (289.5), sixth in third-down defense (28.4%) and 23rd in scoring defense (20.9). James Madison tied for first in the Sun Belt East Division in its inaugural year in the conference and capped the year with an 8-3 overall mark.

James Madison led the FCS in turnover margin (1.36) in Whitley’s first season working with the rovers in 2021, as his group accrued five of the team’s 31 takeaways. The Dukes were also seventh in scoring defense (15.4), eighth in total defense (275.2) and 21st against the pass (186.2). Chris Chukwuneke led the group with 60 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and three fumble recoveries, while MJ Hampton had an interception and blocked kick.

During Whitley’s first year in the Spring 2020-21 season, James Madison ranked fifth in total defense (243.4), eighth in scoring defense (16.5) and 18th in passing defense (171.0). Safeties Hampton and Que Reid were the third-and fourth-leading tacklers on the team with a combined 80 stops. Hampton was voted to the All-CAA First Team after adding a JMU second-best 6.5 tackles for loss, while Reid was second for the Dukes with two interceptions.

Whitley began his collegiate coaching career at the NCAA Division III level at Bridgewater College in Virginia, where he was the secondary coach and pass defense coordinator from 2017-19.

In 2019, Bridgewater College finished 10-1 won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Championship and advanced to the NCAA Division III Football Championship for the first time since 2005. The Eagles’ defense ranked ninth in the nation and led the ODAC in scoring defense (13.4) and 12th in pass efficiency defense (100.25).

While at Bridgewater College, Whitley worked with the Washington Redskins during OTAs in 2018 as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, working with his former safeties coach at Virginia Tech, Torrian Gray.

Prior to coaching, Whitley spent time with five different NFL franchises, originally being signed by the Dallas Cowboys as a rookie free agent out of college. He also had stints with the San Francisco 49ers, Philadelphia Eagles, New Orleans Saints and Arizona Cardinals. Whitley also played one season in the Canadian Football League with the Toronto Argonauts.

Whitley played in 54 games in the secondary at Virginia Tech from 2008-11. He was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Second Team performer and captain for the Hokies in his senior year. Whitley was a member of two ACC Championship squads in 2008 and 2010. He graduated in Spring 2012 with a bachelor’s of science degree in consumer studies.

Whitley is married to the former Breana Wagner. The couple has three children: Aliyah, Liam and Roman.

Whitley Jr.’s Coaching Experience
2017-19 – Secondary/Pass Defense Coordinator, Bridgewater College (NCAA DIII)
2020 – Safeties, James Madison (FCS)
2021-23 – Rovers, James Madison
2024, 2025 – Cornerbacks, James Madison
2026 – Defensive Backs, UCLA