Christopher Holmes has been named the Associate Head Coach, Offensive Line Coach, and Run Game Coordinator for Albany State University, effective January 26. One of the nation’s most respected trench coaches, Holmes brings a proven track record of elite offensive line play, run-game efficiency, and player development to the Golden Rams football program.
Prior to joining Albany State, Holmes served on the Winston-Salem State University football staff as an Assistant Coach working with the offensive line and run game, while also serving as Co-Recruiting Coordinator and Pro Liaison. During his tenure at WSSU, Holmes established himself as a proven technician, elite developer, and run-game architect. Everywhere he has coached, his units have produced Top 20 national rankings in rushing efficiency, yards per carry, sacks allowed, and tackles for loss (TFL) allowed. Under his leadership, Winston-Salem State became a nationally recognized offensive line program, consistently ranking atop the CIAA and among the best units in Division II.
Holmes’ offensive lines are widely known for their physicality, discipline, and efficiency. His units ranked No. 1 in the CIAA multiple seasons in both sacks allowed and TFL allowed, while stacking national Top 10 and Top 20 finishes year after year. In 2025, his offense averaged 166 rushing yards and more than 29 points per game, finishing in the national Top 10 in TFL allowed, sacks allowed, and yards per carry. The 2024 season saw his unit set a school record with just six sacks allowed, rank No. 1 in the CIAA and among all HBCUs in both sacks allowed and TFL allowed, and finish third nationally in sacks allowed. Those standards were built over multiple seasons of sustained excellence dating back to 2022.
Across his career, Holmes has earned a reputation as a true culture changer. His offensive lines play fast, violent at the point of attack, and fundamentally sound, setting the tone for entire programs. He has coached more than 20 All-Conference performers, four-plus All-Americans, four Legacy Bowl selections, and multiple NFL players, including Josh Williams, Kion Smith, and Golden Ukonu. His recruiting reach, NFL relationships, and player-development system consistently elevate both individual athletes and team performance.
Before his time at Winston-Salem State, Holmes played a major role in Fayetteville State University’s rise to conference prominence from 2017–2021. During that stretch, the Broncos captured four Southern Division Championships while operating one of the top run-game systems in Division II. His offensive lines helped produce seasons averaging 216 rushing yards per game in 2018, 190 rushing yards per game and a Top 35 scoring offense in 2019, and 30.3 points per game in 2021 while allowing the fewest sacks in the CIAA. He also helped develop NFL offensive tackle Kion Smith and Fayetteville State’s all-time leading rusher Stevie Green, and recruited Josh Williams, a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Holmes previously served as Co-Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach at Elizabeth City State University in 2016, where he rebuilt the offensive line, installed a new system, and elevated the program’s structure and consistency. He continued his development at Mississippi Valley State from 2014–15, coaching running backs, tight ends, and assisting with the offensive line, while also serving as Video Coordinator. His coaching journey began at Jackson State University, where he worked as a graduate assistant in 2011 and later as an assistant coach from 2012–13, contributing to back-to-back SWAC Eastern Division Championships.
A two-year letterman at Jackson State University, Holmes holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and a master’s degree in Sports Science from JSU, along with an associate’s degree from Grand Rapids Community College. His coaching philosophy centers on discipline, detail, player development, and building dominant offensive fronts that drive championship-level football.
