Coaching Staff Nic McKissic-Luke running backs Coach Nic McKissic-Luke is entering his fourth year as the running backs coach at Benedict College. During the summer of 2011 Coach Luke participated in the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Internship program with the Arizona Cardinals working directly with running backs Coach Tommie Robinson and the offensive staff. Since joining the Benedict football staff in 2008, the offense and running game have continued to make great strides under Coach Luke. In 2008 the offense finished first in the SIAC in rushing offense, averaging 194 yards per game. In 2009 Coach Luke helped guide the Benedict College football team to its best season in school history with a record of 8-3. The offense finished seventh in Division II and
Mike Wallace defensive backs Coach Mike Wallace begins his first year as a member of the Benedict Tigers as the defensive backs coach. Prior to coming to Benedict, he spent two years as Offensive Coordinator and Offensive Line Coach at Lane. Coach Wallace began his coaching career at Savannah State in 1990. He is currently entering his 23rd season as a collegiate football coach. He is no stranger to the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference having coached in it the majority of his career. Other stops at SIAC schools include serving as offensive coordinator, offensive line coach and recruting coordinator at Stillman. Over the years, Coach Wallace has been
James Graf wide receivers Coach James Graf begins his first year as Benedict’s receivers coach in 2012. He makes a return to coaching college football after teaching math the past two years along with coaching football and basketball in two different school districts in the great state of Texas. Graf has over five years of college coaching experience, including stints at Tarleton State, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Northern State, Southern Virginia, and the University of Hawai`i.
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BC Football 2012 first in the SIAC in rushing, averaging 250 yards per game while also finishing fourth in total offense (339 yds./gm), and fifth in scoring offense (26 pts./gm). The running backs combined for 274 carries and 1,696 yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry and 13 TDs in 2009. In 2010 the Benedict offense finished first in rushing offense, averaging 199 yards per game while also finishing second in total offense (323 yds./gm), and fifth in scoring offense (23 pts./gm). The running backs combined for 259 carries for 1,500 yards and 12 TDs, while also having 23 receptions for 437 yards and 4 TDs.
He is a 2006 graduate of Alabama A&M University with a B.S. in Hospitality Management. Coach Luke was a three year starter at Alabama A&M University as a running back where Coach Stanley Conner, current Benedict College Head Coach, was his running back coach and offensive coordinator. Coach Luke was a two-time All-SWAC selection. Coach Luke ended his career as the all-time leading rusher in Alabama A&M history. He is also a member of the 2006 SWAC conference championship Alabama A&M football team. In 2002 Coach Luke originally signed an athletic scholarship with the University of Alabama, but in the fall of 2004 he transferred to Alabama A&M University where he enjoyed a very successful career on the football field and in the classroom. In April of 2006, Coach Luke signed a free-agent deal to become a member of Tennessee Titans football team. Coach Nic Mckissic-Luke is originally from Phenix City, Alabama.
a coordinator on both offense and defense. As a defensive coordinator in 1995, Wallace lead the Savannah State Tigers to a No. 1 ranking in pass defense and pass efficiency defense. In 1996, it was No. 1 in the nation in takeways with 45 (25 fumble recoveries and 20 interception). That defense had several SIAC AllConference performers such as Britt Henderson, Benji Turmon, Winston Gordon, Tim Rawls and Andrew Mitchell. On the offensive side of the ball, Wallace’s team never finished lower than fourth in total of-
fense before SSU left the conference in 2000. As an offensive line coach at Clark Atlanta, Wallace helped the Panthers to the seventh-ranked rushing offense nationally. Over his offensive career he has coached players such as Lou Cole, Chris Hymel, Charles McCullum, Kenny Brown, former Dallas Cowboy RB Troy Hambrick and current St. Louis RB Quinn Porter. Wallace graduated from Savannah State in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He then completed graduate school at Savannah State in 2010 with a Master of Public Administration degree. He is a native of Clyo, Ga., and attended Savannah State University, where he was a four year starter in the defensive secondary. At that time he played for the late legendary coach William Bill Davis. Wallace and his wife, Angela, have three daughters Ashley (19), Megan (12) and Michelle (11).
Graf has coached several all-conference and nationally recognized football players – including several who have gone on to play in the National Football League. Graf has coached offense, defense and special teams in his football coaching career, beginning at the
high school level in Hawai`i. While working toward completing his bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sport Science at BYU-Hawai’i, Graf learned about winning championships in the Hawaiian islands at perennial football powerhouse and nationally ranked Kahuku High School, six-time state champs. The Kahuku Red Raiders has produced over 100 Division I and Division II football players in the past decade and has had over a dozen players on NFL Rosters in during that same time period. Coach Graf is single and lives in the greater Columbia, South Carolina area.
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