HICKORY, N.C. - Lenoir-Rhyne Football announces three internal promotions on the coaching staff, along with a new hire.

Following the departure of defensive coordinator Jahmal Brown to Youngstown State, Defensive Line Coach/Recruiting Coordinator Shawn Chaffee has been promoted to Co-Defensive Coordinator, along with Defensive Back Coach Aaron Foster, whose title is now Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Back Coach. Chaffee and Foster helped guide the LR defense to a top-40 finish in total defense, along with several top-10 finishes in key statistical categories. 

Offensive Coordinator Anthony Soto has been promoted to Associate Head Coach, and will continue his offensive coordinator duties. Soto will also transition to lead the quarterback room after coach Colby Hunter's departure back home to California to run the offense at Clovis East High School. 

Filling the vacant Offensive Line Coach position is Jacob Thomas, who comes to LR from the University of California, Davis. Thomas, who served as a quality control coach for the O-Line, was part of the UC Davis staff that led the Aggies to a ranked finish in the FCS in the last two seasons. Thomas mentored five All-Conference Big Sky Offensive Linemen over his two seasons at UC Davis. 

Before UC Davis, Thomas was the Offensive Line Coach and Run Game Coordinator at Azusa Pacific University. He was also a graduate assistant OL Coach at Hawai'i in 2018, when the Warriors finished second in the Mountain West and qualified for the Hawai'i Bowl. Thomas is a 2014 alum of Azusa Pacific, where he was the starting left tackle that blocked for the nation's top rusher, and was coached by NFL Hall-of-Famer Jackie Slater. 

Lenoir-Rhyne football congratulates Coach Soto, Coach Foster and Coach Chaffee on their promotions, and welcomes Coach Thomas to the Bear Family.