Granville Eastman, a veteran collegiate coach of more than 20 years, is in his first season as a defensive assistant at Kennesaw State.
Eastman came to Kennesaw, reuniting with head coach Jerry Mack, after a season as the offensive recruiting coordinator at Rice and three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Alabama A&M (2019-21).
Eastman was also the defensive coordinator at Hoover High School for two seasons (2022-23), leading the Buccaneers to the top scoring defense in region 7A and a state semifinal appearance in 2022.
Eastman also spent five years at North Carolina Central, including four seasons under Mack. Eastman was instrumental as the architect of defenses that were atop the MEAC conference and FCS in many statistical categories. From 2014 to 2016, NC Central won at least a share of MEAC championships each year.
In 2016, NCCU had one of the top-rated defenses in the MEAC that led them to play in the second U.S. Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl against Grambling State.
At NC Central, he served as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, and safeties coach until his promotion to interim head coach on Dec. 8, 2017.
Prior to joining NCCU, Eastman spent nine seasons (2005-13) as the defensive coordinator at Austin Peay. During his 11 total seasons with the Governors, he coached defensive backs and linebackers, and also served as special teams coordinator (2003-04) and interim head coach (winter 2013).
Eastman coached four seasons (1999-2002) at Tiffin University in Ohio, including the last three seasons as defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, while working with defensive backs and defensive line during his tenure.
Eastman secured his first coaching position at York University in his hometown, where he spent two seasons (1994-95) working with defensive backs.
He then served as a defensive graduate assistant for three seasons (1996-98) at Arkansas State, earning a master’s degree in sociology in 1999.
He has interned with five NFL teams since 2002, getting the opportunity to work with the Detroit Lions (2002), Arizona Cardinals (2004), Tennessee Titans (2006), Indianapolis Colts (2011) and Minnesota Vikings (2012).
Eastman was a two-time all-city defensive back at Stephen Leacock High School in Toronto before attending Saint Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he was a three-year letterman as a defensive back. Twice Saint Mary's played in national title games while he was there.
Eastman earned his bachelor’s degree from Saint Mary’s University in 1992.
