Wayne Lineburg- Assistant Head Coach/Tight Ends
Wayne Lineburg joined Scott Abell’s staff in January of 2025 as the Owls’ assistant head coach and tight ends coach.
Lineburg came to South Main after eight seasons at Wake Forest, coaching the tight ends and coordinating the Demon Deacons’ special teams.
Over those eight seasons, he produced four All-ACC selections who contributed mightily to Wake Forest’s record-breaking offense.
The Deacons established nearly 400 school records, including marks for points scored, points per game, total offensive yards, first downs, and passing yards over the past five seasons. Also, the Deacs were the only football program in the ACC to average at least 30 points per game each year from 2017-22. That run ranks as the fourth longest in ACC history.
In 2022, Demon Deacons tight ends combined for 33 receptions, 369 receiving yards, and five touchdown catches. QB Sam Hartman ended his Demon Deacons career as the ACC leader in career passing touchdowns (110) in part because of the positive role that Lineburg’s tight ends play in Wake Forest’s offense.
In 2021, Wake Forest scored a program-best 574 points and averaged a school-record 41.0 ppg. That point total ranks 43rd in modern FBS history and the fourth-most in ACC history. Additionally, Wake Forest became the 20th ACC team in the modern college football era (Post-WWII) to surpass the milestone of scoring 500 points in a single season. Individually, the Deacons topped 35 points in a game 12 times during the 2021 campaign.
Wake Forest capped off 2021 on New Year’s Eve, defeating Big Ten foe Rutgers in the 77th annual TaxSlayer Gator Bowl 38-10 inside TIAA Bank Field in Jacksonville.
Behind a record-breaking offense, Wake Forest (11-3, 7-1 ACC) became just the second team in program history to win double-digit games and tied the program record with 11 victories while also setting a program record with seven conference victories and finished the home season with a perfect 6-0 mark. Wake Forest went 5-3 in road or neutral site games for the first time since the 2018 season.
Additionally, with a perfect 6-0 mark this season, the Deacs recorded their first undefeated home record for the first time since 1979 and just the third time since Wake Forest’s 1970 ACC Championship team. Meanwhile, six home wins tie the program record set in 2019.
Wake Forest was one of 10 Power-5 schools in 2021 to win 11 games.
The Demon Deacons were also the first school in the conference to become bowl-eligible with a perfect mark of 6-0 in 2021. The Deacons 8-0 The start of the season was the best in school history, and they had the longest winning streak in school history.
Lineburg coached tight ends Brandon Chapman and Blake Whiteheart to a combined 27 catches for 270 yards and six touchdowns in 2021. Chapman was a two-time captain and Whiteheart was a captain in 2022. Three years ago in 2019, Lineburg led Jack Fruendenthal to an All-ACC season as he caught 34 passes for 325 yards and five touchdowns in his final year in Winston-Salem.
From 2018-21, Lineburg tutored placekicker Nick Sciba to a record-setting career. The Clover, S.C. native set an NCAA record with a 89.9 career field goal percentage (80-of-89) mark. That tally came with a minimum 1.2 FGM per game and 30 made in a career.
Additionally, Sciba’s 80 made field goals were tied for 10th in NCAA history, and his 431 career points ranked 16th among kickers all time in NCAA history, and that total ranked 22nd overall among all players. Those two marks ranked second (80 field goals made) and third (431 points scored) in Atlantic Coast Conference history, respectively. Additionally, they are Wake Forest records.
During the 2018 and 2019 seasons, Sciba set the NCAA record by converting 32 consecutive field goals. He garnered first-team All-ACC honors in 2019 and 2021 and third-team accolades in 2020.
In 2022, redshirt freshman Matthew Dennis led the Demon Deacons in scoring with 92 points as he went 12-for-14 on field goal attempts and 56-for-57 on extra points.
Lineburg’s scheme and guidance led Wake Forest to kick return touchdowns in three of his last four seasons. Donavon Greene’s 96-yard return to the end zone against Campbell on Oct. 2, 2020, was Wake Forest’s first kick return touchdown in 13 years.
A 1996 graduate of Virginia, Lineburg was a four-year quarterback for the Cavaliers and played on three bowl teams.
He started coaching in 1996 as an assistant coach at William & Mary before returning to Virginia in 1998 as a graduate assistant coach. He rejoined William & Mary as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator in 2000 before joining Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson’s staff at Richmond in 2004.
Lineburg was named the wide receiver coach at Virginia in 2007 and moved to running backs coach in 2009. He returned to Richmond in 2010 for a four-year stint in several positions, including offensive coordinator, associate head coach, and recruiting coordinator, while also coaching, at different times, quarterbacks and running backs. In 2011, Lineburg served as the interim head coach at Richmond.
In 2014, he was hired at Connecticut where he served as special teams coordinator and wide receivers coach in his first season before taking over the quarterbacks the last two seasons.
He coached at Richmond from 2006-06 and again from 2010-13, serving in several roles, including offensive coordinator, associate head coach, and recruiting coordinator, while also coaching, at different times, quarterbacks and running backs.
In 2011, Lineburg served as the interim head coach at Richmond.
He coached at his alma mater (Virginia) from 2007-09, working with the Cavaliers wide receivers in 2007-08, and running backs coach in 2009.
He began his career at William and Mary from 2000-03, coaching the Tribe’s running backs coach and recruiting coordinator.
A 1996 graduate of UVA, Lineburg played quarterback on three bowl teams and was a member of the 1995 ACC championship team.
Lineburg’s father, Norman, was the long-time coach at Radford (Va.) High School and is a member of the Virginia High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Wayne was an all-district quarterback while playing high school football for his father.
Lineburg’s brother, Robert, is the athletic director at Radford University, his brother Mark is the superintendent of schools in Halifax County, Va. and his brother Paul is the principal at Northside Middle School in Roanoke, Va. Wayne’s cousin, Mike Young, is the head basketball coach at Virginia Tech.
Lineburg and his wife Tracey have two daughters, Addyson and Alexis.
Vince Munch- Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
Vince Munch joined the Owls in December of 2024 as the offensive coordinator in addition to coaching the offensive line.
Munch came to Rice after seven seasons at Davidson where he coached the offensive line before adding the title of Run Game Coordinator in the spring of 2020.
Munch was an integral part of a Wildcat offense that led NCAA FCS in scoring offense (2023), total offense (2018), and rushing offense (2018, spring 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024).
He has also coached Pioneer Football League All-Conference selections Zion Johnson, Ethan Steinbacher, Zach Hester, Beck Kipperman, Gilbert Deglau, Kyler Herring and Malik McDaniel.
Munch joined the Wildcats staff after spending a year with the St. Andrews University Knights of the NAIA. He served as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator for the first-year program.
Munch is a familiar member of Abell’s former coaching arsenal, spending five seasons on the Generals staff from 2012-16. While at Washington and Lee, Munch assisted the program to two ODAC Championships (2012, ’15) and produced three All-Conference performers. Munch got his start in coaching as tight ends coach in 2011 at Marietta College.
Munch graduated from Ferrum College in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and a minor in exercise science. He was a four-year letter-winner at tight end for the Panthers.
Porter Abell- Pass Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Porter Abell joined the Owls’ coaching staff in December of 2024 and will coach the quarterbacks in addition to coordinating the passing game.
He coached for seven seasons at Davidson, helping guide the Wildcats to three FCS playoff appearances and back-to-back conference championships in the spring of 2021 and the fall of 2021.
In the spring of 2020, Abell assumed recruiting coordinator duties, as well as tight ends coach, while retaining his responsibilities with the wide receivers.
Since 2018, nine of Abell’s wide receivers / tight ends have earned Pioneer Football League all-conference honors.
Abell has also been an integral part of the Wildcats’ impressive offensive output that has led NCAA FCS in scoring offense (2023), total offense (2018), and rushing offense (2018, spring 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024).
He entered the coaching profession after a standout career at Richmond, appearing in 48 games for the Spiders at quarterback and running back, and eventually as a wide receiver. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Spiders and helped lead the team to a CAA Championship in 2015 and a national ranking of number three in the country.
Prior to Richmond, Abell finished his high school career in 2012 and was named a finalist for the AA Virginia State Player of the Year and Regional and Roanoke Times Offensive Player of the Year.
During the fall of 2017, Porter served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Collegiate School Athletic Department, breaking down game film.
He is the son of Rice head coach Scott Abell.
ABELL YEAR-BY-YEAR
2024-pr: Rice (Pass Game Coordinator/Quarterbacks)
2020-24-Davidson (Recruiting Coordinator/Wide Receivers/Tight Ends)
2018-2019: Davidson (Wide Receivers)
Austin Eisenhofer- Run Game Coordinator/Inside Receivers
Austin Eisenhofer followed Scott Abell to Rice in December of 2024 after seven seasons at Davidson and will coach the Owls’ inside receivers and coordinate the Rice running game.
After serving as tight ends coach in his first two campaigns at Davidon, Eisenhofer was reassigned to Assistant Special Teams Coordinator, Video Coordinator, and slots coach in the spring of 2020 and was named the Player Development Coordinator in the Summer of 2021 to go along with his duties as the slots coach.
In all five seasons directing the slots, Eisenhofer helped Davidson to FCS top-five finishes in rushing offense including being the nation’s leader four times (spring 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024).
In his first season, Eisenhofer was an integral part of a Wildcat offense that led the FCS in total offense (561.9) and rushing offense (442.9).
Eisenhofer joined the Davidson football staff after two years at Pioneer Football League foe, Jacksonville University.
As an offensive graduate assistant, Eisenhofer coached the Dolphins’ quarterbacks and b-backs. While at Jacksonville, he helped Jared Morris earn All-PFL honorable mention, and Keenan Simpson earn All-PFL second-team honors. The Dolphin offense also set program records for rushing yardage and rushing touchdowns during his tenure.
Before Jacksonville, Eisenhofer began his coaching career at the University of Minnesota-Morris, where he coached the wide receivers, tight ends, and running backs.
A 2015 graduate of Washington and Lee University, Eisenhofer was a three-year starter for Coach Abell and served as a team captain for the Generals beginning in the spring of his junior year. He received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Washington and Lee and his master’s in Leadership and Learning from Jacksonville University in 2018.
Eisenhofer and wife Stephanie make their home in Houston.
EISENHOFER YEAR-BY-YEAR
2024-pr: Rice (Run Game Coordinator/Inside Receivers)
2020-24.: Davidson (Assistant Special Teams Coordinator/Video Coordinator/Slots)
2018-19.: Davidson (Tight Ends)
2016-17: Jacksonville (Offensive Graduate Assistant)
2015: Minnesota-Morris (Wide receiver, tight ends and running backs)
Brian Brown- Outside Receivers
Brian Brown joined Scott Abell’s staff in January of 2025 as the Owls’ wide receivers’ coach.
Brown was a record-setting receiver at Richmond from 2013-16 and spent three seasons on NFL practice squads with Dallas and Detroit before embarking on his coaching career.
He was a two-time All-American selection at Richmond while setting Spiders’ career records with 247 receptions, 4,203 receiving yards, and 23 touchdowns and leading the Spiders to three consecutive FCS Playoff appearances, including a semifinal berth in 2015. His 4,203 yards were ranked 10th all-time at the FCS level heading into the 2024 season.
Brown joined the Owls after serving as a defensive assistant and secondary coach at Davidson from 2022-24.
Prior to Davidson, Brown served as an Athletic Skills Trainer and assistant football coach at Hermitage High School. Brown held the title of passing game coordinator while also coaching the safeties and wide receivers.
Brown received his bachelor’s degree in sociology and history from Richmond in 2017.
Johnathan Wilson- Running Backs
Johnathan Wilson joined Scott Abell’s staff in January of 2025 as the Owls’ running backs coach.
Wilson came to Rice after two seasons at SFA when he tutored the Lumberjacks’ running backs, including Qualan Jones, who was fourth in the Southland with 779 yards and averaged 5.3 per carry. Jones’ rushing total was the highest at SFA since 2014.
He moved to coaching at the collegiate level in 2024 after spending the previous three seasons as the head coach at his alma mater, Klein Forest. He moved into the head coach’s role in 2020 and in his first game leading the Golden Eagles, they snapped a 19-game losing streak with a 28-13 win over Goose Creek Memorial.
Willson was a four-year letterman as a wide receiver at Kansas from 2007-10, where he caught 119 passes for 1,641 yards in his career. He was recruited to Kansas by future Rice offensive coordinator John Reagan.
After graduation, he began his coaching career at Klein Oak in 2012, where the Panthers reached a pair of Region 2 semifinals in addition to the championship game in 2014 before moving to Klein Forest in 2020.
He and wife Cheri have two children, Weston and Winter.
Clay Davie- Assistant Offensive Line
Coy Williams- Assistant Backfield
Coy Williams joined the Owls as an Offensive Quality Control coach in January of 2024.
The native of Lumberton, Texas returned to the state from Davidson College where he served as an offensive assistant the past two seasons after a standout playing career for coach Scott Abell.
In his two seasons seasons, Williams was instrumental in the Wildcats’ leading the nation in rushing and ranking first and 11th in scoring.
This past season, All-conference running back Mari Adams led the conference in every major rushing statistical category, while ranking among FCS national leaders in rushing yards (1,137 / 10th), rushing yards per game (113.7 / 5th), yards per carry (6.85 / 6th) and rushing touchdowns (14 / 6th). In addition to a league-best seven games with at least 100 yards on the ground, Adams is just the fourth player in program history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons.
A three-time all-conference selection during his playing career, Williams finished his standout career ranked among the school’s all-time leaders in rushing yards (2,319 / 6th), yards per carry (5.8 / 2nd) and rushing touchdowns 36 / 2nd).
In addition to helping Davidson to back-to-back Pioneer Football League titles and three straight consecutive FCS Playoff appearances, Williams was twice selected to Phil Steele’s Postseason All-American team, while earning a spot on the league’s Academic Honor Roll four times.
A native of Lumberton, Texas, Williams was a multi-sport star at Evadale High School, earning All-State honors as an All-Purpose back in 2017.
