GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman head football coach Clay Hendrix announced today the hiring on Antonio Wilcox as the Paladins' new running backs coach.

"I could not be more pleased to announce Antonio Wilcox as our new running backs coach," said Hendrix.  "It has been a goal of mine to get him back on our staff.   He did a tremendous job with us before, was well respected as a player and as a young coach, and is a great worker and extremely bright.  He is a terrific addition to our staff and program. "

The last two years Wilcox served on the coaching staff at nearby North Greenville University, first working as a graduate assistant with the program's running backs and helping the Crusaders almost double their rushing production from 2018 to 2019.  In 2020 he was earned a full-time appointment on the NGU staff coaching the squad's wide receivers.

Wilcox began his coaching career at his alma mater in 2018, serving as a quality control offensive assistant for the Paladins and playing a key role in Furman's run to the SoCon championship that season.

A native of Fitzgerald, Ga., he lettered all four years of his Paladin career and paced Furman in rushing as a sophomore, junior, and senior, finishing with 1,777 yards and 21 touchdowns.  In 2017, he rushed for 814 yards and 14 touchdowns in helping key Furman's drive to the NCAA FCS playoffs.  Included in that campaign was a career high 21-carry, 202-yard rushing performance in a 28-6 road triumph over Western Carolina.

Wilcox earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Furman in the spring of 2018 and secured his MBA from North Greenville in 2020.