GREENVILLE, S.C. – Furman head coach Clay Hendrix announced today that Chad Byers has been elevated to defensive coordinator after serving as the program's co-defensive coordinator the last four years alongside Duane Vaughn, who recently joined the coaching staff at Western Michigan.
 
Byers, a six-year member of the Paladin coaching staff, will continue to direct the squad's inside linebackers, which he assumed in 2022.
 
"It is indeed a pleasure to promote Chad Byers into our defensive coordinator position," said Hendrix on Thursday.  "He has been a terrific coach for Furman football and is very well prepared for this opportunity.  Chad embraces the high goals we have for our football program as well as our university's mission."

In 2024 Byers coached Furman's top performer — All-American linebacker Evan DiMaggio, who paced the Southern Conference with 120 tackles, including 10.5 for loss, to cap an impressive career.

In 2023 he oversaw a Paladin inside linebacking corps that produced stellar play, highlighted by All-SoCon honors for Braden Gilby, who paced the squad with 94 tackles and 15 tackles for loss.  Byers' troops were a driving force in Furman posting its second consecutive 10-win season, 2023 SoCon championship, quarterfinal round playoff appearance, and second straight consensus FCS Top 10 final ranking.

The 2023 Paladin defense, which Byers helped coordinate, proved to be among the best in the FCS in multiple categories and topped the SoCon in rushing defense (96.9 ypg), total defense (316.0 ypg), scoring defense (18.2 ppg), sacks (38), third down percentage defense (.322), fourth down percentage defense (.384), red zone defense (.722), turnovers gained (34), and turnover margin (+1.84).
 
In his first two seasons at Furman he directed the play of Paladin outside linebackers, including All-Southern Conference bandit Adrian Hope, who concluded his Paladin tenure ranked second in career sacks (25.5).

Byers, who served in a defensive quality control capacity for the Paladins in 2015, returned to Furman following a one-year stint as graduate assistant linebackers coach at Marshall University (2019) and a three-year tenure (2016-18) at Shepherd University, where he served in a variety of roles, including linebackers coach, special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator, and director of operations.

During his 2015 season at Furman he was part of a Paladin program that knocked off Central Florida, 16-15.

Byers attended James Madison University from 2008-12 and played linebacker for the Dukes, rising from walk-on to scholarship status.  After winning the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) title in 2008, the Dukes knocked of Virginia Tech, 21-16, in 2010.

Holder of a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology from JMU, which he received in 2012, he is married to Kelly Gooch, formerly of Richmond, Va.  They have a daughter, Charley, and a son, Beau.