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Rice University Athletics
Football
Kyle Persons
- Title:
- Defensive Graduate Assistant
Kyle Persons joined Scott Abell's staff in the spring of 2026 as a Defensive Graduate Assistant.
Persons came to South Main after three seasons at North Alabama, first for two years as a defensive analyst and then as the defensive line coach in 2025. In his first season at UNA, he helped develop Jyheam Ingram into a Freshman All-American (Phil Steele). The following season, the Lions led the United Athletic Conference in sacks and fewest first downs and were second in total defense and rushing defense.
Persons began his collegiate coaching career at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio, in 2021 as a defensive graduate assistant under head coach Cris Reisert and defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Brock Caraboa for two seasons before moving to North Alabama in 2023 after Carboa was named Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator at UNA.
Tiffin’s defense dominated the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in 2022, leading the league in rushing defense (88 yards per game), sacks (33), third-down defense (25.2%), and red-zone defense (68%), while finishing second in total defense, pass defense, and scoring defense. They ranked fifth nationally in third-down defense and touchdowns allowed (17).
Prior to Tiffin, Persons worked as a student assistant at the FBS level with his alma mater, Old Dominion from 2017-20.
Persons graduated from Old Dominion in 2021.
Persons came to South Main after three seasons at North Alabama, first for two years as a defensive analyst and then as the defensive line coach in 2025. In his first season at UNA, he helped develop Jyheam Ingram into a Freshman All-American (Phil Steele). The following season, the Lions led the United Athletic Conference in sacks and fewest first downs and were second in total defense and rushing defense.
Persons began his collegiate coaching career at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio, in 2021 as a defensive graduate assistant under head coach Cris Reisert and defensive coordinator/assistant head coach Brock Caraboa for two seasons before moving to North Alabama in 2023 after Carboa was named Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator at UNA.
Tiffin’s defense dominated the Great Midwest Athletic Conference in 2022, leading the league in rushing defense (88 yards per game), sacks (33), third-down defense (25.2%), and red-zone defense (68%), while finishing second in total defense, pass defense, and scoring defense. They ranked fifth nationally in third-down defense and touchdowns allowed (17).
Prior to Tiffin, Persons worked as a student assistant at the FBS level with his alma mater, Old Dominion from 2017-20.
Persons graduated from Old Dominion in 2021.
Wednesday, March 09
Saturday, December 04
Thursday, December 02
