Holman Copeland - Football Coach - University of Delaware Athletics

Holman Copeland

Title:
Assistant Coach/Corners/Recruiting Coordinator
Email:
hcope@udel.edu

Holman Copeland joined the Delaware coaching staff prior to the 2019 season and has worked with the team’s cornerbacks since his arrival. In February 2022, Copeland also became the program recruiting coordinator.

In 2021, the Delaware defense ranked fifth in the CAA in passing defense, allowing just 204.9 yards per game through the air. UD’s cornerbacks had a stellar season as they combined for five interceptions and 16 pass breakups. Nijuel Hill was an All-CAA Second Team selection and eventual signed with the Washington Commanders as an UDFA.

During the Blue & Gold’s run to the FCS Semifinals in the 2020-21 spring season, the defense was absolutely dominant leading the CAA in both scoring defense (14.4 ppg) and passing defense (118.4 ypg). Hill earned his first All-CAA nod as he was named to the second team while also earning Second Team All-American (Stats Perform) honors.

Prior to coming to Newark, Copeland spent two seasons (2017-18) at William & Mary where he was the secondary coach and an assistant special teams coordinator. During his first season in Williamsburg, Copeland was instrumental in developing W&M’s secondary. He helped mentor two of the league’s top players in Aaron Swinton and Raeshawn Smith and safety Corey Parker was an All-CAA Third Team selection.

The Tribe had two members of its secondary earn All-CAA honors in 2018, led by safety Isaiah Laster earning a second team nod. Parker earned his second-straight postseason honor as he was named to the All-CAA Second Team. In addition, Copeland helped push the secondary at William & Mary to a top-25 national ranking in passing yards allowed (190.0 ypg) in 2018.

Copeland joined the Tribe’s staff after a three-year stint (2014-16)as an assistant at Central Connecticut State where he served as the outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. During his successful stint at CCSU, Copland produced four all-conference selections.

Before his three seasons with the Blue Devils, Copeland worked as a graduate assistant at the University of Buffalo for two seasons (2012-13). In addition to mentoring and helping develop NFL first-round selection Khalil Mack as a linebackers assistant in 2012, he coached the secondary the following season and helped the Bulls rank second in the Mid-American Conference in both total defense and scoring defense. Buffalo also earned a bid to the Idaho Potato Bowl in 2013.

Copeland’s resume also includes a pair of one-year stints as the secondary coach at East Stroudsburg University (2011) and the University of New Haven (2010). He produced a pair of all-conference cornerbacks during both seasons, while his unit helped ESU lead the league in interceptions during the 2011 campaign. Additionally, New Haven won the NE-10 Championship in 2010.

He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at East Stroudsburg and then spent a season as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Harry S. Truman (Levittown, Pa.) in 2009.

Copeland was a two-year letterwinner at Clarion University of Pennsylvania where he played safety. He graduated from Clarion in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science degree in communications and a minor in sport management. He earned his Master of Science degree in sport management from East Stroudsburg.