AJ Howard - Defensive Analyst / Assistant Linebackers Coach - Football Support Staff

AJ Howard

Title:
Defensive Analyst / Assistant Linebackers Coach
Email:
alvinhow@usc.edu

AJ Howard enters his first season as a defensive analyst / assistant linebackers coach at USC.

Previously, Howard was the outside linebackers coach at App State from 2023-24. He was named to the 35 Under 35 Class for 2024 from the American Football Coaches Association as a first-year App State assistant.

Working with App State’s outside linebackers, Howard helped mentor true freshman Nate Johnson, who was named a Freshman All-American with 7.5 sacks and 8.5 TFLs. Johnson entered the postseason tied for first place nationally in sacks by an FBS freshman.

During the 2024 season, outside linebackers Thomas Davis and Johnson combined for 5.5 sacks, while Howard also worked with App State’s “Star” defenders. Davis contributed to sacks in three games, and Johnson closed the year with a two-sack performance.

Howard spent 2021 and 2022 as a Southeast area scout for the Patriots.

Howard began his coaching career at Louisville as a graduate assistant in 2020.

He played in the NFL for two seasons (2018-29) and won a Super Bowl ring as a member of the New England Patriots in 2019.

A 2017 graduate of App State, Howard started every game at strong safety in 2014, 2016 and 2017 and led the Mountaineers to three straight bowl wins in their first three years being bowl eligible from 2015-17. He earned All-Sun Belt honors his junior and senior years while helping the program to its first two Sun Belt Conference titles.

He totaled 222 tackles in 51 career games played (38 starts), while also tallying 4 INTs and 18 PBUs. Serving as a team captain in 2017 and a leader throughout his tenure, App State's defense ranked first or second among Sun Belt teams in both points allowed per game and yards allowed per game in each of Howard's last three seasons.