New Loper Assistant is Georgia Southern Alum, Spent 2022 at Buffalo
Kearney, Neb. – Nebraska Kearney head football coach Ryan Held announced today that Nate Baker is the Lopers new offensive line coach and run game coordinator. The Georgia native spent the 2022 season as Senior Defensive Quality Control at Buffalo. Previously, he was co-offensive coordinator/tackles and tights coach at Division II Savannah (Ga.) State for three seasons. He also has coached at Georgia Military College, a junior college program, and at his alma mater, Georgia Southern. "I'm very fired up to have Nate as my Offensive Line Coach/Run Game Coordinator. His knowledge of line play and development is elite and I'm very happy to have him on the staff," said Held. "Our O-Line is in great hands!" At UB in 2022, Baker helped the Bulls win seven games and beat Georgia Southern in the Camellia Bowl. Buffalo's defense ranked fourth in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in scoring and was third in efficiency. The 2019 SSU Tigers posted a 7-3 record, the first program's first winning season in 21 years. It was SSU's first year of competition back in Division II and the Tigers finished 5-0 in conference play. Under Baker's leadership, SSU turned to an old-school option offense to set new school records in a number of categories during 2019. The success continued as the Tigers went a combined 9-3 over the next two seasons, one cut short due to the pandemic. Working under current Army head coach Jeff Monken and current Tulane head coach Willie Fritz at Georgia Southern, Baker saw great success in Statesboro. He first stint was as an undergrad offensive analyst (2008-12) and then he moved into a graduate assistant role, working with the line (2013-15). He helped the Eagles go 67-34, win three league titles and make four postseason appearances (three FCS playoff trips and FBS bowl game). Not surprisingly, the option-based Eagles led the country in rushing between 2011-15. Baker moved onto GMC where he helped the Bulldogs go 22-9 over three seasons. As the o-line coach, he saw four of his players earn D1 scholarships (South Carolina, Coastal Carolina, Troy and Alabama State) after the 2016 season. In 2017, GMC went 8-2 with Baker coaching two All-Americans. In his final season at GMC, he sent four more athletes to D1 programs with the 'Dawgs averaging over 35 points and 350+ yards per game and having 30+ rushing touchdowns. Having recruiting experience in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and the JUCO ranks in Kansas, Baker has helped coach seven All-Americans, seven first-team all-conference picks and seen four of his players get drafted or be in an NFL camp. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Sports Management from GSU and is married to the former Katherine Baker. They have two children in Beau and Brooks.
The new Loper staff is out recruiting in preparation for Division II signing day on Wednesday, Feb. 1
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