By GRANT TRAYLOR

Associate Athletic Director of Strategic Communications

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall Football coach Charles Huff announced the hiring of Henry Baker as the Thundering Herd’s co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach.

Baker comes to Marshall with a strong pedigree in the secondary after having coached Maryland’s cornerbacks over the past four seasons.

“We are excited to add the experience, knowledge and character of Henry Baker,” Huff said. “Henry has coached at all different levels and brings a wealth of knowledge and a track record of developing players. We are lucky to have an elite coach and person like Henry.”

Baker comes to Marshall after helping to build Maryland’s secondary into an elite unit within FBS. The 2023 team finished ranked No. 3 in the nation in interceptions – a category they also led the Big Ten in – while also ranking No. 12 in FBS in pass efficiency defense.

The Paterson, N.J. native, developed several NFL players during his time with the Terps, including cornerback Tarheeb Still, who finished No. 3 in the nation in interception in 2023 and was recently selected in the 5^th Round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers.

Baker also had a pair of former Maryland cornerbacks selected in the 2023 NFL Draft – 1^st Round pick Deonte Banks, who went to the New York Giants, and 4^th Round selection Jakorian Bennett, who was taken by the Las Vegas Raiders.

The impact of Baker has been felt since his arrival with the cornerbacks seeing immediate success in 2020 in Baker’s first season back with his alma mater.

In 2020, Baker helped the Maryland defense to a No. 13 national ranking in pass efficiency defense and No. 25 rank in passing yards allowed while lowering the passing yards allowed per game more than 70 yards from the previous season.

Still and Nick Cross earned All-Big Ten honors in that season while Still was also named a Freshman All-American.

The success continued in 2021 when CB Bennett led the Power 5 in pass breakups and also earned All-Big Ten honors.

Prior to the return to his alma mater, Baker spent the 2019 season with the New York Giants as the assistant defensive backs coach. That stint in the NFL came after one-year stints as the cornerbacks coach at North Carolina (2018) and Rutgers (2017).

From 2011-16, Baker was the cornerbacks coach at the University of Delaware. During his final two years, the Blue Hens were nationally-ranked in passing yards allowed, interceptions and scoring defense.

During his time at Delaware, Baker also took part in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship – a program geared toward using NFL training camps and offseason workout programs as a took to give talented coaches the chance to observe and participate with NFL teams to gain experience that will help them enhance their coaching careers.

Baker was a selection for the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship in three years during his time at Delaware, spending summers with the Miami Dolphins (2013), Detroit Lions (2015) and the New York Giants (2016), who later hired him as an assistant.

During his playing career, Baker was a four-time letterwinner and two-year starter at Maryland from 1994-97. Baker went on to play for the Kansas City Chiefs in 2003 and also spent several years in the Arena Football League.

Baker and his wife, Theresa, have a son, Khari, and two daughters Kaila and Khloe.