Garwig Named Linebackers Coach
1/13/2026 10:13:00 AM | Football
BUFFALO, NY – Alex Garwig has been hired as linebackers coach for the University at Buffalo football team, head coach Pete Lembo announced on Monday. Garwig comes to Buffalo from Georgia Southern where he served in the same role.
Garwig brings 13 years of experience to UB, including holding defensive positions at five different Power 4 programs.
"Coach Garwig and I worked together at Maryland," Lembo said. "He is incredibly bright, energetic, talented and hardworking. He is a Pittsburgh native who can help us recruit that important area."
In his lone season at Georgia Southern, Garwig coached linebacker Brendan Harrington who was named All-Sun Belt after totaling 85 tackles on the season. He helped lead the Eagles to a 7-6 record and victory over Appalachian State in the Birmingham Bowl.
Garwig has had stops at Texas A&M, Duke, Ole Miss, UMass, Maryland and Michigan during his young career, working exclusively on the defensive side of the ball. He worked with Lembo while at Maryland.
In 2024, Garwig was a senior defensive analyst at Texas A&M, working with a strong linebacker group that helped lead the Aggies to a national ranking and a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl. In 2023, he was a senior defensive analyst for a Duke team that had one of the best seasons in program history. He worked with the safeties and nickels in Durham for a defense that finished first in the ACC in scoring defense and third in red zone defense.
In 2022, he had his first stop in College Station as he served as a defensive analyst for the Aggies and worked with the linebackers. He assisted with game-planning and positional development during his short stint with the Aggies. He helped coach Edgerrin Cooper, who went on to be a second-round NFL Draft pick by Green Bay in 2024 and earned All-America honors.
Before that, he worked at Ole Miss for two seasons as a senior defensive analyst with the linebackers. During his time in Oxford, Ole Miss posted an overall record of 15-8, including an appearance in the 2021 Sugar Bowl. There, he mentored both Chance Campbell and Mark Robinson, a pair of linebackers who went on to be taken in the NFL Draft.
He spent the 2019 season at UMass as a graduate assistant, working with the nickels and sam linebackers.
Garwig's three previous three seasons came at Maryland. In 2018, Garwig guided the Terrapins' nickelbacks in all facets, including planning meetings and practices, while also ensuring players were on track with academic responsibilities. Antoine Brooks, Jr. was named All-Big Ten second team and as a whole, Maryland's scoring defense moved up 41 spots in the FBS rankings from the previous season. His three-year stint in College Park also saw Garwig contribute to game planning, opponent breakdowns, playbook organization and press box scouting on game days.
While an undergraduate student at Michigan, Garwig spent three years assisting the football program in several capacities. Among his other responsibilities, Garwig broke down game and practice film, supervised student managers and assisted coaches in evaluating prospects. Garwig was on staff as the Wolverines reached the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl both in 2013 and 2015.
A native of Upper St. Clair, PA, Garwig earned his undergraduate degree in sport management from Michigan in 2015. He added a master's of professional studies in 2018 while at Maryland.
In addition to the Garwig hiring, Lembo also announced that Alex Eleyssami has been hired as an offensive analyst.
Garwig brings 13 years of experience to UB, including holding defensive positions at five different Power 4 programs.
"Coach Garwig and I worked together at Maryland," Lembo said. "He is incredibly bright, energetic, talented and hardworking. He is a Pittsburgh native who can help us recruit that important area."
In his lone season at Georgia Southern, Garwig coached linebacker Brendan Harrington who was named All-Sun Belt after totaling 85 tackles on the season. He helped lead the Eagles to a 7-6 record and victory over Appalachian State in the Birmingham Bowl.
Garwig has had stops at Texas A&M, Duke, Ole Miss, UMass, Maryland and Michigan during his young career, working exclusively on the defensive side of the ball. He worked with Lembo while at Maryland.
In 2024, Garwig was a senior defensive analyst at Texas A&M, working with a strong linebacker group that helped lead the Aggies to a national ranking and a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl. In 2023, he was a senior defensive analyst for a Duke team that had one of the best seasons in program history. He worked with the safeties and nickels in Durham for a defense that finished first in the ACC in scoring defense and third in red zone defense.
In 2022, he had his first stop in College Station as he served as a defensive analyst for the Aggies and worked with the linebackers. He assisted with game-planning and positional development during his short stint with the Aggies. He helped coach Edgerrin Cooper, who went on to be a second-round NFL Draft pick by Green Bay in 2024 and earned All-America honors.
Before that, he worked at Ole Miss for two seasons as a senior defensive analyst with the linebackers. During his time in Oxford, Ole Miss posted an overall record of 15-8, including an appearance in the 2021 Sugar Bowl. There, he mentored both Chance Campbell and Mark Robinson, a pair of linebackers who went on to be taken in the NFL Draft.
He spent the 2019 season at UMass as a graduate assistant, working with the nickels and sam linebackers.
Garwig's three previous three seasons came at Maryland. In 2018, Garwig guided the Terrapins' nickelbacks in all facets, including planning meetings and practices, while also ensuring players were on track with academic responsibilities. Antoine Brooks, Jr. was named All-Big Ten second team and as a whole, Maryland's scoring defense moved up 41 spots in the FBS rankings from the previous season. His three-year stint in College Park also saw Garwig contribute to game planning, opponent breakdowns, playbook organization and press box scouting on game days.
While an undergraduate student at Michigan, Garwig spent three years assisting the football program in several capacities. Among his other responsibilities, Garwig broke down game and practice film, supervised student managers and assisted coaches in evaluating prospects. Garwig was on staff as the Wolverines reached the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl both in 2013 and 2015.
A native of Upper St. Clair, PA, Garwig earned his undergraduate degree in sport management from Michigan in 2015. He added a master's of professional studies in 2018 while at Maryland.
In addition to the Garwig hiring, Lembo also announced that Alex Eleyssami has been hired as an offensive analyst.
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