In a significant move, the Arizona Cardinals have announced the hiring of Zac Etheridge as their new cornerbacks coach. Etheridge, a graduate of Charles Henderson High School and former star at Auburn University, brings a wealth of experience from his recent role with the Miami Hurricanes, where he served as the defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach in 2025.
This latest development continues the trend of Pike County natives making their mark in the NFL coaching world. Etheridge joins fellow local product Derrick Foster, who has been coaching running backs for the Dallas Cowboys since 2021.
During his time at Charles Henderson, Etheridge was recognized as a standout defensive back and played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game. His collegiate career at Auburn was highlighted by a National Championship victory in 2010. Despite suffering a severe neck injury during his junior year, Etheridge displayed remarkable determination by returning to the field less than a year later, eventually earning a captaincy on the championship team. Over his college career, he accumulated 261 total tackles, four interceptions, and received the James Owens Courage Award for his resilience.
Following his playing days, Etheridge transitioned into coaching, starting as a graduate assistant at Penn State in 2012, followed by a similar role at Georgia Tech in 2013. He later took on positions as the defensive backs and outside linebackers coach at Western Carolina in 2016, before moving to Louisiana and then Houston as defensive backs coach. In 2021, he returned to Auburn, this time as the safeties coach and associate head coach, before heading back to Houston in 2024.
Known for his exceptional recruiting skills, Etheridge”s coaching prowess shone brightly in 2025 when his Miami secondary achieved the top ranking in pass defense efficiency within the ACC and tied for eighth in the nation for interceptions, leading the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoffs National Championship.
Now, as he takes on the role with the Cardinals, Etheridge inherits a secondary that finished eighth in the NFL for pass defense but struggled with interceptions, ranking 16th in that category. The team also faced challenges in defending against passing touchdowns, ranking sixth in the league in that statistic during the 2025 season.
