Army West Point Football Head Coach Jeff Monken has announced the addition of Chandler Burks, tight ends coach, and Nate Fuqua, defensive line coach as new assistants on the Army coaching staff.
Cheston Blackshear, who coached the tight ends in 2024 will transition to coach the offensive line in 2025 alongside assistant head coach/offensive line coach, Mike Viti.
Fuqua (pronounced FEW-quay) joins the Banks of the Hudson after a two-year stint (2023-24) at Cincinnati serving as the co-defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
Prior to joining the Bearcats, Fuqua served as the defensive coordinator and outside linebackers coach at Georgia State for six seasons (2017-22).
He led some of the top defenses in Panthers' history, including a 2021 squad that set school records with 38 sacks and 92 TFLs.
"I'm very grateful for the opportunity Coach Monken has given me and my family to join Army Football," said Fuqua. "Being able to coach the young men at West Point is very exciting and I can't wait to get started. GO ARMY, BEAT Navy!"
Under Fuqua's tutelage, Georgia State's run defense ranked second in the Sun Belt in rushing yards allowed in both 2020 and 2021. The Panthers also ranked 11th in the nation with 25 turnovers forced in 2022.
Fuqua was nominated for the Broyles Award in 2017. He coached 24 all-conference players, and five Panthers earned pro contracts during his time at GSU.
Before joining Georgia State, Fuqua coached for 12 seasons at his alma mater Wofford. He directed the defense for three seasons, helping lead the Terriers to the FCS quarterfinals in 2016 when Wofford ranked fifth in the nation in total defense (287.2) and sixth in scoring defense (17.1 ppg).
A nose tackle in college, Fuqua was a four-time All-Southern Conference player and two-time All-American for the Terriers, including first-team recognition as a senior in 2002. He was elected to the Wofford College Athletic Hall of Fame in 2008.
"I am proud to welcome Chandler Burks and Nate Fuqua to the Army Football Brotherhood. Nate is a coaching veteran who has years of defensive coordinator experience allowing him to make an immediate impact in the development of our young men and on the defensive side of the ball," said Head Coach Jeff Monken. "Chandler has a wide variety of experiences from his playing career and coaching career at Kennesaw that will add a lot of knowledge and perspective to our team."
Burks joins the staff after spending the previous five seasons at Kennesaw State. This past season he held the title of interim head coach for the season's final three games. He primarily served as the co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in 2024. From 2020-23, he served as the quarterbacks coach for the Owls.
"First, I must give honor and glory to my lord and savior for this opportunity," said Burks. "I would like to thank Jeff Monken and Cody Worley for this incredible opportunity and for believing in me. It is an unbelievable honor and privilege to be joining this staff, and I could not be more excited to be part of the brotherhood at Army West Point. GO ARMY! BEAT Navy."
Burks played quarterback at Kennesaw State (2015-18), where he was coached by current Army offensive coordinator, Cody Worley.
Under Worley's mentorship, he emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the nation, earning back-to-back Big South Offensive Player of the Year and Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolades in 2017 and 2018, the first player in conference history to earn both awards in the same season. He also became the first player in league history to finish with both 1,000 yards rushing and passing during the 2017 campaign. He went on to be named the 2018 FCS National Performer of the Year at the College Football Performance Awards
A runner-up for the 2018 Walter Payton Award, Burks led all Division I (FCS or FBS) rushers with 29 touchdowns on the ground to tie the Big South single-season record. He led the FCS in scoring (174 points) and points responsible for (18.3 per game) while ranked fourth in the Big South for rushing yards (905), total offense (149.8 yards/game).
Burks was an offensive juggernaut for the Owls, starting in 37 consecutive games at quarterback for the Owls and leading KSU to a 17-2 home record and back-to-back FCS Playoff quarterfinal appearances.
