Cordell Upshaw is in his fifth season as defensive line coach at the University of North Alabama in 2022.
He was a member of the UNA coaching staff during the Lions' final season as an NCAA Division II member, and has led the North Alabama defensive line during the school's entire transition to Division I FCS football.
He helped guide the Lions to a 7-3 finish in 2018 in the school's first season of Division I FCS competition.
Last season, UNA defensive lineman Wallace Cowins, Jr., earned first-team All-Big South Conference honors.
Upshaw, a former Southern Arkansas University defensive standout and defensive line coach, joined the UNA football coaching staff in July of 2018.
   Upshaw initially coached three years at SAU and then spent two seasons coaching at William Jewell College. He then returned to coach at Southern Arkansas before accepting a position with the Lions.
   Upshaw helped the Muleriders begin their recent stretch of winning football. Over his time on staff, SAU won 19 games, posted a .613 overall winning percentage and appeared in the C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl in 2012.
    Additionally, Upshaw's defensive linemen at SAU averaged 39.0 tackles for loss and 12.5 quarterback sacks per season with a season-best 47.0 TFLs and 17.5 sacks coming in 2012. That year, Upshaw helped develop a defensive front that was among the best in the nation in stopping the run as they allowed just 91.4 yards per game, which was tops in the Great American Conference and the sixth-best mark in all of Division II.
   Prior to being with the Muleriders, Upshaw coached at Fort Scott Community College where he coached the defensive line. Upshaw served as a Graduate Assistant for the Muleriders for the 2010 and 2011 seasons working with the defensive backs.
    During his collegiate playing days, Upshaw was a four-year letterman for the Muleriders and was a defensive standout as a starter at the linebacker and defensive end positions. Upshaw was a part of a defensive unit that finished the 2008 season ranked 18th nationally in rushing defense (96.8 yards/game).
   Upshaw prepped at Leesville High School where he was a three-year letterman linebacker for the Wampus Cats. He was an All-State and All-District selection, as well as the MVP and Defensive Player of the Year for West Central Louisiana.
    Upshaw earned his B.S. in Human Performance in 2009 and his M.S. in Kinesiology – Coaching in 2011, both from Southern Arkansas University. He is a native of Leesville, La.
Â
