Nic McKissic-Luke enters his second season as the running backs coach with the New York Jets, his first position in the NFL, following 17 years of collegiate coaching experience.

In his first season with the Jets (2025), McKissic-Luke helped guide a top 10 rushing unit, finishing the year with the most rushing yards per game by a Jets offense since 2014 (123.3). Running back Breece Hall produced the first 1,000-yard rushing season by a Jet since 2015, becoming just the eighth player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. Hall finished the year with a career-high 1,065 rushing yards, adding 350 receiving yards and five total touchdowns. Running back Isaiah Davis also posted single-season highs in all categories under McKissic-Luke, finishing the year with 236 yards on 43 carries, good for an average of 5.5 yards per rush, the fifth highest among all running backs with 40 or more carries.

Prior to joining the Jets, McKissic-Luke served as the running backs coach for Minnesota (2023-24), where he helped running back Darius Taylor rush for the fifth most yards by a freshman in program history (799), earning consecutive All-Big Ten Honorable Mention selections. Minnesota won both of their bowl games during McKissic-Luke's tenure with the school, including the Quick Lane Bowl (2023) and the Duke's Mayo Bowl (2024).

Before Minnesota, McKissic-Luke spent three seasons at Northern Illinois, first as running backs/fullbacks coach (2020), adding run game coordinator and co-special teams coordinator titles (2021), and culminating as run game coordinator, running backs coach, and special teams coordinator (2022). In his final season (2022), the Huskies had the number-two rushing offense in the MAC (190.4 yards per game), with both of their running backs ranking first and second in the conference in yards per rush.

McKissic-Luke spent his first three seasons at Youngstown State (2016-18) as the running backs coach before adding special teams coordinator to his duties (2019). He helped the program to its first National Championship appearance since 1999, while five players received All-Missouri Valley Football Conference accolades during his tenure.

With South Dakota State (2013-15), McKissic-Luke helped guide the Jackrabbits to the FCS Playoffs each year. During his first two seasons, he worked with running back Zach Zenner, a consensus All-American and two-time first-team All-MVFC selection who later played five seasons in the NFL.

McKissic-Luke began his career at Benedict College, where he spent five seasons coaching running backs and slot receivers. The Tigers led the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in rushing in consecutive seasons in 2009 and 2010.

In addition to his collegiate coaching career, McKissic-Luke spent two summers (2011, 2012) with the Arizona Cardinals through the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

A graduate of Alabama A&M, McKissic-Luke finished second in career rushing yards with more than 2,000 yards in three seasons (2004-06) for the Bulldogs. During his senior year, he helped lead Alabama A&M to the 2006 Southwestern Athletic Conference crown.

McKissic-Luke and his wife, Emily, have a son, Nicolas, and two daughters, Georgia, and Rylynn.

FLIGHT PATH

New York Jets 2025-Present

Running Backs 2025-Present

University of Minnesota 2023-24

Running Backs 2023-24

Northern Illinois University 2020-22

Run Game Coord./Special Teams Coordinator 2022

Run Game Coord./Co-Special Teams Coordinator 2021

Running Backs/Fullbacks 2020

Youngstown State University 2016-19

Running Backs/Special Teams 2019

Running Backs 2016-18

South Dakota State University 2013-15

Running Backs/Co-Special Teams Coord. 2013-15

Arizona Cardinals 2011-12

Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship 2012

Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship 2011

Benedict College 2008-12

Running Backs/Slot WRs/Strength & Conditioning 2008-12