Shawn Quinn: Head Coach

Savannah State University


Coach Quinn just assumed the Role of Head Football Coach at Savannah State University after serving as the Defensive Coordinator in 2018.  Quinn came to Savannah State from The Citadel where he served as a defensive analyst for the 2017 season. Before that, he was the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Tennessee Tech (2016-17).

A native of Chicago, Quinn has also coached at Western Carolina, Charleston Southern, Northwestern State, Georgia Southern, Louisiana Lafayette, Tennessee and Louisiana State.

He spent three years (2013-16) as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Western Carolina, leading a resurgence of the Catamount defense. Prior to Western Carolina, he coached one season (2012) at Charleston Southern where his defensive unit led the Big South Conference in pass defense and ranking third in scoring and total defense.

Quinn additionally has previous coordinator experience from a year (2009) working as the co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Northwestern State, and two seasons (2010-11) at Georgia Southern coaching linebackers while also serving as the Eagles' recruiting coordinator. AT GSU, he helped the Eagles win the 2011 Southern Conference championship and achieve two FCS semi-final playoff appearances.

He worked as a defensive line assistant for LSU during the 2008 season and from 2002-07, Quinn coached outside linebackers and the defensive line at Louisiana-Lafayette, helping win the 2005 Sun Belt championship.

Quinn began his coaching career at the high school level, coaching outside linebackers and tight ends for a year (1995) at Armuchee (Ga.) High before spending five years (1996-99) coaching at Maryville (Tenn.) High where he helped lead the team to the 1998 Tennessee Class 4-A state championship. He then landed on the staff at Tennessee (1999-2002), as an offensive graduate assistant, taking part in the Vols' 2001 SEC East Championship. Quinn coached in three bowl games while at UT.

Quinn has coached or recruited a number of NFL players, most notably Jason Whitten (Dallas), Tyson Jackson (Atlanta), Darius Eubanks (Tampa Bay), Jeremy Lane (Seattle), Antwoine Williams (Minnesota) and Edwin Jackson (Indianapolis).

A four-year starter along the defensive line at Carson-Newman College, Quinn was an All-South Atlantic Conference (SAC) selection, helping the Eagles claim four conference championships. He graduated with a degree in history and political science in 1995 before earning a master's degree from Lincoln Memorial University.