Eastern Michigan University Athletics

Entering his second year at EMU is Chris Chestnut, who came to Ypsilanti after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Western Michigan University. Chestnut will serve as EMU’s tight ends coach, as well as the team's Co-Offensive Run Game Coordinator.
 
Chestnut oversaw the wide receivers in the 2023 season, mainly highlighted by Tanner Knue, who earned All-MAC Second Team honors, marking his second time doing so in his career. Knue paced the Eagles in every receiving stat throughout the 2023 season, totaling 50 receptions for 479 yards and three touchdowns. The receiver's 50 receptions went down as the most in his collegiate football career, and rank as the fifth most regular-season catches in the MAC. Meanwhile, his 479 receiving yards are the second most in his career, ranking 13th in the conference. Moreover, Knue's consistency shined throughout the season as he had a streak of at least one reception in 35 consecutive games, the 17th-best figure in the nation.
 
A difference maker in the classroom, Knue also earned Academic All-MAC and CSC Academic All-District honors following the 2023 season. 
 
Also under Chestnut, JB Mitchell had a career season as he complemented Knue as the offense’s secondary wideout. Mitchell hauled in a total of 35 receptions for 398 yards and one touchdown, averaging 11.37 yards per grab. The Alabaster, Ala., native set a career-best with 99 receiving yards against Western Michigan, Oct. 28, while notching a career-high seven receptions twice, first against Ball State, Oct. 7, and again at Buffalo, Nov. 21.

Chestnut has 19 years of coaching experience at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), community college, and high school levels following a three year stint in the Arena Football League.

Most recently, Chestnut was an assistant coach at Western Michigan working with the tight ends (2021) and wide receivers (2022).

In 2022, wide receiver Corey Crooms collected Second Team All-Mid-American Conference honors after hauling in 54 balls for 814 yards and five touchdowns. Crooms was sixth in the league with 67.8 yards per game while finishing  10th with 4.8 receptions per contest. He torched Bowling Green State University for 151 yards on eight catches, while adding two receptions of 74-or-more yards on the season.

One season prior, Chestnut helped the Broncos capture the program’s second bowl victory, knocking off Nevada, 52-24, in the 2021 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit. All told, WMU ranked 12th nationally in total offense (466.4 ypg), while finishing 13th with 322 first downs and 34th in scoring offense (32.5 ppg).
    
Before returning to Kalamazoo, Chestnut spent two years in the same capacity at Western Kentucky University. Under Chestnut’s guidance, WKU receivers had one of the best seasons in recent memory. Lucky Jackson had 94 receptions for 1,133 yards and four touchdowns, while Jahcour Pearson recorded 76 receptions for 804 yards and seven scores. Jackson and Pearson were only 1-of-5 FBS teammate duos who each had at least 75 catches and 800 yards.

Jackson set the all-time Hilltopper program record with 17 catches against Western Michigan in the First Responder Bowl after previously setting the record earlier in the season with 16 grabs at Marshall. Jackson garnered First Team All-Conference USA honors while Pearson received Second Team All-Conference USA recognition. Jackson was also added to the 2019 Biletnikoff Award Watch List.

The Durham, N.C., native came to WKU following a three-year run on the coaching staff at Tennessee State, including the final two as wide receivers coach. Chestnut began his run on the staff as an offensive quality control coach working with the tight ends.

While at TSU, Chestnut was instrumental in the development of a wide receiving corps that included four receivers who caught at least 28 balls, led by junior Chris Rowland’s 57 receptions for 727 yards. Rowland was named an All-Ohio Valley Conference second teamer as a wide receiver and return specialist, while Treon Harris, a former quarterback at Florida, completed his transition to wide receiver by tallying 35 receptions and five touchdowns, both the second-best marks on the Tiger squad.

Chestnut’s work with receiver Patrick Smith in 2017 helped the senior receiver finish his career among the top five Tigers in career yards, receptions, and touchdowns. Smith led TSU in receiving in his final three seasons in Nashville.

Prior to going to TSU, Chestnut spent one season at the University of Miami (Fla.) as an offensive assistant which included time as the interim tight ends coach for the 2015.

Chestnut spent time in the high school ranks in his hometown of Durham, N.C., at Northern Durham High School where he was the offensive coordinator for the 2013 and 2014 seasons, his second stint at the school. He spent one season as a graduate assistant at the University of South Florida in 2012. Chestnut has also coached on the collegiate level at Campbell University (2010-11) and Ellsworth Community College (2009).

While at Ellsworth, Chestnut worked as the wide receivers coach for the 2009 Region IX Midwest Conference Champions and the 2009 Graphic Edge Bowl Champions. The offense he was part of ranked first in the nation and averaged 496 yards a game. His responsibilities included working with receiver Quintin Robinson, who was a first team NJCAA All-American and an all-conference selection.

Chestnut’s coaching career began with his first stint at Northern Durham immediately following a collegiate playing career at College of the Canyons and Western Michigan.

He led Canyons in receiving each of his two seasons and was named All-Western State Conference First Team as a sophomore before transferring to WMU. As a junior, Chestnut started all 11 games and was a two-year letterman for the Broncos. He capped his career, which included 30 catches for 412 yards, by earning a captain’s role as a senior in 2003.

Chestnut played professionally in the Arena Football League from 2004-06. He was in camp with the New York Dragon in 2004 and spent two years playing for the Las Vegas Gladiators (2004-05) and a year for the Georgia Wildcats (2006)

He received his bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from Western Michigan in 2008.

Chestnut and his wife, Maria, have three children, Jaylon, Carter, and Christina.
 

The Chris Chestnut File
Name:	Christopher Chestnut
High School:	North Durham HS - Durham, N.C
College:	Western Michigan University - Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies - 2008
Family:	Wife - Maria; Children - Jaylon, Carter, and Christina
Coaching Experience
Year	School	Position
2024-Present	Eastern Michigan University	Assistant Coach/Tight Ends/co-Run Game Coordinator
2023-24	Eastern Michigan University	Assistant Coach/Wide Receivers
2022	Western Michigan University	Assistant Coach/Wide Receivers
2021	Western Michigan University	Assistant Coach/Tight Ends
2019-20	Western Kentucky University	Assistant Coach/Wide Receivers
2017-18	Tennessee State University	Assistant Coach/Wide Receivers
2016	Tennessee State University	Offensive Quality Control
2015	University of Miami	Offensive Assistant/Tight Ends
2013-14	Northern Durham High School	Assistant Coach
2012	University of South Florida	Graduate Assistant
2010-11	Campbell University	Assistant Coach/Running Backs
2009	Ellsworth Community College	Assistant Coach/Wide Receivers
2006	Georgia Wildcats	AFL Professional Football Player
2004-05	Las Vegas Gladiators	AFL Professional Football Player
2004	New York Dragons	AFL Professional Football Player
2004-08	Northern Durham High School	Assistant Coach
2002-03	Western Michigan University	Student-athlete
2000-01	College of the Canyons	Student-athlete