Football
- Title:
- Inside Linebackers/Recruiting Coordinator/Co-Special Teams
- Email:
- cain_gm@mercer.edu
- Phone:
- (478) 301-4605
Grant Cain completed his third season as assistant head coach and seventh season as inside linebackers & special teams coach at Mercer University in 2018. Cain served on Mercer's football staff from 2013-18 as he helped the Bears returned to the gridiron in 2013. He also held the title of recruiting coordinator for multiple seasons.
Coaching Experience:
- Mercer University – Assistant Head Coach/Inside Linebackers/Specialists (2013-2018)
- 2018
- Shiel oversaw a punt return defense that helped Mercer lead the nation with an average of 40.5 net punt yards and also ranked 12th in the FCS with an average of 14.1 yards per return
- Was instrumental in graduate punter Matt Shiel's return to the program; Shiel ranked eighth in the FCS with an average of 43.6 yards per punt
- Cain's kick return and punt return specialists ranked ninth (25.5 yards per kick return) and 12th (14.1 yards per punt return) respectively in the FCS
- Mentored an inside linebacker unit that included junior Will Coneway, who led Mercer with 94 tackles, & sophomores Sidney Otiwu & Michael Freeman, who tallied 41 and 37 tackles respectively
- 2017
- Promoted to Assistant Head Coach prior to season
- Cain's special teams unit led the FCS in kick return defense (14.41 yards per return)
- Mercer's inside linebackers unit helped gain SoCon-leading 25 turnovers, including nation-leading 16 fumbles recovered
- Bears led SoCon & ranked 28th nationally in red zone defense (.750)
- Mentored ILB Lee Bennett, who set Mercer single-season program record with 110 total tackles en route to All-SoCon First Team honors
- 2016
- Bears forced at least 21 turnovers for third straight year & ranked 23rd nationally in turnover margin
- Mercer led SoCon & ranked sixth nationally in fumbles recovered (13)
- 2015
- Helped lead a defensive unit that led SoCon in points allowed per game (21.6)
- Cain's ILB unit assisted in Mercer leading SoCon in turnover margin with 21 forced turnovers
- 2014
- Cain's linebacker corps led a defense that ranked second in the league in forced turnovers & fourth in total defense
- Mentored sophomore Tyler Ward, who set program single-game record 18 tackles & eclipsed 100-tackle mark for season en route to All-SoCon honors
- Helped Mercer's special teams unit reach new heights behind freshman sensation Chandler Curtis
- Curtis established himself as one of premier return men in FCS with a nation-leading four return scores & became first All-American in program history
- 2013
- Mentored a young ILB unit that helped key a rushing defense that ranked second in the FCS
- Cain's ILB unit had two of team's top four tacklers, led by freshman Tyler Ward (team-high 101 tackles, 10.5 TFL) & Devin Davidson (57 tackles & two fumble recoveries)
- 2018
Cain came to Mercer after a seven-year post at Coastal Carolina University, holding various positions on the Chanticleers’ staff. His stint at Coastal Carolina began in 2005, when he was hired as a graduate assistant coach under then head coach David Bennett.
He parlayed his role as a graduate assistant coach into a full-time coaching position in 2007 after graduating with a master’s degree in instructional technology. His appointment as outside linebackers coach ushered in an era of consistency on the defensive side of the ball as the team ranked among the nation’s top-23 programs in tackles-for-loss (TFL) in 2007, led the conference in TFL in 2008 and paced the league in sacks in 2009.
Cain’s time at Coastal Carolina saw the team reach unprecedented success, capturing Big South Championships in 2005, 2006 and 2010. Overall, his work helped the Chanticleers rack up a gaudy 47-33 overall record, while becoming a perennial league power with a 22-13 Big South record. During more than seven seasons at Coastal Carolina, Cain also contributed instruction for the special teams units and inside linebackers.
A 2003 graduate of Catawba with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Cain is married to the former Shauna Koontz. The couple has two sons, Caleb and Samuel.
