Justin Zimmerman enters his first season as Offensive Coordinator / QB coach for the Bobcats. Prior to a two year stint and fellow Division II institution Carson-Newman University.
Zimmerman took over the Carson-Newman WR corp in the fall of 2022.
Zimmerman made an immediate impact on Carson-Newman's coaching staff. He coached Carson-Newman's first All-American wide receiver in 44 years as Braxton Westfield earned the accolade from Don Hansen's Football Gazette. The Simpsonville, S.C.-native was the 44th Eagle all-time to move on to the NFL. Westfield also went back-to-back as a first-team All-SAC selection and all-region honoree. He is the only Carson-Newman football player in program history who has three consecutive 100-yard receiving days.
His 886 yards receiving as a senior are sixth all-time and the most in the option-era. Westfeld finished his Carson-Newman career with 1,752 yards – the seventh-most in school history and the third-most in the option era.
The senior led the league in receptions per game, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns – a sure fire sign that the underworld has cooled given an Eagle hasn't led the league in any of those categories in the last 12 years.
Westfield's 5.0 catches per game also registers as a school record. His 55 catches are the most in the option era and the sixth-most all-time.
Zimmerman also mentored Cade Meeks and Jermiah Carroll both of which averaged 20.7 and 18.9 yards per catch respectively. Cade Meeks was named the offensive player of the week for his performance against Newberry in 2023 compiling 5 catches 133 yards and 2 TD.
Prior to joining Carson-Newman's coaching staff in 2022, Zimmerman spent five seasons with the Maryville Fighting Scots.
In 2016, Mac Seagle led the nation with his 30.2 yards per catch average under Zimmerman's guidance. In 2017, Seagle became Zimmerman's first All-USA South receiver. Zimmerman also led the offense to 2 conference championships in 2016, and 2018 while the offense broke both the school rushing and passing records. The Maryville Offensive averaged over Zimmerman's tenure averaged over 350 yards per game and 30 points per game.
Zimmerman came to Maryville after spending the four seasons as the wide receivers coach, video coordinator and camp coordinator with Tusculum. There, his receivers helped produce the all-time Division II passing leader, while he coached four All-American receivers in his four years.
His receiving corps set the school record for receptions while also setting the school record for yards in a game. He coached Justin Houston to three All-America and three All-South Atlantic Conference First Team certificates. Houston ranked No. 2 nationally in receptions while setting the South Atlantic Conference record.
Before Zimmerman's stint with the Pioneers, he was an offensive graduate assistant at East Stroudsburg from 2011-12. From 2009-11, Zimmerman spent time in the high school ranks, serving as wide receivers coach with Cleveland High School and was the offensive coordinator and QB/wide receivers coach for Cardinal Gibbons High School.
Zimmerman is a 2009 Physical Education graduate from Averett University. Zimmreman resides in Buckhannon and is the proud father of Ella, Sophia and Kenna.
