Gerik Garlington returned to Illinois College in 2026 as an assistant football coach as the defensive back coach and pass game coordinator. He brings experience from both the NCAA Division II and Division III levels.
Before returning to the Hilltop, Garlington spent two seasons at Wheaton College, where he served as an assistant coach working with the defensive backs in 2024 before transitioning to wide receivers in 2025. In addition to coaching his position groups, he served as the program's video coordinator, co-spiritual development coordinator, assistant strength coach, and oversaw the kickoff return, field goal block, and swinging gate special teams units.
His kickoff return unit led the conference and was 18th nationally, and he mentored four all-conference selections and a pair of all-region picks. Wheaton also experienced postseason success, reaching the NCAA Division III quarterfinals in 2025 after winning the Culver's Isthmus Bowl in 2024.
Garlington also coordinated Wheaton’s scout team installation meetings, managed opponent film breakdowns, and created detailed scouting reports covering personnel, situational tendencies, coverages, and offensive concepts. On game days, he played a key role in personnel communication, coverage identification, and signaling while assisting with the Thunder's strength and speed development program. He also recruited throughout Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arkansas, Georgia, and Florida.
Before his time at Wheaton, Garlington spent two-and-a-half seasons as a graduate assistant at Southwest Baptist University, where he coached defensive backs while assisting with the program's strength and conditioning efforts. His secondary helped the defense lead the conference, and two of his backs were all-conference honorees.
His responsibilities at SBU also included directing position meetings, coordinating scout offenses, leading defensive and summer strength sessions, serving as the defensive signal caller, managing Hudl film operations, designing scout cards and defensive playbooks using Visio, and recruiting across Missouri, Illinois, and Texas.
A 2021 graduate of Illinois College with a bachelor's degree in Health Sciences, Garlington was a three-year starter in the secondary for the Blueboys, playing both cornerback and safety. He served as a team captain during his senior season and was actively involved across campus as a strength and conditioning intern, member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Black Student Union, Pi Pi Rho Literary Society, and the College's Justice, Equity, and Inclusion Team.
Garlington earned his master's degree in Athletic Administration from Southwest Baptist University in 2023.
