Eric Lewis, a former defensive coordinator at two schools who also has National Football League experience, joined the Georgia State football staff as secondary coach for the 2015 season. In 2016, he has added the duties of special teams coordinator.
He made an immediate impact in his first season as the Panthers set school records with 15 interceptions and 57 pass breakups. Lewis helped Panther cornerbacks Chandon Sullivan and Jerome Smith to outstanding seasons. Sullivan earned All-Sun Belt recognition along with Academic All-America accolades, and Smith had a school-record 11 pass breakups.
Lewis was part of a defensive staff that coached the most improved defense in FBS in 2015. Georgia State led the nation by allowing 15 points fewer per game than in 2014. The Panthers finished in the top four in the Sun Belt in scoring defense (28.3 ppg), total defense (405.6 ypg), rushing defense (181.4 ypg) and pass efficiency defense (120.3)
Lewis came to Georgia State after one season as the secondary coach at Buffalo.
He served the previous two years (2012-13) at Weber State, where he served as defensive coordinator in 2013 and coached the defensive backs.
Lewis also served as the defensive coordinator at Eastern Michigan in 2009, when the Eagles led the nation in pass defense.
Lewis spent the 2008 season as an assistant coach at Louisville, where he coached the cornerbacks.
That followed a two-year stint as a defensive quality coach for the Green Bay Packers of the NFL where he assisted cornerbacks coach Lionel Washington and secondary coach Kurt Schottenheimer.
Lewis also spent three seasons (2003-05) as safeties coach at Ball State.
He began his coaching career at St. Augustine High School in San Diego where he was the wide receivers coach. He moved to Michigan State as a defensive graduate assistant coach, primarily assisting with the defensive backs, and then to one season at Bucknell.
A native of East Lansing, Mich., Lewis played football at San Diego State, where he where he was a four-year starter who finished his career as the Aztecs' all-time leader in career pass breakups. He graduated with a degree in finance and business administration.
Lewis, the son of long-time NFL coach Sherman Lewis. He has two children, Taylor and Harper.
