Northwestern University Athletics
Maurice Fleming Named Assistant Defensive Backs Coach
3/6/2026 10:34:00 AM | Football
EVANSTON, Ill. – Maurice Fleming has joined the Northwestern football staff as an assistant defensive backs coach, Dan and Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun announced on Friday.
Fleming joins the Wildcats from Eastern Illinois, where he served as cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator. Fleming was hired onto Chris Wilkerson's staff in 2023 and promoted to the title of defensive pass game coordinator in January 2024.
This past season, Fleming coached two honorable mention All OVC-Big South cornerbacks (Isaiah Houi and Moses Alexander). The Panthers' corners finished the 2025 campaign with 148 tackles, five interceptions and 15 pass breakups. EIU led the OVC-Big South with 18 turnovers gained.
During his first season in Charleston, Ill., Fleming guided All-American corner Russell Dandy, who led the FCS in passes defended in 2023 (19). That year, the Panthers forged a turnaround from two wins in 2022 to eight wins and the No. 24 national ranking in 2023.
Prior to Fleming's stint with EIU, he worked as a defensive graduate assistant at the University of Houston in 2022. He helped the Cougars post an 8-5 record and a 23-16 win in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl against Louisiana.
A Chicago native, Fleming was a three-star recruit out of Curie Metropolitan High School, where he played quarterback and defensive back. He won the Chicago Public League title in 2010.
Fleming began his collegiate playing career at Iowa, where he made three bowl appearances in three years: 2013 Outback, 2014 TaxSlayer and 2015 Rose Bowl. He spent his final season at West Virginia, where he recorded 48 tackles, two TFLs, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery, nine pass breakups and an interception in 2016.
In 2017, Fleming signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. Fleming signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL in 2019 and played for the Louisville Xtreme of the Indoor Football League in 2021.
Fleming joins the Wildcats from Eastern Illinois, where he served as cornerbacks coach and defensive pass game coordinator. Fleming was hired onto Chris Wilkerson's staff in 2023 and promoted to the title of defensive pass game coordinator in January 2024.
This past season, Fleming coached two honorable mention All OVC-Big South cornerbacks (Isaiah Houi and Moses Alexander). The Panthers' corners finished the 2025 campaign with 148 tackles, five interceptions and 15 pass breakups. EIU led the OVC-Big South with 18 turnovers gained.
During his first season in Charleston, Ill., Fleming guided All-American corner Russell Dandy, who led the FCS in passes defended in 2023 (19). That year, the Panthers forged a turnaround from two wins in 2022 to eight wins and the No. 24 national ranking in 2023.
Prior to Fleming's stint with EIU, he worked as a defensive graduate assistant at the University of Houston in 2022. He helped the Cougars post an 8-5 record and a 23-16 win in the Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl against Louisiana.
A Chicago native, Fleming was a three-star recruit out of Curie Metropolitan High School, where he played quarterback and defensive back. He won the Chicago Public League title in 2010.
Fleming began his collegiate playing career at Iowa, where he made three bowl appearances in three years: 2013 Outback, 2014 TaxSlayer and 2015 Rose Bowl. He spent his final season at West Virginia, where he recorded 48 tackles, two TFLs, one forced fumble, a fumble recovery, nine pass breakups and an interception in 2016.
In 2017, Fleming signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent. Fleming signed with the Ottawa Redblacks of the CFL in 2019 and played for the Louisville Xtreme of the Indoor Football League in 2021.
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