Nate Byham enters his ninth season at UAlbany in 2022 after competing for four seasons as an NFL tight end. He currently is the team’s Associate Head Coach/Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach.
The 2021 spring run game was led by All-CAA Second Team selection Karl Mofor, who paced the conference at 115.0 yards per game on the ground. Overall, the Great Danes rushing attack finished ninth in the conference at 18.2 yards per game with two touchdowns.
UAlbany rushed for 131.4 yards per game in 2019, led by All-CAA First Team selection Karl Mofor, who led the conference averaging 92.1 rushing yards per game, gaining a league-leading 1,290 yards on the season with 10 rushing touchdowns. Additionally, Byham coached tight end LJ Wesneski, who made seven touchdown receptions to earn All-CAA Third Team honors.
In 2018, Byham’s running game plan saw Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks earn All-CAA Third Team honors, rushing for 787 yards and four touchdowns on the season and averaging 69.7 rushing yards per game, sixth-highest in the conference. As a team, UAlbany rushed for 110.3 yards per game.
In 2017, Byham coached Anthony Manzo-Lewis, who was named to the All-CAA Second Team after catching 20 passes for 188 yards. After the season, Manzo-Lewis signed a free-agent contract with the Los Angeles Chargers.
Before being named tight ends coach in 2015, Byham served as a volunteer assistant for UAlbany in 2014. He mentored senior tight end Brian Parker who earned third-team All-CAA honors, as well as signed an undrafted free agent deal with the San Diego Chargers.
Byham, a sixth round pick (182nd overall) in the 2010 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, battled in 29 NFL games, playing 14 games, including three starts, with the 49ers before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
While Greg Gattuso was on the coaching staff at the University of Pittsburgh, Byham was a three-year starter for the Panthers (2006-09), seeing action in 48 games with 36 starts. Byham served as a team captain during his senior season, also earning All-Big East honors after starting 12 games and catching 10 passes for 108 yards. As a junior, he recorded 20 catches for 260 yards in 12 starts and was named first- team All-Big East.
Byham attended Franklin High School (Franklin, Pa.), where he helped lead his team to three district playoff berths as a three-year starter, seeing action at both tight end and linebacker. He was considered the nation’s top prep tight end by Scout.com and was named first-team All-State, All-Region, All-District and All- Conference after recording 45 catches for 883 yards and a school-record nine touchdowns as a senior. Was also an all-star performer in basketball, helping Franklin win the state AAA championship in 2006.
Byham and his wife, Erica, married in July 2012. His son, Grayson, was born in 2016, and his daughter, Evelyn, was born in 2019.
