Tim Cross is entering his first season as defensive line coach for the Eagles in 2025, his latest stop in a coaching career that has seen him at the highest levels of college football and the NFL.
During his career, Cross has helped develop 56 players that went on to the NFL. Before joining Mack Brown at UNC Chapel Hill, he spent five seasons at Air Force as the defensive line coach, while also serving as assistant head coach over his final two years.
In 2021, Cross helped mentor two All-ACC honorees in Myles Murphy and Ray Vohasek, who was chosen in the seventh round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Murphy claimed second-team honors, while Vohasek earned honorable mention recognition. Murphy was a disruptive force, finishing the year with 38 tackles, four sacks, nine TFL and three PBU. Vohasek also posted 38 tackles to go along with a sack, four TFL, four pressures and three PBU.
In his second year at Carolina, Cross mentored a defensive line that helped produce 36 sacks, the most for a Carolina defense since 2000 and tied for fifth nationally. The scoring defense, total defense and rushing defense all ranked in the Top 35 nationally of teams that played at least 10 games. Individually, Ray Vohasek and Tomari Fox combined to post 7.5 sacks and 13 TFL with Vohasek claiming All-ACC honorable mention honors.
Cross mentored a defensive line that helped the Tar Heels become one of the nation’s most improved units in total defense, scoring defense and rushing defense during his first season. UNC allowed 373.2 yards per game, which was a nearly 75-yard per game improvement over the previous season, and bolstered its ranking by 56 positions. The scoring defense improved by 63 spots after holding opponents to 10.8 points less per game, and the rushing defense jumped 60 spots after allowing over 75 yards fewer per game. In addition, the defense surged up 60 spots in opponent third-down percentage.
Cross made a positive impact on the Academy’s defensive unit. In 2018, his defensive line helped Air Force rank 16th nationally in rushing defense at 119.8 yards per game, and his 2016 group finished 10th in the same category at 114.2 yards per game. In his first year in 2014, the Falcons improved in scoring, rushing, passing and total defense, including having one of the nation’s most improved scoring defenses with an average of 24.2 points per game, a nearly 16 point-per-game improvement. The defense ranked among the conference leaders in each category in 2015, despite being one of the youngest units in the nation with just one returning starter.
Up to the time of his departure, Air Force had produced six All-MWC first or second team defensive linemen with three coming under Cross’ mentorship. Alex Hansen was a two-time All-MWC performer, including a first-team selection in 2015. Jordan Jackson earned second-team honors in 2018, while Ryan Watson led the MWC in sacks en route to first-team honors in 2016.
Prior to his time at Air Force, Cross completed his second stint at Texas, where he served as a strength and conditioning coach from 2011-13.
While serving as associate head coach and defensive line coach at Minnesota from 2007-10, Cross helped the Gophers to a +.92 turnover margin, which ranked second in the Big Ten and No. 16 in the nation in 2008. That same year, his defensive line recorded 20.5 sacks and 44 tackles for loss which ranked in the top three in the conference and in the top 25 nationally in both categories.
Cross coached defensive end D.L. Wilhite to Big Ten All-Freshman honors from The Sporting News in 2009 and saw his defensive line rack up 32 tackles for loss. He also coached defensive end Willie VanDeSteeg to first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2008. VanDeSteeg became the first Gopher defender to be named First-Team All-Big Ten since 2004.
Prior to his stint at Minnesota, Cross coached the defensive line at Syracuse from 2005-06, when he helped the Orange lead the Big East and finish seventh in the nation in turnover margin at +.92. His front line at Syracuse averaged 2.8 sacks per game, which was among the nation’s top 20. A big reason for the Orange’s success in getting to opposing quarterbacks was Cross’ work with 2006 Big East sack leader Jameel McClain. Cross also coached NFL Draft selections James Wyche and Ryan LaCasse while at Syracuse.
Cross first began working at Texas prior to going to Syracuse, serving as assistant strength coach for the Longhorns from 2001-04. He assisted in the development and implementation of the strength and speed programs for the UT football squad. Cross was responsible for creating training programs for a Doak Walker, a Butkus and a Nagurski Trophy winner. Cross also played a key role in the development of numerous All-Americans and All-Big 12 performers, and the Longhorns won at least nine games each season.
Cross began his coaching career in Colorado at Thomas Jefferson High School in Denver, serving as head coach from 1997-2000. He also spent one season as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at TJHS. Cross led the school to four straight league titles and a 42-game conference winning streak. While at TJHS, he mentored 14 high school All-Americans, 20 all-state selections and 31 first team all-conference players.
A native of Clarksville, Tenn., Cross attended Gateway High School in Aurora, Colo. and is a 1990 graduate of Northern Colorado, where he was a four-year letterman in football and earned all-North Central Conference honors as a linebacker. Cross and his wife, Natalie, have four children, Keion, Mariah, Tiana and Keira.
