Cedric Whitaker
Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks)
BIRTHDATE: November 14, 1992
HOMETOWN: Houston, Texas
EDUCATION: B.S., Texas Lutheran, 2015 (Kinesiology)
M.S., Baylor, 2019 (Sports Administration)
COACHING: Assistant Coach, Texas Lutheran, 2015-17
Graduate Assistant, Baylor, 2017-19
Assistant, Houston Baptist, 2019
Assistant, Carolina Panthers, 2020-22
Assistant, Slippery Rock, 2023-26
Assistant, Hampton, 2026-present
Cedric Whitaker joined the Hampton coaching staff on Jan. 5, 2026 after three seasons as defensive backs coach and special teams coordinator at Slippery Rock under head coach Shawn Lutz. He joined Slippery Rock in 2023 as defensive backs coach and added special teams coordinator duties in 2024. Slippery Rock posted a three-year record of 30-8 during Whitaker’s three years on the coaching staff.
Whitaker gained coaching experience on all three NCAA levels as well as in the NFL. He began his career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Texas Lutheran from 2015-17 serving as defensive backs, speed and conditioning, junior varsity head coach, special teams assistant and defensive line assistant.
He moved to Baylor from 2017-19 as was part of the coaching staff that turned the program around under Head Coach Matt Rhule. As a graduate assistant, Whitaker assisted with the team’s defensive backs leading them to the third-ranked passing defense in the Big 12 in 2018.
He spent the 2019 season as pass defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at Houston Baptist before rejoining Coach Rhule with NFL’s Carolina Panthers from 2020-22. The Panthers special teams were the fourth ranked special teams unit in the NFL and he helped coach the NFL’s fourth ranked pass defense and ranked second-ranked total defense in the NFL in 2021.
For the last three years, Whitaker has worked at Slippery Rock. Josh Stokes and Eddie Faulkner IV earned All-America honors in 2023. Stokes repeated as an All-America selection in 2024. In addition, three Rock defensive backs garnered All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division accolades under Whitaker Jr.: Faulkner IV (2023, 2024), Stokes (2023, 2024) and Jalen Dangerfield (2023). Kanye Thompson earned All-PSAC, first-team all-region and All-America honors. Michael Henwood was named All-PSAC West and honored as a CSC Academic all-district and All-American. Slippery Rock ranked seventh in the nation in kick return average in 2024 (25.4) and 31st in Division II in passing yards allowed per game (166.6).
He was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at Texas Lutheran. He helped lead the team to a 22-8 record and a playoff appearance and was a four-year academic all-conference selection.
