Erik Pratt CG

Football Bob Shreve, Assistant Director of Athletics Media Relations

Pratt Named Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line Coach

ERIE, Pa. – Gannon University head football coach Erik Raeburn has announced the addition of Erik Pratt to his coaching staff. Pratt assumes the role of Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line coach.

Pratt is no stranger to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, playing at West Chester from 2008-12 and beginning his coaching career at his alma mater, East Stroudsburg.

"We are so excited to welcome Erik to our program," noted Raeburn. "He has a ton of experience working with the offensive line. He is also very familiar with the PSAC having played and coached in the league."

He spent the last two seasons as the Offensive Line Coach / Run Game Coordinator at UNC Pembroke. The Braves were 6-5 in 2024, winning six of their final seven games after opening the season with four straight losses. They scored 50-or-more points in five of those victories and ended the year averaging 43.5 ppg., fifth in Division II and second in the Mountain East Conference. The Braves averaged 169.5 ypg. rushing and 467.5 ypg. in total offense. The offensive line allowed just 11 sacks while attempting 356 passes, tied for 19th in Div. II. They finished third in the MEC in rushing, first in passing yards (298.0 ypg.), and ranked eighth in the country in total offense (476.4 ypg.).

Three of Pratt's offensive linemen were accorded All-MEC honors. Chris Russell was a first team All-MEC selection for the second straight year while Jacob Perry was named the second team to become a three-time All-MEC performer. Hunter Turner was named honorable mention All-MEC.

In his first season at UNC Pembroke Pratt led an offensive line unit that allowed just 10 sacks, down from allowing 27 the previous season. He played a key role in the group paving the way for Division II's 11th-ranked rushing offense, averaging 220 yards per game, while ranking 11th in Division II in total offense (453 ypg.).

Pratt possesses a varied background while serving as an assistant coach on the Division I and Division II levels. Prior to his two-year stint at UNC Pembroke he spent the 2022 season at Bucknell as the Tight Ends Coach and Recruiting Coordinator. The unit helped pave the way for an offense that ranked fourth in the Patriot League in rushing offense as well as sacks allowed per game.

Prior to that Pratt spent the second of two stints at Wingate for the 2021 season. He served as the tight ends and full backs coach for the Bulldogs and was the head of internal football operations. In 2019 he was the assistant offensive line coach at Wingate, helping the Bulldogs to a 10-2 record and a berth in the NCAA Playoffs. Wingate was 8-3 in 2021. He coached three All-South Atlantic (SAC) honorees at Wingate, including All-American Andrew Strickland.

Mixed between the two stints at Wingate, Pratt spent 10 months as the offensive line coach and strength & conditioning coach at Chowan. The Hawks did not play that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pratt began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach working with the defensive line at his alma mater East Stroudsburg for both the 2016 and 2018 seasons. He mentored a pair of All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) linemen. He broke up his tenure at ESU to accept a position with his prep alma mater, Tunkhannock (Pa.) High School, where he was charged with the offensive and defensive lines for the Tigers. He also undertook a stint as an intern in the strength & conditioning department at Georgia Southern for the Spring 2019 semester.

A former offensive lineman, Pratt started 38 games on the offensive line for West Chester from 2008-12 and helped pace the Rams to 32 victories, including a 9-4 campaign in 2008 that culminated with an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs.

He then played three seasons (2013-15) in the Professional Indoor Football League as a member of both the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks and the Harrisburg Stampede.

A native of Tunkhannock in northeastern Pennsylvania, Pratt earned his bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from East Stroudsburg in 2016 and completed his master's degree in Exercise Science at ESU in 2019.
 
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