Ramal Faunteroy enters his fifth season as the Bears’ defensive line coach under head coach Damon Wilson. Faunteroy has been instrumental in the development of Morgan State’s defensive front, helping produce some of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference during his tenure.
In 2025, Faunteroy continued to oversee a talented Morgan State defensive line that helped anchor one of the MEAC’s most experienced defensive units. Senior defensive lineman Blanche Gold earned First Team All-MEAC honors, while defensive end Lance Byndon was selected to the Second Team. The Bears also entered the season with defensive lineman Dashawn Fields earning Preseason First Team All-MEAC honors.
Faunteroy’s 2025 season also marked the continued development of a defensive front that had previously produced Morgan State standout Elijah Williams. Williams, who played under Faunteroy during his Morgan State career, finished his Bears career with a school-record 31 sacks and 52 tackles for loss. He earned MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-MEAC honors in 2024 before signing with the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. Williams ultimately earned a spot on Minnesota’s 53-man roster, becoming the first Morgan State player since Joshua Miles to make an NFL 53-man roster as a rookie.
Faunteroy served nine seasons at Shepherd University as defensive line and strength and conditioning coach. He also served as the Rams’ recruiting coordinator.
In 2021, a pair of Rams gained All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East honors under Faunteroy. Juwan Addison earned first-team honors, while Ricky Robinson gained second-team honors as the Rams posted a 13-2 overall record, captured the Super Region One Championship, and advanced to the NCAA Division II semifinal round before falling to eventual national champion Ferris State.
Faunteroy spent three seasons as defensive line coach at Fairmont State University from 2018-20.
In 2019, Faunteroy helped the Falcons rank 18th in the country in tackles for loss (8.4) and 53rd nationally and fourth in the Mountain East Conference in sacks per game at 2.40 per outing. Fairmont State also ranked fifth nationally against the run, allowing just 77.7 rushing yards per game, and allowed the eighth-fewest first downs in NCAA Division II with 159. Two members of his defensive line earned All-MEC honors, including defensive end D.J. Adediwura as a first-team selection and Glenwood Williams as a second-team selection.
In 2018, Faunteroy helped the Falcons to a 9-2 overall record and an 8-2 mark in MEC play. Defensive end Josh Ballard and defensive tackle Glenwood Williams earned All-MEC honors as members of the Falcons’ defensive front. Ballard was a second-team All-MEC selection, while Williams earned honorable mention. Fairmont State ranked 44th nationally against the run, 36th in red-zone defense and 17th nationally in turnovers forced. The Falcons also averaged 1.55 sacks per game.
Before arriving at Fairmont State, Faunteroy spent one season as defensive line coach and run game defensive coordinator at Seton Hill University.
Prior to spending the 2017 season at Seton Hill, he spent the 2016 campaign at NCAA Division I Furman University. At Furman, Faunteroy helped the Paladins rank fourth in the league in scoring defense (27.1 points per game) and total defense (373 yards per game). His defensive line accounted for eight of the team’s 12 sacks, 20.5 of its 49 tackles for loss and 194 total tackles.
Faunteroy was a longtime assistant at Shepherd from 2009-15.
During his coaching tenure at Shepherd, Faunteroy helped the Rams rank No. 1 in NCAA Division II in rushing defense four times in his final five seasons. In 2015, he played a key role in Shepherd’s 13-1 national runner-up campaign. His top player that season, defensive end Shaneil Jenkins, was named Mountain East Conference Defensive Player of the Year and an All-American. Jenkins was also a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award, presented annually to the top defensive player in Division II.
Another former standout under Faunteroy, All-American defensive end Howard Jones, recorded a school-record 35 sacks at Shepherd and went on to play in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Pittsburgh Steelers.
While at Shepherd, Faunteroy coached 19 all-conference selections, eight all-region selections, seven All-Americans and two conference defensive players of the year. The Rams won six conference championships during his seven-year tenure.
Faunteroy was among 30 NCAA football coaches selected to attend the 2015 NFL and NCAA Coaches Academy. He also participated in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ training camp through the Bill Walsh Minority Coaching Fellowship.
A four-year player for the Rams at defensive end, Faunteroy was a member of two WVIAC championship teams. He recorded 88 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, seven sacks, eight pass breakups, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and two safeties during his junior and senior seasons. Faunteroy also held Shepherd strength and conditioning records for defensive-end bench press and power clean.
He later played professionally with the Manchester Wolves of the Arena 2 Football League (A2FL), starting 23 regular-season games and three playoff games before an injury ended his playing career.
Prior to coming to Shepherd, Faunteroy coached for one year at Hedgesville High School.
Faunteroy is a 2011 Shepherd University graduate. He and his wife, Tiffany, have four children: D’Andre, Devyn, Ronté and Rondell.
