Cameron O’Neal begins his third year as the secondary coach and NFL liaison at Henderson State in 2021.
During his first season with the Reddies in 2019, Henderson's secondary saw strong play from several underclassmen under O'Neal's tutelage. Redshirt freshmen Patrick Jones and Dedric O'Bryant each started every game they played in and combined for 81 tackles, six tackles for loss, 19 passes defended and three interceptions. Senior CJ Jones earned All-GAC honors as a part of a secondary that accounted for 11 interceptions on the year.
O’Neal, who was hired in June of 2019, comes to the Reddies after a three-year stint as the secondary coach at Birmingham Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama. During his time with the Panthers, O’Neal was the passing game coordinator for the defense, helped with game plan preparation, oversaw the kicking game and was in charge of the work study program.
Prior to his work in Birmingham, O’Neal was a defensive graduate assistant for four years at the University of North Carolina from 2013-16. As a graduate assistant in Chapel Hill, he helped tutor a Top-20 pass defense in the country, coached the safeties and corners for the Quick Lane Bowl in 2014, assisted with linebackers and defensive backs, broke down offensive film for scouting reports, organized the scout team and served as part of a staff that led UNC to the 2015 ACC Championship game.
At both coaching stops, O’Neal oversaw recruiting efforts in the southeast, primarily South Alabama, Mississippi, the Florida Panhandle and Louisiana.
Before jumping into the college coaching ranks, O’Neal was the secondary coach at Saraland High School in Saraland, Alabama, in 2012 and 2013. At Saraland, O’Neal organized defensive game plans, assisted with special teams and helped organize the defense which led the Spartans to the 5A state title game in 2013.
From 2007-2011 O’Neal played safety and nickelback for Southern Mississippi, where he was selected as a permanent team captain by his teammates as a senior in 2011. The special teams stand-out helped lead the Golden Eagles to a 12-2 record, a Conference USA Championship in 2011 and a berth in the Hawaii Bowl against Nevada. Southern Miss sett an NCAA record that season for interceptions returned for touchdowns and finished No. 4 in interceptions and No. 10 in passing yards allowed per attempt in FBS football.
A native of Citronelle, Alabama, O’Neal received a B.S. in Mass Communication from Southern Miss in 2011 and a B.S. in Sociology from North Carolina in 2015.
