Henderson State University Athletics

Cody Sparks begins his sixth year on the Henderson State football staff in 2020 and is responsible for outside linebackers, as well as football operations and recruiting.

Following five seasons with the Reddies, Sparks spent the 2019 season as the defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator at Wayne State University in Wayne, Nebraska. Sparks was promoted to a full-time staff member with HSU prior to the 2018 season. He spent the previous four years as a student assistant for the Reddies while he pursued his bachelor’s degree from Henderson.

After serving as an equipment manager and film assistant during his first season in 2014, Sparks was given the role of assistant defensive line coach in charge of defensive quality control for the 2015 year, in which the Reddies claimed the GAC title and the program’s first NCAA playoff win.

In 2016, Sparks was an assistant coach for linebackers and oversaw quality control for both defense and special teams. Sparks was promoted to Director of Football Operations for the 2017 season and resumed assistant coaching duties with the defensive line.

As a full-time member of the staff in 2018, Sparks took over the coaching duties for the Reddies' outside linebackers, and oversaw a unit that included an All-GAC selection and a GAC Defensive Player of the Week honoree.

Sparks graduated with his bachelor’s degree from Henderson State in May of 2018.