Jayden Riley enters his third year at UNC Pembroke and continues his progression in the coaching world as an assistant coach in 2025-26, moving over to tight ends coach after two seasons leading the wide receivers. Riley is in his fifth season as part of Coach Mark Hall's staff.
Riley made an instant impact on the UNCP offense, mentoring a wide receiver group that averaged a single-season school record 15.24 yards per catch in 2023, also good for seventh in Division II. Under Riley's watch, receiver Trey Dixon finished fifth in Division II and broke the single-season school record for yards per catch with an average of 22.94.
Riley once again mentored a wide receiver room that saw success in 2024, finishing the season ranked 14th, nationally, in yards per catch at 14.97, while helping Jo Hayes become just the second Brave in program history to be named to the AFCA All-America team, after finishing second in Division II with 17 receiving touchdowns and 12th in receiving yards per game with 93.2.
Riley was an integral part of phenomenal defensive efforts by Chowan during the 2022 campaigns. The Hawks showcased a pair of nationally-ranked stop units, including the nation’s 21
st-ranked total defense (284.2 yards/game allowed) amid a 7-win season in 2021 – the most victories for the program in 39 years. Chowan’s defense picked up where it left off to fuel another 7-win campaign and CIAA North Division title in 2022, ranking as the nation’s 37
th-best total defense, due, in large part, to surrendering just 177.3 passing yards per game, while also logging 15 interceptions and 53 pass break-ups. Defensive backs Kmare Carey and Simeon Burns would go on to earn All-CIAA laurels.
Riley undertook duties as the quarterbacks coach for the Hawks during the 2021 campaign and played a key role in the progression of NCAA Division II’s 14
th-best passing offense (296.1 passing yards/game). The Hawks, who finished with the program’s most wins in 39 seasons, also boasted the nation’s 4
th-best passing efficiency (168.9), and concluded the season ranked 11
th among the 163 NCAA Division II teams with 31 passing touchdowns. Quarterback Bryce Witt would eventually be decorated with CIAA Offensive Player of the Year accolades, as well as Don Hansen’s Football Gazette All-America laurels.
A native of Woodbridge, Va., Riley redshirted as a freshman quarterback at Fairmont State before transferring to Chowan in time for the 2018 campaign. A pair of season-ending knee injuries would limit his career to just eight games under center in Murfreesboro, however. He threw for 43 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2018, and completed three passes for 14 yards and one touchdown strike as a sophomore in 2019.
A two-time academic all-conference honoree, Riley earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from Chowan in 2021. He earned his master’s degree at both Chowan (organization leadership) and Southeastern Oklahoma State (sports administration) in 2023.
| THE RILEY FILE |
| Coaching Experience |
| 2021 |
Chowan, Graduate Assistant Coach (Quarterbacks) |
| 2022 |
Chowan, Graduate Assistant Coach (Cornerbacks) |
| 2023-Present |
UNC Pembroke, Assistant Coach (Wide Receivers) |
|
| Education |
| Bachelor’s degree in business administration (Chowan, 2021) |
Updated: September 2025
