Jared Folks

Jared Folks spent one year as Nebraska's coordinator of strategic initiatives in 2023. Folks joined the Huskers after working in the private sector.

 

Originally hired as Nebraska's football player development assistant, Folks was a linebacker at Temple and East Tennessee State. Due to a series of injuries, he spent four years at each school, becoming the NCAA’s first-ever eight-year student-athlete in a single sport. He was an FCS All-American at Tennessee State.

At Temple from 2014 to 2017, Folks played his first three seasons for Matt Rhule. Folks redshirted in his first season, missed the 2015 campaign due to injury and was limited to one game in 2017. In his lone full season in 2016, Folks played in 13 games and totaled 32 tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss, a half sack, one interception and one forced fumble.

Folks was at East Tennessee State from 2018 to 2021. He was a second-team all-conference pick in 2018 after starting 11 games and recording 80 tackles, 9.5 TFLs, 6.0 sacks, one interception and one forced fumble. The next season, injuries limited him to five games and two starts. Folks finished with 28 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack. Folks had an impressive 2020 season, which was played in the spring of 2021 due to the pandemic. He was a first-team AFCA All-American and the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year after starting all six games of the shortened season and finishing with 50 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack. In his final season in 2021, Folks was a second-team all-conference pick after starting 11 games and setting a career high with 94 tackles, including 6.5 TFLs, 3.0 sacks and one interception.

Folks earned his bachelor’s degree in communication and media studies from Temple in 2017. He earned a master’s degree in brand and media strategy from East Tennessee State in 2019 and another master’s degree in business administration in 2022.