David Needs returns for his eighth season as the quarterbacks coach for Carson-Newman.

In 2012, Needs worked with one of Carson-Newman's top quarterbacks in Brandon Haywood.  Haywood earned SAC co-offensive player of the year honors and a spot on the league's first team.  Haywood rushed for 987 yards and a league best 15 scores while passing for 1,095 yards and six touchdowns.  

Needs oversaw a tumultuous season at quarterback for the Eagles in 2011. Five different QBs took snaps under center for Carson-Newman last year due to numerous injuries at the position.

Still with the shakeups and QB, the Eagles were able to average over 28 points per game, with then-junior Brandon Haywood, who opened fall camp as the No. 4 quarterback on the depth chart, garnering the most playing time by season’s end.

From 2006-2009 Needs coached and mentored one of the best quarterbacks in Carson-Newman history, Alex Good, who finished 2009 as a Harlon Hill Trophy finalist along with South Atlantic Conference Player of the Year honors and a first team All-SAC selection. Good was second team All-SAC in 2008 and first team in 2007, when he led the Eagles to average 49 points per game.

In 2010, Needs was named the Associate Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association. Needs will have a forthcoming article entitle “Teaching Leadership at the Quarterback Position” in the AFCA Summer Manual and is collaborating with former Texas Tech head coach Mike Leach on an upcoming football instruction book.

Needs has also been published in Gridiron Strategy Magazine and American Football Monthly.

Needs serves as the head coach of the Carson-Newman track team. In spring 2012, Needs led the Eagles track team to a fourth place finish in the Southeast Regional meet and a Lady Eagles seventh place finish.

Needs played as a reserve quarterback on two Eagles NAIA National Championship teams in 1988 and 1989. He earned his master’s degree from Carson-Newman in 1998.

Before returning to coach at Carson-Newman, Needs was the offensive coordinator at Mount Pleasant High School in Wilmington, Del. Since returning to the Eagles program, Needs has led the players’ outreach activities, including the “One Way 2 Play – Drug Free” campaign as well as numerous visits to area schools, churches, hospitals and correctional facilities.

Needs and his wife, Melissa, reside in Morristown. They have three children; D.J., Tyler and Keely.