Spence joins the Hoyas after spending the 2023 and 2024 seasons at the University of North Carolina. Spence joined the Tar Heels as a defensive line graduate assistant in 2023 before being elevated to assistant defensive line coach in 2024. While coaching the defensive line at UNC, the Tar Heels finished sixth in the country in team sacks (39) and two players finished in the top 50 in sacks.
Prior to North Carolina, Spence was a defensive line graduate assistant at Ohio State during the 2022 season. While at OSU, Spence coached First Team All-B10 JT Tuimoloau and Zach Harrison, Third Team All-B10 Mike Hall Jr. and Honorable Mention All-B10 Jack Sawyer. In addition to working with the Tar Heels, Spence was a Bill Walsh Fellow Coach with the Los Angeles Rams in 2023.Â
Before starting his coaching career, Spence played defensive tackle at the University of Maryland from 2017-19. After medically retiring, Spence was a student assistant coach for the UMD defensive line. He also started a training company called Bear Spence Academy, where he trained Washington Commanders Javon Kinlaw and Carolina Panthers Derrick Brown. Spence graduated from UMD in 2021 with a degree in communications studies.
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