Elizabeth City State has named defensive coordinator David Castillo as interim head football coach.
The announcement comes one day after Marcus Hilliard was dismissed as leader of the program after three seasons.
Castillo has been the Vikings defensive coordinator for the past two years. In 2023, he sparked a turnaround that saw ECSU go from giving up more than 36 points per game to allowing 22. This season, the Vikes surrendered 24.1 points per contest, seventh in the CIAA, en route to a 3-7 finish.
“I’m at a loss for words,” Castillo posted on Twitter/X on Friday. “I first started coaching to stay active in the game. I quickly understood the impact I had on the young men I have coached. It became my passion & calling. It led me here today. I am proud to say I have been promoted to Interim Head Football Coach at ECSU.”
Castillo came to Elizabeth City State after four seasons at Seton Hill University, a Division II school in Pennsylvania. He served as defensive backs coach, special teams coordinator and recruiting coordinator. Castillo also coached defensive backs at East Stroudsburg University and Wilkes University. He was a high school coach at East Stroudsburg North for one season.
Castillo earned his bachelor’s from East Stroudsburg University in 2014. He was a four-year starter for ESU football from 2007-10, starting 38 games and earning all-conference honors.
Elizabeth City State athletics director James DuBose Jr. told HBCU GameDay on Thursday that the school plans a national search to find its next head coach to replace Hilliard. The Vikings were 8-22 under Hilliard in 2022, 2023 and 2024.
