Wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator Atif Austin joined the North Dakota State football staff in January 2014 and spent four seasons with NDSU before accepting a job with the New England Patriots in May 2018.
Austin was honored with a Key to the City in his hometown of Tarpon Springs, Fla., following NDSU's 15-1 season and fourth straight FCS national championship in 2014. Â He was part of three FCS national championships and four Missouri Valley Football Conference titles with the Bison.
Austin arrived at NDSU after one year as the running backs coach at Stetson in 2013 and previous stops at Northern Iowa (2005-09) and Southwest Minnesota State (2003-04).
Austin was a four-year starter at Iowa State from 1999-02 before going to Southwest Minnesota State as assistant secondary coach in 2003 and inside linebackers coach in 2004.
He spent five seasons as running backs coach at Northern Iowa before returning to his high school alma mater, Tarpon Springs High School in Tampa, Fla., as the head coach and offensive coordinator in 2010 and 2011.
Austin earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from Iowa State in 2003 and a master's in leadership and education from Southwest Minnesota State in 2005.
He and his wife, Tori, have three children, Djoni, Amni and AJ.
