CRAWFORDSVILLE, Indiana --- Wabash College head football coach Jake Gilbert adds two new assistants to his staff for the 2025 season. Brian Baker-Watson will serve as the Little Giants' running backs coach and the athletics department's scholar-athlete success coordinator. Noah Pierre joins the staff as the new defensive backs coach.
 
Baker-Watson brings 35 years of experience as a head coach, offensive and defensive coordinator, and recruiter to the Wabash program. Pierre coached at Franklin College in 2024 after playing defensive back at Indiana University, where he served as team captain in 2023.
 
"Brian and Noah will connect very well with our coaches and players," Gilbert said. "I'm excited to have guys that care about relationships and positive coaching. Noah was a high-level player, a captain at Indiana University, and a great leader. He's young and enthusiastic. Brian is highly experienced. He has been a head college coach and an offense coordinator at the college level. We are looking forward to the wealth and knowledge he brings."
 
Baker-Watson began his coaching career at Moraine Valley Community College in Illinois, where he spent four seasons coaching offense, defense, and special teams. Baker-Watson started a five-year stint at St. Xavier University in Chicago in 1994 as an assistant coach before being elevated to defensive coordinator in 1997 and assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 1998. Baker-Watson helped the program set 22 single-game and season offensive records and earn national recognition as the top-five program in the nation in scoring, passing yards, and total offense.
 
Baker-Watson joined the Concordia University Chicago staff in 1999 as defensive coordinator and was named head coach in 2000. He moved to Aurora University as a defensive line coach in 2003 to help the Spartans capture an Illini-Badger Conference title and an NCAA Division III playoff berth in 2004.
 
Baker-Watson returned to the Chicagoland area in 2005 as offensive coordinator, assistant head coach, and director of football operations at Benedictine University. His efforts as an assistant coach helped the Eagles improve from a 1-9 program to conference champions in 2010 and 2011. The program also ranked among the top 15 percent in the nation in scoring offense.
 
Baker-Watson moved to the high school coaching ranks in 2014 to lead South Putnam High School to sectional championship game appearances in 2015 and 2017 and a sectional title in 2018 as the program's offensive coordinator. He joined the Greencastle High School staff in 2020 as assistant coach and offensive coordinator before taking a position at Avon High School as tight ends coach in 2023.
 
Baker-Watson graduated from Benedictine University, where he majored in business and economics. He earned a master's degree in business administration from Aurora University.
 
"I've been a head coach and coordinator for years and have led a couple of teams to the NCAA tournament," Baker-Watson said." I'm happy to be here with Coach Gilbert. We see eye to eye on many different things, not only athletically but also on how to mentor young men. His vision for the future of Wabash football is aligned with what I've always believed."
 
Pierre spent last season at Franklin College as the Grizzlies' cornerbacks coach. He mentored a First Team All-Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference player and helped Franklin become the top passing defense in the conference. Pierre graduated from Indiana University as a kinesiology major. He played in 50 games with 18 starts for the Hoosiers on the football field, including seven games with five starts before his final season ended due to an injury. Pierre also worked in Evansville as a mentor to at-risk youth.
 
"I'm relatively new to the coaching game and excited to learn from this veteran coaching staff," Pierre said. "I have played football since I was four. Now, I'm in my second year of coaching and look forward to sharing my experience as a player with the Wabash team."
 
Both coaches begin their duties immediately.