AJ McLaughlin enters his third season with the Black Bears in 2026 as the defensive tackles coach.
In 2025, the defensive front for Maine recorded 20 of the 29 sacks on the season for a Maine defense that allowed the fewest yards per game (325.1) in the CAA. They forced four fumbles, recovered three fumbles and broke up six passes. They also had 26 QB hurries on the season.
Prior to joining the Black Bears, McLaughlin spent six seasons on the Husson University coaching staff. While at Husson, McLaughlin served stints as the special teams coordinator, outside linebackers coach, tight ends coach, and defensive line coach.
While at Husson, McLaughlin helped guide the Eagles to a 38-24 mark over his six years on staff. As defensive line coach, McLaughlin mentored five defensive linemen to a total of seven all-conference honors. In 2021, McLaughlin mentored Frank Curran to earn the conference defensive lineman of the year accolade.
McLaughlin spent the 2017 season as a student assistant and tight ends coach before serving as the defensive line coach for two seasons (2018-19). Following his time with the defensive line, McLaughlin was elevated to special teams coordinator and defensive line coach (2020-22) before spending his final season on staff as the special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach.
McLaughlin was a four-year letterwinner as a tight end at Husson from 2013-16. McLaughlin helped guide Husson to a 29-12 overall mark during his four seasons while capturing three Eastern Collegiate Football Conference Championships (2014, 2015, 2016) along with a pair of NCAA Division III postseason berths.
Off the field, McLaughlin was named to the ECFC All-Academic Team in 2015, 2015, and 2016 and to the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society in 2016.
McLaughlin, a native of Dexter, Maine, earned a bachelor of science in sport management and a master’s degree in business administration from Husson in 2018.
McLaughlin and his wife, Jahna, are the proud parents of their daughter, Palmer.
