Zach Sparber enters his first season as a defensive analyst at Texas A&M after joining Coach Elko’s staff in the spring of 2026. Sparber works closely with the Aggie linebackers.
Sparber, a native of Norwood, New Jersey, joined Coach Elko’s staff after spending the 2025 season at Rutgers as the program's co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Before leading the Scarlett Knights defense, he was the linebackers coach at James Madison in 2024.
While working with the Dukes, Sparber helped lead a unit that led the Group of Five and ranked third nationally with 29 turnovers gained, while ranking first in the Sun Belt Conference in total defense (321.8), scoring defense (20.5), rushing defense (115.4), sacks (3.15), first downs defense (227), interceptions (17) and fumbles recovered (12). Their defense ranked 21st nationally in scoring defense on their way to winning the Boca Raton Bowl, the program's first-ever bowl victory.
Sparber spent three seasons on the staff at Duke (2021-23), his final two under head coach Mike Elko. In 2023, coach Elko promoted Sparber to linebacker analyst. That season, the Blue Devils finished with an 8-5 overall record, highlighted by victories over No. 9 Clemson and Troy in the 76 Birmingham Bowl. Sparber coached LB Tre Freeman to Second Team All-ACC honors, and the Duke defense ranked 10th nationally in red zone defense (.744) and 16th in scoring defense (19.0), which led the ACC.
In 2022 under Elko and Smith, Duke posted a 9-4 overall record and defeated UCF in the Military Bowl. Sparber mentored LB Shaka Heyward to All-ACC honors, as he finished his Duke career tied for eighth in fumble recoveries (5), 12th in tackles-for-loss (32.5), 13th in tackles (339) and tied for 14th in sacks (11.5). Also, an All-ACC linebacker in 2021, Heyward later signed with the Cincinnati Bengals after competing in the East-West Shrine Bowl and the NFL Scouting Combine.
Sparber spent three seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Virginia Tech (2018-20), where he worked under Bud Foster, a Broyles Award winner. While with the Hokies, Sparber helped the program win 19 games and make appearances at the 2018 Military Bowl and the 2019 Belk Bowl.
He got his start in coaching at the high school level. In 2016, he was the defensive line coach at Stonehill High before moving to Bergen Catholic High School in 2017 to serve as the program's offensive line coach.
Sparber was a four-year letterwinner at Brown, earning Second Team All-Ivy League honors as a senior. He was also awarded the Lawrence Rubida “Iron Man” Award and “Bill Perry” Defensive Lineman Award during his time with the Bears.
He graduated from Brown in 2015 with a degree in business entrepreneurship and organization. He also earned master’s degrees in education from Virginia Tech in 2020 and management studies from Duke in 2022.
Sparber is married to the former Alli Komrower of River Vale, N.J., and they are the parents of Brody and Reid.