RENO, Nev. – Former Wolf Pack standout and Ely native Cameron Norcross returns to his alma mater to oversee The Union in 2026, Nevada Head Coach Jeff Choate announced Friday.

Norcross, a veteran of over two decades of coaching offensive lines, spent the 2025 campaign at Montana and has overseen the position at Kennesaw State (2024), UNLV (2020-21), Vanderbilt (2016-19), and Fresno State (2012-15) following his first stint with the Wolf Pack (2001-11). During his time on the Nevada staff, Norcross served in a variety of roles which included offensive line coach, run game coordinator, tight ends coach and graduate assistant.

"I'm very excited to announce the addition of Cameron Norcross as our offensive line coach and bring back another Wolf Pack great that is going to help drive this program forward. As a former player and coach here at Nevada, nobody understands the history, tradition, and significance of the Union room the way Cam will," Choate said. "He's a very accomplished offensive line coach and comes off a tremendously successful season at Montana. Cam's had success everywhere he's been. He's a winner, a developer and a recruiter and I know that he's going to bring an edge to our offensive line room.

"I also want to thank Ron Crook and Mike Lynch for the admirable job they did filling in in a tough situation this past season. I know both of those guys are very, very good football coaches—Ron, in particular, really helped us through a tough patch and I can't say enough about the job he did there. I'm looking forward to Mike moving into a role with the tight ends working with Virgil Green whose position coach, coincidentally, was Cam so kind of a full-circle moment there," Choate added.

Norcross spent five seasons playing at Nevada (1995-99), being part of three Big West championship squads (1995-97) and earning All-Big West recognition at offensive line in 1998. He began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Nevada from 2001-02 before being promoted to a full-time assistant in 2003, overseeing tight ends along with serving as co-offensive line coach.

Under Hall of Fame head coach Chris Ault, Norcross served in the same capacities from 2004-10. He played an important role in the development of the Pistol offense, as Nevada led the nation in rushing in 2009 and became the first team in NCAA history to have three 1,000-yard rushers in the same season. Under Norcross' direction in 2010, the Wolf Pack ranked third-nationally in rushing and fourth in total offense. Running back Vai Taua ranked seventh in the nation in rushing yards per game and Colin Kaepernick became the first quarterback in NCAA history to rush for over 1,000 yards three-straight years.

Over his nine seasons coaching The Union, Norcross's charges earned eight spots on the All-WAC First Team and another eight on the Second Team. Nevada won two WAC titles (2005, 2010) and reached a bowl game in each of his final seven seasons (2005-11).

"I am fired up to be back home in Reno to rekindle the strong physical tradition of the Union!" Norcross said of his return.

In 2025 Norcross oversaw a Montana offensive line which paved the way to 171.5 yards per game and an eye-popping 46 rushing scores as the Grizzlies went 13-2 and made a run to the FCS semifinals. Twice the Grizzlies eclipsed the 300-yard mark in a game, with the attack led by running back Eli Gillman's 1,540 yards and 21 touchdowns and two more players, Michael Wortham (eight) and Keali'i Ah Yat (seven), rushing for at least seven scores. Two Montana offensive linemen earned All-Big Sky recognition, with Cannon Panfiloff being named to the First Team, while Gillman was named Big Sky Offensive Player of the Year and Wortham and Ah Yat each to the First Team.

Norcross served as offensive line coach and run game coordinator in Kennesaw State's first FBS season in 2024. Prior to that, he oversaw the offensive line at UNLV from 2020-21, helping secure the No. 2 rated recruiting class in the Mountain West.

Over his four seasons (2016-19) at Vanderbilt, Norcross was a part of a Commodore program which made two bowl appearances (2016 Independence Bowl, 2018 Texas Bowl) and achieved historic moments.

In 2019, the Commodores' victory over No. 22 Missouri marked the program's first over a ranked opponent in three years. The season prior, Vanderbilt beat Tennessee for a third-straight season, its first such streak since the 1920s. Norcross' work with the offensive line helped Vanderbilt average 411.2 total yards per game in 2018, its most since 1974.

The offensive line excelled during his first season in Nashville, setting up running back Ralph Webb's single-season rushing record of 1,283 yards en route to the Independence Bowl trip.

From 2012-15 Norcross was the offensive line coach at Fresno State. His tenure with the Bulldogs was highlighted by the 2013 Mountain West title, a conference title-game appearance in 2014, and three bowl appearances including a 2013 Las Vegas Bowl trip as Fresno State went 11-2. The Bulldogs' 11 wins that season set a program record, and the offense set 13 school records including points scored, total offense and passing yards.