Bret Peterson was added to the North Alabama Football staff in 2024 as an assistant coach. He is an offensive analyst.
Prior to UNA, Peterson spent his entire collegiate career at Bethel University in Tennessee, which is also Coach Brent Dearmon's alma mater. Peterson played at Bethel from 2014-18 and became an assistant coach in 2020. He worked with the offensive line for three seasons before transitioning to tight ends and h-backs coach, assistant director of football operations and video coordinator in 2022 and 2023.
As a player, Peterson was a team captain and three-year starter on the offensive line for the Wildcats. His senior season, Peterson and the Wildcats won the 2018 Mid-South Conference championship while going undefeated for the first time in school history. Peterson played for Coach Dearmon that season, and the offense led the nation in scoring offense with 55.0 points per game. Peterson was also a four-year MSC Academic All-Conference selection.
As a coach, Peterson directly coached five all-conference selections over three seasons, including four offensive linemen and a tight end. He also helped coach 15 all-conference selections and two All-Americans on offense during this time. In 2022, Peterson helped Bethel go 11-1 with an undefeated regular season, a conference championship and a playoff appearance.
In 2023, Bethel finished 11-2 overall and advanced to the NAIA Quarterfinals for the deepest playoff run in school history. With Peterson's assistance, the offense also broke 13 records, had seven all-conference selections, two All-Americans and the MSC Offensive Player of the Year. The Wildcats were also nationally ranked in a number of statistical categories offensively, including second in the nation in total passing and passing touchdowns.
Peterson obtained his bachelor of science from Bethel in 2018 with a degree in athletic training. He graduated summa cum laude. He also earned a master's degree from Bethel in 2022. He is originally from Lafayette, Georgia.
