In 2026, Keith Pough returned to his alma mater, Howard University, as Director of Football Performance.
Before coming back to Howard, Pough spent two seasons (2022-24) as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at East Carolina University (ECU).
Pough joined ECU after a four-year stint as the assistant director of basketball performance at the University of Maryland. There, he worked with the nationally-ranked women's basketball team, overseeing the Terrapins' performance and nutrition regimens on a daily basis. During his time in College Park, which also included a year as a basketball performance intern, Pough helped Maryland capture five Big Ten Conference regular season titles, four tournament championships and advance to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 three times (2017, 2021 & 2022).
Pough is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. He is also a certified Level-1 Sports Performance Coach from United States Weightlifting Association, a certified fascial stretch therapist, has FMS level I and Precision Nutrition Level I certifications, and is certified in Applied Functional Science by Gray Institute.
In his collegiate career, he was a four-year captain and starting linebacker for Howard, recording 350 career tackles while setting multiple FCS national records for tackles for loss in a season (29), game (6) and career (72.5).
In addition to setting records, Pough was a three-time SBN Sports Black College All-American, three-time Phil Steele Publications Post Season First Team All-American, three-time Walter Camp Football Foundation FCS First Team All-American, three-time All-MEAC First Team honoree, 2012 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year, MEAC sports 50th Anniversary All-Football Team, 88th East West Shrine Bowl Defensive Captain, the 2013 Pat Tillman Character Award Recipient and was named to the AP FCS All-American team three times.
In 2013, Pough graduated from Howard with a Bachelor of Arts degree in physical education. He was an initiate of the Founding Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
