KENNESAW, Ga. – Kennesaw State head football coach Brian Bohannon completed the hiring of his coaching staff on Friday morning with the naming of three defensive assistants.
 
Darius Safford has been named cornerbacks coach, Danny Verpaele was tabbed as the safeties coach and Rico Zackery will fill the role of defensive ends coach.
 
"I think we got a great mix of coaches with these three guys," Bohannon said. "We got Danny who was a defensive coordinator for a Division II National Championship team, Rico who has been a high school head coach at two different places and Darius who has experience at the FCS level in the Southern Conference. I'm really excited about the energy and enthusiasm these three assistants will bring."
 
Darius Safford – Cornerbacks
 
Safford joins the Owls after holding the same position at the Mercer University during the 2018 season. Prior to his time at Mercer, the Douglasville, Georgia native was an assistant coach at West Georgia for two seasons and a graduate assistant at Georgia Southern where he worked with the defensive secondary.
 
"The most attractive part of Kennesaw State to me was the family atmosphere when I first stepped on campus. Every coach was very welcoming as soon as I walked in the door and made me feel like I have been here for a long time," Safford said. "The culture that Coach Bohannon has built has been incredible. I love the expectations that he has for this team. He does not want to settle for a conference championship or in the second or third round of the playoffs. He wants to be playing in January and that is something that I want to be a part of."
 
As a player, Safford was a standout at two institutions. He was a tri-captain at Lafayette (Pa.), garnering All-Patriot League honors for the Leopards. After earning a bachelor's degree in history and African Studies, Safford transferred to Georgia Southern for his senior season where he went on to earn his master's degree in sport and fitness administration/management.
 
"I am an ultimate competitor and I can tell everyone in this office is the same way," Safford added. "Being from Douglasville, Ga., I know the community well and I love the campus location. I am so excited to get started."
 
Danny Verpaele – Safeties
 
A coaching veteran, Verpaele comes to Kennesaw State following three seasons as defensive coordinator/linebackers coach at Valdosta State where he helped lead the Blazers to the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship. His squad led the nation with seven defensive touchdowns as VSU posted a perfect 14-0 record.
 
"Coming to Kennesaw State is an awesome opportunity," Verpaele said. "When I was in South Georgia I kept hearing about what Kennesaw State was doing and how fast the program is growing. I know a lot of people that have worked with or under Coach Bohannon and I have heard nothing but outstanding reviews."
 
Verpaele also spent two years as an assistant coach at the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., Jacksonville University and as a graduate assistant at Mississippi State in 2013. He began his coaching career at Virginia Military Institute as an assistant coach in 2009.
 
"It is tremendous what he has been able to be here. A lot of programs have been around for 30 and 40 years and have not done what Kennesaw State has been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time," Verpaele said. "I am drawn to the resources, location and the staff that has been put together here at KSU."
 
Verpaele was a three-year letterman as a strong safety at the University of South Florida from 2004-08.
 
Rico Zackery – Defensive Ends
 
Zackery joins the Kennesaw State staff after spending the last two seasons as head coach at Villa Rica High School in Carrollton, Ga., following one season as director of recruiting operations at Georgia Southern. Prior to his stint with the Golden Eagles, Zackery served five years at Central Carroll High School in Carrollton, Ga., holding the positions of defensive coordinator (2011-12) under current Owls' offensive coordinator Grant Chesnut and head coach and co-athletic director (2013-15).
 
In three years at CCHS, he led his team to a 30-6 record and a 5-AAA Region Title in 2014. He was named Times Georgian Coach of the year in 2013, and Region 5-AAA coach of the year in 2014.
 
"I am honored to have the opportunity to join the coaching staff at KSU. The success that the Owls have had on-and-off the field speaks volumes about the mentality, the strength of the program and the leadership of Coach Bohannon," Zackery said. "My family and I are excited for what lies ahead and I am thrilled to be a part of the KSU family."
 
Zackery played defensive back at Georgia Southern from 2002-2006, where he was a member of the 2002 and 2004 Southern Conference Championship teams.
 
Kennesaw State had one of the top defensive units in the country last season, giving up just 15.5 points per game to rank seventh in the nation and set a Big South Conference record. In 2018, the Owls were the first team in league history to limit five consecutive opponents to 13 points or less. KSU gave up just 301.4 yards per game to rank 12th among FCS programs.
 
For more information on Kennesaw State athletics, follow @KennesawStFB on Twitter or like Kennesaw State Football on Facebook and Instagram.
 

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