Darius Safford enters his fifth season with Kennesaw State and second as the defensive backs coach in 2023. From 2019-2021, Safford oversaw cornerbacks for the Owls.
Prior to the 2023 season, Safford was selected to join the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship within the National Football League. Safford was added to the Chicago Bears' minicamp and training camp staffs for the summer.
Safford’s secondary shined in 2022. During the campaign, defensive back Markeith Montgomery set a school record for career interceptions with 10. Safford also mentored cornerback Chance Gamble to the FedEx Ground National Player of the Week after tying the school record with three interceptions in a single game.
The accolades continued to roll in for the KSU secondary when defensive back Deontre Morris was named a sophomore All-American by HERO Sports and an ASUN All-Conference defensive selection. Morris, along with Montgomery, finished within the top 11 in the nation in interceptions per game for the 2022 season.
In the 2021 fall season, Safford helped guide KSU to the top-ranked defense in the Big South Conference. The cornerbacks coach was also instrumental in developing the back-end of the defense which led the FCS in red zone defense at 57.6%.
Safford helped guide the Owls to the No. 3 total defense in the country in 2019, led by defensive back Le’Vonte Larry who earned second team All-Big South honors after finishing with 49 tackles, one interception and a team-high six pass break-ups.
Kennesaw State held six opponents to 14 points or less and tallied 13 interceptions in 2019, including three picks from freshman Markeith Montgomery who was the only rookie in the Big South Conference to record multiple interceptions.
Safford also assisted with the punt return unit in 2019, which finished the year ranked third in blocked punts (4) and eighth in yards per return (15.69).
Safford came to KSU after holding the same position at Mercer University during the 2018 season. Prior to his time at Mercer, the Douglasville, Georgia native was an assistant coach at West Georgia and a graduate assistant at Georgia Southern where he worked with the defensive secondary.
Safford started coaching in 2014 as the defensive backs coach at Chapel Hill High School in Douglasville, Georgia. While at Chapel Hill, he coached Cameron Gill, who would go on to win Super Bowl LV with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In 2015, Safford moved up to the college ranks and served as a graduate assistant at Georgia Southern. While at GSU, the defense was ranked in multiple statistical categories. This defense ranked 21st in total defense (338.1 yards per game) and 38th in scoring defense (23.5 points per game). That season, Georgia Southern also ranked 34th in fourth down conversion defense. Safford coached multiple defensive backs who received All-Sun Belt honors including Atonio Glover and Deshawntee Gallon. Glover was a 2015 All-Sun Belt First Team selection and was an undrafted free agent signed by the Denver Broncos. Gallon was a 2015 All-Sun Belt Honorable Mention, 2016 All-Sun Belt First Team selection and was an undrafted free agent that signed with the Arizona Cardinals. Safford also coached Caleb Williams and Darius Jones who were All-Sun Belt Honorable Mentions in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
Safford was hired as the cornerbacks coach at West Georgia prior to the 2017 season. Under his direction, the West Georgia defense was ranked in multiple statistical categories. The team ranked 14th in total defense (284.4 yards per game), 12th in pass efficiency (99.51) 13th in passing yards allowed (160.1 yards per game), 7th in scoring defense (15.2 points allowed per game), fifth in fourth down conversion percentage defense and 24th in third down conversion percentage defense. Safford's secondary also finished the year with eight interceptions.
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 economics and African studies, Safford transferred to Georgia Southern for his senior season where he went on to earn his master’s degree in Kinesiology, with a concentration in coaching education.
