ETTRICK, VA (May 25, 2017) – Virginia State University head football coach Reggie Barlow has announced Brandon Kirksey as the new Trojans defensive line coach for the upcoming 2017 season.
"Making Brandon our defensive line coach was a good move for our football program," Coach Barlow said. "Brandon is very intelligent and a plus to our program. He brings a lot of knowledge and savvy to the world of football. It is an honor to have coach Kirksey a part of the Trojan family and I am looking forward to great things out of our defensive line this year."
Kirksey brings five years of experience to the Trojans coaching staff as he has coached on the high school and collegiate level.
Prior to coming to VSU, Brandon spent some time on the Lincoln University (MO) football staff where he most recently served as the defensive line/community relations coordinator.
He began his coaching career at Soldan High School where he served as the defensive line specialist in 2012.
In 2014, Kirksey coached Davon Walls, an All-GLVC first team selection and Don Hansen All-Region honoree. Walls finished fourth in the league and 33rd in the country with 17.5 tackles for loss and was ninth in NCAA Division II with 10 sacks. Walls signed an undrafted free agent contract with the New York Jets in 2015 and appeared in two preseason games.
In his first year with the Lincoln University (MO) program, Kirksey coached two players in Cecil Frison and Darryl Blackmon who were selected as All-MIAA honorable mentions. Last season, Kirksey coached Eric Howard, who earned USA College Football All-American honorable mention and All-GLVC honorable mention recognition.
Originally from St. Louis, Mo. where he starred at Hazelwood East High School, Kirksey was a four-year letterwinner at the University of Minnesota. As a senior, he started 12 games at nose tackle, eventually earning the Golden Gophers Defensive Lineman of the Year Award. Kirksey was also a recipient of Minnesota's Tony Dungy Character and Community Service Award.
Kirksey earned his bachelor's degree in Sociology of Law, Criminology, and Deviance from the University of Minnesota in 2012.
