Vernon Dean is entering his fifth season as VSU’s defensive backs coach. Dean helped the Trojans to an undefeated regular season (10-0) in 2017, where the Trojans claimed the 2017 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Football Championship title.
Dean brought 17 years of experience to the Trojans coaching staff as he has coached on the high school, collegiate and professional level.
He joined the NFL coaching ranks in 2003 after spending 10 seasons coaching on the collegiate and high school level. He assisted Peter Giunta in tutoring the Kansas City Chiefs secondary in 2003 prior to taking over the reigns as cornerbacks coach for the next two seasons. The addition of Dean to the Chiefs coaching staff in 2003 coincided with safety Jerome Woods earning his initial Pro Bowl berth.
Dean gained his initial NFL coaching experience serving as the NFL Minority Coaching Fellow with the Baltimore Ravens during the 2001 training camp, working under the direction of linebackers coach Jack Del Rio (former head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars) and defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis (now head coach of the Cincinnati Bengals).
Prior to his stint with the Leathernecks, Dean coached the secondary at Western Oregon in 2000-01. From 1997-1999 he served as the defensive backs coach at Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, California.
He began his coaching career at Georgetown University where he tutored the defensive backs for the Hoyas inn ’90 before serving as the club’s defensive coordinator from 1992-93.
Dean brings a wealth of hands-on expertise after serving seven season as an NFL cornerback with Washington (’82-87) and Seattle (’88).
Dean made three Bowl appearances with Washington and was a port of Joe Gibbs’ squads that claimed victories in Super Bowls XVII and XXII. He earned numerous honors to include NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year by Football Digest in ’82.
Dean holds a bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University.
Although raised in Los Angeles, California, Dean is a native of Houston, Texas and is the proud parent of two sons, Joshua and Jaylon.
Dean’s Coaching Timeline
1990-1993: Georgetown University, Defensive Backs, Defensive Coordinator 92 – 93
1997-1998: Bishop O’Dowd High School Oakland, California, Defensive Backs
2000-2001: Western Oregon University, Monmounth, OR, Defensive Backs
2002: Western Illinois, Macomb, ILL, Defensive Backs
2003-2006: Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City, MO Defensive Backs
2009: Fort Valley State University, Ft. Valley, GA Defensive Backs
2010-2011: University Arkansas Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff, AR Linebackers, Special Teams
2013-2015: Kentucky State University, Frankfort, KY, Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers
2017-Present: Virginia State University, Petersburg, VA, Defensive Backs
