CLEVELAND, Miss. — The Delta State University football program and head coach Todd Cooley have announced the addition of Derrien Covington as the program’s new defensive line coach.

Covington joins the #DSUFamily after serving as the defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Pearl River Central High School, and brings with him a wealth of coaching experience.

Covington, who began his collegiate football playing career at Mississippi Valley State before transferring to Delta State, played 25 games for the Statesmen on the gridiron from 2011 to 2014. He was also a part of Delta State’s 2011 and 2014 Gulf South Conference championship-winning teams.

The Picayune, Miss. native coached a pair of defensive Most Valuable Players, three First Team All-Region selections, and a Second Team All-Region selection at Pearl River Central High School after serving as the defensive line coach at McPherson College in McPherson, Kansas.

In addition to stops at West Harrison High School and Holmes County Central High School, Covington served in various strength and conditioning coaching roles at Tulane University (2018), Waldorf University (2018), Delta State (2016 to 2018), and Mississippi State University (2016).

Covington’s tenure begins with Delta State football’s spring practice slate.