Deron Wilson promoted to McNeese Defensive Coordinator

LAKE CHARLES – McNeese football head coach Frank Wilson has announced that defensive backs coach Deron Wilson has been promoted to defensive coordinator effective immediately.

Wilson became the defense’s play caller just days before the season opener when then-coordinator Grady Brown left the team to accept a position at the University of Houston and now with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He guided a defense that led the Southland Conference and ranked sixth nationally with 25 sacks in the spring season, ranked second in the league in scoring defense and third in interceptions.

“He (Deron) was thrust into a role at a very impromptu time when four days before kickoff, we get a curveball thrown to us and we had to adapt,” said Frank Wilson. “I thought Deron did a great job of corralling our defensive staff. Collectively we worked together, but he was the play caller. He was the guy that stepped up in a very mature, poised manner, and allowed us to function with great help from our defensive staff.

“It is fitting to reward him with the opportunity of a job that he did this spring football season. There’s an interview process and there’s an on-the-job process and his ability to put us in position against some of the top teams in FCS football with his play calling ability and the help from out defensive staff really stood out. It made it an easy decision for us to make a smooth transition.”

The Cowboy defense is expected to have a stellar fall season after a spring slate that saw the unit improve every game behind notable players such as defensive ends Isaiah Chambers, who on Monday was named a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award as the FCS top defensive player, and Mason Kinsey as well as defensive back standouts such as Andre Sam, Chris Joyce, Colby Richardson and Cory McCoy.

“It’s tremendous to have consistency in our staff,” said Wilson. “We’ve been through a lot of change and we finally have some stability in our staff. It’s important to our players to see that and important for our program to have that. Chemistry, consistency and continuity played a big part in allowing us to continue to move forward.”

Prior to joining McNeese with Wilson in January of 2020, Deron coached with Wilson for four years at UTSA where he served two years as a graduate assistant before being promoted is final two years as the cornerbacks coach for the Roadrunners.