Derrien Covington enters his third season as the Braves’ defensive line coach.

Covington joined the Braves after spending three seasons as the defensive line coach and strength and conditioning graduate assistant at Delta State, where he mentored All-Conference defensive tackle Timaje Porter.

Prior to Delta State, Covington served as the defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Pearl River Central High School. The Picayune, Miss., native also gained coaching experience as the defensive line coach at McPherson College in Kansas, where he guided a pair of defensive Most Valuable Players, three First Team All-Region selections, and a Second Team All-Region honoree.

As a player, Covington began his collegiate career at Mississippi Valley State before transferring to Delta State, where he appeared in 25 games from 2011 to 2014. He was a member of the Statesmen’s 2011 and 2014 Gulf South Conference championship-winning teams.

In addition to his on-field coaching, Covington has served in various strength and conditioning roles at several programs, including Tulane University (2018), Waldorf University (2018), Delta State (2016–2018), and Mississippi State University (2016). He also spent time on staff at West Harrison High School and Holmes County Central High School.