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Wayne State University Athletics

DeJuan Garland, Ahmed Saleh, and Je'Darius Isaac Graphic

Football Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football Adds Two To Defensive Staff Plus Director of Player Personnel

Gardland, Saleh and Isaac have been added to the football staff.

DETROIT -- Wayne State University head football coach Tyrone Wheatley, who will be entering his third season leading the Warriors this fall, has rounded out his on-the-field staff plus added a Director of Player Personnel.

Former graduate assistant coach DeJuan Garland has been named Defensive Line Coach, while Ahmed Saleh (saa·luh) has been selected Linebackers Coach and Special Teams Coordinator.  In addition, Je'Darius Isaac will serve as the Director of Player Personnel and Player Development Coach.

Garland re-joined the Wayne State Football coaching staff in the spring of 2025 as defensive line coach.

He previously joined the staff in the summer of 2018 and served as a graduate assistant coach in the fall of 2018 working primarily with the defensive line.

Garland helped mentor Honorable Mention All-GLIAC selection Derrick Coleman during his first time with the Warriors.

Garland spent three years (2019-2021) on the staff at Ellsworth Community College serving as defensive coordinator in 2019 and defensive line coach all three seasons.  During his tenure with the Panthers, he had 13 All-Region selections.

He mentored four All-Region selections in 2019, including First Team honoree Jake Poetzl who had 11.5 tackles for loss, including nine sacks and was also an NJCAA All-American.  First Team All-ICCAC (Iowa Community College Athletic Conference) selection Keegan Glaus had 101 tackles, while Second Team All-Region members JaQuon Nicholson and Da'Viair Kinney had nine tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks, respectively.  Honorable Mention recipient Isaiah Bellamy had 6.5 tackles for loss.

After an abbreviated spring season in 2021 (no fall season in 2020), Davon Sears was named All-ICCAC, while Sears, Deaundre Brown and Tanner Cromer garnered All-Region recognition.

Garland tutored five All-Region selections in the fall of 2021.  Malcolm Bryant was a First Team member who totaled 10 tackles for loss, including 8.5 sacks.  A trio of Second Team honorees in Tanner Cromer, Jaden Davis and De'alo McGee, were joined by Honorable Mention recipient Josaphat Tamatekou.

He was the head football coach at Mount Clemens High School in 2022 and 2023 leading the Battling Bathers to post-season berths in both seasons and a 12-8 record on the field.  Garland also spent 18 months as the athletic director at MCHS, prior to being named as the head coach at L'Anse Creuse North in 2024.

In 2017 before coming to WSU, he was the linebackers coach at Warren Fitzgerald, his alma mater, after serving the prior two seasons (2015 and 2016) as a varsity assistant coach, and strength and conditioning coach at Center Line High School.

Garland was the running backs and linebackers coach at South Lake High School in St. Clair Shores in 2014, after two years (2012 and 2013) as the linebackers coach at Anchor Bay High School.  While with the Tars of ABHS, he tutored All-State linebacker Alex Hamilton.

He began his high school coaching career as linebackers coach at Fitzgerald in 2007, a position he held for four years.  Garland helped the Spartans win a district title in 2008 as the defense only allowed 74 points during the regular season.  He coached three All-Macomb County linebackers, including Austin Gray who played at the University of Iowa.

After earning Honorable Mention All-State accolades as a senior in 1999 for Fitzgerald, Garland enrolled at Grand Rapids Community College.  He played two seasons at GRCC and earned his associates degree in May of 2002.  

As a freshman at GRCC in 2000, Garland rushed for a team-high eight touchdowns on just 41 carries, while playing in nine of the 10 contests.  He also had one kickoff return and finished second on the team in scoring.  In 2001, Garland played in the final seven contests for the Raiders, making five starts.  He totaled 40 tackles (17-23), including nine for loss and one sack.

Garland played in eight games, starting four times for William Penn University (in Oskaloosa, Iowa) in 2003.  He recorded 38 tackles (24-14), including a season-best nine stops (3-6) vs. St. Francis (Ill.).  Both of his tackles for loss were against Quincy.  Garland also totaled four pass break-ups and two quarterback hurries.

The following year (2004), he played in all 11 games, making five starts.  Garland finished fourth on the squad with 47 tackles (27-20), including a season-best eight stops (6-2) against St. Xavier.  He tied-for-third on the team with two interceptions and was fourth with 8.5 (8 solo, 1 assisted) tackles for loss.  Garland had at least one TFL in each of the final four games.  His interception on the game's opening drive in the season finale vs. Iowa Wesleyan set up the game's first score, while his fumble recovery led to another touchdown for the Statesmen.

Garland served as a student assistant coach at WPU, working with the defensive line, for two years (2005 and 2006).  He earned his bachelor's degree from WPU in Physical Education with an emphasis on strength and conditioning.

A native of Warren, Mich., Garland graduated from Warren Fitzgerald High School in 2000, where he also earned All-Detroit and All-Macomb honors in basketball.  DeJuan and his fiancé Allison Bentley reside in Oakland County.

Ahmed (Ed) Saleh joined the Wayne State football coaching staff as a defensive and special teams assistant in the fall of 2024.  He was elevated to linebackers coach and special teams coordinator in the spring of 2025.

The Dearborn native graduated from Michigan State in 2016 with a bachelor's degree in Pyscholgy prior to earning a master's degree in Business Administration from Central Michigan in 2019.

During his undergrad years in East Lansing, Saleh spent two years as a defensive student assistant coach, before serving as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Dearborn Fordson High School in both 2017 and 2022.  In between, he spent two seasons (2018 and 2019) as a defensive graduate assistant coach at Colorado State University working with the defensive backs and linebackers.  Saleh served as the special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach for two years (2020 and 2021) at Madonna University.

He has participated in two NFL Bill Walsh Coaching Fellowships (San Francisco 49ers in 2021 and Green Bay Packers in 2024).  After his second stint at Fordson, Saleh spent the 2023 campaign as the safeties coach at Northern Michigan.

Saleh played football and basketball at Dearborn High School, and was given the Unsung Hero award by the football team in 2011-12.

Ahmed is the cousin of Robert Saleh, who orchestrated one of the top defenses in the NFL before serving as head coach of the New York Jets.

 Je'Darius Isaac joined the Wayne State University football program as Director of Player Personnel and Player Development Coach in the spring of 2025.

Isaac was a member of the football team at Army in 1994 before playing quarterback at Jacksonville State in 1995 and 1996, while also lettering in 1997.  He saw action in all 11 games for JSU in 1995 and led the team with 723 yards of total offense (rushed for 327 yards and two touchdowns, while passing for 396 yards and three scores).  Isaac completed a 42-yard touchdown pass on the last play of the game in 1996 to defeat Western Illinois 32-27.

He earned a bachelor's degree in Exercise Science and Wellness with Special Honors from Jacksonville State University in 1998.  Isaac later received a master's degree in Administration from Central Michigan University in 2006, and a doctorate degree in Organization and Management with a specialization in Leadership from Capella University in 2010.

Isaac is currently the Chief Operations Officer for Detroit Community Health Connection.  He previously spent 15 years as Associate Director for Global GMP Training in the Pharmaceutical Industry, followed by five years as Senior Consultant / Workstream Lead with the Echelon Learning Group.

He and his wife, Kelly, have two sons, who are both currently on the WSU roster in redshirt freshman wide receiver Donovan Isaac and senior defensive lineman Devon Isaac.

A native of Bessemer, Alabama, he was an Honorable Mention All-State quarterback in 1993 by the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

 
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Players Mentioned

Devon Isaac

#42 Devon Isaac

DE
6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
Donovan Isaac

#14 Donovan Isaac

WR
6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman

Players Mentioned

Devon Isaac

#42 Devon Isaac

6' 3"
Redshirt Senior
DE
Donovan Isaac

#14 Donovan Isaac

6' 0"
Redshirt Freshman
WR