DETROIT -- Wayne State University first-year head football coach
Terrence Isaac, Sr. has named
Kaleb Dawson as the defensive backs coach.
"Kaleb is an experienced coach that has coached in the conference," commented Isaac. "He's a great technically sound coach."
Dawson spent the 2025 season as cornerbacks coach and defensive analyst at GLIAC member Saginaw Valley State. In his lone year at SVSU, he helped mentor two Second Team All-GLIAC defensive backs in Sean Hodges and DJ Voltz. The Cardinals also led the conference in total defense (296.9 YPG) during the seven-game league slate. SVSU finished 5-2 in the GLIAC, including a 20-19 triumph at Grand Valley State.
He began his collegiate playing career as a safety/cornerback/outside linebacker at Appalachian State from 2018-2022, before spending his final two seasons at Alabama A&M. Dawson appeared in the final four games of the 2018 campaign for ASU, including on special teams in the Sun Belt Championship game (vs. Louisiana) and the New Orleans Bowl (vs. Middle Tennessee). The following year, he played in nine contests and finished with five tackles, including three vs. Coastal Carolina. Dawson also had a fumble recovery against East Tennessee State.
Dawson played in all 12 games in 2020 contributing both as a safety and on special teams. One of his tackles came vs. North Texas in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. He played in four games in 2021 before missing the remainder of the season. Dawson totaled 11 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, with a TFL vs. Marshall. He was credited with eight tackles, while appearing in the first seven games of the 2022 season. Dawson saw action in eight games for Alabama A&M in 2023, before concluding his career by playing in 12 contests in 2024. He had three interceptions each season with the Bulldogs, and finished with 110 tackles (55 solo, 55 assisted) in his AAM career, along with seven pass break-ups, a forced fumble, and 9.5 tackles for loss. Dawson was selected to the Phil Steele All-SWAC Third Team in 2024 after being selected as the SWAC's Defensive Player of the Week after his performance at Mississippi Valley State. He served as the defensive graduate assistant at Alabama A&M from January through August of 2024, before being cleared to play his senior year.
A native of Moultrie, Ga., Dawson played his prep career at Colquitt County and was credited with 95 tackles (60 solo) and one interception over 13 games as a senior safety. He helped CCHS reach the state Class 7A title game by winning four playoff games on the road. The Packers went 11-4 in 2017 for coach Rush Propst. Dawson totaled 75 tackles, one interception and one fumble recovery as a junior in 2016, when Colquitt County reached the Class 7A quarterfinals during an 8-5 season. The 2015 CCHS football squad was awarded the national championship by High School Football America and Prep Force. He also lettered in basketball and track and field.
Dawson earned a bachelor's degree in Health & Physical Education from Appalachian State in 2022, and a master's in Kinesiology from Alabama A&M in 2025.
