Morgan State University Athletics

Damon Wilson is a 25-year coaching veteran, having begun his coaching journey immediately after hanging up his cleats as an All-CIAA Conference tight end at Bowie State University. There, he started his collegiate coaching career as a running back coach and special teams coordinator. That experience, paired with his exposure to coaching Pop Warner as a teen alongside his father and uncle, fueled his passion for coaching the game. Even as a teenager, he was driven to develop young men on and off the field.  He continues to take pride in seeing his players graduate and succeed in life after football. 

In 2004, he had the opportunity to develop his career in Division I FCS football in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) for five years in Texas, first at Texas Southern University and later at Prairie View A&M University. The Panthers of Prairie View finished the 2008 season with a 9-1 record and ranked 23rd nationally in Division I-AA football polls. As the running backs coach, Wilson helped lead the Panthers’ offense to their most successful season ever. Under Wilson’s guidance, they led the SWAC in rushing and broke the University’s all-time record.

In 2009, Wilson had the unique opportunity to begin his head coaching era at his Alma Mater, Bowie State University.  In his inaugural season, he broke the school record for Most Offensive Yards in a game, had eight (8) players receive All-CIAA Conference honors, and four (4) players selected to the CIAA All-Rookie Team. Wilson closed his 1st season as the 2009 Eastern Division Champs and had the #1 ranked defense in the country. 

The 2018 season was memorable for Bowie State football as the Bulldogs claimed the school’s first-ever CIAA Championship, defeating Fayetteville State by a score of 30-10. The victory allowed the Bulldogs to host the first round of the NCAA Super Region 2 Playoffs for the second consecutive season. In the opening round game, Bowie State took down West Alabama 41-35 in a true battle on the gridiron that advanced the Bulldogs to the Second Round of Super Region 2 for the first-time in school history.

Bowie State's 2019 season was even more remarkable as the Bulldogs recorded the school’s first-ever undefeated regular season and became Back-to-Back CIAA Champions. In 2020, COVID-19 put a pause on the record-breaking Bulldogs’ reign due to the cancellation of the season. However, Damon Wilson and the Bowie State Bulldogs returned to claim the Northern Division Title and the CIAA Championship for a third year in a row in 2021. They hosted two (2) NCAA playoff games and closed their season, setting yet another BSU record by earning a spot in the NCAA Elite 8. They were ranked #6 in the country. Coach Wilson’s coaching season did not end there. He was named Co-Head Coach in the Inaugural HBCU Legacy Bowl in 2022.  Alongside four of his assistant coaches, four of his senior players, and a host of coaches and players from the CIAA and the MEAC Conferences, they won the 1st ever HBCU Legacy Bowl. Earning Coach Wilson two (2) championships in one season.  Wilson closed out a historic championship season by being named the 2021 AFCA Division II National Coach of the Year. The award was the first for Bowie State and the conference, as he became the first CIAA coach to win this prestigious award.

Throughout his time at Bowie State, Coach Wilson has had tremendous success not only breaking and resetting school records, but he has been recognized nationally for his ability to not only win but to cultivate athletes and coaches to move on to the next level. Coach Wilson has had four (4) players and two (2) coaches in the National Football League (NFL), one (1) player in the Arena Football League (AFL), and several players in numerous professional leagues around the world.

In June of 2022, Coach Wilson was named the 23rd head football coach at Morgan State University in Baltimore, MD. He began his era at Morgan State with the goal of bringing the football program up to the standards of the academic program and restoring its storied sports legacy. In his first season, Wilson and the Morgan State Bears captured eleven (11) All-MEAC honors and an FCS Freshman All-American recognition.  Off the field, twenty (20) student athletes earned academic All-MEAC honors.

In 2023, he guided the Bears to an impressive upset victory over No. 18 Richmond, earning them the FedEx Ground National Team of the Week title. The team's resilience was further showcased in a last-second heartbreaking loss against FBS member Akron. The Bears would go on to finish the season with seven (7) All-MEAC Conference honors, and two players who received FCS All-American recognition. 

In addition to these individual achievements, the Bears also celebrated the recognition of one of their players as the BOXTOROW Impact Player of the Year.

Beyond their on-field achievements, the Bears also excelled academically, with twenty-nine (29) student-athletes earning Academic All-MEAC Conference honors. 

The 2024 season saw Morgan State meet and, in some ways, exceed the preseason expectations. Predicted to finish third in the MEAC preseason poll, the Bears lived up to that billing, holding onto the third spot with a solid 3-2 record in conference play. More importantly, the team concluded the year with a 6-6 overall record, a significant milestone that represents the most victories for the program since its MEAC Co-Championship winning season of 2014.

Further bolstering the team's success, Morgan State garnered significant individual accolades, earning four All-MEAC Conference honors, including the prestigious MEAC Defensive Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards. The season's triumphs were capped off with the recognition of both a consensus All-American and a Freshman All-American, highlighting the exceptional talent and potential within the Bears' roster.

Damon is married to Allison (Dunn), and they have one son, Dylan. Coach Wilson is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, working with children, fishing, and attending sporting events.