Melvin Coleman enters his fifth season as safeties coach for Morgan State University football in 2026. Coleman has helped develop the Bears’ secondary since joining the program and brings extensive experience as a former Morgan State standout, collegiate coach, and professional player.
In 2025, Coleman continued to oversee the Bears’ safeties, helping develop a veteran defensive backfield that played an important role in Morgan State’s defensive efforts throughout the season. Coleman’s work with the position group continued a tradition of producing impactful defensive backs for the Bears.
Coleman originally joined Morgan State’s coaching staff in 2022 after serving as the defensive backs coach at Bowie State University under head coach Damon Wilson. During his first season coaching the Bears’ safeties, Coleman helped senior Jayden Wooden earn Third Team All-MEAC honors. Wooden recorded 45 tackles, including 32 solo stops, three tackles for loss, and an interception return for 12 yards in Morgan State’s upset victory over defending MEAC champion South Carolina State on Oct. 29. Jordan Toles also emerged as one of the team’s premier safeties during Coleman’s first season with the unit.
Prior to arriving at Morgan State, Coleman served as the defensive backs coach at Bowie State under Wilson.
Coleman is the founder of Stable North Athletics, LLC, a sports performance training business in the Greater Hartford, Connecticut, area. The organization works with student-athletes to help them reach their athletic goals through the development of speed, agility, power, strength, technique, quickness, and sport-specific movement.
Coleman’s coaching experience includes serving as defensive backs coach at Suitland High School in Maryland in 2013, defensive coordinator at Manchester High School in Connecticut from 2008-12 and assistant defensive backs coach at Towson University from 2001-03.
A former standout at Morgan State, Coleman was named a Black College All-American in 2000. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Morgan State in 2001 before continuing his playing career in professional indoor football. He played for the Arena Football League’s Norfolk Nighthawks in 2003 and the Chesapeake Tide of the Continental Indoor Football League in 2007.
Coleman’s return to Morgan State has provided the Bears with a coach who understands the program from both a player’s and coach’s perspective. His experience developing defensive backs at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels has made him an important part of Morgan State’s defensive staff.
He and his wife, Tilea, have two sons, Maven and Memphis.
