Kevin Griffin

  • Title
    Defensive Coordinator - Linebackers Coach
Head Coach Herb Haygood announced the addition of Kevin Griffin to the Madonna Football coaching staff in early 2023 as their new Defensive Coordinator. 

Griffin is from Tulsa, Oklahoma; played his high school football at Union High School under Oklahoma High School Hall of Fame coach and former University of Tulsa Head Coach Bill Blankenship. Coach Griffin played at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College before attending Ohio University where he played football. After finishing his playing career, the opportunity of becoming the Defensive Coordinator/ Linebackers Coach at Yellow Springs High School (OH) started his coaching career. In his first season at Yellow Springs, they qualified for the Division 6 state playoffs.

In 2006, Coach Griffin had the opportunity to return to home to Tulsa as the Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers Coach for Tulsa McLain High School. McLain’s defense was ranked 5th in 2006 and ranked 8th in 2007 in Class 5A. McLain earned back-to-back playoff bids, he coached district player of the year and first team all-state linebacker Shawn Jackson. In January of 2008 the move to college football became a part of the experience as he was hired by Fort Scott Community College in Kansas as the Linebackers Coach. While at Fort Scott, the defense was ranked 5th in 2008 and 2nd in the nation in total defense in the 2009 season. In 2009, the team played for the NJCAA National Championship. During his two years at Fort Scott, Coach Griffin had two NJCAA All-American selections Lavonte David and Jacquain Williams, along with three other linebackers earning all-conference honors. After Fort Scott, Coach Griffin moved on to Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee where he was hired as the Linebackers Coach. While at Lane College he coached three all-conference linebackers in 2010: Patrick Morrison, Alonzo Moore, and Kedrick Hooks. In 2011 Coach Griffin moved to Texas College in Tyler, Texas as the Co-Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at Texas College, Coach Griffin had two BSN NAIA All-American linebackers Dontay Livingston and Maurice Peterson along with five linebackers earning all-conference honors and three earning all-conference academic honors. Texas College defense ranked 3rd in the conference in total defense in 2011. In 2012 Coach Griffin moved on to Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas where he transformed their linebacker core into one of the top groups, in the KCAC Conference and in the NAIA, he coached six all conference linebackers during his time at Southwestern including two –time all-conference linebackers Paul Mata and Ttorbin Harper; in the 2012 season Coach Griffin had four linebackers record over 100 tackles.

In 2013 Coach Griffin, had two linebackers ranked in top ten in conference in sacks Paul Mata, Otis Ray and four linebackers ranked in the top twenty in tackles for loss and total tackles: Eric Walker, Ttorbin Harper, Paul Mata and Otis Ray. In the summer of 2014 Coach Griffin was hired as the linebackers coach at Independence Community College where he was a part of a defensive staff that transformed a defense that finished last in the Jayhawk Conference for the past two seasons into a defense that finished ranked #5 in total defense, sacks, takeaways, and tackles for loss in 2014. He also coached two all-conference linebackers Marc Robinson who finished #3 in the NJCAA in tackles per game and #1 the Jayhawk conference averaging 13.9 tackles per game and Kyle Brown who finished #14 in the NJCAA in tackles per game and finished #5 in the Jayhawk Conference in tackles at 10.3 per game. The following season in 2015 Coach Griffin was hired as the Defensive Coordinator, Recruiting Coordinator and Linebackers Coach at Bethel College in Kansas where he helped the defensive unit become one of the top defenses in the KCAC from where they were ranked the previous season. In 2016 Bethel’s defense was ranked #2 in the KCAC in total defense, passing defense, opponent first downs, opponent third down conversion, #1 forced turnovers and #3 in scoring defense, Bethel’s defense was also ranked in top the twenty-five nationally in six different categories. In 2016 seven different defensive players earned all-conference selections and Rickey Rodriguez earned first team afca naia all-American. In 2017 Bethel’s defense was ranked #4 in the KCAC in total defense, #1 in the conference in passing defense and #9 in the nation against the pass. In 2017 seven different defensive players earned all-conference selections.

In 2018 Coach Griffin was hired at Langston University in Oklahoma, as the co-defensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator and linebackers coach in his first year there Langston’s defense was ranked #1 in the Sooner Athletic Conference in total defense, scoring defense, passing defense efficiency, and passing defense. Langston’s defense ranked #2 in the conference in rushing defense, opponent 3rd down conversion and #3 in the conference in sacks. In 2018 Langston’s defense finished ranked in the top 25 nationally in four different categories, and 11 defense players earn all-conference selections. Coach Griffin had three of his linebackers Jaquan Richmond and James Cox earned first team all-conference honors, while red-shirt freshman Devin Dourisseau earned honorable mention. Langston finished the 2018 season 9-2 winning the Sooner Athletic Conference title and earning a berth in the NAIA playoffs. In 2019 Langston’s defense was one of the best in the NAIA ranked #1 in the nation in rush defense giving up 53.8 yards per game, ranked #1 in the nation rush yards allowed per carry, ranked #1 in the nation in opponent 3rd conversion rate, ranked #2 in the nation in opponent 1st downs, ranked #4 in the nation total defense, ranked #6 in the nation, in pass defense efficiency, ranked #15 in the nation in sacks per game and ranked #15 in the nation, in scoring defense. Coach Griffin had four linebackers make all-conference in 2019: James Cox earned first team all-conference, Eugene Fuller earned second team all-conference, Chris Pogi and Devin Dourisseau both earned honorable mention. Langston finished the 2019 season 9-2 and won a share of the Sooner Athletic Conference title. Coach Griffin was a finalist for the AFCA/Football Scoop 2019 NAIA coordinator of the year. In the shortened 2020 season Devin Dourriseau earned all-American honors. In the 2021 season Langston’s defense finished in top two in every defensive category in the Sooner Athletic Conference and finished in the top twenty-five in the nation in every defensive category. Devin Dourisseau was voted first team all-conference; Amari Wynn was voted second team all-conference; Khylan Moseley was voted honorable mention all-conference, and Malcolm Johnson was voted conference defensive player of the year. Along with five other defensive players earning all-conference. The 2022 season Langston’s defense was ranked in the top half of the sooner athletic conference in all categories. Devin Dourisseau was a unanimous 1st team all-conference pick, while Kylan Moseley was voted honorable mention at linebacker. Devin Dourisseau was a College Football Network 3rd Team HBCU All-American in 2022. Langston had six other defensive players that earned first team, second team and honorable mention in 2022.
Coach Griffin earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Ohio University. He is the proud father twin sons Christian and Laymon 16 years old.

Coaching Career
· 2022: Langston University (OK)- Defensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator/Linebackers Coach/Pro Liaison (NAIA)
· 2018-21: Langston University (OK) - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Recruiting Coordinator/Linebackers Coach/Pro Liaison (NAIA)
· (Mar-18/June18)- Bacone College (OK) - Defensive Coordinator/ Linebackers Coach (NAIA)
· (Dec-17/Mar-18)- Bethany College (KS) - Linebackers Coach (NAIA)
· 2016-17: Bethel College (KS) - Assistant Head Coach/ Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator/Academic Coordinator (NAIA)
· 2015: Bethel College (KS) - Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator/Academic Coordinator (NAIA)
· 2014-: Independence Community College (KS) - Linebackers Coach (NJCAA)
· 2012-13: Southwestern College (KS) - Linebackers Coach (NAIA)
· 2011: Texas College- Co-Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator (NAIA)
· 2010: Lane College (TN) - Linebackers Coach (NCAA D2)
· 2008-09: Fort Scott Community College (KS) - Linebackers Coach (NJCAA)
· 2006-07: Tulsa McLain High School- Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
· 2005: Yellow Springs High School- Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers Coach/Recruiting Coordinator