Kelvin Powell begins his 11th season at his alma mater, serving as the team’s associate head coach and linebackers’ coach.
In 2022, under head coach and current Tuskegee Director of Athletics Reginald Ruffin, Powell served as the assistant head coach, linebackers coach, and recruiting coordinator.
The bend but don’t break defense of 2022 helped the Golden Tigers return to prominence in the SIAC, as they finished with an 8-3 overall record. They also went undefeated in conference play (7-0), reaching the SIAC Championship Game against eventual champion Benedict.
Powell’s defensive line unit contributed to having the team ranked second in the conference in total defense in 2018, allowing 19.1 points per game. He coached Terrance Leatherwood who led the SIAC in sacks for most of the season before ending the year with 7.5, which placed him third overall. During the summer of 2017, Powell appeard as a guest coach for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. He assisted with the linebackers through training camp.
In 2016, Powell’s defensive line helped lead the SIAC in total defense averaging 264.5 yards per game.
During the 2015 season, Powell coached a pair of players who were named All-Conference in Daryl George and Julian Morgan; with Morgan ranking near the top in sacks in the conference and in the country. He was also a nominee for the Gene Upshaw Award, an award given to the best defensive lineman in the nation.
The Golden Tigers allowed just 18.46 points per game throughout the season in which they finished 10-3 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs. The defense allowed just 112.2 yards per game rushing and 184.54 yards passing per game. The team tied the school record for interceptions in a game with five against Morehouse in October during the Tuskegee-Morehouse Classic in Columbus.
In 2014, the Golden Tigers had three players in the top 10 in sacks in the conference, led by Julian Morgan at 9.5 sacks – good for second overall in the conference. The Golden Tigers also had league leaders in tackles for loss – which included Morgan and Darian Hall.
The Golden Tigers also finished in the top 20 nationally and top 40 nationally in statistics during the 2014 season, including finishing 17th in total defense (306.2 ypg) to finish in the top 20. They also finished 28th in passing yards allowed (185.3 ypg), 29th in fourth-down conversion percentage defense (0.346), 30th in rushing defense (120.9 ypg), 34th in scoring defense (20.3 ppg), and 35th in team passing efficiency defense (111.31).
The Golden Tigers also finished in the top 20 nationally and top 40 nationally in statistics during the 2014 season. Tuskegee finished 17th in total defense (306.2 ypg) to finish in the top 20. They also finished 28th in passing yards allowed (185.3 ypg), 29th in fourth-down conversion percentage defense (0.346), 30th in rushing defense (120.9 ypg), 34th in scoring defense (20.3 ppg), and 35th in team passing efficiency defense (111.31).
Powell began his coaching career at Clark Atlanta University where he climbed the defensive ladder, from linebackers coach to the defensive coordinator. During his time inside the Atlanta University Center Consortium, Clark Atlanta earned a reputation for having one of the stingiest and most brutal defenses in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). The Panthers consistently had one of the Top 25 ranked defenses in the NCAA Division II, and ranked first in passing defense during the 2010 season. They were ranked number one for the Division II total defense in 2006, and first in the SIAC in scoring defense in 2011. He also coached three different players, who went on to become the SIAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Powell earned his first head coaching position at Clark Atlanta in baseball from 2006-2009. He had to organize the baseball schedule, travel, practices and recruitment of student-athletes. He also maintained the team budget, while managing weekly scouting reports and supervising two assistant coaches.
Powell is a former student-athlete for Tuskegee University from 1997 until 2001. Playing under Rick Comegy, he was a three-time All American and was a finalist in the Eddie Robinson Award in 2000, which is given to the HBCU's best player at the end of the season. Powell played linebacker, served as a team captain for the Tuskegee defense and was nominated for the Sprint Award in 2000. He was also a two-time Defensive Player of the Year in the SIAC, helping lead the Golden Tigers to a 51-6 record during his career and still holds the record as the all-time leading tackler at Tuskegee University. Powell also played on the Tuskegee University baseball team during the 1997-98 season.
After finishing at Tuskegee, Powell played in three seasons with the Edmonton Eskimos – a team with the Canadian Football League. During his time with the Eskimos, Powell was named as the team’s Rookie of the Year; the team won the CFL’s Grey Cup in 2003 after finishing as the runner up in 2002.
He is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), American Coaches Association (AFCA) and Black Coaches Association (BCA). Several of the players he has had the privilege of coaching went on to compete in the National Football League (NFL), including Curtis Johnson of the Dallas Cowboys, and both Jonathan Hamm and Samuel MaNaulty of the New Orleans Saints.
Powell is proudly married to Joann Brooks Powell.
