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MD Daniels

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MD Daniels
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamMount Mercy
ConferenceHAAC
Record0–0
Biographical details
Born (1989-12-18) December 18, 1989 (age 35)
Houston, Texas, U.S.
Alma materMcMurry University (2013)
Playing career
2009–2012McMurry
Position(s)Defensive back, running back, wide receiver
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2013McMurry (GA)
2014–2018McMurry (LB)
2019Iowa Wesleyan (DC/RC)
2020–2022Iowa Wesleyan
2023Bethel (TN) (WR)
2024Bethel (TN) (co-OC/WR)
2025–presentMount Mercy
Head coaching record
Overall7–18

Marvellander "MD" Daniels Jr. (born December 18, 1989) is an American college football coach. He head football coach for Mount Mercy University, a position he has held since 2025. He is the first head coach in Mount Mercy football history as the program begins play in 2026. He was the head football coach for Iowa Wesleyan University from 2020 to 2022 when the school dropped the sport. He also coached for McMurry and Bethel (TN). He played college football for McMurry as a defensive back, running back, and wide receiver.

Early life and playing career

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Daniels as born on December 18, 1989, in Houston, to Marvellander Sr. and Dana and had two brothers and three sisters.[1] Daniels' second cousin, Quentin Jammer, played in the National Football League (NFL).[1]

Daniels played football for three seasons under head coach Dean DeAtley at Brazoswood High School in Clute, Texas, before enrolling at McMurry University. While at McMurry, he played under Hal Mumme.[1] Under Mumme, Daniels played defensive back, running back, and wide receiver.[1][2]

Daniels graduated with a degree in education with a minor in kinesiology.[1]

Coaching career

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Upon graduating from McMurry in 2013, Daniels returned as a graduate assistant, this time under first-year head coach Mason Miller. After one season, Daniels was promoted to linebackers coach under yet another head coach, this time being Lance Hinson.[3] After five seasons Hinson, Daniels was hired as the defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator for Iowa Wesleyan under head coach Michael Richtman.[4]

After Richtman's resignation after the 2019 season, Daniels was promoted to head coach.[5] He took over the program as it began the transition from the NCAA Division III's Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics's (NAIA) North Star Athletic Association (NSAA).[6] Having played under Mumme, who popularized the air raid offense alongside Mike Leach while coaching at Iowa Wesleyan, Daniels sought to return the team back to its previous level of prowess in the passing game.[7] Alongside offensive coordinator Kiefer Price, Daniels helped improve a team that scored less than ten points in eight of their ten games to averaging around 24 points per game with multiple games with over 300 passing yards in the team's shortened 2020 season.[7] Daniels snapped Iowa Wesleyan's 17-game losing streak in the final game of the 2020 season with a 35–14 win over Westminster (MO) to finish his inaugural season 1–2.[8] Daniels held the position until the conclusion of the 2022 season, when Iowa Wesleyan announced it was closing at the end of the academic year.[9] In three years as head coach, Daniels amassed an overall record of 7–18. The team's 4–7 mark in its final year was the highest win total in ten seasons.[10] He received national recognition after the 2022 season as he was accepted into the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 35 under 35 class.[6]

In 2023, Daniels was hired as the wide receivers coach for Bethel (TN) under head coach Michael Jasper. Before the 2024 season, Daniels was promoted to co-offensive coordinator.[11]

After the 2024 season, Daniels was hired as the inaugural head football coach for Mount Mercy University.[12][10] Mount Mercy announced the addition of football as a sport in October 2024 with the school beginning intercollegiate play in 2026.[13]

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Iowa Wesleyan Tigers (Upper Midwest Athletic Conference) (2020)
2020–21 Iowa Wesleyan 1–2 1–2 5th
Iowa Wesleyan Tigers (North Star Athletic Association) (2021–2022)
2021 Iowa Wesleyan 2–9 1–6 6th
2022 Iowa Wesleyan 4–7 2–4 T–5th
Iowa Wesleyan: 7–18 4–12
Total: 7–18

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "M.D. Daniels - Football". McMurry University Athletics. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  2. ^ Waller, Sam (August 26, 2012). "McM seniors lead move to D-II". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene, Texas. p. 186. Retrieved March 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  3. ^ "McMurry adds Kalb, Kirby to football staff". Abilene Reporter-News. Abilene, Texas. June 25, 2014. p. 16. Retrieved March 27, 2025 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  4. ^ Faulkner, Chris (July 29, 2019). "Iowa Wesleyan names new defensive coordinator". Daily Gate City. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  5. ^ Krutsinger, Andy (December 12, 2019). "'I'm here to win'". Southeast Iowa Union. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Swords, Slaten (December 5, 2022). "The AFCA Selects Iowa Wesleyan's Head Football Coach MD Daniels". KILJ Radio. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  7. ^ a b Froyd, Crissy (September 29, 2021). "Return of the Air Raid: Iowa Wesleyan Making Strides With the Offense That Originally Brought it to National Prominence". Mississippi State Bulldogs on SI. Sports Illustrated. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  8. ^ Krutsinger, Andy (August 26, 2021). "Iowa Wesleyan football ready to silence the doubters". Southeast Iowa Union. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  9. ^ Levins, Matt (March 28, 2023). "Hal Mumme voices his concerns about Iowa Wesleyan closing". Daily Gate City. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Mount Mercy names MD Daniels its first football coach". The Gazette. December 11, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  11. ^ "Coach Daniels Promoted to Co-Offensive Coordinator". Bethel University. June 5, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  12. ^ "Daniels Named First Head Football Coach in Program History". Mount Mercy University. December 11, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
  13. ^ "Mount Mercy to Add Football in 2026". Mount Mercy University. October 4, 2024. Retrieved March 27, 2025.
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