Georgia Southern University Athletics

Georgia Southern alum Brandon Bailey serves as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the Eagle football program. He came to Statesboro after a successful debut season as a defensive coordinator and safeties coach for the University of Buffalo.

In his first season in Statesboro, he led a defense that saw a marked improvement across the board both nationally and in the Sun Belt. The defense finished in the top 30 nationally in passes intercepted, defensive touchdowns and tackles for loss. Leading the linebackers, Marques Watson-Trent was named an All-American by Phil Steele after posting 122 tackles on the season. 

In 2024, the defense produced four all-conference selections, including Watson-Trent, who was named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year. As a group, the Eagles ranked first in the Sun Belt in red zone defense and fourth down defense in conference games.

Bailey, the youngest defensive coordinator in the FBS in 2022, led a UB defense that ranked fourth in the MAC in scoring. Buffalo forced 28 turnovers on the season, over twice as many as the previous year, and the Bulls finished second in the FBS with 15 fumbles recovered and tied for the league lead in interceptions with 13. The 28 takeaways were the seventh-most in the country. Safety Marcus Fuqua tied for the national lead in interceptions with seven en route to being named to the Associated Press All-America Third Team. 

Three members of Buffalo’s defense were named All-MAC, including linebacker Shaun Dolac who was a first-team selection after totaling 147 tackles, third in program history for a single season. He led the nation with a school-record 97 solo stops. 

Prior to arriving at UB, Bailey spent three seasons as a defensive assistant at Texas A&M, working with defensive coordinator Mike Elko who was later hired as Duke’s head coach. 

Bailey was part of a staff whose defense was not only one of the best in the SEC but also nationally. Each of his final two seasons at Texas A&M, the Aggies ranked third in the SEC in total defense. In 2021, Texas A&M ranked 14th in the nation in total defense.

In 2020, the Aggies went 9-1 and defeated North Carolina in the Capital One Orange Bowl. Texas A&M finished ranked fourth in the nation that season. In 2021, Texas A&M went 8-4 and was selected to play in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. However due to COVID protocol they were unable to participate in the game. 

Prior to Texas A&M, Bailey served as defensive backs coach at Arkansas-Monticello in 2018. He was the defensive play caller for the final seven games of the season. The Boll Weevils went 5-2 over that seven-game stretch.

In 2017, he served as co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Richmond Hill High School in Georgia. Bailey spent one season as a defensive graduate assistant at Tulane in 2016.

Bailey graduated Cum Laude from Georgia Southern University in May 2016, where he received his bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. He worked with the Eagle football program as a student assistant while attending school.

He is married to the former C.C. Rohrer of Statesboro, Georgia. They have a daughter, Brighton Carolyn.

THE BAILEY FILE
Personal
Hometown: Perry, Ga.
Born: Aug. 19, 1994 in Macon, Ga.
College: Georgia Southern (2016)
Family: wife, C.C; daughter, Brighton Carolyn

Coaching Experience
2024-: Georgia Southern (defensive coordinator/safeties)
2023: Georgia Southern (defensive coordinator/linebackers)
2022: Buffalo (defensive coordinator/defensive backs)
2020: Texas A&M (defensive analyst)
2019-20: Texas A&M (G.A.)
2018: Arkansas-Monticello (defensive backs)
2017: Richmond Hill (Ga.) HS (co-defensive coordinator/linebackers)
2016: Tulane (G.A)

College Bowl Experience
2024: New Orleans (GS vs. Sam Houston)
2023: Myrtle Beach (GS vs. Ohio)
2022: Camellia (UB vs. Georgia Southern)
2021: Gator (Texas A&M; canceled due to COVID)
2020: Orange (Texas A&M vs. North Carolina)
2019: Texas (Texas A&M vs. Oklahoma State)

Prominent Pupils
Shaun Dolac (LB): Buffalo All-American
Marcus Fuqua (LB): Buffalo All-American
Marques Watson-Trent (LB): GS All-American