Kevin Porter: HC                          Fort Valley State University

On June 13, 2016, Kevin Porter was named the 14th Head Football Coach at Fort Valley State University.  Coach Porter has begun one of the most successful eras in Fort Valley State University football history.  Entering his third season at the helm of the Wildcats, the program has won two Eastern Division Championships, won the 2016 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference(SIAC) Football Championship and hosted another SIAC championship game on FVSU's campus in 2017.   

Last season, Fort Valley went 5-5, finishing first in the SIAC Eastern Division and made a second consecutive championship game appearance. Porter was named SIAC Coach of the Year by his peers and eight players received All-Conference selections.  WR/PR Lorenzo Smothers and OL Darius Hicks were also named to the Division II All-Super Region Football Team.

In 2016, Fort Valley went 5-6 overall and 4-1 in Eastern Division play. A four-game win streak, including a division clinching win over Albany State in the 27th Fountain City Classic, culminated with a 33-30 overtime win over Kentucky State to secure the 2016 SIAC title.  It was the 11th football championship for the Wildcats and first since 1999.  Five Wildcats were honored as SIAC All-Conference performers. FVSU was led by Safety Brian Walker, who was also named to the Division II First Team All- Super Region Football Team.    

Porter has continued to cultivate his reputation as a winner at Fort Valley State as he has an extensive background in coaching, including 10 seasons as both an assistant and head coach at the professional level. 

Porter began his coaching career in the Arena Football League in 2000.  Porter served as Head Coach with the Pensacola Barracudas in 2000, the Macon Knights from 2001-2003 and the Kansas City Brigade from 2006-2008.   

Porter has served as an assistant coach and head coach on the collegiate level as well. In 2009, Porter served as Defensive Coordinator for Mid America Nazarene University, where his unit ranked as one of the best in the Heart of America Conference.  Porter was Head Football Coach at both Avila University and Point University, where he spent two seasons launching the football program while also serving as athletic director and head football coach.  Before his assignment at Fort Valley, Porter was the Assistant Head Coach/Secondary Coach at The University of West Georgia.

Coach Porter began his college career at Auburn University and is a graduate of Avila University.  He holds a Master’s degree in Athletic Administration from Concordia University in Irvine, California. 

During his playing days at Auburn University, Porter was a four-year starter, All-American and two-time All-Southeastern Conference performer as a defensive back for the Tigers. Porter was named Defensive MVP of the 1984 Liberty Bowl and was selected to Auburn’s Team of the Century. 

As a third-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in 1988, Porter made the NFL All-Rookie Team at Safety. He spent six years in the National Football League, ending his career in 1993 with the New York Jets.

Porter and his wife, Annjela, have two sons, Jacob and Kellen.