BREAKING: Baylor’s hires SMU's Kevin Curtis to coach cornerbacks
WACO, Texas – Kevin Curtis has been named cornerbacks coach at Baylor, head coach Dave Aranda announced Sunday. A five-year NFL and 13-year coaching veteran, Curtis has spent the last three seasons as cornerbacks coach at SMU.
“Kevin has always been that guy that was a great player, and an even better person,” Aranda said. “He’s gone on to really learn and grow in the game of football. He’s become a great teacher of the game. I really appreciate that he teaches football as a platform to grow as a person. I know that he is going to be a great addition to our staff.”
Curtis, who played safety at Texas Tech while Aranda was a member of the Red Raider coaching staff from 2000-01, joined the SMU program as cornerbacks coach in January 2018 after two seasons in the same capacity at Louisiana Tech. While in Dallas, he mentored Brandon Crossley to a national ranking of eighth in total interceptions with four in 2020, including picks in three consecutive games.
SMU corner Brandon Stephens registered a team-high 11 passes defended in 2020, which led the American Athletic Conference. He was selected to play in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and invited to the 2021 NFL Combine.
Curtis’ unit helped SMU to 21 takeaways in 2019, which ranked fourth in the conference. He mentored transfer running back turned defensive back Stephens, who started all 13 games for the Mustangs and finished second in the league with 12 pass breakups. Ar’mani Johnson also had a breakout season, finishing third in the conference with 11 PBUs.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to work with a brilliant football mind like Coach Aranda at a great program like Baylor,” Curtis said. “Coach Aranda is a great football coach, but he’s an even better person, so I am excited about being around him every day. I’m also looking forward to working with a great defensive coach in Coach Roberts and the rest of the outstanding Baylor staff.”
In his second stint at Louisiana Tech from 2016-17, Curtis’ cornerbacks helped the Bulldogs to back-to-back bowl wins.
From 2013-15, Curtis mentored defensive backs at his alma mater Texas Tech. The 2015 season saw the Red Raiders register 25 takeaways, 24th nationally, and rank 51st in turnover margin (0.15) before going on to make an appearance in the Texas Bowl. In 2013, Tech finished 8-5 with a victory over Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl.
Curtis’ first term at Louisiana Tech (2010-12) saw the Bulldogs rank third in the nation in both interceptions and pick-sixes in 2011, before going on to win nine games in 2012.
Curtis arrived in Ruston after two seasons (2008-09) at Navarro Junior College where he helped the Bulldogs to a 21-2 record and a pair of conference championships. He had his secondary ranked first in the country in interceptions.
A two-time All-American and three-time All-Big 12 safety at Texas Tech, Curtis was selected in the fourth round of the NFL Draft by San Francisco. Following three seasons with the 49ers, he spent time with the Packers, Raiders, Texans and in NFL Europe before wrapping up a six-year career in professional football.
A native of Lubbock, Curtis earned his degree from Texas Tech in 2002. He is married to the former Kayla Sanders. The couple has one son, Kevin.