Kean University Men's Football

Garrett was named the head coach of the football program in July 2006, and he immediately made an impact turning the program around as the Cougars recorded seven straight non losing seasons for first time in program history in his first seven years at the helm. Coach Garrett Highlights NCAA Tournament Appearance - 2011 NJAC Championships – 2011 Four ECAC Bowl Championships – 2006, 2009, 2015, 2016 Five ECAC Bowl Appearances – 2006, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2016 Two NJAC Coach of the Year Selections – 2006, 2011, Fall 2021 2005 ABCA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year Winningest Coach in Program History 223 All-NJAC Selections 81 All-NJAC First Team Selections 43 All-ECAC Selections 34 All-Region Selections 23 All-Americans One Division III ECAC Player of the Year Selection One Division III ECAC Defensive Player of the Year Selection Two Division III ECAC Rookie of the Year Selections Five NJAC Offensive Player of the Year Selections Three NJAC Defensive Player of the Year Selections Four NJAC Special Teams Player of the Year Selections Five NJAC Rookie of the Year Selections In his 20 seasons, the Cougars have won 87 games. Garrett led the team to its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory and its third NJAC Championship, and has also guided three ECAC Southeast Bowl Championship teams. In 2025, Kean had eight All-NJAC selections, including first team selections in Amos and Rodney Acquah. Amos was also an All-American and an All-Region selection from D3football. In 2024, Kean had eight All-NJAC selections, including first team selections in Chris Amos and Meir Pittman. Amos and Pittman were also named to the All-ECAC Second Team In the Fall 2021, Garrett was named NJAC Co-Coach of the Year after guiding the Cougars to a second place finish in the conference. Kean boasted 10 All-NJAC selections with five first teamers, including Donte Jamison being named NJAC Special Teams Player of the Year. Jamison along with Kyeon Taylor were named All-American by respective organizations. Taylor was selected All-American by the AFCA, Associated Press, CFB Network and D3Football. Jamison earned an All-American selection from D3Football. Over four seasons (2017-Spring 2021), Coach Garrett has had 37 student-athletes selected to the NJAC All-Conference, including Darin Hungerford being named the NJAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2017, Anthony Bassani being named the NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018, Dante Capozzoli being named the NJAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year in 2019, Naz Broome being named the NJAC North Offensive Rookie of the Year and Tanner Ash being named NJAC North Co-Defensive Rookie of the Year in Spring 2021.  In 2015 and 2016 the football program combined for 15 wins (8 and 7 respectively) and claimed two ECAC Presidents Bowl Championships and defeated every school from New Jersey on the schedule.  The football team had its most successful season in program history in 2011 after winning the New Jersey Athletic Conference title and earning the program's first trip to the NCAA playoffs, while winning a school-record 10 games.  The Cougars, who defeated Montclair State University for the program's third NJAC title, defeated Christopher Newport University in the opening round of the NCAA playoffs, before dropping a heartbreaker in triple overtime to host Salisbury University.  At the conclusion of the 2011 season the Cougars were ranked in two national polls as they finished with a #10 ranking in the D3football.com poll and #12 ranking in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Top 25 poll.  For his efforts, Garrett was awarded NJAC Coach of the Year honors for the second time in six seasons. Garrett guided the Cougars to a then-school record nine wins and came within one win of capturing the NJAC Championship in 2009.  The Cougars capped the season with their second Eastern College Athletic Conference Southeast Bowl Championship in four years and only third title in program history.  In 2008, Garrett guided the Cougars to a 7-4 record, 6-3 in the NJAC and a berth in the Eastern College Athletic Conference South Atlantic Bowl Championship, the second time in three seasons the Cougars advanced to an ECAC Bowl Championship and just the program’s fourth ECAC appearance.  During his rookie season as a head coach in 2006, Kean finished 7-4 overall, 4-3 in the NJAC and captured just the second ECAC championship in program history, as Garrett was selected NJAC Coach of the Year by his peers.  In 2007, the Cougars won three of their final four games, including a season-ending victory over NJAC co-champion The College of New Jersey, giving the NCAA tournament bound Lions their only conference loss of the season. Immediately following a standout playing career at Montclair State University, during which he was a first team all-NJAC selection at linebacker and defensive end in 1995 and 1996, Garrett was invited to join the staff of longtime MSU head coach Rick Giancola. In both of his first two seasons on the staff, the Red Hawks added two victories to their previous total, winning eight games and the ECAC Southeast Championship in 1998. The following year, Garrett received an even bigger opportunity when Giancola offered Garrett the chance to assume control of the defensive unit, an almost unheard of responsibility for someone of his age and relative experience. He eagerly accepted and became the youngest defensive coordinator in the NJAC at the age of 25. Opposing offenses were quickly overwhelmed by the ferocity of his defense, which finished in the top five nationally in yards allowed in Garrett’s first year and helped the Red Hawks to their first NJAC title in a decade, followed by an encore in 2000. In his first four years on the job, Garrett’s unit finished the season ranked No. 1 in the NJAC in total defense. Garrett took the defensive coordinator’s position at Kean prior to the 2003 season, a move that paid immediate dividends for the Cougar program. Upon his arrival, Kean’s defensive units were ranked among the NJAC and national leaders. In Garrett’s first season, the Cougars ranked first in the NJAC in pass defense and were second in the conference and 21st in the nation in total defense. In 2005, Kean ranked 33rd in the country in rushing defense, while also finishing second in the conference in turnover margin. Garrett earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education in 1997 from Montclair State University. He and his wife Tammy reside in Ocean, N.J., with their sons, Shane, Jake and Danny Head Coach Dan Garrett Career Summary Year Record Postseason 2006 7-4 ECAC Southeast Bowl Champions 2007 5-5 2008 7-4 ECAC Playoffs 2009 9-2 ECAC Southeast Bowl Champions 2010 5-5 2011 10-2 NJAC Champions, NCAA 2nd Round 2012 5-4 2013 2-8 2014 2-8 2015 8-3 ECAC Presidents Bowl Champions 2016 7-4 ECAC Clayton Champman Bowl Champions 2017 4-6 2018 1-9 2019 3-7 Sp. 2021 0-1* Fall 2021 4-5 2022 3-7 2023 0-10 2024 2-8 2025 3-7   *-Season shortened and played in the Spring due to COVID-19 Updated 6-25-26

Mandrele Hansford was named the Flag Football Head Coach prior to the inaugural season in 2026. Hansford will return for his second season in 2027.  Coaching Highlights Won his first career game as Head Coach with a 26-18 victory over PSU-Schuylkill on Feb. 28th.   Head Coach Mandrele Hansford Career Summary Year Record Postseason 2026 6-10   Updated 7-1-26

David Galante joins the Kean University coaching staff in 2026 for his 13th season overall with the program (2012-2015, 2019-).  Previously, Galante coached at Rutgers University (2016-17) and Bucknell University (2018) as an Offensive Line Coach.    At Rutgers, Galante coached the offensive line and recruited in New Jersey, New York, Ohio and South Carolina. He also played a key role in the day-to-day operations of the program and mentored two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention left tackle Tariq Cole. In 2017, the Scarlet Knights doubled their win total from 2016 and won three Big Ten games, matching their highest total since joining the conference in 2014.   At Bucknell, Galante coached the offensive line and recruited in New Jersey, New York, and the New England areas.  He helped mentor center Pat Finn to Second Team All-Patriot League as an offensive linemen during the 2018 season. At Kean, Galante works with the offensive linemen after ending a four year career (2007-11) while playing the same position.  He has mentored and coached eight All-NJAC Conference offensive linemen and four D3Football All-Region offensive linemen.  As a player, he capped off his senior season with the program’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA tournament.  Off the field, Galante was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the national student-athlete honor society in addition to being named to the New Jersey Athletic Conference all-academic team as a second-team member.  His final season, he was named a member of the CoSIDA all-academic all-region team and the NJAC All-Academic Second Team. In 2012, he was a member of the National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society and a participant at the NCAA Emerging Leaders Seminar in 2015.    Galante earned his Bachelor of Arts in Physical Education & Health Teacher Certification in 2013 and his Master of Arts in Counseling in 2016, both from Kean University Updated 6-29-26

Evan Durand joins the Kean University football coaching staff for his fifth season in 2026.  Durand was named to the role of Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks Coach for the 2024 season after serving as an offensive assistant during the previous two seasons. The 2024 Kean offense made improvements in terms of scoring and total yards compared to the previous season. During the 2022 & 2023 seasons, Durand was responsible for coaching five players who received All-NJAC honors.   Durand came to Union from Fordham University, where he served as the Tight Ends Coach/Recruiting Coordinator from 2019-2021. That was Durand's second stop with the Rams as he first served as the Defensive Quality Control Coach in 2018.   During his time in the Bronx, Durand helped Senior Jack Lynch earn Preseason All-Patriot League honors (2020), had a hand in two Top 40 recruiting classes (2019 & 2020) and was apart of the #1 Scoring Offense in the Patriot League.   Durand also had stops at UConn in 2018 and Coastal Carolina in 2017.   He earned his bachelor's degree from Bentley University in 2015. Durand was a Student Assistant Coach with the Falcons Football team from 2011-14. Updated 6-29-26