Shaw University Men's Football

Jones was announced on Thursday, March 3rd, 2016 as the 17th head football coach at Shaw University. He joins Shaw athletics with impressive credentials in the football coaching ranks. Jones comes to Shaw from North Carolina Central University where he was the running backs coach and camp coordinator for the Eagles.  During his two stints at NCCU, Jones coached running backs, defensive backs and outside linebackers. As an assistant coach at NCCU, Jones helped the Eagles garner two CIAA championships (2005 and 2006), two MEAC championships (2014 and 2015) and a Black College National Championship (2006).  Prior to NCCU, Jones led his high school alma mater, Southern High School in Durham, N.C., to the 2013 NCHSAA 3-AA State Championship title.  In his seventh season as the head coach at Southern High, Jones led the Spartans to the state title following the teams seventh straight playoff appearance under his supervision. With a Big 8 Conference championship also a part of the teams historic run, Jones was selected as the 2013 Big 8 Conference Coach of the Year. He was also the PAC-6 Coach of the Year three times after charging the Spartans to three consecutive PAC-6 championships from 2007 to 2009. As a student-athlete at NCCU, Jones earned First Team All-Conference and Second Team All-Region honors twice and remains among the schools career leaders in passes defended (41) and interceptions (10).  In 1996, Jones earned First-Team All-CIAA and Second Team All-South Region honors as a junior when he collected eight interceptions, placing him second on NCCUs single-season records list. He was voted as the NCAA Division II Player of the Week after tying a school record with three interceptions in a game against Elizabeth City State University.  That year, the Eagles boasted the No. 1 pass defense in the nation. Jones was again selected First-Team All-CIAA and Second Team All-South Region in 1997 after leading the conference with an 11.0-yard punt return average and a 29.5-yard kickoff return average. Jones broke a 52-year-old school record when he returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown against Fayetteville State University, the longest punt return in school history at the time. He graduated from NC Central with a bachelors degree in recreational therapy in 2001. After NCCU, Jones went on to play arena football with the Carolina Cobras in 2001 and 2003, the Augusta Stallions in 2002, and the Greensboro Prowlers in 2000.  He also served as defensive coordinator with the South Georgia Wildcats of the AFL2, leading his squad to the No. 1-ranked red-zone defense in the league. Jones is married to Dr. Kamala Uzzell Jones, and has a daughter, Jayla.

Toryeon Hester enters his seventh season with the Shaw Bears with the 2022 season being his third year as the offensive coordinator after serving as wide receivers and recruiting coordinator the past five seasons. Hester has been apart of three Raleigh Classic wins in the last four seasons while 2019 saw great success for the Bears whom finished 6-4 overall, 5-2 in the CIAA and second overall in the Southern Division. Hester was responsible for one All-CIAA Second Team recipient in Kevonta Moses. In 2018, Hester had two players receive CIAA honorable mention honors from the Bears wide receiver unit in Daniel Bender and Marquis Gorham while tight end Kevonta Moses was named First Team All-CIAA. During the 2017 season and under the guidance of Hester, wide receiver Trevante Long became the programs all-time leader in receptions after surpassing former record-holder at 92. Long concluded his career with 144 total receptions. In addition, Hester was responsible for wide receiver Benders selection to the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) All-Rookie Team last season. Hester spent the past five seasons as a wide receivers, passing game and special teams coordinator at Southern Durham High School under Head Coach Adrian Jones  where he helped lead the Spartans to three Big Eight Conference Championships, 2015 Class 3AA State Runner-Up, 2015 and 2013 Class 3AA East Regional Championship, and 2013 Class 3AA East NCHSAA State Championship. From 2005-2010, Hester played professional Arena/Indoor Football with four different teams, including the South Georgia Wildcats (2005-2007), Ohio Valley Greyhounds and Summit County Rumble (2007-2008) and the Fayetteville Guard (2008-2010). A native of Durham, North Carolina, Hester was a three-year letterman wide receiver at North Carolina Central University (2003-2006) where he was third on the team in receptions and yards. Hester was a member of the 2005 CIAA Championship team under former head coach Rod Broadway. Hester holds a bachelors degree in physical education with a concentration in health wellness from NCCU (2009). He is a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.

Cedric Dargan spent the last five seasons (2017-present) at Shaw University as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. He previously served as the tight ends coach (2016) at Shaw and has over a decade of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate level. Last season, Dargan had one offensive lineman named First Team All-CIAA in Tyrese Bobbit while leading the Southern Division in rushing for the second straight year. In 2021, Dargan had one offensive lineman named First Team All-CIAA in Bobbit along with a Second Team selection in Antavious Zachery as the Bears finished as the number one rushing team in the CIAA while also leading the conference in sacks allowed. In 2019, Dargan had one offensive lineman named First Team All-CIAA in Keanu Gonzales along with an All-Rookie selection in Zachery as the Bears finished 6-4 overall, 5-2 in the CIAA. During the 2018 season, Shaw went 5-5 overall record and 4-2 mark in the CIAA with Dargan having one CIAA First Team recipient in Gonzales and All-Rookie selection in Bobbitt. Prior to coming to Shaw, Dargan was the head football coach at Knightdale High School where he led the Knights to a 4A NCHSAA playoffs for only the third time in school history. Before being named the head coach, Dargan spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator. In 2013, Dargan helped lead the Knights to a school record in wins finishing with an 11-2 record and a third round berth in the state playoffs as well as their first and only Greater Neuse River Conference Championship. Dargan began his coaching career in 2006 as an Assistant Coach at Middle Creek High School. From 2008-10, Dargan was a graduate assistant coach at North Carolina Central University. Dargan played collegiate football at Duke University where he was a four year letterman running back. As a junior, Dargan led the team in rushing yards and attempts in 2004. He recorded three 100-yard rushing games including a 114-yard effort at Navy, 113 yards at Wake Forest, and 108 yards against Virginia. As a sophomore, Dargan finished second on the team in scoring with five touchdowns including a career-best two touchdown performance against arch-rival the University of North Carolina Tar Heels helping Duke bring the Victory Bell back to Durham after 13 years with 30-22 victory. His senior season was cut short due to a torn MCL in week five against Navy. Dargan holds a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Duke and a master’s degree in Physical Education from NCCU. He is also certified Strength and Conditioning Coach through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA). A native of Jacksonville, N.C., Dargan and his wife Danika, are proud parents of three daughters, Mackenzie, Shanel, and Brooklyn