Former Alabama wide receiver and Maryland graduate assistant Derek Kief has joined the Towson University football team as the wide receivers coach for the upcoming 2022 season.
“We are very excited for Derek to join our family,” said Towson head coach Rob Ambrose. “His knowledge, attitude and experience are well beyond his years and has already made an impact on our locker room.”
“It is a blessing and an honor to be here at the great Towson University,” said Kief. “I believe in a process-driven mentality that I plan to instill in this group of young men, on and off the field. I couldn’t be more proud to represent Coach Ambrose, the team and Towson University as a whole!”
Kief comes to Towson after being a graduate assistant coach with the University of Maryland, working with the wide receivers and special teams unit. In 2021, he helped the Maryland wide receivers break the program’s single season passing record with 3,960 yards as well as total offensive yards in a season with 5,740. He served in several roles, including working with recruiting on and off-campus, leading position meetings, putting together practice schedules, breaking down film and helping with scouting reports.
Kief played 51 games at Alabama from 2014-18 at wide receiver and on special teams. He was part of two national championship (FBS) and four Southeastern Conference teams, earning a spot on the 2019 National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society. As well as playing, Kief was a coach for the Nick Saban Football Camp and was a recruitment team assistant. He earned an invite to the Buffalo Bills rookie mini-camp in 2019.
Before Alabama, he was the No. 26 nationally ranked wide receiver and four-star prospect by ESPN as a wide receiver from La Salle High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, finishing with 155 career receptions, 2,105 receiving yards and 23 receiving touchdowns. He earned 2012 and 2013 Associated Press All-Ohio Division II Football Team and All-District distinction.
Kief earned his undergraduate degree from Alabama in 2017 in exercise science and his Master’s Degree of Kinesiology in 2018. He is working on his second Master’s Degree in Real Estate & Development from Maryland.
