Darren Garrigan arrived as an assistant coach at A&M-Commerce in 2014, and is in charge of the Lion secondary.
In four seasons in Commerce, Garrigan has tutored the top secondary in the Lone Star Conference. He has help produced 14 All-Conference players, three All-Region players, one LSC Defensive Back of the Year and one All-American. In four seasons, the Lion defense has intercepted 71 passes, caused 185 pass breakups and scored 12 defensive touchdowns.
During the 2017 National Championship season, the Lions again sported one of the top secondaries in the country. The team ranked 11th in the country in opponent passing efficiency, 15th in scoring defense (16.7 ppg), 20th in red zone defense and ninth in interceptions (19). 11 different Lions recorded interceptions, with three each from Alex Shillow, Yusef Sterling-Lowe and Dominique Ramsey. Shillow and Ramsey both also had a fumble recovery.
Four defensive backs were named to the All-Conference team in 2017. The most decorated was Yusef Sterling-Lowe, who was named a Second Team All-American by both the AFCA and D2Football.com. He was a First Team All-LSC selection. Alex Shillow and Chris Smith both were named Second Team All-LSC while Darent White was named to the Honorable Mention team.
During the 2017 offseason, Garrigan was selected for the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, spending the offseason working with the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. He went through all of training camp and the first pre-season game with Kansas City. The program's objective is to help outstanding coaches observe, participate and gain exposure at NFL training camps and offseason workout programs. It was the second consecutive year Garrigan was selected to participate.
During the 2016 season, the Lions led the LSC and were fourth in the nation with 23 interceptions. Nine different defensive backs recorded at least one interception on the season. This bolstered the Lion defense that led all of Division II in takeaways with a staggering 38 takeaways. Reggie Kincade also boosted the turnover effort, ranking seventh in the nation in fumble recoveries. The Lions also led the conference and were second in the nation with seven defensive touchdowns and led the conference in scoring defense. Yusef Sterling-Lowe led the team with four interceptions and led the LSC with two interception returns for touchdowns.
Under Garrigan, Uriah Harris was named LSC Defensive Back of the Year as well as receiving Second Team All-Region and First Team All-LSC honors. Sterling-Lowe and Trey Porter also received All-LSC Honorable Mention recognition.
In 2014 and 2015 the Lions lead the conference in interceptions, takeaways, and passing efficiency defense.
Garrigan has mentored three NFL defensive backs and three CFL defensive backs in his young career.
Garrigan received a great honor in 2016 when he was selected to participate in the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Detroit Lions. He went through all of training camp and the first pre-season game with Detroit.
He is entering his eighth year in the coaching ranks, logging five years at the college level and two years at the high school level.
Garrigan came to A&M-Commerce from East Central University where he spent two seasons as the Tigers' secondary coach. In those years, Garrigan helped the Tigers lead the conference in takeaways both in 2012 and 2013, ranking in the top 15 nationally in that category while also in the top 25 in Interceptions in 2012. He mentored three All-Americans and six all-conference players. The secondary racked up 48 pass breakups, 25 interceptions, 4 return touchdowns and 463 tackles.
As a player, Garrigan was a two-year starter at defensive back for West Texas A&M, where he was a part of Don Carthel's first recruiting class. That’s where the connection with Colby Carthel started. He helped lead the Buffaloes to the Lone Star Conference championship in back-to-back seasons (2005-06) and was 21-4 during that span.
Prior to West Texas A&M he played football at Lackawanna College where he was preseason All-American and was team MVP for his sophomore season (2004).
Following his time at WT, Garrigan played two seasons in the arena league for the Alabama Vipers, and was a member of the Vipers' league-championship squad in 2008. He also had a short stint in the CFL
Garrigan was the defensive coordinator of the D2 vs. NAIA All-Star Game in 2013.
Prior to his college coaching career, Garrigan worked at Freedom HS in Woodbridge, Va., where he was the assistant head coach and tutored the FHS defensive backs, mentoring three all-conference players and helping guide multiple student-athletes to scholarships to play college football.
He is a native of Dale City, Va., and earned his associate's degree in business studies from Lackawanna College in 2005. He followed that with a bachelor's degree in psychology from West Texas A&M in 2009, and a Master of Sports Administration degree in 2013 from East Central University.
