Kevin Curtis came to the Hilltop in January of 2018 after two seasons as cornerbacks coach at Louisiana Tech and serves in the same capacity with the Mustangs.
Curtis mentored Brandon Crossley to a national ranking of eighth in total interceptions with four in 2020, including one for a TD at Tulsa, one in OT against Tulane and one in the end zone against Memphis. He had one in three straight games.
Brandon Stephens registered a team-high 11 passes defended, which led The American. He was selected to play in the NFLPA 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 Brandon 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 for SMU, finishing third in the conference with 11 PBUs.
In his second stint at Louisiana Tech, 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 stint 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 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, Curtis spent year with the Houston Texas before going on to play two seasons with the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe.
