Daryl Daye life and biography

COACHING EXPERIENCE

Daryl Daye enters his first season in the NFL as Buffalo’s Assistant to the Head Coach. Daye’s responsibilities will include assisting Head Coach Chan Gailey in the team’s day-to-day administrative operation as well as numerous travel and training camp duties.

Daye owns 24 years of collegiate coaching experience and spent the previous four years (2006-09) at Missouri Southern State as the school’s defensive coordinator, special teams and linebackers coach.

* In 2008, the Lions led the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletic Association in pass defense and junior LB Jared Brawner was an All-MIAA, All-Region and All-American selection after leading the conference in tackles (120)… the defense held opponents to 172 passing yards per game, posted 58 tackles for a loss, totaled 15 sacks and recovered all 15 fumbles the team forced.
* The Lions produced their first winning season for the first time in 12 years in 2007 and led the MIAA in defense for the first time in school history… Missouri Southern’s defense ranked 21st nationally in total defense and broke a 17-year old Division II school record with 21 interceptions.

Prior to Missouri Southern State, Daye served as special teams coach for Southern University in 2005. In 2005, his punt return unit led the nation with 19.1 yards per punt return in and the kickoff return squad ranked ninth nationally at 22.4 yards per return average.

From 1999-2003, Daye served as the head coach at Nicholls State.

* In 2003, Nicholls State football broke 32 school records and played for the first ever Southland Conference Championship
* Daye was tabbed the 2002 Southland Conference Coach of the Year after leading the Colonels to a four-win turnaround, finishing the year 7-4 and a top 25 Division I-AA ranking
* In 2001, Daye guided Nicholls State to the school’s first ever win over Division I-A foe Arkansas Sate

Before joining Nicholls State, Daye held an assistant coach position at Liberty University from 1991-96 under former Cleveland Browns and two-time NFL Coach of the Year Sam Rutigliano and was elevated to defensive coordinator for the 1997 and 1998 campaigns.

* In his first year as defensive coordinator at Liberty in 1997, the defense led the nation (I-AA) in turnovers with 40, ranked second in turnover margin (1.82) and held opponents to 17.7 points per game, the best mark in school history over the previous 15 years… Liberty closed out the season with a 9-2 record and ranked 17th nationally

Prior to coaching at Liberty, Daye was a member of Southern Mississippi’s coaching staff for two years from 1989-90 where Brett Favre was the school’s quarterback. The Golden Eagles made a postseason appearance in the 1990 All American Bowl.

Daye’s coaching career began at Louisiana State in 1986, where he worked under and also played for Bill Arnsparger ‘the architect of the Miami Dolphins’ No-Name Defense’ in the early 1970s. He then coached for two years under Mike Archer. Initially, Daye arrived at LSU as a walk-on player, later earning a scholarship and lettered at inside linebacker.

While at LSU, Daye was a member of two Southeastern Conference Championships and a member of five teams that went to bowl games either as a player or coach. The Tigers represented the SEC as the league champions in the 1985 and 1987 Sugar Bowl, while also appearing in the 1983 Orange Bowl, 1985 Liberty Bowl, 1988 Gator Bowl and the 1989 Hall of Fame Bowl.

PERSONAL

Daye was a two-time All-State performer at Huntington (Ferriday, La.) High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies from Louisiana State in 1986, adding a master’s degree in physical education from Southern Mississippi in 1990. He is married to the former Kathy Polko, also a LSU graduate and a former All-SEC Selection in gymnastics. Daye’s father, Donnie, was a member of the 1958 national championship LSU squad as a fullback/linebacker and coached for over 13 years. His mom, Penny, was a feature majorette for the University of Missouri.

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