The 2025 season is set to be the fourth season for Jean Dessein as the Director of Recruiting and Defensive Analyst at Bethune-Cookman University.
Dessein spent the Summer 2024 in camp with the Kansas City Chiefs after being selected for the prestigious Bill Walsh Fellowship. He worked directly with tight ends and the offensive coaching staff developing players on the professional level.
In his first year as the Director of Recruiting for the Wildcats, the team posted a top 10 FCS Recruiting
Class, in addition to one of the best recruiting classes in all of Historically Black College and Universities (HBCU) Football.
In 2023, the Wildcats ranked sixth in scoring defense and ranked eighth in total defense. The postseason awards saw four Wildcats named to the Phil Steele All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Team – Omari Hill-Robinson (CB), Eddie Walls (DL), Dearis Thomas (LB) and Conroy Cunningham II (DL).
Dessein returned to Bethune-Cookman in 2022, after leaving Edward Waters University in 2021, where he served as the Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach. In his position as offensive coordinator, Dessein worked directly with standout DeShaun Hugee who rushed for 1,000 yards on the season for the Tigers.
Prior to joining the staff at Edward Waters, Dessein spent six seasons at Bethune-Cookman and accumulated five championships – two as a student-athlete, and three more as a coach. During his tenure at Bethune-Cookman, Dessein served as the Director of Player Personnel, Offensive Quality Control Coach, Tight Ends Coach, and Special Teams Assistant working under head coaches Terry Sims and Brian Jenkins, respectively.
During his playing days, Dessein was a key contributor at the tight end position in the Wildcats claiming the 2010 HBCU National Championship. That same season, the Cats offense ranked at or near the top of the national charts in the following categories: total offense, scoring, rushing offense, pass offense, pass efficiency, first downs, and third down conversions. The 2010 football season was notably one of the best seasons in B-CU Football history.
A native of Pompano Beach, Florida and graduate of Blanche Ely High School in 2007, where he played quarterback and was named team MVP, Dessein played one year of football at St. Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Virginia. That very season, he served as quarterback for the Tigers before the program was disbanded, forcing him to find a new home to play collegiate football. He was named Player of the Week three times, CIAA All-Freshman, and was top of the CIAA in game completions, yards passing, and passing touchdowns for the season.
Dessein transferred to Bethune-Cookman in 2010.
Dessein earned his undergraduate degree from Bethune-Cookman in 2013, majoring in Criminal Justice, and master’s degree from Bethune-Cookman in 2015, majoring in Transformative Leadership.
