Southern Arkansas University Athletics

Dionte Dean just wrapped up season one with The Muleriders, and helped lead a unit that finished top 3 in the Great American Conference in 8 different defensive categories. These categories included leading the conference in Defensive Touchdowns and Sacks, as well as finishing among the top two teams in the GAC in Tackles for Loss, Interceptions, Turnovers Gained, Passing Defense, Completion Percentage & Pass Efficiency Defense. The stingy 2024 defense were well represented on the 2024 All-GAC Team with five 1st or 2nd Team selections, including two-time AFCA All-American CB Melvin Smith Jr. who was also joined on the 1st Team with the GAC sack leader DE Dawson Scott. Both Smith Jr. and Scott were also named to the 2024 D2 Football Elite 100 Team, and both were selected to the 2024 AFCA All-American Team. In Dean’s defensive backfield, Smith Jr. was also joined on the 2024 All-GAC Team by 2nd Team Special Teams selection safety Tridell Talley, as well as 3rd Team selections CB Zay Woods and S Donovan Adkins. Under Dean’s tutelage, Melvin Smith Jr. in February 2025 became just the second Mulerider in program history selected to participate in the Recce’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Al. 
 
Dean spent the 2023 season at UT Permian Basin, champions of the Lone Star Conference, where he orchestrated the Falcons' defensive unit to a top 10 ranking nationally behind top 15 marks in scoring defense and passing defense as well as a top 35 ranking in rushing defense. Dean's unit featured the both the LSC Linebacker of the Year (Hayden Kelly) and Defensive Lineman of the Year (Dom Varella). UTPB's historic season saw the Falcons fly into the D2 playoffs where Dean's defense held a Bemidji State offense to just 10 points and 220 yards of total offense.
 
Prior to UTPB, Dean spent five seasons as the defensive backs coach at Ouachita
Baptist University. During his time at Ouachita, he helped the team to a record of 43-5, three Great American Conference titles, three NCAA playoff appearances, and the program's first Division II playoff victory over the University of Indianapolis.
 
In those four seasons (2018-2022), Dean coached the first Cliff Harris Award finalist in school history, Keandre Evans, and Gregory Junior, who became the school's first-ever NFL Draft selection when he was selected in the sixth round of the 2022 draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
 
Dean helped coach and mentor two All-American defensive backs, two All-Region defensive backs, and nine All-Conference defensive backs. In Dean's first season, the defense led the country in points per game (9.6), only allowed five passing touchdowns and created 19 interceptions in 11 regular season games.
 
Prior to Ouachita, Dean was the offensive coordinator at Blinn College in 2017 where he helped guide the Buccaneers to the NJCAA playoffs after BC missed out on the postseason the previous five seasons. Dean's offense averaged over 500 yards a game, 250 passing yards, and 255 yards rushing, all of which ranked in the top five in NJCAA.
 
Before Dean's stint at Blinn, he wore multiple hats at Cisco College, serving as head coach from 2014-17, as well as quarterbacks coach and offensive play caller, and as defensive coordinator from 2011-14.
 
CC's Richard Lagow was rated the No. 1 Quarterback in junior college football, eventually signing with the University of Indiana. Notable players from that team include defensive end Michael Clemons, who signed with Texas A&M and was drafted in the fourth round by the New York Jets in 2022, and defensive back Broderick Thomas, who signed with the University of Alabama - Birmingham and as an undrafted free agent with the Denver Broncos while also spending time with the Kansas City Chiefs.
 
Dean played his collegiate ball at Tyler Junior College before transferring to East Central University where he became an All-GAC safety, leading the team in interceptions and tackles his senior year.
 
Following his playing career, Dean served as a graduate assistant for the Tigers coaching the cornerbacks in year one and the quarterbacks and wide receivers in year two.
 
Dean is the son of Twondlyn Carhee and Willie Green. Green played collegiately as a wide receiver at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) from 1986-1989 before being drafted in the eighth round by the Detroit Lions. Green played in the NFL from 1989-98 spending time with the Detroit Lions (1989-94), Carolina Panthers (95-96), and the Denver Broncos (97-98) winning Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII with Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway. Dean has two children, daughter Madison and son Kyler.
 
Dean, a native of Dallas, Texas and a graduate of Lancaster High School, earned his Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology, Exercise and Sports Science from East Central where he also received his Master's degree in Sports Administration: Secondary Education.