Albany State University Athletics

Denares Waites begins his first season on the football staff at Albany State.

Waites comes to ASU after eight seasons as an assistant coach at Carson-Newman University in Jefferson City, TN. At CNU, he guided the wide receivers for one year before moving to the defensive side to coach the Eagles’ secondary for the next seven seasons. He also spent time as the coaching special teams during his tenure in Jefferson City. 

Waites was named the AFCA Assistant Coach of the Year for his efforts as C-N's defensive backs and special teams coach in 2013.  

Waites’ kickoff return units were some of the best the nation had to offer in 2014. Lonnie Williams earned All-America honors as a kick returner.  He was one of 10 players in the country with multiple kickoff return TDs and was second in the nation in kick return average. 

Waites coached his first All-American in 2013 when Eien Jacob picked off five passes to lead the team.  He was second in the SAC with the tally as the transfer garnered All-American honors from Don Hansen's Football Gazette.  

He has also been instrumental in the development of TraShaun Ward as a return man. Ward ended his Carson-Newman career as the school record holder for total kickoff return yards, a record he set in his junior season.  

Under Waites tutelage in 2012, safety Issac Kinley earned all-South Atlantic Conference honors.  Kinley was C-N's third leading tackler.  As special teams coach, Waites oversaw a kickoff unit that pinned opponents to their own 25-yard lines.  The Eagles' punt coverage teams only allowed four yards a return.

Waites was a former standout safety for Carson-Newman for three seasons. He was a preseason All-SAC selection twice and helped the Eagles record a 10-1 record in 2007. Waites had a five-year career with the Eagles but saw both his final seasons end early with injuries. In 2007 he finished fourth on the team in tackles, led the team in pass break ups with 10, pass defenses with 11 and had one interception.

Coach Waites earned two degrees from Caron-Newman; a B.A. in Middle Grades Education in 2009 and completed his Masters in Curriculum Studies in 2011

Waites and his wife, Maddie, have two sons, James Apollo and Titus and one daughter, Rose.