Michael Styles joins the Benedict College football staff as the Defensive Backs Coach. Coach Styles comes to Columbia after spending the 2021 Spring and Fall seasons at Hocking College as the Defensive Coordinator.
In his only year at Hocking, Styles’ defense was ranked in the Top 25 nationally, helping to lead Hocking to a 5-5 record during the fall season. While at Hocking College, he helped produce a NJCAA All-American in Izayah Aekins, while also helping multiple players earn D-I football scholarships. During the 2021 spring season, Coach Styles developed the defense into one of the best junior college defenses in the country, getting them to that nationally ranked number by only allowing six points during that time.
Prior to joining Hocking College in 2021, Coach Styles was the defensive coordinator at Westside High School for two seasons. While at Westside, Coach Styles helped Westside obtain one of the best records in school history at 8-2 in 2019, while also helping produce the first back-to-back FHSAA playoff appearances in school history. Styles’ defense was one of the top ranked defenses in the country in 2019, with 53 sacks, 21 interceptions, and 5 defensive touchdowns. He also helped produce one 5A First Team All-State player in Angelo Philpot, 5A Second Team All-State (Jeremiah Dawson), and one player to 5A Honorable Mention (Chadwick Martin) and the 5A District 3 player of the year (Angelo Philpot). In 2020, he helped produce another 5A district player of the year in Antwon McCrae.
In 2018, Coach Styles was the Defensive Coordinator for Curie Metropolitan High School, where he coached the No. 1 defensive in Chicago Public Schools and the state of Illinois. There he also helped produce All State Linemen Kevo Wesley, who now attends Vanderbilt University.
During the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Coach Styles served as the Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator at DRW Prep in Chicago, where he led the Cheetahs to a 14-6 record, and leading them to the Intra-City 6 Conference Championship.
Coach Styles began his coaching career at his alma mater, Warner University in Lake Wales, Florida. Coach Styles coached at his alma mater for three full seasons. Coach Styles coached the defensive backs while also serving as the recruiting coordinator. During his coaching time at Warner, he helped Warner to one of the top defenses in the NAIA while coaching three all-conference players, and Sun Conference defensive player of the year Loronza Smith, who was also a finalist for the Cliff Harris award.
As a collegiate player for Warner, Coach Styles was a part of the first program ever fielded at Warner University and served as a team captain for the 2013 season, where he also earned his bachelor’s degree in Sports Management.
Prior to Warner, Coach Styles played defensive back for West Virginia State. Prior to West Virginia State, Coach Styles played at Hutchinson Community College where he was a part of the No. 1 recruiting class in JUCO and College of DuPage. All of where he had the honor of being a team captain. Coach Styles was invited to multiple all-star and bowl games, such as the USA College Football Bowl and NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, and selected to participate in regional NFL combines.
