American football
American football (referred to simply as football in the United States and Canada), also known as gridiron, is a team sport played by two teams of eleven players on a rectangular field with goalposts at each end. The offense, the team with ...
coach and former player. He was formerly the head coach at
Campbell University
Campbell University is a private Baptist university in Buies Creek, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (Southern Baptist Convention). Southern Baptist ConventionColleges and Universities sbc.net ...
, a position he had held since restarting school's football program in 2006. Campbell resumed play in the 2008 season. Steele is the brother of
Kevin Steele
Kevin Steele (born March 17, 1958) is an American football coach and former player, currently serving as the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami. Steele has previously worked as defensive coordinator at Auburn, LSU, Clemson, and coa ...
, the current
defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator is a coach responsible for a gridiron football (American football) team's defense. Generally, the defensive coordinator, the offensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator represent the second level of a team's c ...
at
Auburn University
Auburn University (AU or Auburn) is a public land-grant research university in Auburn, Alabama. With more than 24,600 undergraduate students and a total enrollment of more than 30,000 with 1,330 faculty members, Auburn is the second largest uni ...
and former head football coach at
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the fir ...
.
Playing career and education
The son of a high school coach, Steele participated in football and
wrestling
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
Prattville, Alabama
Prattville is a city located within both Autauga and Elmore counties in the State of Alabama but serves as the county seat of Autauga County. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 37,781. Nicknamed "The Fountain City" due to t ...
, where he lettered three years in both sports. He played as an offensive guard and a defensive tackle for Autauga County High School and then walked on as an offensive lineman for the University of South Carolina.
Steele earned a
B.S.
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
degree in physical education from South Carolina in 1976 and an
M.A.
A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...
degree in physical education from
Ball State University
Ball State University (Ball State, State or BSU) is a public university, public research university in Muncie, Indiana. It has two satellite facilities in Fishers, Indiana, Fishers and Indianapolis.
On July 25, 1917, the Ball brothers, indust ...
in 1978.
Coaching career
Steele began his coaching career as an assistant at
A.C. Flora High School
A. C. Flora High School is a public high school located in the City of Forest Acres, South Carolina, a suburb of Columbia. The school is one of seven high schools operated by Richland County School District One. The school was founded in 1959 t ...
Ball State University
Ball State University (Ball State, State or BSU) is a public university, public research university in Muncie, Indiana. It has two satellite facilities in Fishers, Indiana, Fishers and Indianapolis.
On July 25, 1917, the Ball brothers, indust ...
(graduate assistant/offensive line in 1977), the
University of Wisconsin–Madison
A university () is an educational institution, institution of higher education, higher (or Tertiary education, tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. Universities ty ...
(assistant offensive line in 1978, offensive ends and head junior varsity coach in 1979),
Tulane University
Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private university, private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into ...
(offensive line in 1980,
tight end
The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like ...
s and kickers in 1981, tight ends and recruiting coordinator in 1982),
Wichita State University
Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...
(outside linebackers, 1984–1986), and
Kansas State University
Kansas State University (KSU, Kansas State, or K-State) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Manhattan, Kansas, United States. It was opened as the state's land-grant college in 1863 and was the first public instit ...
(tight ends and offensive special teams in 1987, wide receivers in 1988). In 1980, Steele helped
Tulane
Tulane University, officially the Tulane University of Louisiana, is a private university, private research university in New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as the Medical College of Louisiana in 1834 by seven young medical doctors, it turned into ...
advance to the Hall of Fame Classic, marking his first collegiate postseason appearance as a coach. He also coached at St. Charles High School in
LaPlace, Louisiana
LaPlace ( ) is a census-designated place (CDP) in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana, United States, situated along the east bank of the Mississippi River, in the New Orleans metropolitan area. In 2020, it had a population of 28,841.
LaPlace ...
in 1983.
Steele served
East Carolina University
East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university, public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina.
Founded on March 8, 1907, as a Normal school, teacher training school, East ...
as its recruiting coordinator for three years (1991–1993) and was promoted to assistant head coach for his last season (1994). He worked six seasons at ECU (1989–1994), coaching the wide receivers and helping the
Pirates
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...
to the 1992
Peach Bowl
The Peach Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. Since 1997, it has been sponsored by Chick-fil-A and is officially known as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. From 2006 to 2013, it was officially re ...
and the 1994
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in late December or early January since 1959. For its first five years, it was played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia before being held at Atlantic City ...
.
After East Carolina, Steele was the head coach and
athletic director
An athletic director (commonly "athletics director" or "AD") is an administrator at many American clubs or institutions, such as colleges and universities, as well as in larger high schools and middle schools, who oversees the work of coaches and ...
at
Northern Nash High School
Northern Nash High School is a high school located in Nash County, west of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina city limits.
History
Northern Nash High School opened in 1966, consolidating the former Nashville High School, Red Oak High School, Benve ...
in
Nashville, North Carolina
Nashville is a town in Nash County, North Carolina, United States. The town was founded in 1780 and features Victorian and Queen Anne style homes. It is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population of Nashvi ...
for four years (1995–1998). Then he moved on to
Baylor University
Baylor University is a private Baptist Christian research university in Waco, Texas. Baylor was chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. Baylor is the oldest continuously operating university in Texas and one of the fir ...
, where he served as wide receivers coach from 1999–2002 while his brother,
Kevin Steele
Kevin Steele (born March 17, 1958) is an American football coach and former player, currently serving as the defensive coordinator at the University of Miami. Steele has previously worked as defensive coordinator at Auburn, LSU, Clemson, and coa ...
, was the head coach. Steele then served as an assistant head coach for one year at
East Tennessee State University
East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is a public research university in Johnson City, Tennessee. Although it is part of the State University and Community College System of Tennessee, the university is governed by an institutional Board of Tr ...
(2003), and three seasons at
Elon University
Elon University is a private university in Elon, North Carolina. Founded in 1889 as Elon College, Elon is organized into six schools, most of which offer bachelor's degrees and several of which offer master's degrees or professional doctorate d ...
(2004–2006).
On June 15, 2006, Steele became the head coach at
Campbell University
Campbell University is a private Baptist university in Buies Creek, North Carolina. It is affiliated with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina (Southern Baptist Convention). Southern Baptist ConventionColleges and Universities sbc.net ...
, restarting the school's football program after a hiatus dating back to 1950. Upon taking the position at Campbell University, Steele said, "It's a dream come true for my family and me and a tremendous opportunity...As a family, we are so excited that we have been given this opportunity to be a part of a special time in the history of Campbell University with the reinstatement of football after a 56-year absence. We are very thankful to Dr. Wallace, Stan Williamson and the Campbell family for selecting us to come to Buies Creek during such an exciting time in the university's history." Steele was fired as the head coach at Campbell on November 5, 2012.
Personal life
Steele and his wife, the former Pam Kilpatrick, have two daughters, Meghan and Kelsey.