Donte' Colum begins his first season as defensive coordinator and fourth season overall at Henderson State in 2025.
In 2024, Colum coached the secondary and served as passing game coordinator. Under his tutelage, defensive back Cameron Thomas tied for second in the GAC with five interceptions. As a unit, the Reddies' secondary tied for third in the league with 13 total picks and allowed the ninth-fewest passing yards per game of any NCAA Division II team (139.6 per game). In the passing game, the Reddies boasted the conference's receptions leader (55) and First Team All-GAC wideout Timieone Jackson, receiving touchdowns leader (six) and All-American tight end Cayden Davis, and league passing leader (2,539 yards and 27 touchdowns) Andrew Edwards.
In his second year on the job in 2023, a safeties position group that was responsible for HSU being last in the GAC in passing defense in 2022 with 245.4 passing yards allowed per game was elevated to where the Reddies were only allowing 200.1 yards through the air per contest for ninth in the conference.
With him as passing game coordinator, Henderson operated as the top passing attack in the GAC while producing an All-GAC Second Team quarterback and an All-Conference wide receiver.
In Colum's first year on the coaching staff, Henderson's pass defense improved as the season progressed. Over the final five games of the regular season, HSU allowed just 175.4 passing yards per game, which was seventh the league during that time span.
Colum's coaching experience began at Blue Valley North High School in Kansas where he was the assistant defensive backs coach from July 2020 to December 2020. After that, Colum served as the graduate assistant defensive backs coach at McKendree University for one season before moving to Central Missouri while serving the same role.
Colum played at Garden City Community College in Kansas from 2015-17 before moving to William Jewell College from 2017-20. While at Garden City, Colum won the NJCAA Football National Championship before moving to WJC and being named a team captain each year he was there.
While at William Jewell, Colum earned All-Great Lakes Valley Conference Second Team honors in 2018 and was named GLVC Honorable Mention in 2019.
