Steven Palmer begins his first season with the Blinn College football team and will coach the Buccaneers' secondary.
Palmer arrives at Blinn following one season as the secondary coach at Centenary College, where he helped the Gents rank second in the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference (SCAC) in interceptions. Three defensive backs earned all-conference recognition under his guidance.
Prior to Centenary, Palmer spent the 2024 season as cornerbacks coach at NCAA Division II UNC Pembroke. The Braves ranked among the top five in the Mountain East Conference in pass defense and finished among the nation's top 10 in defensive touchdowns.
In 2023, Palmer served as defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach at the University of Charleston, helping lead the Golden Eagles to one of the most successful seasons in program history. Charleston captured its first Mountain East Conference championship and first NCAA Division II playoff victory while leading the nation in defensive touchdowns. The Golden Eagles also ranked among the nation's top 30 in third-down defense, pass defense efficiency, interceptions, passing touchdowns allowed, yards per play allowed, pass defense, and total defense. Palmer coached two all-conference defensive backs, while head coach Quinn Sanders was named the MEC Coach of the Year.
Palmer also coached at Lindsey Wilson College during the 2022 season, where he worked with the cornerbacks and kick return units. The Blue Raiders led the NAIA in both scoring defense and total defense while allowing just eight passing touchdowns, a 41 percent completion percentage, and 184.4 passing yards per game. Two defensive backs earned all-conference honors.
Before joining Lindsey Wilson, Palmer spent the 2021 season at East Texas Baptist University as the secondary coach. During the spring season, the Tigers led the American Southwest Conference in passing defense, interceptions, pass defense efficiency, and passing touchdowns allowed, while producing the first NCAA Division III All-American defensive back in program history. ETBU also finished second in the conference in interceptions during the 2021 fall season.
Palmer also spent time with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League as a watch list player in 2017.
A native of Germantown, Md., Palmer starred at Fork Union Military Academy in Virginia, where he was a three-time all-state and all-prep cornerback. He was also an all-state kick returner, ranked among the top players in the state, and earned three all-state and all-prep honors in indoor and outdoor track and field, winning back-to-back state championships in the 55-meter dash.
Palmer earned an associate degree in general studies from Montgomery College and a bachelor's degree in recreation from Mars Hill University. He is currently pursuing a master's degree in business from Liberty University.
