Cornell University Athletics

Kim Dameron, an experienced and creative defensive coach who has been responsible for several of the nation's top defenses, takes over as the John B. and Ann M. Rogers '45 Defensive Coordinator in 2012. He joined the Cornell coaching staff as safeties coach in the spring of 2011. Dameron had previously worked with the Roger J. Weiss '61 Head Coach of Football Kent Austin for two seasons at Mississippi (2008-09) previous to joining the Big Red.

In his first season with the Big Red, Dameron relied on a pair of first-year safeties, Josh Barut and Andrew Nelson, to do a bulk of the work. He helped develop the duo quickly, with both ranking among the top 12 tackles in Ivy League games in 2011.

Dameron spent three seasons with Ole Miss as safeties coach and saw two of his charges drafted by the NFL. In 2009, his pass defense unit ranked 11th in the NCAA in pass efficiency defense and 15th in pass defense. In the season prior to his arrival, the Rebels ranked 12th in the SEC in total defense and 11th in scoring defense, marks that jumped to fifth-best after his first season.

Prior to his arrival at Ole Miss, Dameron had served three seasons as defensive coordinator at Louisiana Monroe. During his time there, ULM became bowl eligible for the first time in 2007 and won at Alabama. His 2006 squad allowed the fewest points in the Sun Belt and ranked third nationally in turnovers gained and ninth in interceptions.

Dameron had previous stops as defensive coordinator at Stephen F. Austin and Eastern Illinois for nationally ranked Football Championship Subdivision programs, as well as at Cincinnati for a Bowl Championship Subdivision bowl team in 1997. Like Austin, Dameron spent time in the Canadian Football League as the secondary coach for the Toronto Argonauts in 1999. That squad ranked first nationally in the CFL in total defense, scoring defense and passing defense. It was second in rushing defense.

After beginning his career at his alma mater, Arkansas, as a graduate assistant for his former coach Lou Holtz, Dameron also made stops at Missouri State, UNLV and Murray State.

Dameron and his wife, Debbie, have one daughter, Krystie.

* Updated July 23, 2012