Antonio Bradford is in his second season, after joining Jeff Faris’ inaugural coaching staff in Aug. 2024.
Bradford served as the Governors' run-game coordinator and running backs coach during the 2024 season, and added offensive tackles to his coaching responsibilities for 2025.
Bradford, who spent the 2021 season as the Governors’ tight ends coach, comes from South Alabama, where he served in the same position under Jaguars’ head coach Kane Wommack. Before his first season in Clarksville, Bradford spent six seasons at Tennessee State under Rod Reed, where he coached tight ends, offensive tackles, and was the Tigers’ run-game coordinator. Bradford began his coaching career at his alma mater, Alabama State, where he finished his tenure as the program’s associate head coach.
Bradford graduated from Alabama State with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in 2005 and later earned a master’s degree in general counseling.
Bradford and his wife, Faith, have two daughters, Autumn and River.
BRADFORD’S CAREER SUMMARY
Austin Peay (2024-CURRENT)
2024: Named Austin Peay’s run-game coordinator, running backs coach, and offensive tackles coach prior to the 2024 season. Led an Austin Peay running game which totaled 1,716 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground, with four Governors totaling at least 200 yards on the ground and three recording multiple rushing scores.
South Alabama (2022-23)
2023: Served as the running backs coach at South Alabama. The Jaguars finished fourth in the Sun Belt Conference with 172.3 rushing yards and fifth with 2,240 yards on the ground. They were led by Third Team All-SBC honoree La’Damian Webb’s 1,007 yards and a program-record 16 rushing touchdowns. South Alabama's 2,240 rushing yards were the most since 2014 and the third-most in program history.
2022: Joined head coach Kane Wommack’s staff as a running backs coach in 2022. During his first season in Mobile, Alabama, the Jaguars increased their rushing yards by 682 yards compared to the 2021 season, while also tallying four more touchdowns on the ground. Running back La’Damian Webb became the second player in program history to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season, finishing his junior year with 1,063 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns. The Jaguars’ run game helped improve their win total from five to 10 and earn a share of the Sun Belt Conference West Division Championship.
Austin Peay (2021)
2021: Served as the Governors’ tight ends coach under head coach Scotty Walden during the 2021 season, in which Austin Peay went 6-5 overall and 4-2 in Ohio Valley Conference play.
Tennessee State (2015-20)
2020: Tennessee State went 2-5 during the COVID-19-shortened 2020 football season, which was played in the spring of 2021. The Tigers averaged 133.7 rushing yards per game, which was fifth-best in the OVC.
2019: The Tigers again finished third in the OVC in total offense with over 400 yards per game, while posting the league's third-best passing offense (260.7) and fifth-best rushing offense (139.4).
2018: Tennessee State was third in the OVC in offense with 432.4 yards per game, and was led by 156.2 rushing yards per game, which ranked in the top five in the league.
2017: Tennessee State finished third in the OVC in scoring (24.3) and rushing yards per game (140.0). TSU's rushing attack was led by Curtis Sabree’s 439 yards on the ground, while four other Tigers also rushed for at least 100 yards.
2016: Aided in the training of Unanimous All-American selection Jessamen Dunker, who signed a free agent contract with the New York Giants. Tennessee State went 7-4 and 4-3 in OVC play, finishing at the top of the conference with 32.3 points per game and fourth with 166.9 rushing yards per game.
2015: Joined head coach Rod Reed’s staff as the tight ends and offensive tackles coach in addition to serving as the Tigers’ run-game coordinator. Tennessee State went 4-6 during his first season on staff and averaged 123.4 yards per game.
Alabama State (2005-14)
2005-14: Spent 10 seasons at his alma mater and ultimately became the Hornets’ associate head coach. His offensive line groups helped ASU’s offense rank 12th in the FCS with 235.5 rushing yards per game in 2014. During the 2013 season, the Hornets finished 14th nationally with 236.3 yards per game. During his tenure on the sidelines in Montgomery, he also served as the team’s video coordinator, assistant recruiting coordinator, assistant coach, and interim head coach.
COLLEGIATE PLAYING CAREER (2001-04)
Bradford was a three-year starter at left guard for Alabama State. The Hornets won back-to-back Southwest Athletic Conference Eastern Division titles in 2003 and 2004. Alabama State also won the program’s second-ever SWAC Football Championship in 2004, with the team captained by future NFL quarterback and Super Bowl XLVIII Champion Tarvaris Jackson.
