DeVondre Bazemore enters his first season at Norfolk State as defensive quality control and assistant safeties coach, returning to his alma mater after more than a decade in coaching.
Bazemore joins the Spartans from Elizabeth City State University, where he coached the safeties in 2025. His room produced CIAA Defensive Rookie of the Year Jaevon Branch, who also earned a spot on the CIAA All-Rookie Team, and the Vikings’ defense improved across the board on its way to closing the season with three straight wins.
Before moving to the college ranks, Bazemore spent 10 years coaching in Hampton Roads. He served at Nansemond River High School from 2022 to 2024 as defensive backs coach, special teams coordinator, and strength and conditioning coach. He previously was head coach and defensive coordinator at Smithfield High School. At both schools, he also served as assistant athletic director, overseeing multi-sport operations, event management, and eligibility compliance.
A member of the American Football Coaches Association and the National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches (NCMFC), Bazemore was featured in the NCMFC’s national Member Spotlight in 2026. He is known for a disciplined, detail-oriented approach and for developing defensive backs through technique, film study, and leadership.
Bazemore earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Norfolk State and a master’s degree in athletic administration from Ohio University. A Portsmouth, Va., native, he and his wife, Cesshay, have twin daughters, Autumn and Aumai.
