Upcoming Event: Football versus New Hampshire on September 20, 2025 at 1:00 PM
1:00 PM
Football
vs New Hampshire
Football
Daft, Kevin
Kevin Daft
- Title:
- Assistant Coach - Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
- Alma Mater:
- UC Davis ’99
- Email:
- kevin.b.daft@dartmouth.edu
- Phone (603):
- 603-646-3568
- At Dartmouth:
- 9th Year (2017-)
Recruiting Area: California, Arizona
Kevin Daft was hired at Dartmouth as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in February of 2017. He arrived with more than a decade of collegiate coaching experience, most recently at his alma mater, the University of California, Davis.
Daft has been instrumental in Dartmouth posting a 52-18 record since arriving, including 35 wins in his first four seasons, the most over any four-season span in program history. He has helped the Big Green to Ivy League Championships in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024. Over a five-year span, Dartmouth has had the least number of turnovers in the country. Quarterback Nick Howard owns the Dartmouth record for most rushing touchdowns in a career. Derek Kyler graduated with the highest completion percentage all-time at Dartmouth (69%), a record Jackson Proctor would go on to break (70%).
In his first year, Dartmouth ranked in the top half of the league in scoring, rushing, passing and total yards while QB Jack Heneghan earned All-Ivy honorable mention before signing with the San Francisco 49ers after graduation. In 2018, he had the Big Green among the top 20 in the nation in rushing and scoring. He also successfully worked a tandem at quarterback with Jared Gerbino — an All-Ivy Second Team selection — leading the team in rushing and Kyler ranking second nationally in completion percentage and third in passing efficiency.
The tandem of Gerbino and Kyler continued to excel in 2019, leading the Big Green to its 19th Ivy League title while setting school records for team passing efficiency at 173.08 — second only to national champion North Dakota State — and completion percentage (68.1, third). The offense also ranked among the top 10 nationally in third-down conversion rate (52.1 percent, third), fewest interceptions thrown (5, fourth) and fewest turnovers lost (12, seventh), helping Gerbino be named to the All-Ivy Second Team once again. Overall, the offense averaged 33.3 points a game, 24th in the FCS.
The offense didn’t miss a beat after returning from the pandemic in 2021, averaging over 30 points a game with two quarterbacks — Kyler and Howard — becoming the first signal-calling teammates in league history to earn first team All-Ivy honors in the same season. The duo combined to produce the best completion percentage (school-record .688) and passing efficiency in the conference, ranking second- and seventh-best in the country, respectively. Kyler was also named a finalist for the Bushnell Cup. The Big Green were exceptional at taking care of the football as well with the fewest interceptions (3) and turnovers (8) by any team in the FCS. The passing game was complemented by the best rushing offense in the Ancient Eight, placing them 21st nationally at nearly 200 yards per game, which played into Dartmouth leading the league in third-down conversion percentage as well (14th in the FCS).
The Big Green returned to being Ivy League champions in 2023, led by a potent rushing attack; their 174.4 rush yards per game were good for 25th nationally. Dartmouth averaged more than 30 points per game over their final three contests, victories against Princeton, Cornell and Brown to earn a share of the Ivy title.
In 2024, the Big Green averaged 30.0 points per game, which included three games over 40 points and one over 50. Dartmouth stood 14th nationally in red zone offense (88.9) while its 166.5 rushing yards per game was third in the Ivy League. The Big Green only turned the ball over eight times, which was fourth fewest in the country. Dartmouth finished with 45 points in the season opener against Fordham before scoring 44 in a comeback win at Yale (37 coming after halftime) and 56 in the season finale against Brown. The Yale victory featured the biggest comeback in program history (23 points) as the Big Green scored 21 points over the final 7:30 of regulation to force overtime. Meanwhile, the Brown win helped the Big Green clinch their fourth Ivy League Championship in the last five season and also saw Proctor finish with seven touchdowns (four passing and three rushing) to tie a program record. He was 18-of-26 through the air for a career-high 308 yards and four touchdowns. On the ground, he had 13 carries for 171 yards, giving him an incredible 479 yards of offense — a program record and good for 13th in Ivy League history.
Daft spent five years on the staff at UC Davis, serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for his last four. In his final season, the Aggies averaged over 28 points and nearly 400 total yards — of which 238 came through the air. UC Davis also ranked 14th among FCS schools in fewest interceptions thrown (7) and 10th in fewest turnovers lost (13) under his guidance in 2016.
The year prior, Daft’s offense was terrific at ball control as well, ranking second in the nation in time of possession and 12th in completion percentage (.645), not to mention fifth in red zone offense, scoring on over 90 percent of trips inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. His 2014 offense was also among the top 20 nationally in completion percentage (.644, 12th) and team passing efficiency (146.28, 19th). The top-two rushing totals at UC Davis of the past 14 years came during his watch as well.
Before his first season with the Aggies as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2012, Daft spent a season as the wide receivers coach and assisted on special teams in the United Football League with the Omaha Nighthawks under Joe Moglia, a former Dartmouth assistant coach and former head coach at Coastal Carolina. There he oversaw the league’s leading wide receiver, Chris Davis, who averaged over seven catches and 60 yards per game.
Daft was on the coaching staff for seven seasons at California, the first three as a graduate assistant working with the offensive line as the Bears qualified for a bowl game each season, winning the Las Vegas Bowl in 2005 and the Holiday Bowl in 2006. He was elevated to the quarterbacks coach in 2007, helping Cal to a victory in the Armed Forces Bowl, then took over the duties of coaching the wide receivers for three years with another bowl victory along the way.
Among his former players that have competed in the NFL are Keenan Allen (12 seasons), Marvin Jones (12 seasons), Jeremy Ross (five seasons) and Kaelin Clay (three seasons).
A two-time captain and All-American quarterback at UC Davis, Daft set five NCAA Division II records while throwing for 7,601 yards and 68 touchdowns in his collegiate career. He was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II version of the Heisman Trophy, and was inducted into the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. He graduated from UC Davis with a degree in biology in 1999.
Daft was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft and was with the team during its run to Super Bowl XXXIV before signing contracts with the San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers before returning to the Titans in 2002. He saw action in NFL Europe with the Scottish Claymores and Amsterdam Admirals, leading the Claymores to the World Bowl in 2000 and setting an NFL Europe career record with 30 touchdown passes. Daft was also a member of the San Jose SaberCats (2003) and Indiana Firebirds (2004) in the Arena Football League.
Daft and his wife, Kesa, have two daughters, Talia and Caroline.
Kevin Daft was hired at Dartmouth as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in February of 2017. He arrived with more than a decade of collegiate coaching experience, most recently at his alma mater, the University of California, Davis.
Daft has been instrumental in Dartmouth posting a 52-18 record since arriving, including 35 wins in his first four seasons, the most over any four-season span in program history. He has helped the Big Green to Ivy League Championships in 2019, 2021, 2023 and 2024. Over a five-year span, Dartmouth has had the least number of turnovers in the country. Quarterback Nick Howard owns the Dartmouth record for most rushing touchdowns in a career. Derek Kyler graduated with the highest completion percentage all-time at Dartmouth (69%), a record Jackson Proctor would go on to break (70%).
In his first year, Dartmouth ranked in the top half of the league in scoring, rushing, passing and total yards while QB Jack Heneghan earned All-Ivy honorable mention before signing with the San Francisco 49ers after graduation. In 2018, he had the Big Green among the top 20 in the nation in rushing and scoring. He also successfully worked a tandem at quarterback with Jared Gerbino — an All-Ivy Second Team selection — leading the team in rushing and Kyler ranking second nationally in completion percentage and third in passing efficiency.
The tandem of Gerbino and Kyler continued to excel in 2019, leading the Big Green to its 19th Ivy League title while setting school records for team passing efficiency at 173.08 — second only to national champion North Dakota State — and completion percentage (68.1, third). The offense also ranked among the top 10 nationally in third-down conversion rate (52.1 percent, third), fewest interceptions thrown (5, fourth) and fewest turnovers lost (12, seventh), helping Gerbino be named to the All-Ivy Second Team once again. Overall, the offense averaged 33.3 points a game, 24th in the FCS.
The offense didn’t miss a beat after returning from the pandemic in 2021, averaging over 30 points a game with two quarterbacks — Kyler and Howard — becoming the first signal-calling teammates in league history to earn first team All-Ivy honors in the same season. The duo combined to produce the best completion percentage (school-record .688) and passing efficiency in the conference, ranking second- and seventh-best in the country, respectively. Kyler was also named a finalist for the Bushnell Cup. The Big Green were exceptional at taking care of the football as well with the fewest interceptions (3) and turnovers (8) by any team in the FCS. The passing game was complemented by the best rushing offense in the Ancient Eight, placing them 21st nationally at nearly 200 yards per game, which played into Dartmouth leading the league in third-down conversion percentage as well (14th in the FCS).
The Big Green returned to being Ivy League champions in 2023, led by a potent rushing attack; their 174.4 rush yards per game were good for 25th nationally. Dartmouth averaged more than 30 points per game over their final three contests, victories against Princeton, Cornell and Brown to earn a share of the Ivy title.
In 2024, the Big Green averaged 30.0 points per game, which included three games over 40 points and one over 50. Dartmouth stood 14th nationally in red zone offense (88.9) while its 166.5 rushing yards per game was third in the Ivy League. The Big Green only turned the ball over eight times, which was fourth fewest in the country. Dartmouth finished with 45 points in the season opener against Fordham before scoring 44 in a comeback win at Yale (37 coming after halftime) and 56 in the season finale against Brown. The Yale victory featured the biggest comeback in program history (23 points) as the Big Green scored 21 points over the final 7:30 of regulation to force overtime. Meanwhile, the Brown win helped the Big Green clinch their fourth Ivy League Championship in the last five season and also saw Proctor finish with seven touchdowns (four passing and three rushing) to tie a program record. He was 18-of-26 through the air for a career-high 308 yards and four touchdowns. On the ground, he had 13 carries for 171 yards, giving him an incredible 479 yards of offense — a program record and good for 13th in Ivy League history.
Daft spent five years on the staff at UC Davis, serving as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for his last four. In his final season, the Aggies averaged over 28 points and nearly 400 total yards — of which 238 came through the air. UC Davis also ranked 14th among FCS schools in fewest interceptions thrown (7) and 10th in fewest turnovers lost (13) under his guidance in 2016.
The year prior, Daft’s offense was terrific at ball control as well, ranking second in the nation in time of possession and 12th in completion percentage (.645), not to mention fifth in red zone offense, scoring on over 90 percent of trips inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. His 2014 offense was also among the top 20 nationally in completion percentage (.644, 12th) and team passing efficiency (146.28, 19th). The top-two rushing totals at UC Davis of the past 14 years came during his watch as well.
Before his first season with the Aggies as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2012, Daft spent a season as the wide receivers coach and assisted on special teams in the United Football League with the Omaha Nighthawks under Joe Moglia, a former Dartmouth assistant coach and former head coach at Coastal Carolina. There he oversaw the league’s leading wide receiver, Chris Davis, who averaged over seven catches and 60 yards per game.
Daft was on the coaching staff for seven seasons at California, the first three as a graduate assistant working with the offensive line as the Bears qualified for a bowl game each season, winning the Las Vegas Bowl in 2005 and the Holiday Bowl in 2006. He was elevated to the quarterbacks coach in 2007, helping Cal to a victory in the Armed Forces Bowl, then took over the duties of coaching the wide receivers for three years with another bowl victory along the way.
Among his former players that have competed in the NFL are Keenan Allen (12 seasons), Marvin Jones (12 seasons), Jeremy Ross (five seasons) and Kaelin Clay (three seasons).
A two-time captain and All-American quarterback at UC Davis, Daft set five NCAA Division II records while throwing for 7,601 yards and 68 touchdowns in his collegiate career. He was a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II version of the Heisman Trophy, and was inducted into the Cal Aggie Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. He graduated from UC Davis with a degree in biology in 1999.
Daft was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the fifth round of the 1999 NFL Draft and was with the team during its run to Super Bowl XXXIV before signing contracts with the San Diego Chargers, Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers before returning to the Titans in 2002. He saw action in NFL Europe with the Scottish Claymores and Amsterdam Admirals, leading the Claymores to the World Bowl in 2000 and setting an NFL Europe career record with 30 touchdown passes. Daft was also a member of the San Jose SaberCats (2003) and Indiana Firebirds (2004) in the Arena Football League.
Daft and his wife, Kesa, have two daughters, Talia and Caroline.
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