Autry Denson

Autry Lamont Denson (born December 8, 1976) is a Christian author and an American gridiron football coach and former player. He is currently the head football coach at Charleston Southern University, a position he has held since 2019. Denson played college football as a running back at the University of Notre Dame. He played professionally for four seasons in the National Football League (NFL) with the Miami Dolphins, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Chicago Bears and one season in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the Montreal Alouettes. After retiring from professional sports, Denson spent several years in the financial industry working for New York Life, HomBanc Mortgage Corp., Wachovia, and Merrill Lynch. In 2009, upon accepting his calling to go into ministry, God moved Denson away from the financial industry and back into sports where he mentored young student-athletes in South Florida, through his P.O.I.S.E program, (Perseverance, Opportunity, Intelligence, Sacrifice, Effort), which promoted spiritual growth, academic development, character training, and sports specific training. A year later, Autry and his wife, Elaine continued to use the platform of athletics to serve the needs of the South Florida community through their Run For Your Goal, NFL Flag Football League, as well as, Autry serving as the head football coach at Pope John Paul II High School in Boca Raton, Florida (2010). After only one season, God transitioned Denson and his family to the college football ranks (2011) , where he and his family's outreach ministry would make stops in the following football programs: Bethune-Cookmen University (2011- 2013), Miami University (2014) The University of South Florida (2015) , and his alma mater the University of Notre Dame (2015-2019). Autry attributes everything in his life to the grace of God, and in spite of the hectic schedule of a college football coach, he was able to attend and graduate from seminary school at Liberty University, where he received his Master of Arts in Christian Leadership (Summer of 2016). He currently lives in Summerville, SC with his wife Elaine of 16 years. He is the father of four children, Ashley, Autry III , Elijah , and Asia and grandfather of twins Ace and Aubrey. Autry sees football as the platform God has so graciously given him to win lives and not just games.