James Daniels enters his second season on the Tiffin University football coaching staff in 2025-26 as defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach. He joined the staff in January of 2024.
Previously Daniels coached at Lehigh University in 2023. He primarily coached cornerbacks.
Prior to that, Daniels spent three seasons at East Stroudsburg University, where he served as defensive backs coach and pass defense coordinator. In his first season at ESU, Daniels helped oversee the second-best defensive turnaround in all of Division II. Over the past two seasons, Daniels mentored All-PSAC safety Tyler Watson and also coached All-PSAC cornerback Andre’ Gray during his time at ESU. Members of Daniels’ secondary combined for 23 interceptions over three seasons.
Over the past three years, Daniels has participated in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship, joining the Pittsburgh Steelers for training camp in 2022 along with the Denver Broncos in 2021 and 2020.
Prior to joining the East Stroudsburg staff, Daniels coached the nickels and linebackers at the University of Dayton. He spent the 2018 season as a graduate assistant working with the defensive backs at the University at Buffalo. Daniels was the defensive backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Marietta College in 2017.
Daniels also has college coaching experience working with the running backs at Notre Dame College (Ohio), Ohio Northern University and Becker College. He began his coaching career as the defensive quality control coach, working with safeties at Towson.
As a student-athlete, Daniels played running back at Division III powerhouse Mount Union, winning a national championship as a first-year in 2008 and adding national runner-up finishes over the next three seasons.
A native of Cranberry Twp., Pa., Daniels earned his Bachelor’s degree in Sport Business with a minor in Business from Mount Union in 2011. He earned his Master's in Curriculum and Instruction in August 2014.
