Brandon Frase was named the Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach/Camp Coordinator in March of 2022. Frase joined the Panther football program in January of 2020 as the Defensive Backs Coach Special Teams Coordinator.
During his time at KWC, Frase's was instrumental in coaching KiShawn Walker, who was named to four separate All-American teams after his 2021 season. Walker is just the second Panther to be named to an All-American team since 2000 (Keelan Cole) and signed a rookie camp deal with the Houston Texans in the spring of 2022. Walker led the nation in passes defended (22) in 2021 and his five interceptions helped the Panther's rank 25th in the country in that category. Frase coached both Walker and Shedrick Kirk to two All-Conference teams, and Raymond Jackson to a 3rd team mark in 2021. In 2021, the Panthers finished second in the G-MAC in 4th down conversion defense, allowing teams to convert on just 38.1% of their 4th down possessions.
Prior to Wesleyan, Frase served as the Nickelbacks Coach at Valparaiso University. The Crusaders ranked in the Top 5 in the Pioneer Football League in scoring defense for the first time since 2004. The team finished fourth in the PFL in total defense, its best ranking in that area since 2007. The rushing defense (fourth) and passing defense (fifth) cracked the top five in the league for the first time since 2007 and 2008, respectively. On third down, the Valpo defense permitted opponents to convert just 32.4 percent of the time, the team’s best third-down defense since holding opponents to 28.7 percent in 2000. The 2019 campaign marked the first time Valpo finished in the top five in the PFL in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and passing defense all in the same season in over 19 years.
Frase was part of a unit that had a knack for dropping opponents behind the line of scrimmage as Valpo racked up 70 tackles for loss, the programs most since 2007 and tied for the fourth-most in a single season in program history. Valpo had seven or more tackles for loss in four different games, a feat the team had achieved just once in the previous three seasons combined.
Frase was part of the first victory of the Landon Fox head coaching era on Oct. 26, 2019 as Valpo topped Stetson 19-10. That win came behind a dominant defensive showing as Valpo allowed 10 points or fewer in a game for just the fourth time in a 19-year span. Stetson entered the contest ranked first in the FCS nation in total offense. The Hatters came into the game with a 5-1 record, the first time Valpo beat a team that stood at 5-1 or better since 2003.
Prior to Valpo, Frase served as a varsity assistant at the high school level, first at Cuyahoga Falls High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (July 2015 – January 2018) and then at Orange High School in Pepper Pike, Ohio (August 2018 – December 2018). At both schools, he was the wide receivers and defensive backs coach. He also spent the 2016 campaign as the co-defensive coordinator at Cuyahoga Falls.
During his time at Orange, Frase helped the team to a 5-0 start for the second time in school history and to an eventual OHSAA playoff berth, the third in school history. He coached multiple players who received all-conference honors including a safety who was a 2018 first-team selection after racking up 84 tackles.
Prior to his prep coaching career, Frase played wide receiver and safety at Ohio Wesleyan during the 2013 and 2014 seasons. He graduated from Kent State University with a degree in physical and health education in December 2018.
A native of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, Frase currently resides in Owensboro with his Fiance Kayla.
