Malik Slater is one of the rising young coaches in college football, bringing experience from championship-caliber programs across the FBS, FCS, and Division II levels. A former standout linebacker at Valdosta State University, Slater has built a reputation for developing defensive talent, recruiting high-level student-athletes, and contributing to winning cultures at every stop of his coaching career.
Most recently, Slater returned to his alma mater, Valdosta State University, where he serves as the Inside Linebacker coach for one of Division II football's premier programs. In his first season with the Blazers, he mentored All-Gulf South Conference linebacker Jaden Dawkins and helped lead the program to its third consecutive Gulf South Conference Championship and 12th overall conference championship. His leadership and development of the linebacker unit played a key role in maintaining Valdosta State's championship standard and defensive success.
Prior to his return to Valdosta State, Slater served on the staff at Kennesaw State University, where he assisted the defensive staff during the Owls' transition to the FBS level. In his role, he contributed to defensive game planning, opponent scouting, player development, recruiting operations, and the continued growth of the program during one of the most significant transitions in school history.
Before joining Kennesaw State, Slater spent the 2023 season at Florida State University as a defensive graduate assistant, working with the Seminoles' linebackers during one of the most successful seasons in program history. Florida State completed a perfect 13-0 regular season, captured the program's 16th ACC Championship, and earned a berth in the Orange Bowl.
Defensively, the Seminoles established themselves as one of the nation's elite units. Florida State was the only team in the country to force more incompletions than completions allowed, while its 48.3 percent opponent completion percentage marked the lowest by a Power Five defense since 2016. The Seminoles led the nation with 80 pass breakups, 90 passes defended, and 6.43 passes defended per game. Florida State also ranked sixth nationally in opponent passing efficiency defense (103.83), sixth in sacks per game (3.29), seventh in passing touchdowns allowed (12), and held opponents to a 28.8 percent third-down conversion rate. The defense produced 12 of the Seminoles' program-record 25 All-ACC selections during the championship campaign.
Prior to Florida State, Slater worked at Liberty University as a defensive graduate assistant during the 2022 season working with the Defensive Line/Outside Linebackers. He helped a Flames defense that ranked among the nation's best, finishing No. 1 nationally in tackles for loss per game (9.3) and No. 3 in sacks per game (3.46). During his time at Liberty, Slater worked closely with standout Outside Linebacker Durrell Johnson, who led the country with 27.5 tackles for loss and was a second-team Walter Camp All-American before being signed by the Dallas Cowboys.
Slater began his coaching career at Tusculum University, where he quickly advanced through several roles including defensive line coach, linebackers coach, and defensive run game coordinator. During his tenure, he helped lead the program to the 2021 South Atlantic Conference Spring Championship while developing multiple all-conference performers and contributing to one of the conference's top defensive units.
Slater began his collegiate playing career at Jacksonville University. He played in 21 games at Jacksonville, totaling 113 tackles, 7.5 for loss with 2.5 sacks, and was an all-conference honorable mention selection in 2015. He then transferred to Valdosta State and was a two-year starter at linebacker. He recorded 115 tackles, 7.0 for loss, in 20 career games for the Blazers. He was a first-team all-conference, first-team all Super Region II, and a Division II Honorable Mention All-American his senior season. Slater went on to participate in the FCS Senior Bowl, in which he was named the FCS Senior Bowl Defensive MVP. Slater also earned an invitation to the Tropical Bowl All-Star Game.
A Tallahassee native who attended Rickards High School, Slater earned his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Valdosta State in 2020 and completed his master’s in sports administration from Tusculum in 2021.
Coaching Experience
2025-Current: Valdosta State University - Inside Linebackers Coach / Off-Campus Housing
2024: Kennesaw State University - Defensive Assistant - Inside Linebackers Coach
2023: Florida State University - Defensive Graduate Assistant - Inside Linebackers
2022: Liberty University - Defensive Graduate Assistant Coach - DL/OLBs
2020-2021: Tusculum University - Defensive Run Game Coordinator / Inside Linebacker Coach / DL/OLB Coach
