Coach DeVondre Bazemore

By: Haroun Savage (NCMFC Staff)

Football has been a constant in DeVondre Bazemore’s life, beginning with neighborhood games in Portsmouth, Virginia. His first experience with organized football came with the Churchland Tigers before he later played Pop Warner for the Norfolk Saints in eighth grade. He went on to attend Churchland High School, where winning became a regular part of his playing experience, and his teams consistently competed in the playoffs.

Bazemore continued his career at Concord University before ultimately finishing his degree at Norfolk State University. Once his playing days ended, he found himself drawn back to the game, this time with an opportunity to impact players as a coach.

That opportunity came through Benjamin DuBois, one of Bazemore’s former coaches. After the two crossed paths, DuBois offered him a chance to coach defensive backs at Portsmouth Christian in 2014. The transition required Bazemore to look at football differently. He quickly learned that understanding the game as a player and teaching it as a coach were two separate skills. He had to learn how much information his players could retain and how to communicate his knowledge in a way they could use on the field. The experience also challenged him in another way. After spending much of his playing career on successful teams, losing was unfamiliar territory. It forced Bazemore to look beyond the scoreboard and place a greater emphasis on developing the young men he coached.

Leadership itself came naturally. Bazemore had watched his father, Trent Bazemore, a longtime basketball coach, lead and serve others throughout his life. That example gave him something to model as he began finding his own approach to coaching.

His career eventually brought him back to Churchland High School before he later became a head coach at Smithfield High School during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coaching during that period presented circumstances that went well beyond football. With players dealing with uncertainty and challenges away from the field, Bazemore found himself spending as much time mentoring as he did coaching. Supporting his players and making sure they had someone they could rely on became a priority. On the field, his team had only two weeks to prepare for its spring season, but opened the year with an overtime victory. After a COVID outbreak, the team only played 2 more games that season, ending with a 2-1 record.

After his time as a head coach ended, Bazemore joined Nansemond River High School as an assistant. Moving back into an assistant role required a different mindset. Instead of running his own program, his focus became supporting the head coach, helping wherever he was needed, and continuing to develop his craft. His first opportunity at the college level came at Elizabeth City State University after connecting with David Castillo at the AFCA Convention. Bazemore made sure Castillo knew he was available if an opportunity opened, and that relationship eventually led to him joining the staff.

Working with the safeties, Bazemore continued building his experience at the college level and helped coach Jaevon Branch, who earned CIAA Rookie of the Year honors. When Castillo later accepted another position, Adrian Jones kept Bazemore on staff, giving him another opportunity to continue learning and establishing himself in the profession.

Bazemore now serves in a quality control role at Norfolk State, bringing his career back to the university where he earned his degree. The opportunity also reunited him with a familiar face. Coach Steve Adams recruited Bazemore to Concord during his playing career, and the two maintained their relationship over the years. When Norfolk State needed additional support on staff, Bazemore saw an opportunity to work alongside coaches he respected while contributing to a program that already meant something to him.

Several coaches have played a role in helping Bazemore reach this point. He credits his high school coach, Coach Ricks, along with DuBois, Castillo, and Jones, for investing in his development and providing opportunities at important stages of his career. He also values his relationships with Norfolk State safeties coach Wilson Appleton, Virginia Tech wide receivers coach Fontel Mines, and Wake Forest wide receivers coach Dyrell Roberts. Their willingness to introduce him to others in the profession and speak on his behalf has shown Bazemore the importance of having people who believe in his ability and his work.

Each relationship has contributed something different to his development, but Bazemore remains appreciative of one thing they have in common: they gave him opportunities to do the work, learn, and become a better coach.

For now, Bazemore’s focus is firmly on Norfolk State.

He is excited about the team the Spartans have put together and believes they have an opportunity to surprise people while competing with some of the top teams on their schedule. With Head Coach Michael Vick and his staff continuing to establish their vision for the program, Bazemore sees a competitive edge returning to Norfolk State and wants to do his part to help the Spartans win.

His approach to the immediate future is simple: be where his feet are and make the most of his current opportunity.

Further down the road, Bazemore hopes his experiences as a position coach, head coach, assistant, and quality control coach will prepare him to lead a college program of his own. His long-term goal is to become a head coach at the FBS level, continuing a career that has been shaped by leadership, mentorship, and a willingness to learn at every stop.

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