When the 2026 football season begins, Brant Bailey will begin his fifth season on Tarleton State's coaching staff and fourth as the Texans' strength and conditioning coach, a brand new position created in 2023.
On the Tarleton State Football staff during the historic season in 2025, the Texans posted its best season in the Division era. The Texans won a share of the United Athletic Conference title, earned the No. 4 seed in the FCS Playoffs, and advanced to the quarterfinals in just their second year of playoff eligibility as a Division I program. Tarleton State began the season winning a pair of nationally televised games (42-0 at Portland State on ESPN2 during Week 0, 30-27 OT at Army on CBS Sports Network during Week 1), and were ranked as high as No. 2 in the national polls. With an overtime win against Austin Peay on Nov. 22, the Texans clinched a share of the UAC Championship. It was Tarleton State's third conference championship in the past eight seasons, and the Texans' sixth conference championship as an NCAA institution. The 2025 conference title marked Tarleton State Football's first conference championship in the NCAA Division I era, and Tarleton State Athletics' second regular season conference championship in the D1 era (Tennis in 2022). When the Selection Show came around, it was no surprise to see Tarleton State’s name in the playoff field. The Texans not only earned a first-round bye, but also collected their highest-ever playoff seed as a Division I program. Tarleton State clinched its 12th win of the season with their victory in the second round of the FCS Playoffs, matching the most in a single season in program history. The United Athletic Conference co-champions and No. 4 seed reached the final eight for the first time in their Division I history. Tarleton State was just the first FCS team since 1993 (Troy) to make the FCS Playoffs Quarterfinals in its first two seasons of playoff eligibility (8+ team format in FCS). The Texans are the first active FCS program to accomplish that feat since 1985 (Eastern Washington). The Texans were ranked No. 6 in both the final Stats Perform Top 25 Poll and the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll. The record-setting season was recognized with a plethora of awards. In addition to having 12 players named to All-UAC Teams, four Texans earned spots on the Stats Perform FCS All-America Teams. Tarleton State was also well represented nationally in the postseason awards, having Texans as finalists for the Buck Buchanan, Jerry Rice, Eddie Robinson and Walter Payton awards. Academically, 12 Texans earned spots on the UAC All-Academic Teams.
The Texans posted a historic campaign in 2024, going 10-4 overall and 6-2 in United Athletic Conference play, winning their FCS Playoffs debut against Drake before dropping a tight contest at No. 4 South Dakota in Vermillion in the second round. It was the longest regular season in program history both in number of games played and number of days on the calendar, with Tarleton State opening on Week 0 (a 26-23 win over McNeese on ESPN2) on Aug. 23, and finishing with a 42-31 loss at South Dakota on Dec. 7. On Nov. 30, 13-seed Tarleton hosted Drake in the first round of the FCS Playoffs winning 43-29 at Memorial Stadium. The Texans became the fifth team in the history of the FCS Playoffs (Division I-AA Playoffs), which goes back 46 years, to win their first playoff game at the FCS level in their first year eligible after reclassifying from NCAA Division II. Two of those five teams comprised of the four-team playoff field in that initial round of the FCS Playoffs – Florida A&M and UMass, in 1978. The other two programs are currently in the FBS; Troy in 1993 and UCF in 1990. The Texans earned the No. 13 seed in the FCS Playoffs among the 24-team field across 129 FCS programs in just their first year of championship eligibility. They had become just the first team fresh off of reclassification to make the playoffs since 2009 (South Dakota State). Tarleton State was named No. 12 in the final AFCA FCS Coaches Poll of the season, and No. 13 in the final Stats Perform FCS Top 25 Poll of the season. Tarleton State was ranked in both polls every single week of the 2024 campaign, from the preseason through the postseason. The Texans were just one of 11 teams nationwide to never leave the polls, joined by Idaho, Illinois State, Montana, Montana State, North Dakota State, South Dakota, South Dakota State, UC Davis, UIW and Villanova. Tarleton State started 2024 7-1, with a six-game winning streak, their best start and their longest winning streak in the D1 era. The Texans finished second in the UAC. Across the board, Tarleton State was ranked No. 22 in total offense and they forced the tied-third most turnovers. Tarleton State had both the leading receiver (Darius Cooper at 1,450 yards) and the leading rusher (Kayvon Britten at 1,982) across all of the FCS.
In Tarleton State’s final year of their four-year reclassification period, Bailey helped the Texans finish 8-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play. They finished second in the inaugural United Athletic Conference, despite being picked to finish sixth in the 2023 Preseason UAC Coaches Poll.
Bailey spent the 2022 season leading the Texan tight ends as they helped block for a fearsome Texan rushing attack that led the WAC at 174.6 yards per game. Shawn McFarland paced the Texan tight ends with five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown.
Bailey spent the 2021 season on the Tarleton State football staff as the director of football operations.
During the unprecedented 2020-21 academic year, Bailey spent the year as a graduate assistant coach in the athletic performance program at Tarleton State. He assisted with the strength and conditioning for several programs, including football.
Bailey entered the professional world after a standout, four-year football career at Tarleton State University. Bailey came to Tarleton State as one of Todd Whitten’s first recruiting class when he returned prior to the 2016 season. Bailey made an immediate impact by starting as a true freshman and earning honorable mention All-Lone Star Conference recognition.
The Eastland native transformed into a team leader and was a catalyst for two of the best football teams to take the field at Tarleton State. He led the Texans to back-to-back LSC Championships and undefeated regular seasons in 2018 and 2019.
Bailey was a four-time All-LSC selection on the field, as well as a 2018 Don Hansen All-Region honoree. He was a National Football Foundation William V. Campbell Trophy national semifinalist and Tarleton State's The Grove Male Student-Athlete of the Year in 2019. He was also a member of the LSC All-Athletic Performance Team and a three-time recipient of Tarleton State's Texan Iron award.
In 2019, he graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology with an emphasis on fitness, athletic and strength training from Tarleton State. He earned his master’s degree in sports administration in 2021.
