Recruiting Areas
- South Florida - Miami, Broward, Dade County
- Georgia
Donovan Varner enters his fourth season with Rhode Island in 2021. He joined Jim Fleming's staff as the wide receivers coach in January of 2018. Before the 2020-21 season, he added the role of Pro Liaison to his duties.
In the COVID-19 shortened 2020-21 season, Varner coached Ivory Frimpong to second team All-CAA Football honors. Frimpong was the fourth wide receiver in three seasons to earn all-conference honors under Varner's watch.
In 2019, Varner helped Aaron Parker, Isaiah Coulter and Ahmere Dorsey become the most dangerous receiving trio in CAA Football. Parker was a consensus All-American and First Team All-CAA Football selection after he led CAA in receptions (81), receiving yards (1,224), receiving yards per game (102.0) and receptions per game (6.8). He was fourth in the country in total receiving yards and averaged 15.1 yards per catch. Parker had nine touchdown catches, the final of which gave him 30 in his storied career. A team captain, Parker recorded one 200-yard receiving game and five 100-yard games. Coulter was a second-team All-CAA selection after finnishing third in the league in receptions (71), receiving yards (1,039) and receptions per game (6.0). He also was fourth with 86.6 receiving yards per contest. Coulter averaged 14.4 yards per catch and finished the season with eight touchdown catches. Parker and Coulter had more receiving yards than any other teammate duo in the country, combining for 2,263 yards. The only other teammates to both top 1,000 yards in 2019 were Yale's JP Shohfi (1,012) and Reed Klubnik (1,002). Dorsey - who earned all-league honors as both a kick returner and punt returner - had 43 catches for 605 yards and four touchdowns.
In his first season, Varner coached junior Aaron Parker to CAA Football First Team All-Conference and New England Football Writer's Association All-New England recognition. Parker led all CAA Football players in receiving yards, receiving yards per game and touchdown receptions in the regular season, finishing with 61 catches for 955 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was 15th in the nation with 10 touchdown catches and became the seventh player in program history with at least 10 in one season. He also was 24th in the nation with 955 receiving yards, the sixth most in a season by a Ram.
Before coming to Rhode Island, Varner spent two seasons as an offensive graduate assistant coach at East Carolina, working closely with the wide receivers there. He worked weekly on film breakdown, scouting reports and offensive installs and also served as the academic liaison for the wide receiver position group. In addition to his wide receiver responsibilities, Varner coached on special teams, working directly with the snappers and holders. While at East Carolina, he coached All-American wide receiver Isaiah Jones, the NCAA Division I football career leader in receptions and one of three finalists for the 2016 Biletnikoff Award. He also worked with wideout Trevon Brown, a Second Team All-AAC honoree. He recruited in North Carolina and Florida (Miami/Broward).
Before his time at East Carolina, Varner was the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach for two seasons at Gulliver Preparatory High School in Miami, Fla. He handled play-calling for the offense while developing, promoting, and supervising all facets of the football program, from practice and game management to academic support, mentoring, and supervision of 40+ student athletes
During his playing career at Duke, Varner was a First Team All-ACC wide receiver in 2009 and won the team's Most Outstanding Wide Receiver honor in 2009 and 2011. He was a three-time member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll and earned his degree Sociology, Markets and Management Certificate in 2012. He played in the CFL with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in 2013.
updated 7/3/21
