One of the most decorated players in the history of Delaware State football, Milstead is in his fifth year as head coach of the Hornets. He was appointed to the position on Jan. 30, 2018.
Delaware State was 5-6 overall in 2021, its most wins since 2013, and 2-3 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
The ’21 Hornets also featured 17 All-MEAC players, including five first team honorees. Three players earned Historically Black College and University (HBCU) All-America recognition.  Â
Delaware State was tops in the MEAC in total defense at 314.6 yards allowed per game, and in pass defense at 188.8 ypg during the 2021 season. The Hornets were tied for the MEAC lead with 14 interceptions last season. Â
The 2021 season was also highlighted by a 33-27 overtime victory at Wagner, the Hornets’ first non-conference road win since 2011; and a thrilling come-from-behind triumph against Norfolk State after trailing by 26 points in the second half.    Â
The abbreviated 2020 season, which was played in the spring of 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, featured a 17-10 victory over Howard to snap the Hornets’ seven skid in season openers.
In March 2021 Milstead he was inducted into the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Hall-of-Fame.
In his second season as head coach, Milstead led the Hornets to a 16-13 victory over (then) MEAC co-leader Bethune-Cookman,
snapping a six-game losing streak to the Wildcats.
Also in 2019, Delaware State was fifth in the MEAC in rushing at 140.8 yards per game, while rushing for 14 touchdowns, the most
by the Hornets since tallying 17 in 2008.
Off the field, the 2019-20 Hornets posted a combined 3.05 grade-point-average for the spring semester and 2.9 GPA for theÂ
entire year.
Milstead was a standout offensive lineman for the Hornets from 1988 to ’91 before an eight-year career in the National
Football League.
During his tenure as a Hornets’ player, Milstead was a three-time All-MEAC First Team selection (1989, ’90, 91); and a
1991 Associated Press, Walter Camp and Sheridan Black College All-America First Team pick.
He helped lead Delaware State to the 1989 MEAC championship and a share of the conference title in 1988 and ’91. In addition, he
helped pave the way to the Hornets’ No. 1 ranking among all Division I-AA (now FCS) teams in rushing at 300.2 yards per game in
1990.
Delaware State named Milstead as its Male Athlete-of-the-Year and Senior Male Athlete-of-the-Year in 1992. He was inducted
into the Hornets’ Athletic Hall-of-Fame in 2003.
Milstead earned a bachelor’s in Sociology/Criminal Justice from Delaware State in 1992.
Following his collegiate career, Milstead was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the fifth round of the 1992 National Football
League draft. After several weeks in the Cowboys’ training camp, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns, where he played two
seasons.
In 1994, Milstead signed with the San Francisco 49ers, where he joined former Hornet star wide receiver John Taylor.
Milstead was a member of San Francisco’s 1995 Super Bowl champion squad. The Niners captured the title with a 49-26 win
over the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX in Miami, Fla .
In four seasons with the 49ers (1994-97), Milstead competed in 36 games, including 12 starts. He completed his professional playing ca-
reer after two seasons with the Washington Redskins (1998-99), during which he appeared in 20 games, starting 11.
In 2013, Milstead was offensive line coach at Delaware State’s MidEastern Athletic Conference rival North Carolina Central Uni-
versity.
From 2000 to ’06, he was the assistant head coach/offensive line coach at his high school alma mater, Lackey High in Indian
Head, Md.
Milstead was head football coach at La Plata High School in La Plata, Md., from 2015 to 2018.
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