Updated: August 18, 2026
Back for his fourth season on the Blue Jay coaching staff is Derrick Mason. Mason works as a defensive assistant under coordinator BJ Hill.
The team has known nothing but success since Mason arrived in 2023 as the Blue Jays have compiled a 36-5 record with three trips to the NCAA Playoffs and two Centennial Conference titles. Johns Hopkins is one of just two teams in the nation that has advanced to at least the NCAA Quarterfinals in each of the last three years (North Central) as a run to the quarterfinals in Mason's first season in 2023 was followed by back-to-back appearances in the semifinals.
A remarkable 2025 season saw the Blue Jays post a program record-matching 12 wins (12-1) while advancing to the NCAA Semifnals for the second straight year. The success came largely on the back of a defense that allowed just 19.1 points and 316.6 yards per game while racking up 40 sacks and forcing 21 turnovers.
In 2024, Mason helped guide the Blue Jays to a 12-2 record, the program’s 17th Centennial Conference title and a run to the NCAA Semifinals for the second time in program history. The remarkable 2024 season was spearheaded by a defense that allowed just 13.6 points per game and held 10 consecutive opponents to 14 points or less during a 10-game winning streak that landed the Blue Jays in the NCAA Semifinals.
In his first season at Homewood, Mason helped lead a Blue Jay defense that was instrumental in the team’s run to the NCAA Quarterfinals, Centennial Conference Championship and 12-1 record. The Johns Hopkins defense held the opposition to just 20.1 points and 325 yards of total offense per game. In addition, the Blue Jays’ 13 opponents averaged just 196.8 yards per game through the air and opposing quarterbacks completed just 47.2 percent of their pass attempts. The opponent completion percentage was the lowest allowed by the Blue Jays since 2003.
Mason has an extensive high school coaching background in the state of Maryland and most recently served at Meade High School, where he was an assistant coach with the varsity team and head JV coach as well. While at Meade, he also served as an assistant baseball coach.
Prior to his one-year stint at Meade, Mason also served as the defensive coordinator at North County High School (2020-21) and as an offensive and defensive assistant at Glen Burnie (2015-19).
At each of the three schools he’s coached at, Mason was involved in all aspects of program development, including on-field coaching, game-planning, strength and conditioning and student-athlete mentorship.
