<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720468817752.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Bethel College Athletics" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Bethel College Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure><div>Bethel College Athletics
 
NORTH NEWTON, Kan.&nbsp;- The Bethel College Athletic Department has announced the resignation of Head Football Coach&nbsp;<dfn style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://bethelthreshers.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/a-b-stokes/529" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(177, 16, 43);">A.B. Stokes</a></dfn>&nbsp;and the appointment of&nbsp;<dfn style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://bethelthreshers.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/daylon-markham/532" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(177, 16, 43);">Daylon Markham</a></dfn>&nbsp;as Interim Head Coach for the upcoming season. &nbsp; &quot;We want to thank Coach Stokes for his time at Bethel College,&quot; stated Athletic Director Tim Swartzendruber. &quot;Coach Stokes is a first-class person and led our program with class both on and off the field.&quot; &nbsp; AB Stokes took over the helm during a time of uncertainty for the Threshers. He took over a program that had just come off of back-to-back KCAC Conference Championships and had nearly the entire coaching staff leave. &nbsp; &quot;I&apos;m very thankful for my time at Bethel. I wish nothing but the best for the coaches, players and Bethel Community,&quot; Stokes said. &quot; I&apos;m very confident in the plans for the future and have the utmost respect for Tim and Coach Markham in all they do. I&apos;m also excited to get back to Oklahoma and continue the ministry I started there two and a half years ago.&quot; &nbsp; During Coach Stokes&apos; career, the Threshers won a conference championship in 2022, finishing with a 9-1 record. In 2023, the Threshers finished with a 6-5 record including a 20-13 victory over #20 Southwestern College. &nbsp; Stokes coached 44 All-KCAC selections and seven NAIA All-American&apos;s during his short return to the Threshers. &nbsp; &quot;My family and I can&apos;t thank Bethel enough for the opportunity, God bless,&quot; Coach Stokes finished. &nbsp; <dfn style="text-align: start;color: rgb(0, 0, 0);background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);font-size: 16px;"><a href="https://bethelthreshers.com/sports/football/roster/coaches/daylon-markham/532" rel="smarttag" style="color: rgb(177, 16, 43);">Daylon Markham</a></dfn>, the Defensive Coordinator under Coach Stokes, will take over as Interim Head Coach for the upcoming 2024 Football season. &nbsp; &quot;I am excited to have Coach Markham as our Interim Head Coach. Our defense has excelled under Coach Markham since he arrived at Bethel College,&quot; AD Swartzendruber stated. &quot; In order to have a great program, I firmly believe you must have a great defense. I am confident that Coach Markham can continue our success in the football program.&quot; &nbsp; In the 2023 season, Markham finished his third season with the squad, his first as the Defensive Coordinator. &nbsp; &quot;I am excited for this opportunity and I would like to thank Tim for believing in me,&quot; Markham said. &quot;I am ready to keep this program going in the right direction. The staff and players are ready to get back to work and have a great season.&quot; &nbsp; Under Markham, the Threshers held their opponents to 23.3 points per game, giving up just 2.6 yards per rushing attempt and 5.44 yards per attempt through the air. The Thresher defense allowed just over 31% on third-down conversions. &nbsp; Markham concluded by thanking Coach Stokes, &quot; I would like to thank Coach Stokes for everything he&apos;s done for this program, we wish him well on his next endeavor.&quot; &nbsp; Prior to his coaching career, Markham played at Harding University, where he compiled 155 solo tackles and five interceptions. He was able to earn a nod on the Don Hansen NCAA DII All-America team in 2016, while also helping Harding win a conference championship in the same season. Markham received his undergrad degree in Criminal Justice as well as an MBA from Harding University.</div>

🏈 Bethel College announces Stokes resigns as head coach