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Jay Hopson

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American football player and coach (born 1968)

Jay Hopson
Hopson at 2017 C-USA Media Days
Current position
TitleCornerbacks coach
TeamSouth Alabama
ConferenceSun Belt
Biographical details
Born (1968-10-13) October 13, 1968 (age 56)
Vicksburg, Mississippi, U.S.
Alma materOle Miss
Delta State
Playing career
1988–1991Ole Miss
Position(s)Safety
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1992Tulane (GA)
1993Delta State (DB)
1994LSU (GA)
1995Florida (GA)
1996–2000Marshall (DB)
2001–2003Southern Miss (DB)
2004Ole Miss (DB/RC)
2005Southern Miss (DC/DB)
2006–2007Southern Miss (DC/MLB)
2008–2009Michigan (LB)
2010–2011Memphis (DC/S)
2012–2015Alcorn State
2016–2020Southern Miss
2021–2022Mississippi State (DA/DHSR)
2023–presentSouth Alabama (CB)
Head coaching record
Overall60–40
Bowls1–3
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2× SWAC (2014, 2015)
2× SWAC East Division (2014, 2015)
1 black college national (2014)

James Walter Hopson (born October 13, 1968) is an American college football coach and former player. He is the cornerbacks coach for the University of South Alabama, a position he has held since 2023. He has been a head coach at Southern Miss and Alcorn State. In the latter role, he was the first white head football coach in the history of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, an organization composed of historically black colleges and universities. Hopson has also served as an assistant coach at Tulane, Delta State, LSU, Florida, Marshall, Southern Miss, Ole Miss, Michigan, and Memphis.

Coaching career

Hopson's coaching career began with a stint as a graduate assistant with Tulane in 1992. Delta State hired him to coach defensive backs for the 1993 season. He left Delta State in July 1994 to be a graduate assistant at LSU. For 1995, he was a graduate assistant at Florida during that team's Southeastern Conference (SEC) championship run.

Marshall

Following the 1995 season, Marshall hired Florida defensive coordinator Bob Pruett as its new head coach, and Hopson joined his staff as defensive backs coach. 1996 was Marshall's final season at the Division I-AA level and the team won the I-AA championship. In 1997, Marshall moved up to NCAA Division I-A and competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference. Under Hopson, the 1999 and 2000 teams led the country in interceptions.

Southern Miss and Ole Miss

Southern Miss hired Hopson as its defensive backs coach in 2001. Hopson succeeded Tyrone Nix, who was elevated to defensive coordinator to replace Dave Wommack. Hopson coached defensive backs from 2001–2003, during which time Southern Miss' pass defense was one of the best in the country. In 2004, Hopson returned to Ole Miss, his alma mater, to improve its defensive backfield. Ole Miss fired head coach David Cutcliffe at the end of the season, and Hopson returned to Southern Miss as defensive coordinator.

Hopson served as defensive coordinator from 2005–2007 under long-time head coach Jeff Bower. Southern Miss forced Bower to resign following the 2007 season, and new head coach Larry Fedora did not retain Hopson for his staff.

Michigan and Memphis

Michigan hired Hopson in January 2008 to coach linebackers under incoming head coach Rich Rodriguez. Hopson departed Michigan after the 2009 season to become defensive coordinator at Memphis under new head coach Larry Porter. Hopson resigned from Memphis on September 14, 2011, following consecutive blowout losses against Mississippi State and Arkansas State. Mike DuBose and Galen Scott succeeded Hopson as co-defensive coordinators. Hopson was offered–and declined–an opportunity to remain on staff in a different role. Memphis fired Porter at the end of the season.

Alcorn State

Alcorn State hired Hopson to be its head football coach on May 28, 2012. Hopson was the first white head football coach in the history of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, which is composed of historically black colleges and universities. Hopson succeeded Melvin Spears, under whom the program had gone 2–8 the previous year. Hopson was head coach at Alcorn State for four seasons, from 2012–2015. His overall record at Alcorn State was 32–17. Both the 2014 and 2015 teams won the SWAC Championship Game; the 2014 was named the black college football national champion.

Southern Miss

Hopson returned to Southern Miss on January 30, 2016, this time as its head coach. Hopson coached four full seasons with Southern Miss, resigning after the first game of the 2020 season. His overall record at Southern Miss was 28–23, with one win in three bowl appearances. A highlight of Hopson's tenure was a 2015 win against Kentucky, Southern Miss' first win against an SEC school since 2000. Co-offensive coordinator Scotty Walden succeeded Hopson as interim head coach.

Mississippi State and South Alabama

Mike Leach hired Hopson as a defensive analyst and Director of High School Relations at Mississippi State in March 2021. Leach died unexpectedly on December 12, 2022, at the age of 61. South Alabama hired Hopson as its cornerbacks coach in January 2023. Head coach Kane Wommack was a walk-on at Southern Miss in 2007 when Hopson was defensive coordinator there, and Kane's father Dave was linebackers coach at the time. Kane Wommack departed South Alabama after the 2023 season to become defensive coordinator at Alabama; new head coach Major Applewhite retained Hopson on his staff.

Head coaching record

Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Alcorn State Braves (Southwestern Athletic Conference) (2012–2015)
2012 Alcorn State 4–7 4–5 5th (East)
2013 Alcorn State 9–3 7–2 T–2nd (East)
2014 Alcorn State 10–3 7–2 1st (East)
2015 Alcorn State 9–4 7–2 1st (East) L Celebration
Alcorn State: 32–17 25–11
Southern Miss Golden Eagles (Conference USA) (2016–2020)
2016 Southern Miss 7–6 4–4 3rd (West) W New Orleans
2017 Southern Miss 8–5 6–2 3rd (West) L Independence
2018 Southern Miss 6–5 5–3 T–2nd (West)
2019 Southern Miss 7–6 5–3 3rd (West) L Armed Forces
2020 Southern Miss 0–1 (West)
Southern Miss: 28–23 20–12
Total: 60–40
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

  1. "Jay Hopson named cornerbacks coach for the Jags". University of South Alabama Athletics. February 7, 2023. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  2. Hilsdon, Donald (September 2, 1993). "Ex-Viking Lands In Delta St. System". The Vicksburg Post. p. 40. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. "LSU names graduate assistant". The Town Talk. July 15, 1994. p. 14. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. Southern Miss Athletics (2019). "2019 Southern Miss Football Media Gate" (PDF). pp. 8–9.
  5. "Marshall coach in line to take USM position". Hattiesburg American. March 3, 2001. p. 13. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ Kelly, Todd (March 18, 2001). "Hopson thankful for job in native state". Clarion-Ledger. p. 31. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Wallace, Michael (September 3, 2004). "Doc for ailing secondary". Clarion-Ledger. p. 33. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. Jones, Al (December 23, 2004). "Hopson, Eagles together again". Sun Herald. pp. 35, 38. Retrieved November 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. Jones, Al (November 27, 2007). "Golden Eagles in shock". Sun Herald. p. 20. Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. Murphy, Sean P. (January 9, 2008). "Hopson headed to Michigan". The Vicksburg Post. pp. 25, 28. Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. Magee, Patrick (January 13, 2008). "Freshman Benite fitting in nicely with USM squad". Hattiesburg American. p. 13. Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Hopson in line for Memphis job". The Vicksburg Post. December 24, 2009. p. 13. Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. Stukenborg, Phil (September 15, 2011). "Porter makes change at def. coordinator". The Jackson Sun. p. 23. Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Memphis defensive coordinator Hopson resigns". ESPN.com. September 14, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  15. "Porter dismissed as Memphis coach". The Vicksburg Post. November 28, 2011. p. 10. Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Alcorn hires first white SWAC football coach". The Greenwood Commonwealth. May 29, 2012. p. A7. Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. Cleveland, Rick (December 9, 2015). "Hopson's revival of Alcorn football impressive". The Greenwood Commonwealth. p. A8. Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. Munz, Jason (January 30, 2016). "USM names Jay Hopson football coach". The Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  19. "Hopson out, Walden in as USM football coach". Enterprise-Journal. September 9, 2020. p. A12. Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. Horka, Tyler (March 21, 2021). "High Praise". Hattiesburg American. pp. C1, C2. Retrieved November 29, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. Langlois, Brandon; Salter, Sid (December 13, 2022). "MSU Bulldog family, college football community mourns the death of Coach Mike Leach". Mississippi State Bulldogs Athletics. Retrieved December 13, 2022.
  22. Stephenson, Creg (January 30, 2023). "South Alabama hires Jay Hopson as cornerbacks coach". AL.com. Retrieved November 29, 2024.
  23. Stephenson, Creg (February 5, 2024). "South Alabama officially announces 5 members of 2024 football staff". AL.com. Retrieved November 29, 2024.

External links

Alcorn State Braves head football coaches
Southern Miss Golden Eagles head football coaches
# denotes interim head coach
1996 Marshall Thundering Herd football—NCAA Division I-AA national champions
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