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Over 30 Years of NCAA Coaching Experience
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Jay Hopson
Jay Hopson is an NCAA football coach and former player with 33 years of coaching experience. He is currently the Cornerbacks Coach for the University of South Alabama.
In 2016, Hopson made history as the only head coach in the history of the State of Mississippi to guide two different in-state universities to bowl games when he led the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles to victory in the New Orleans Bowl.
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Prior to his head coaching tenure at Southern Miss, Hopson made national headlines when he was named Head Coach at Alcorn State University in 2012, becoming the first White head football coach in the history of the Southwestern Athletic Conference–an organization made up entirely of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
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Previously, Hopson served as an assistant coach at Tulane, Delta State, LSU, Florida, Marshall, Southern Miss, Ole Miss, Michigan, and Memphis. In total, Hopson has won or appeared in 16 bowl games across his 30+ year coaching career and holds a head coaching record of 60-40 (.600).
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Hopson played football at the University of Mississippi, earning four letters as a defensive back from 1988-1991. There, he was a four-time Academic All-SEC Honor Roll selection.
Head Coaching Accomplishments
University of Southern Mississippi
2016-2020
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Ushered the Golden Eagles to four straight bowl-eligible seasons (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
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Took home victory in the 2016 New Orleans Bowl, and appeared in the 2017 Independence Bowl and 2019 Armed Forces Bowl
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Led defenses and offenses that ranked in the top-5 and top-25 in the NCAA, respectively
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Secured 20 conference wins during his four full seasons from 2016-2019, which made him the second-winningest coach in Conference-USA during that span
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His team became the first Golden Eagles group in 27 years to defeat an SEC opponent with a winning record when Southern Miss defeated the University of Kentucky in 2016
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Won 15 games across his first two seasons at the helm, tying a school record
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Produced 11 Conference-USA First Team selections, and mentored four NFL Draft picks
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Guided his defensive unit to as high as 3rd in the entire NCAA in Total Yards Against Per Game (287.4)–the best from a Golden Eagles defense since 2000
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His offensive unit reached as high as 21st in the NCAA in Total Yards Per Game (472.8)
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Raised funds needed to overhaul the team's facilities, turning the locker room, team meeting room, weight room and coaches room into a state-of-the-art complex
Alcorn state university
2012-2015
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Became the first White head football coach in the history of the Southwestern Athletic Conference
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Turned the program around, leading Alcorn State to back-to-back conference championships in 2014 and 2015 (the first-ever SWAC Championship Game appearances in school history)
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Ended the school's 30-year HBCU National Championship drought when he brought home the 2014 title
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Hopson's Braves won nine games in 2013 (the most in 30 years) and proceeded to set a school record the following year with 10 wins in 2014
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Delivered another nine-win season in 2015, culminating in the University's first-ever bowl appearance (2015 Celebration Bowl)
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Racked up a total of 32 wins from 2012-2015, making the 2015 senior class the winningest in Alcorn's history
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Honored as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award in 2013 as FCS Coach of the Year
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Named the BOXTOROW National Coach of the Year in 2014
Assistant Coaching highlights
University of South Alabama
Cornerbacks Coach (2023-Present)
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Helped the Jaguars to back-to-back bowl game victories in 2023 (68 Ventures Bowl) and 2024 (Salute to Veterans Bowl)
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The two bowl wins are the first in South Alabama's history
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Hopson's 2023 secondary led the Sun Belt Conference in pass defense and was ranked 15th in the country in total defense
University of Southern Mississippi
Defensive Backs Coach (2001-2003)
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Hopson's secondary led the country with the fewest passing touchdowns allowed in 2002, and they ranked fourth in the nation in pass efficiency defense
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In 2003, they finished first in the C-USA and fifth in the NCAA in pass defense
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In all three of Hopson's seasons, Southern Miss ranked in the top-15 nationally in scoring defense
University of Southern Mississippi
Defensive Coordinator (2005-2007)
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Hopson's unit led Conference-USA in scoring defense each of his three seasons from '05-'07
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Named the 2007 All-American Football Foundation Assistant Coach of the Year
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In 2006, Hopson's defense paced Conference-USA in third down and red zone defense while scoring seven TDs, which was a school record
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In 2005, they led the league in turnovers forced per game and led the entire nation in fumbles gained
Marshall University
Defensive Backs Coach (1996-2000)
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Helped lead Marshall to the NCAA FCS National Championship in 1996 as well as four-straight Mid-American Conference championships from 1997-2000
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Hopson's 1999 defensive backfield led the nation in interceptions and finished second in the nation in scoreing defense
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His 1997 and 1998 secondaries finished in the top-15 nationally in pass defense as well as top-25 in scoring defense
University of Mississippi
Defensive Backs Coach (2004)
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Under Hopson's leadership, the Ole Miss pass defense improved from 109th nationally in 2003 to 49th during the 2024 campaign
University of Florida
Graduate Assistant (1995)
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Assisted the 1995 Florida Gators en route to a Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championship
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Appeared in the 1995 College Football National Championship held at the Fiesta Bowl