A History of Jacksonville State University Football Coaches
The Jacksonville State Gamecocks college football team represents Jacksonville State University as a member of Conference USA (C-USA). The Gamecocks compete as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. Since the program's inception in 1904, it has been guided by a series of head coaches, each leaving their mark on the team's legacy. This article delves into the history of these coaches, highlighting their achievements and contributions to Jacksonville State football.
Early Coaching Era
The Jacksonville State football program has a rich history dating back to 1904. Over the years, numerous coaches have led the Gamecocks, each contributing to the program's evolution.
Postseason Appearances and Conference Championships
Since 1904, ten coaches have led Jacksonville State in postseason appearances: Don Salls, Jim Blevins, Charley Pell, Jim Fuller, Bill Burgess, Jack Crowe, Bill Clark, John Grass, Rich Rodriguez, and Rod Smith. Nine of those coaches also won conference championships: Salls captured three as a member of the Alabama Intercollegiate Conference; Salls captured four and Blevins two as a member of the Alabama Collegiate Conference; Pell captured one as a member of the Mid-South Athletic Conference; Clarkie Mayfield captured one, Fuller four, Burgess four as a member of the Gulf South Conference; Crowe captured two and Grass six as a member of the Ohio Valley Conference; and Rodriguez one as a member of the ASUN Conference and one as a member of C-USA.
Don Salls: A Legacy of Wins
Don Salls holds the distinction of being the longest-tenured coach in Jacksonville State football history. During his 18 years with the program, Salls amassed 95 victories, establishing a foundation for future success. Salls captured three conference championships as a member of the Alabama Intercollegiate Conference and Salls captured four as a member of the Alabama Collegiate Conference
John Grass: A Modern Era of Dominance
John Grass stands out as a modern coaching icon in Jacksonville State football history. Grass has the highest winning percentage with 0.735. Prior to coming to JSU in 2013, Grass was head coach at Oxford High School from 2008-2012, where he posted five straight winning seasons and a 41-16 record. While serving as head coach at Spain Park High School from 2006-2007, Grass was named the 2007 AHSAA Class 6A Coach of the Year after leading his team to the state championship game. Grass coached at Moody High School from 2003-2005, where he took over a team that had won six games in the previous six years before he took control. From 2002-2003, Grass was head coach at Albertville High School, a school that had won five games in the three years before he took over, and led them to the 2002 Class 5A quarterfinals. Grass spent two seasons as the Offensive Coordinator for Hoover High School from 2000-2001. Grass’s first head coaching job came at Ashville High School, where he coached from 1995-1999. Grass also served as an assistant coach at Eufaula High School and Ashville High School. He began his coaching career at Ashville High School from 1990-1992, where he served as Offensive Coordinator and Strength and Conditioning Coach. Grass graduated from Jacksonville State in 1990 with a degree in physical education.
Read also: Zoo Internship Program
His 68-21 record over seven seasons is the best start to a tenure in JSU history, while his 23-3 record heading into the 2016 FCS Division I Championship Game tied for the best 26-game start to a career in FCS history. In seven years, he has been named the AFCA’s Region Coach of the Year an FCS-record five times and the Ohio Valley Conference Roy Kidd Coach of the Year three times. That first season as a collegiate head coach in 2014 saw him take JSU to a 10-2 record and as high as No. Year number two was better, seeing the Gamecocks post a 13-2 record that included their first-ever trip to the FCS National Championship Game in Frisco, Texas. JSU catapulted into the No. 1 spot in the STATS polls, its first No. 1 ranking in school history, after falling in overtime at No. The next two seasons each saw him take the Gamecocks to 10-2 records and unbeaten OVC marks en route to their third- and fourth-straight conference titles. A program that had never seen a 5,000-yard season in over 100 years of tradition, the first three seasons under Grass’ offensive mind saw the Gamecock offense amass over 6,000 yards of total offense in five of his eight seasons and over 7,000 in 2015.
His 2013 season as JSU’s offensive coordinator exceeded all expectations. His offensive unit was the most prolific in JSU history, breaking school records en route to helping the Gamecocks post an 11-4 record and advance to the Quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. JSU rolled over No. 16 Samford, 55-14, in the first round before a convincing 31-10 win at No. 6 McNeese State in the second round. After a loss at No. 3 Eastern Washington in the Quarterfinals, the Gamecocks were ranked No. A quick-strike attack that scored 24 times on drives of less than one minute, the Gamecock offense amassed 6,637 yards of total offense, 1,755 yards more than any team in school history, and racked up 528 points, 107 more than the previous record set in 1991.
Leading the rushing attack was junior All-American DaMarcus James. Also a first team All-OVC selection, James ran for a school record 1,477 yards and was second nationally with 29 rushing touchdowns to break the JSU and OVC records in that category. James also set a JSU and OVC record with five rushing touchdowns at Austin Peay and joined teammates Eli Jenkins, Troymaine Pope and Miles Jones to become the first foursome to each run for 100 yards in the same game in FCS history against Jacksonville on Sept. The ground game wasn’t the only thing that guided the Gamecocks in 2013. Despite having to start three different starting quarterbacks because of injuries during the season, Grass’ offense threw for a school record 3,033 yards. Freshman receiver Josh Barge was also a Freshman All-American after setting new JSU freshman records for catches (58) and receiving yards (885).
Year two in Jacksonville and his first year as the team’s head coach saw more the same output on the offensive side of the ball but unprecedented success within the OVC. They compiled a 10-2 record and a perfect 8-0 record in OVC play to claim JSU’s fourth OVC title and its first outright since 2004. The Gamecocks entered the FCS playoffs ranked No. 2 in the polls and as the No. The Gamecocks capped the year ranked ninth in both polls after the second 6,000-yard season in school history. The defensive side of the ball thrived under Grass’ leadership, as well in 2014. James ran for 1,151 yards and scored 14 touchdowns, ending his illustrious career as JSU’s second leading rusher and just one rushing score shy of the school record in that category. His third season with the Gamecocks saw Grass raise the bar even higher. The 13-2 record included a 12-game win streak that was one shy of the school record and also featured over 50 school records. The Gamecocks’ lone losses were to No. JSU was ranked No. 1 in the polls for the first time in school history and held that ranking for 11 weeks. The Gamecocks went unbeaten again in the OVC to win their second-straight title and was warded the No. 1 national seed in the FCS Playoffs. JSU stood up to that seeding, downing No. 7 Chattanooga in overtime in the second round before routing No. 8 Charleston Southern and No. The 2015 Gamecocks were as talented as any team JSU has fielded, placing 17 on the All-OVC teams and five on various All-America squads. Pope ran for a school- and OVC-record 1,788 yards to lead a JSU attack that gained a school-record 7,613 yards.
The 2016 season saw JSU reach the No. 1 spot in the major polls for the second-straight year and enter the FCA Playoffs as the No. 3 National Seed. JSU was unbeaten against FCS foes in the 2016 regular season, and Grass’ defense was a big part of that. The Gamecocks once again boasted the OVC’s best defense and the fourth-best defense in FCS, holding opposing offenses to less than 275 yards per game. 2017 saw Gamecock football continue along the dominant path it has recently paved in FCS Football. JSU went 10-2 and 8-0 in OVC play and grabbed the No. 3 seed in the playoffs for the second-straight year. It was the third-straight season that JSU has been one of the top three seeds in the postseason. The defense led the way again, ranking second nationally in total defense, third in rushing defense and sixth in scoring defense. JSU had 16 All-OVC players and seven All-Americans before watching seven players get opportunities in NFL camps following the season. Cornerback Siran Neal became JSU’s first participant in the Reese’s Senior Bowl since 1994 and was drafted in the fifth round by the Buffalo Bills.
Read also: Affording JSU: A Guide
In 2018, the fifth-straight title was built on another dominant offensive attack. Led by First Team All-OVC quarterback Zerrick Cooper and wide receiver targets Josh Pearson and Jamari Hester, the Gamecocks rolled up 6,465 total yards, the third-most ever by a JSU team, as well as a school-record 3,864 passing yards. The 2019 offense was again one of the nation’s best, racking up an OVC-best 419 yards per game. The 2020-21 campaign that was split by the COVID-19 Pandemic was perhaps the most challenging of Grass’ career, but he turned it into one of the most successful in the Gamecocks’ Division I history. JSU then went 6-1 in OVC play to close its tenure in the league with its sixth title in Grass’ seven seasons in the OVC. The Gamecocks also earned the No.
Read also: Is The Learning Experience Worth It?
tags: #jacksonville #state #university #football #coaches #history
