A familiar face is set to make a return to Jacksonville State.

It was announced Monday that Max Thurmond will serve as first-year coach Charles Kelly’s special teams coordinator and running backs coach, marking his return to his alma mater and a program he’s previously served 11 seasons as an assistant.

He will take over the positions previously held by former running backs coach Rod McDowell, now at Marshall, and former special teams coordinator Pat Kirkland.

Thurmond spent the last three seasons as a senior offensive analyst at Tennessee, being hired by Josh Heupel in 2022.

Before being hired at the Southeastern Conference program, Thurmond served as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach for two seasons under John Grass.

He served as interim coach for the final two games of the 2021 season after Grass resigned as the program’s head coach, going 1-1 with a 38-7 win over Lamar and a double-overtime loss to Eastern Kentucky.

Those two seasons were his second stint with the program, also coaching cornerbacks, linebackers and wide receivers from 2001-2012 under Jack Crowe; he helped the Gamecocks win three Ohio Valley Conference titles during that span.

The veteran coach has also served as an assistant at Reinhardt before stints as a coordinator at West Alabama, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas and Charlotte.

Thurmond will fill the final coordinator spot on Kelly’s first-year staff, joining offensive coordinator Clint Trickett and defensive coordinator Vinnie Sunseri.

Other assistants on Kelly’s staff include offensive line coach Rick Trickett, wide receivers coach Lawrence Dawsey and linebackers coach Deshaun Davis.