South Alabama on Wednesday made two official additions to its football staff, announcing Cedric Douglas as defensive line coach and J.T. May as assistant athletics director/chief of staff.

Douglas and May both spent the 2024 season at Utah State. Prior to his lone season with the Aggies, Douglas worked at Buffalo (2021-23) and UMass (2019-20) and was a graduate assistant at Arkansas State.

A Northern Michigan graduate, Douglas also has experience in the Kansas junior college system, working at Hutchinson and Coffeyville. He replaces Jonathan Bradley, who left to join the Kennesaw State staff under former college teammate Jerry Mack.

May replaces Jon Clark, who took a similar position at UNLV under Dan Mullen, for whom he previously worked at Mississippi State. An Arizona native, May spent the last five seasons with the Aggies, working as director of internal operations from 2022-24, with previous stints as an analyst and quality control coach.

As was previously reported by AL.com, South Alabama on Tuesday officially elevated Paul Petrino to offensive coordinator following the departure of Rob Ezell to Wake Forest. Petrino will continue to coach South Alabama’s wide receivers, as he did in 2024.

Head coach Major Applewhite will also work more directly with South Alabama’s quarterbacks, which he did as the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator from 2021-23 before becoming head coach last season (Ezell was quarterbacks coach in addition to OC last season). Analyst Doug Ruse will assist Applewhite in coaching quarterbacks.

The Jaguars still have openings for a running backs coach and a cornerbacks coach. Other media outlets have reported that Michigan offensive assistant/analyst Jayden Everett is set to take over as running backs coach, but South Alabama has not officially confirmed that hire.

Everett was previously running backs coach at Vanderbilt (2023), Tulsa (2021-22), Akron (2019-20) and Central Michigan (2017-18). South Alabama is searching for a running backs coach after Effrem Reed followed Ezell to Wake Forest.

South Alabama cornerbacks coach Jay Hopson announced Tuesday that he was leaving after two seasons in what a source told AL.com was a “mutual parting of ways.” Hopson was head coach at Southern Miss from 2016-20 and Alcorn State from 2012-15, and also worked as an assistant at Mississippi State, Southern Miss, Ole Miss, Memphis, Michigan and Marshall.

With Applewhite serving as his own quarterbacks coach, South Alabama has one other offensive assistant coaching slot to fill. It is believed the Jaguars will use that position on a general offensive assistant who will also serve as a recruiter (under NCAA rules, only the head coach and 10 on-field assistants are permitted to recruit off-campus).

South Alabama’s other on-field assistants are all expected to return in 2025, including defensive coordinator/safeties coach Will Windham, outside linebackers coach/special teams coordinator Tre’ Williams, offensive line coach Jason Onyebuagu, tight ends coach Kyle Skierski and inside linebackers coach Cam Cleminson. Strength & conditioning coach Rod Grace is also set to return for a second season with the Jaguars.

South Alabama went 7-6 in 2024, beating Western Michigan 30-23 in the Salute to Veterans Bowl.

South Alabama’s updated coaching staff for 2025

Head coach/quarterbacks: Major Applewhite (2nd year)

Offensive coordinator/wide receivers: Paul Petrino (2nd year)

Offensive line: Jason Onyebuagu (2nd year)

Running backs: Open

Tight ends: Kyle Skierski (2nd year)

Offensive assistant: Open

Defensive coordinator/safeties: Will Windham (2nd year)

Defensive line: Cedric Douglas (1st year)

Outside linebackers/special teams: Tre’ Williams (3rd year)

Inside linebackers: Cam Cleminson (2nd year)

Cornerbacks: Open

Strength & conditioning: Rod Grace (2nd year)

Chief of staff: J.T. May (1st year)