South Alabama hires Jay Hopson as cornerbacks coach

South Alabama has hired Jay Hopson as cornerbacks coach, a source told AL.com on Sunday.

Hopson spent the last two seasons as Director of High School Relations at Mississippi State. Prior to that, he was head coach at Southern Miss from 2016-20 and at Alcorn State from 2012-15.

The 54-year-old Hopson replaces Dwike Wilson, who left to take a job at Southern Miss. Ironically, both are natives of Vicksburg, Miss., and graduates of Ole Miss.

Hopson played safety at Ole Miss from 1988-91, and served as defensive backs coach at Delta State, Marshall and his alma mater in addition to two stints on Jeff Bower’s Southern Miss staff. He was the Golden Eagles’ defensive coordinator from 2005-07, then left for two years each at Michigan and Memphis, the latter at which he was defensive coordinator.

Hopson was hired as head coach at Alcorn State in 2012, becoming one of the few white head football coaches at an historically-Black school. He went 32-17 with a pair of SWAC championships with the Braves before he took over at Southern Miss in 2016.

Hopson posted a 28-23 record, four winning seasons and three bowl berths with the Golden Eagles, but resigned after the 2020 season-opener. That game was a 32-21 loss to Steve Campbell’s South Alabama team in Hattiesburg.

Hopson has long-standing ties with current Jaguars head coach Kane Wommack, whose father, Dave, was linebackers coach under Hopson at Southern Miss in 2007. Kane Wommack also played on that team as a walk-on tight end and holder.