GUEST CODE OF CONDUCT
Jacksonville State University promotes good sportsmanship by student-athletes, coaches and spectators. Fans will conduct themselves with good sportsmanship to reflect the high standards of honor and dignity that characterize Jacksonville State University. Anyone associated with an athletic program or event should reflect respect, fairness, civility, responsibility, and courtesy to others. Profanity, vulgar cheers, intimidating actions, intoxication, belligerent or abusive behaviors will not be tolerated. Fans attending Jax State football games are expected to stay off the playing field, including after the game, and will not throw objects onto the field.
Positive support of the player’s coaches, and officials is strongly encouraged. Jacksonville State University expects positive behavior exhibited towards our visiting guests at every contest. Please treat others with courtesy and respect. Any violation of this Code of Conduct subjects you to removal from the stadium and forfeit of future event tickets.
Thank you for your cooperation.
ALCOHOL POLICY
AmFirst Stadium guests are encouraged to drink responsibly. Guests must be 21 years of age or older to purchase and consume alcohol. Proper identification is necessary to buy any alcoholic beverages. Each guest is limited to two (2) alcoholic beverages per transaction. All alcohol sales will conclude at the end of the third quarter. Stadium Management reserves the right to discontinue sales at any time. Guests cannot bring alcohol into or out of Burgess-Snow Field at AmFirst Stadium. Guests will not be permitted to enter the stadium if they appear intoxicated. Drunk and disorderly behavior or violation of any alcohol policy will result in ejection from the stadium without a refund.
PROHIBITED ITEMS
Jacksonville State University is a weapons-free campus. No firearms or other dangerous weapons will be allowed inside AmFirst Stadium. In addition, umbrellas, backpacks, recording devices, artificial noisemakers and amplified sound systems, food/beverage containers, bottles, weapons, and alcoholic beverages are
to make every play count.
From the bright lights on the field to the homes and hearts that support them, we are proud to provide the energy that keeps Jacksonville State moving. Because it’s not just about powering the big wins. It’s about showing up for every little thing.
Scan to learn how we work to keep you moving.
TODAY’S MATCHUP
Jax State vs. Murray State
Sept. 20, 2025 - Burgess-Snow Field at AmFirst Stadium
JACKSONVILLE STATE
Location: Jacksonville, Ala.
Population: 12,548
Founded: 1883
Enrollment:...................................................... 10,355
Affiliation: ...............................................NCAA Div. I Conference:................................ Conference USA
Colors: ................................................... Red & White
Nickname: ............................................. Gamecocks
President: Dr. Don C. Killingsworth Jr.
Athletic Director: Greg Seitz Web Site: JaxStateSports.com
MURRAY STATE
Location: ................................................. Murray, Ky.
Population: 18,567
Founded: 1923
Enrollment: 10,035
Affiliation: NCAA Div. I (FCS) Conference:.......................Missouri Valley Conf.
Colors: ................................................Blue and Gold
Nickname: ........................................................ Racers
President: ............................. Dr. Ron L. Patterson
Athletic Director: .............................. Nico Yantco Web Site: GoRacers.com
CHARLES KELLY
Career: 1-2 (1st) | AT JSU: 1-2 (1st)
Kelly was announced as the 30th head football coach in program history on December 21, 2024. The Ozark, Alabama, native, brings nearly 35 years of coaching experience to the Gamecocks, including five seasons at Jax State under Hall of Fame coach Bill Burgess.
Kelly has spent time at some of the top programs in college football, including Alabama, Florida State, Auburn, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech. He has been part of teams that have won two national championships and numerous conference titles.
Most recently, Kelly served as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Auburn, his alma mater. Under his guidance, the Tigers’ defense ranked among the SEC leaders in several categories, including scoring defense and rushing defense. Before his time at Auburn, Kelly was the defensive coordinator Colorado in 2023, where he played a pivotal role in helping turn around the Buffaloes program under head coach Deion Sanders.
In recognition of his recruiting prowess, Kelly was named the 2023 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year.
JODY
WRIGHT
Career: 1-13 (2nd) | AT MSU: 1-13 (2nd)
Regarded as one of the top recruiters and talent evaluators in the nation and boasting an extensive coaching pedigree, Jody Wright was hired as the 20th head football coach of the Murray State Racers.
He is in his second season as Racers’ head coach in 2025 after coming over to the Racers from South Carolina where he was tight ends coach for two seasons for head coach Shane Beamer.
Wright’s resume is unrivaled in the coaching profession, highlighted by two stints under legendary head coach Nick Saban and working with other major names in the coaching profession including Shane Beamer, Lane Kiffin, Billy Napier, Kirby Smart, Sylvester Croom, Bill Clark, and Joe Judge, among others.
Wright played collegiately at Jax State, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in 2005.He began his coaching career as a student assistant at JSU in 2002 and was part of a Gamecock program that won the 2003 and 2004 Ohio Valley Conference Championships.
After stops at Mississippi State and Alabama, Wright returns to Jacksonville to serve on Bill Clark’s staff in 2013 when the Gamecocks advanced to the third round of the FCS playoffs. He followed Clark to UAB the following season.
He most recently coaches with the New York Giants and South Carolina Gamecocks before taking over the reigns at MSU in 2024.
Welcome to Burgess-Snow Field at AmFirst Stadium, home of the Jax State Gamecocks!
We are thrilled to have you join us on the Friendliest Campus in the South as we kick off another exciting season of Gamecock Football. This year marks the beginning of the Charles Kelly era, as Coach Kelly returns home to lead the very program where Hall of Fame coach Bill Burgess first hired him as an assistant early in his career. With nearly 35 years of coaching experience and a reputation as one of the best recruiters in college football, Coach Kelly is poised to build on our momentum and take Jax State to even greater heights.
That momentum is strong. In 2024, we captured the Conference USA Championship and made our second bowl appearance in just two years of eligibility, continuing a historic start to our FBS journey. Now entering our third year in CUSA, we are excited to continue competing for championships and bowl appearances at the highest level of college football.
Our facilities remain among the best in the nation. The Loring and Debbie White Football Complex enters its second season as the home base for our team, offering a spacious locker room, cutting-edge training equipment, hydrotherapy, offices, meeting rooms, and a central player concourse—all designed to prepare our student-athletes for success. This year, we are also proud to debut our new LED lighting system at AmFirst Stadium. Capable of changing colors and incorporating fan engagement features, the system enhances what is already one of the best game day atmospheres in the Southeast, while also making the facility more energy efficient. Combined with our upgraded suites, ribbon board display, and sound system, these improvements make AmFirst Stadium a premier destination for college football.
Of course, game day at Jax State is about more than football. We are also proud to be home to the world-renowned Marching Southerners, recipients of the prestigious Sudler Trophy from the John Philip Sousa Foundation. Under the leadership of Dr. Kenneth G. Bodiford, now in his 32nd season, the Southerners continue to inspire audiences worldwide. Today, be sure to stay in your seat at halftime to enjoy their 2025 presentation, Illumination, a musical journey that explores the many faces of light—its warmth, its intensity, and its beauty.
Thank you for joining us today. No matter which team you support, we hope you have an unforgettable experience on the Friendliest Campus in the South.
Go Gamecocks and Blow Southerners!
Don C. Killingsworth, Jr., Ed.D. President Jacksonville State University
2025 SEASON STATS
Alumni of the Year
Alumnus of the Year
Dr. Thomas Kevin Lackey (‘91)
Learn more about our Alumni of the Year Scan Here
A proud 1991 graduate of Jacksonville State University, Dr. Thomas Kevin Lackey has dedicated his life to serving others through medicine, military service, and generous support of his alma mater. After earning his degree in Biology from Jax State, Dr. Lackey went on to complete his medical education at the UAB School of Medicine in 1997. For the past 24 years, he has practiced anesthesiology with Anesthesia Associates at Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center and has served patients across the region through affiliations with multiple hospitals including Cherokee Medical Center, Gadsden Regional, Trinity Medical Center, and Marshall Medical Center South. He also serves as a mentor for local medical students in the hospital setting.
Alumna of the Year
Ellen Tibbetts Hurst (‘91)
Ellen Tibbetts Hurst, a 1991 graduate of Jacksonville State University, has spent her career uplifting others through advocacy, education, and community service. A graduate of Pleasant Valley High School, Ellen studied Corrections at Jax State, where she was involved in the Sociology and Criminal Justice clubs and was a Sigma Nu little sister. Her professional path began at the Department of Youth Services, followed by roles as a court advocate for 2nd Chance and a court-ordered domestic violence instructor. Since 2001, Ellen has served as Program Director for Alabama CARES at the East Alabama Regional Planning & Development Commission, supporting family caregivers across ten counties. A certified Dementia Friendly educator and Community Resource Specialist in Aging and Disabilities, she provides training for first responders, educators, and community members.
Young Alum of the Year
Matthew Alan Shaffer (‘10)
Matthew Alan Shaffer, a 2010 graduate of Jacksonville State University, is making waves in both the tech industry and his local community. A native of Gadsden, Alabama, Matthew earned his undergraduate degree in Computer Science with a minor in Military Science and went on to complete a Master’s in Computer Science from the University of Washington in 2022.
A former preferred walk-on for the 2005 Jax State Football team, Matthew temporarily stepped away from school to complete basic and advanced training, later serving in the Alabama National Guard as an IT Specialist for the 20th Special Forces Group Support Company. Returning to campus, he reengaged through ROTC, Sigma Nu Fraternity, and competitive Ranger Challenge teams, eventually earning Distinguished Military Graduate and Computer Science Graduate of the Year honors.
After commissioning, Matthew served as an Army Signal Officer at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. He transitioned to civilian life through the inaugural Microsoft Software & Systems Academy class, a veteran hiring pipeline that now serves thousands. Since 2014, he has worked at Microsoft, leading innovative projects that blend AI with datacenter operations—most recently integrating ChatGPT-like technology to enhance data accessibility and customer insights.
Military Alumnus of the Year
Maj.
Gen. Larry R. Broadwell, Jr. (‘94)
Major General Larry R. Broadwell, a 1994 Jax State graduate with a degree in Mathematics, has dedicated his life to service, leadership, and national defense. He currently serves as the Deputy Commander of Sixteenth Air Force (Air Forces Cyber) at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Sixteenth Air Force ensures the readiness of more than 49,000 personnel conducting worldwide operations by delivering multisource intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance products, applications, capabilities and resources. In addition, they build, extend, operate, secure and defend the Air Force portion of the Department of Defense global network.
After receiving his commission in 1996 from Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Broadwell completed pilot and navigator training and went on to fly the C-130E, F-15C, F-22, and RQ-4. He is a command pilot with over 2,400 flight hours, including 76 combat hours across multiple major operations such as Iraqi Freedom and Inherent Resolve. His distinguished career includes command positions at the squadron, group, and wing levels, and high-profile staff roles at the Pentagon, including Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force.
If you’ve been a part of the CUSA family for years, we’re proud to have you here. If you’re new to us, welcome. No matter when you got here, know this: You’re part of more than a college athletics conference.
Every school, every town, every alum and fan is an essential part of who CUSA is today, and equally important in taking us to the next level. With unstoppable energy, there are no limits on us.
So hop on, because we’re heading up.
Listen to all the action on the Gamecock Radio Network as “The Voice” Mike Parris returns behind the mic for his 43rd season calling play-by-play action of Gamecock Football. He’ll be joined by longtime analyst Ray Hammett and sideline reporter Tommy Wood.
Gamecock football can be heard across the state through its network of affiliate stations and worldwide via TuneIn Radio or online streams.
Gamecock Radio Network Game Day Coverage
Jacksonville: 91.9 FM WLJS
Alabaster: 93.3 FM The River
Alexander City: Kix 96.3 FM
Anniston: 97.9 FM WVOK
Arab: 107.1 FM / 1380 AM WRAB
Attalla: 102.9 FM WKXX
Chelsea: Kool 96.9 FM WLXY
Gadsden: 102.9 FM WKXX
Helena/Hoover: 93.3 FM The River Hwy 280/Inverness: Kool 96.9 FM WLXY
Montgomery: Praise 96.5 FM / 800 AM
Oneonta: 94.7 FM / 95.3 FM / 1570 AM WCRL
Oxford: 97.9 FM WVOK
Pelham: 93.3 FM The River
Winfield: 97.7 FM WKXM
HEAD COACH CHARLES KELLY FIRST SEASON
Jacksonville State Vice President for Athletics Greg Seitz announced the hiring of Charles Kelly as the 30th head football coach in program history on December 21, 2024.
Kelly, a native of Ozark, Alabama, brings nearly 35 years of coaching experience to the Gamecocks, including five seasons at Jax State after being hired by Hall of Fame coach Bill Burgess.
“We are beyond excited to welcome Charles Kelly back to Jacksonville State,” said Seitz. “Coach Kelly’s extensive experience, championship pedigree, and strong ties to Alabama make him the ideal leader for our program. His vision and passion will help us continue the success we’ve enjoyed in our first two years in Conference USA and build on our tradition of excellence.”
Kelly has spent time at some of the top programs in college football, including Alabama, Florida State, Auburn, Tennessee, and Georgia Tech. He has been part of teams that have won two national championships and numerous conference titles.
“First of all, it’s an unbelievable honor to have the opportunity to be the head football coach at Jacksonville State University,” said Kelly. “The standard of excellence at this university and in its athletic programs is second to none, and I am proud to return and build on that incredible tradition.”
Most recently, Kelly served as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Auburn, his alma mater. Under his guidance, the Tigers’ defense ranked among the SEC leaders in several categories, including scoring defense and rushing defense. Individually, freshmen Demarcus Riddick and Jay Crawford earned spots on the Freshman All-SEC Team.
Before his time at Auburn, Kelly was the defensive coordinator at Colorado in 2023, where he played a pivotal role in helping turn around the Buffaloes program under head coach Deion Sanders. His players included 2024 Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter and All-Pac-12 safety Shiloh Sanders.
Kelly also spent four seasons at Alabama with Nick Saban as the associate defensive coordinator and safeties coach. During his tenure, the Crimson Tide achieved a 47-6 record and won the 2020 national championship.
In recognition of his recruiting prowess, Kelly was named the 2023 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year and consistently ranked among the top recruiters in the country.
Kelly’s coaching journey also includes stints at Tennessee, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Nicholls State.
He served as defensive coordinator for four seasons at Florida State, where he helped lead the Seminoles to the first College Football Playoff and mentored several future NFL stars.
Earlier in his career, Kelly held roles at Eufaula High School, Henderson State, and Phenix City High School.
“I’d like to thank Coach Hugh Freeze, the Auburn staff, and all the head coaches I’ve worked with throughout my career. I’m also grateful to the players I’ve had the privilege to coach—they’ve all contributed to this opportunity,” said Kelly.
OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
CLINT TRICKETT
Clint Trickett begins his first season with the Gamecocks after being named offensive coordinator before the 2025 season.
Trickett spent the 2024 season at Georgia Southern as the pass game coordinator and also coached tight ends and inside receivers.
Prior to heading to Statesboro, he spent two seasons as Marshall’s offensive coordinator. In 2022, his Thundering Herd offense was second in the Sun Belt in rushing at 205.9 yards per game. He also coached receivers and was the pass game coordinator for Marshall in 2021.
Trickett was also the co-offensive coordinator at Florida Atlantic after spending time on staff as the tight ends coach. His coaching career started at East Mississippi Community College, one of the premier twoyear college football programs in the nation, coaching quarterbacks for two seasons.
During his playing career at West Virginia and Florida State, Trickett passed for 5,837 yards and 32 touchdowns.
Trickett joins his father, Rick, the offensive line coach on the Jax State staff.
ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH/OFFENSIVE LINE
RICK TRICKETT
Rick Trickett is the longest active tenured coach on Jax State’s staff, entering his fourth season as the Gamecocks’ Offensive Line Coach. Originally brought aboard by Rich Rodriguez before the 2022 season, Trickett was retained by Charles Kelly and elevated to Associate Head Coach.
One of the most decorated coaches in his profession, Trickett has been developing offensive linemen for success in college football and preparing them for the next level for over 45 years.
His debut season in charge of the Gamecock offensive line produced immediate results. The Gamecocks put together a 9-2 record that included a perfect 5-0 mark in ASUN Conference play and the conference title at seasons end.
The Gamecock offense was a big reason for that success, and the offensive front paved the way for the fifth-best rushing offense and the 10th-best scoring offense in the nation. Center Treylen Brown was a First-Team All-ASUN Conference selection after moving from guard in the first game and anchoring the line the rest of the season.
In 2023, the Gamecocks had a pair of Second-Team All-Conference USA linemen in Treylen Brown and Clay Webb, along with a third earning honorable mention status in Will O’Steen after clearing the way for a rushing attack that was third nationally in yards per game at 236.7. His 2024 squad paved the way for Jax State to rank third in FBS with 251.2 rushing yards per game on the way to the program’s first Conference USA title.
Trickett brings decades of experience with some of college football’s top programs. Trickett has been coaching collegiately since 1976, when he started his career as an assistant at West Virginia. He Coached the Mountaineers offensive line until 1979, when he went to Southern Illinois for the next two seasons. Over the past 47 years, Trickett has also coached the offensive lines at South-
ern Miss (1982-84), New Mexico (1985), Memphis (198688), Mississippi State (1989-92), Auburn (1993-98), LSU (2000), West Virginia (2001-06), Florida State (2007-17) and his alma mater Glenville State (1999, 2019-21).
He has served as the Assistant Head Coach at LSU, WVU, FSU and Glenville State, and during his career, more than 35 of his linemen have gone on to play in the NFL and more than 40 have earned all-conference honors. Twice he had all five of his starting linemen earn all-conference honors – at Florida State in 2012 and 2013, while he placed four on all-conference squads at West Virginia in 2005 and again in 2006.
His unit established FSU as one of the top offensive programs in the nation and paved the way for the most prolific offense in the nation in 2013, when FSU set school and ACC records for single-season total offense, points per game, and yards per play as well as the national record for points while leading the nation in touchdowns. With Trickett and Charles Kelly on staff, the Seminoles ended that season with a 14-0 record and captured the BCS National Championship.
CALL TO GET YOUR GROUP SECURED FOR ONE OF JAX STATE’S UPCOMING GAMES
WED. Oct. 15 vs Delaware
SAT. Nov. 15 vs Kennesaw State
SAT. Nov. 29 vs Western Kentucky
DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR
BRIAN WILLIAMS
Brian Williams begins his first season in Jacksonville after joining Charles Kelly’s staff as the program’s new defensive coordinator in February 2025.
Williams spent the last three seasons as the defensive coordinator at Maryland and has also worked with the Terrapins’ defensive line since 2020 and was the outside linebackers coach during the 2019 season.
“I am very excited to add Brian to our staff,” said Kelly. “His experience in and developing high-caliber players as well as his success in recruiting in Alabama will be a great addition to our team. He’s a very well-rounded coach that has had success in our conference and in our state.”
During the 2023 season, Williams’ defense posted its best points allowed per game average since 2010. He’s coached six All-Big Ten selections during his time at Maryland. In 2021, Williams was honored by 247Sports as the top recruiter in the Big Ten during that cycle, helping Maryland land the No. 18 class nationally.
Williams spent three seasons at UAB as the linebackers coach, helping the Blazers reach the Conference USA Championship game and an 11-win season.
The Miami native got his start in coaching as a defensive analyst at Florida State in 2013, helping the Seminole defense that led the ACC in pass defense, ranked second in total defense, and third in rushing defense.
MAX THURMOND SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR / RUNNING BACKS COACH
A familiar face to Gamecock fans, Max Thurmond returns to the sidelines at Jax State in 2025 for his third stint with the Red and White.
Most recently, Thurmond served as the senior offensive analyst at Tennessee for the last three seasons.
A former Gamecock himself, Thurmond started his coaching career at his alma mater as a graduate assistant under Jack Crowe and later served as an assistant from 20012012.
He began his coaching career on defense, where he spent seven years with the outside linebackers and two years coaching cornerbacks, and helped establish the Gamecocks as one of the most dominating defenses in the Ohio Valley Conference.
The Gamecocks won three OVC titles and advanced to the FCS Playoffs in 2003, 2004 and 2010.
Thurmond spent a single season at Reinhardt University in 2013 before a two-year stint at West Alabama for 201415 where he oversaw linebackers and special teams and coached eventual Super Bowl champion, Tyreek Hill.
In the stop before his first return to Jax State, Thurmond served as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach for head coach Will Healy at Charlotte in 2019. In his season with the 49ers, UNCC set school records for wins (7), Conference USA wins (5), and winning streak (5) and advanced to the program’s first bowl game.
Thurmond was previously linebackers coach and special teams coordinator for Healy at Austin Peay for 2016-17. He inherited a team that went 0-11 the season prior. After a winless 2016 season, Thurmond helped the Govs snap their 29-game losing streak – the longest losing streak in NCAA football at the time – and go an outstanding 8-4 in just his second season.
Between working with Healy, he served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2018 at Central Arkansas.
After serving as the special teams coordinator and line -
backers coach at Charlotte, Thurmond returned to Jacksonville to coach special teams and linebackers under John Gross.
The return was a successful one as his outside linebackers unit helped lead a Gamecock defense that was one of the top run defenses in the nation and in Gamecock history. All-American and First Team All-OVC selection DJ Coleman, Freshman All-American J-Rock Swain and All-OVC performer Umstead Sanders paced a defense that held a school-record nine-straight opponents under 100 yards rushing.
In Thurmond’s first season taking over the Jax State special teams in the 2020-21 season, the Gamecocks enjoyed one of the OVC’s greatest turnarounds in that phase of the game. Freshman Michael Pettway was a First Team All-OVC selection as a kickoff returner, while freshman kicker Alen Karajic led the league in touchbacks, while also ranking third in the OVC in scoring among kickers.
Thurmond picked up another OVC championship in 2020, and later served as interim head coach for two games at the end of the 2021 season.
With the Volunteers from 2022-24, he helped Tennessee to it best run of the 21st century with two bowl wins, including the 2023 Orange Bowl, and the program’s first CFP playoff berth in 2024.
Thurmond holds a degree in Exercise Science. A native of Sylvester, Ga. where he attended Worth County High, Thurmond and his wife, Gresha have two children: Maxwell Jr. and Asha.
BERT BIFFANI OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS/ RECRUITING COORDINATOR
Bert Biffani was hired by Charles Kelly as the new outside linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator before the 2025 season.
Biffani previously worked with Kelly during his time at Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida State where Biffani served as an analyst. He was part of the 2013 Florida State staff that was the 2013 BCS National Champion and the 2020 Alabama staff that won the 2020 College Football Playoff championship. Biffani has also been part of three SEC championship teams and a pair of ACC championship teams.
He also spent the 2019 season as a graduate assistant working with quarterbacks at Texas A&M.
During his career, Biffani has been to 12 bowl games, and has coached 12 NFL Draft pics including a pair of first round selections in Brian Burns and Terrion Arnold.
Last season, Biffani was the defensive coordinator at Pell City High School, helping the team advance to the AHSAA playoffs.
LAWRENCE DAWSEY WIDE RECEIVERS
Lawrence Dawsey begins his first season at Jax State on Charles Kelly’s staff as the wide receivers coach heading into the 2025 season.
The Dothan, Al., native, comes back to Alabama after spending three seasons at Appalachian State as the wide receivers coach, which included a Sun Belt East Division title in 2023. Last season, the Mountaineers had two All-Sun Belt receivers in first teamer Kaedin Robinson and third teamer Makai Jackson. Robinson averaged 93.3 yards per game before a season-ending injury.
Prior to working as an analyst at Texas A&M for two seasons, Dawsey was on staff at Florida State for 10 years working with receivers and was elevated to co-offensive coordinator by the end of his tenure. This included working as the pass game coordinator and receivers coach during the Seminoles’ 2013 national championship season.
Three times, Dawsey has been recognized as one of the top 10 recruiters in the ACC by Rivals and was the 2011 ACC Recruiter of the Year by SI.com.
Dawsey’s coaching career started at the high school level in Tampa before joining Nick Saban’s LSU staff as a graduate assistant during the 2003 national championship season before spending the next three seasons at USF as receivers coach.
He was drafted in the third round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after an All-American career at Florida State. Dawsey was the United Press International’s NFC Rookie of the Year in 1991 when he recorded 818 yards on 55 catches.
TIGHT ENDS GAMECOCK COACHES
TAYLOR HOUSEWRIGHT
Taylor Housewright joined Charles Kelly’s Jax State staff before the 2025 season as the tight ends coach.
Housewright spent 2024 at Georgia Southern with new offensive coordinator Clint Trickett, serving as a senior analyst. He spent the prior three seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at FCS powerhouse Montana State, finishing second nationally in scoring and rushing during the 2022 season. MSU played for the FCS championship during the 2021 season.
He got the chance to begin the development of quarterback Tommy Mellott, the 2024 Walter Payton Award winner and FCS ADA Offensive Player of the Year. Mellott passed for 1,698 yards and 10 touchdowns and rushed for 1,071 yards and 13 scores splitting time at quarterback with Sean Chambers, a twotime All-American, during the 2022 season.
Housewright also spent time at Oregon as an analyst for Joe Moorhead and also worked with Moorhead as a quality control coach at Mississippi State in 2019. Housewright spent the prior season as an offensive graduate assistant at Wyoming working with running backs and tight ends.
The former Ashland quarterback finished fifth in the 2012 Harlon Hill balloting and became a graduate assistant at Miami (Ohio) following his playing career. He then coached receivers at Wittenberg before returning to Ashland to coach receivers for a season followed by a year with the secondary.
XAVIER GARCIA DEFENSIVE LINE
Xavier Garcia was hired as the program’s new defensive line coach before the 2025 season.
Garcia spent the 2024 season at Georgia Tech as a defensive assistant working with the defensive line. The Yellow Jackets racked up 18 sacks in 13 games and made an appearance in the Birmingham Bowl. Tackle Jordan van den Berg was an All-ACC Second Team selection and Zeek Biggers earned honorable mention all-conference honors.
Garcia spent the previous season at Duke, helping the Blue Devils lead the ACC in scoring defense at 19 points per game which was 16th-best nationally.
He also spent time at SMU, Temple, Central Oklahoma, and Angelo State as a graduate assistant. Garcia started his coaching career at New Mexico Military Institute, where he also was a two-time all-conference selection before finishing his career at Eastern Kentucky where he started 10 games his senior year.
ROHAN GAINES DEFENSIVE BACKS
Rohan Gaines was hired as the new defensive backs coach for Charles Kelly’s first staff before the 2025 season.
The Georgia native previously spent time on the coaching staffs at Auburn and Texas A&M. Most recently, Gaines was a defensive analyst at Auburn, working with the cornerbacks.
In 2023, he was a defensive graduate assistant on Jimbo Fisher’s staff at Texas A&M. His coaching career started at his high school alma mater of Bainbridge in Georgia, helping the Bearcats win their first state title in nearly 30 years during his first season on staff.
Gaines was a four-year starter in the secondary at Arkansas, earning FoxSportsNext Freshman All-American honors and SEC All-Freshman honors in 2012. During the 2014 season, he had an interception against eighthranked Ole Miss which he returned 100 yards for a touchdown during a 30-0 win.
He started all 13 games as a senior and finished third on the team in tackles.
DESHAUN DAVIS LINEBACKERS GAMECOCK COACHES
Deshaun Davis was hired as the Gamecocks’ linebackers coach before the start of the 2025 season.
Davis has spent the previous two seasons coaching linebackers at North Alabama. Last season, freshman Josh Anglin was named to the Stats Perform FCS All-America team under Davis’s tutelage after making 81 tackles with seven for loss. Additionally, Jackson Bratton was second in the United Athletic Conference in tackles for loss.
Prior to UNA, Davis was a graduate assistant at UCF.
As a player, the Prichard native was a First-Team All-SEC linebacker at Auburn in 2018 and earned an invitation to the Reese’s Senior Bowl and was a quarterfinalist for the Lott Impact Trophy.
Davis was drafted in the sixth round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Philadelphia Eagles as well as the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League.
The Marching Southerners proudly present their 2025 production, ILLUMINATION, a musical journey that explores the many faces of light—its warmth, its intensity, and its beauty. From the flicker of a single candle to the roaring blaze of fire, from the golden glow of the sun to the shimmering elegance of moonlight, this show radiates with energy, passion, and spectacle.
The journey begins with and original composition by our arranger, Justin Williams, “Hymn to the Light,” a triumphant and powerful opener that captures the life-giving force of the sun, its radiant beams igniting the world with brilliance. Next, we transition into the pulsing, vibrant energy of CeeLo Green’s “Bright Lights Bigger City,” where neon lights flash and the electricity of the city comes alive, filling the night with excitement and motion.
The production then takes a dramatic turn with Sia’s “Chandelier,” evoking the elegance and grandeur of cascading light, shimmering with emotion and intensity. This moment of dramatic beauty gives way to a fresh, fiery (and Latin) reimagining of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata,” where the once-serene melody now burns with passion and energy, transforming moonlight’s quiet glow into an unstoppable inferno.
Through powerful music, dynamic visuals, and breathtaking performances, Illumination celebrates the forces of light that guide, inspire, and energize us. From the first flicker to the final blaze, this show promises to set the field aglow in an unforgettable spectacle of sound and motion.
Mary Claire Barber, Kaci Boyd, Lilly Boyd, Nicole Boyd, Allie Condy, Jillian Cooper, Caylin Dyal, Sydney Ford, Jeriah Freeman, Pete Harned, Mack Hughes, Lynlee Jackson, Rayla Patterson, Kloey Poe, Anna Purnell, Celia Raynowska, Lila Grace Ridgeway, Kandyce Rogers, Charleigh Sharpe, JaBari Thomas, Tyler Whaley, Dailyn Wood
HEAD CHEER COACH: Adam Rhoden
JAX STATE ROSTER
No. Name
0 Andrew Paul RB 6-0 220 R-Jr. Fort Worth, Texas
0 Tyler Bride SAF 5-10 180 R-Sr. Atlanta, Ga.
1 Michael Pettway WR 5-10 180 R-Sr. Alabaster, Ala.
1 Caleb Nix SAF 6-0 202 R-Jr. Phenix City, Ala.
2 Gavin Wimsatt QB 6-3 227 Sr. Owensboro, Ky.
2 Travis Franklin, Jr. SAF 5-11 185 Jr. Riverdale, Ga.
3 Brock Rechsteiner WR 6-2 225 R-Sr. Woodstock, Ga.
3 Tre’Quon Fegans CB 6-1 190 R-Jr. Anniston, Ala.
4 Cam Cook RB 5-11 200 Jr. Round Rock, Texas
4 Shane Payton Hodges DE 6-4 250 R-So. New Orleans, La.
5 Tyrin Taylor CB 6-2 185 R-Sr. Huntersville, N.C.
5 Dylan Gentry WR 5-9 160 R-Fr. Phenix City, Ala.
6 Rod Elston SAF 5-9 190 So. Anniston, Ala.
6 Jalen Likely RB 5-8 190 Rf. Brewton, Ala.
7 Harrison Hamsley TE 6-3 250 Sr. Valdosta, Ga.
7 Isaac Walker OLB 6-2 235 R-Sr. Greensboro, N.C.
8 Cade Cunningham QB 6-4 205 Sr. Wake Forest, N.C.
8 Larry Preston CB 6-0 190 R-Sr. Apopka, Fla.
9 Caleb Coombs WR 5-11 187 R-Sr. Leesburg, Va.
9 Patrick Taylor SAF 6-0 180 R-Sr. Johns Creek, Ga.
10 RJ Rainer CB 6-0 180 Fr. Charlotte, N.C.
10 Kadyn Mitchell QB 5-11 205 Fr. Dothan, Ala.
11 Deondre Johnson WR 6-8 220 R-So. Newburgh, N.Y.
12 Caden Creel QB 6-0 200 R-So. Fairhope, Ala.
12 Malcolm Jones SAF 6-1 206 R-Jr. Camilla, Ga.
13 Pearson Baldwin TE 6-2 230 R-Sr. Springville, Ala.
13 Jacob Cruz OLB 6-4 230 Jr. Acworth, Ga.
14 Chase Alexander SAF 5-10 190 R-Sr. Phenix City, Ala.
14 Blake Wallace WR 6-0 185 Fr. Boca Raton, Fla.
15 Jack Moran QB 6-5 225 Fr. Hillsborough, N.J.
16 Quay Hood DL 6-2 275 Fr. Atlanta, Ga.
17 Cai Mayowa LB 6-2 220 R-Jr. Hoover, Ala.
19 Greg Jones QB 6-4 205 Jr. Orlando, Fla.
20 Tee Denson SAF 6-0 195 R-Sr. Atlanta, Ga.
21 Myles Butler LB 6-1 220 Jr. Atlanta, Ga.
21 Justus Savage RB 5-10 205 R-Fr. Atlanta, Ga.
22 Khristian Lando RB 6-1 205 R-Fr. Cartersville, Ga.
22 Jaheim Jenkins CB 6-2 190 Sr. Bainbridge, Ga.
24 Jayke Jones CB 6-0 180 R-Fr. Jacksonville, Fla.
26 Lucas Farrington RB 5-9 195 Fr. Atlanta, Ga.
27 Riggs Dunn SAF 6-0 185 R-Fr. Trussville, Ala.
28 Christopher Johnson DL 6-3 290 Fr. Montgomery, Ala.
29 Cade Backe P 6-0 185 R-Sr. Crystal Lake, Ill.
29 Carter Lambert WR 6-0 185 R-Jr. Boaz, Ala.
30 Luke Gilbert TE 6-3 215 Fr. Pisgah, Ala.
31 Marc Woods SAF 6-4 202 R-Fr. Madison, Ala.
32 Micah McCarroll CB 5-9 170 R-So. Pleasant Grove, Ala.
35 Aidan Thompson LB 6-2 230 R-So. Winder, Ga.
36 Collin Westfelt LS 6-1 220 R-Sr. Acworth, Ga.
37 Garrison Rippa K 5-10 205 R-So. Locust Grove, Ga.
39 Bryson Rouillier WR 5-9 183 R-Fr. Gulf Breeze, Fla.
40 Walker O’Steen LB 6-3 215 R-Jr. White Plains, Ala.
43 Trevor Woods SAF 6-2 209 Sr. Katy, Texas / Katy Taylor
44 Khurtiss Perry DL 6-3 280 R-Jr. Montgomery, Ala.
44 Jameson Scissum TE 6-4 226 Fr. Attalla, Ala.
47 Corbet Mims DL 6-5 254 Sr. Memphis, Tenn. / Kirby HS
48 Wes Ryan TE 6-7 240 Fr. St. Petersburg, Fla.
49 Thaxton Gallagher LB 6-2 225 Sr. Dunwoody, Ga.
50 Lucas Mrachkovskiy OL 6-2 295 R-Fr. Odenville, Ala.
50 Cole Marszalek LS 5-11 205 R-So. Goodyear, Ariz.
53 Ian Mitchell OLB 6-4 245 Fr. Pleasant Grove, Ala.
54 Amare “Bubba” GraysonOL 6-3 310 So. Stockbridge, Ga.
54 Khari Bendolph LB 6-1 205 Fr. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
55 Tae Floyd DL 6-3 250 R-So. Ocala, Fla.
55 Markevian Blake OL 6-2 295 Fr. Gainestown, Ala.
59 Mac Sanders LB 6-2 225 Fr. McDonough, Ga.
60 Cameron Griffin OL 6-4 305 Jr. Selma, Ala.
62 Cole Roberson OL 6-4 295 R-So. River Forest, Ill.
63 Ryland Bragg OL 6-2 298 Rf. Pensacola, Fla.
69 Adrian Gumm OL 6-4 320 R-Jr. Maryville, Tenn.
70 Jeremiah Orr OL 6-5 325 R-Sr. Pineland, S.C.
72 Nate Smith OL 6-5 265 R-So. Jacksonville, Ala.
73 J.R. Jernigan OL 6-4 270 Fr. Brewton, Ala.
75 KD Small OL 6-4 295 R-Jr. Tuscaloosa, Ala.
77 Reggie Jackson OL 6-5 300 R-So. Orlando, Fla.
79 Lance Johnson OL 6-4 290 Fr. Birmingham, Ala.
80 Cianan Williams WR 6-4 175 R-Jr. Salem, Ala.
81 Gabe Glover WR 6-1 200 Fr. Dothan, Ala.
82 Colton Pitchford WR 5-11 190 R-So. Columbus, Texas
84 Franklin Baret Jr. WR 6-4 200 R-Fr. Raleigh, N.C.
86 Nabi Hoyt WR 6-0 195 Rf. Karmiel, Israel
87 Aghogho Eyafe WR 5-10 180 R-Sr. Andover, Minn.
87 Conor Donaghy P 6-2 195 Fr. Tyrone, Ireland
88 Kam Bell TE 6-4 230 R-So. Leesburg, Ga.
89 DJ Vinson WR 6-4 195 Fr. Montgomery, Ala.
91 Gharin Stansbury DE 6-6 270 R-Sr. Franklin, La.
92 Talan Carter DL 6-1 300 So. Ocean Springs, Miss.
93 Jawaun Campbell DL 5-11 282 So. DeFuniak Springs, Fla.
94 Jumarion Larry DE 6-4 260 R-Jr. Hazlehurst, Miss.
96 Darrell Prater DL 6-3 300 R-Jr. Fort Payne, Ala.
97 Cleat Forrest K 5-9 165 Fr. Alexandria, Ala.
98 Jackson Veasy DL 6-0 290 R-Fr. Gadsden, Ala.
99 Emmanuel Oyebadejo DE 6-7 295 R-Jr. Manchester, England
MURRAY STATE ROSTER
Name
0 Kobe Roberts DL 6-2 255 Sr. New Plymouth, Idaho
0 Jack Tannehill K 5-8 185 Sr. Oxford, Miss.
1 Cam Bulluck WR 6-4 190 R-So. Phenix City, Ala.
1 Bryan Pulley CB 6-0 190 Jr. Raleigh, N.C.
2 J’Kalon Carter WR 5-10 166 R-Sr. Aubrey, Texas
2 Michael Thomas, Jr. DB 5-11 185 Jr. Texarkana, Texas
3 Darius Cannon WR 5-10 180 R-So. Gainesville,Ga.
3 Jimmy Fomby DB 6-1 205 Fr. Seattle, Wash.
4 Tom O’Hara P 6-1 197 So. Melbourne, Australia
4 Jim Ogle QB 6-2 220 R-Fr. Jacksonville, Ala.
5 Conlee Crossno LB 6-1 205 So. Hodgenville, Ky.
5 Sawyer Deerman WR 5-10 175 R-So. Northport, Ala.
6 Dimitri Howard WR 5-10 175 Fr. Birmingham, Ala.
6 Shadon Shannon CB 6-2 195 Gr. Chicago, Ill.
7 Kaleb Bailey QB 6-2 205 Fr. Houston, Texas
7 Marion Ponds DB 6-1 190 Sr. Wichita, Kan.
8 Brooks Esplin S 5-11 185 So. Saint George, Utah
8 Jalen Richmond WR 6-0 190 Jr. Chandler, Ariz.
9 Kylan Galbreath RB 5-7 171 R-Jr. Mayfield, Ky.
9 Dylan Rowsey S 6-1 195 Fr. Rienzi, Miss.
12 Lucas Desjardins WR 6-4 200 5th Houston, Texas
13 John Ford QB 6-4 215 R-Jr. Sumrall, Miss.
14 Keishawn Rowser RB 5-11 217 Fr. Uniontown, Ala.
15 Trelon Slade DB 6-1 175 Jr. Powdersville S.C.
15 Blaze Berry QB 6-2 205 Fr. Eminence, Ky.
16 Baxter Wright QB 6-2 170 So. Gainesville,Ga.
17 Trace Corum WR 6-0 175 Fr. Knoxville, Tenn.
19 Matt Masingill QB 6-4 215 Jr. McCalla, Ala.
20 Chavaris Dumas DB 6-1 180 R-Fr. Palatka, Fla.
21 DeMarkus Boykin DB 6-1 170 Fr. Mobile, Ala.
22 Kevin Emmanuel RB 5-8 200 R-Fr. St. Louis, Mo.
23 Keyaan Abdul-Rahim LB 6-0 220 R-So. Charlotte, N.C.
24 Steven Jones DB 6-1 192 R-Fr. Gadsden, Ala.
25 Tate Collins DB 6-3 205 R-Jr. Madison, Miss.
26 Rett Hemphill LB 6-0 200 Fr. Jefferson, Ga.
27 Zayden Cook RB 5-10 200 Fr. Summerville, Ga.
27 Tomorris Green DB 5-9 180 Fr. Enterprise, Ala.
28 Jordan Washington RB 6-1 215 So. Helena, Ala.
28 Treshawn Darden DB 6-3 195 Fr. Hoover, Ala.
29 Braxton Crouse DB 6-1 177 Gr. Collierville, Tenn.
29 Santos Alvarez WR 6-0 180 Jr. Cincinnati, Ohio
30 Jawaun Northington RB 5-9 217 Sr. Louisville, Ky.
30 Kamden Miller LB 6-1 230 Fr. Montgomery, Ala.
31 Victor Kyatt K/P 6-2 177 Fr. Bessemer, Ala.
32 Dylan Embry RB 5-11 225 Fr. Locust Fork, Ala.
32 Blaize Thomas DB 6-1 175 Fr. Poarch, Ala.
33 Tyrell Campbell RB 5-10 200 So. London, Ontario
34 Spencer Conn LB 5-11 225 Fr. Clemson, S.C.
34 Caleb Ford RB 5-9 205 Fr. Columbia, S.C.
35 Tyler Dorn K/P 6-0 175 Fr. Knoxville, Tenn.
36 Jack Massey WR 5-9 175 Fr. Lynn Haven, Fla.
36 Joshua Murphy LB 5-11 210 Fr. Harvest, Ala.
37 Logan Laughlin DB 5-11 185 Fr. Buford, Ga.
38 Trace Ruckman DB 6-1 195 R-Sr. Wildwood, MO.
39 Malachi Williams ILB 6-1 234 R-Jr. Louisville, Ky.
40 Jayden Walker DL 6-2 260 Jr. Aberdeen, Miss.
41 Tyrece Edwards DL 6-2 274 Gr. Knoxville, Tenn.
42 Ja’Quan Redfern DL 6-3 290 So. Vineland, N.J.
43 Reece Hunt LB 6-2 220 Fr. Lakeville, Minn.
43 Alex Swafford WR 6-1 155 Fr. Gadsden, Ala.
44 Trei Dansby DL 6-4 260 Fr. Newark, Ohio
45 Klayton Ingram LB 6-0 230 Fr. Carthage, Texas
46 Caleb Matthews LS 6-0 195 Sr. Farmington, Ark.
47 Cooper Ford ST 5-11 215 Fr. Versailles, Ky.
48 Everett Currie LB 6-1 210 Fr. Marietta, Ga.
50 Bobby Thompson OL 6-1 288 Jr. Madison, Miss.
51 ZJ Grady DB 6-0 215 Fr. Opelika, Ala.
52 Nicholas Montik DL 6-0 255 Fr. Elk River, Minn.
53 Jordan Sonnabend LB 6-3 225 So. Bloomingdale, Ga.
54 Cannon McCulley OL 6-3 315 Sr. West Blocton, Ala.
55 Connor Archer DL 6-3 245 Fr. Nicholasville, Ky.
56 Graham McLelland OL 6-3 280 R-Fr. Waynesville, N.C.
57 Garrett Sanford DL 6-3 255 Fr. Pike Road, Ala.
58 Brody Phelps OL 6-4 300 So. Paducah, Ky.
61 AJ Shadid OL 6-3 275 Fr. Norman, Ok.
62 Will Pieroni OL 6-1 295 Gr. Marietta, Ga.
63 Jacob Darby OL 6-4 300 Fr. Nicholasville, Ky.
64 Kenneth McGill OL 6-5 350 Gr. Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
65 Devin Tingle OL 6-5 310 Sr. Moundville, Ala.
67 Thatcher Nagle OL 6-8 315 Fr. St.Louis, Mo.
68 Wyatt Buffington OL 6-3 300 Fr. Murray, Ky.
71 Cameron Stancil OL 6-4 300 Jr. Madison, Miss.
72 Carson Gilliland OL 6-8 340 Fr. Oakman, Ala.
73 Jaheer Foucault OL 6-5 300 Fr. Lawrenceville, Ga.
74 Chase Hamilton OL 6-4 300 R-Jr. Marietta, Ga.
75 Rodreques Boller OL 6-3 305 R-Sr. Louisville, Ky.
76 Daniel Cole OL 6-6 315 Fr. Jonesboro, Ark.
77 Thomas Zimbalatti OL 6-3 320 Fr. Richmond Hill, Ga.
78 Eric Kirkpatrick OL 6-5 300 Fr. Rainbow City, Ala.
79 Josh Bratcher OL 6-1 307 Fr. Louisville, Ky.
80 LJ Green WR 6-0 160 So. Franklin, Ga.
81 Noah Berrini DL 6-3 Fr. Mountain Iron-Buhl, Minn.
81 Ty Brown TE 6-4 235 Fr. Woodway, Texas
82 Arnett Hayes Jr. WR 6-1 175 Fr. Nashville, Tenn.
83 Harrison Spencer WR 6-3 195 Fr. Cumming, Ga.
84 Jaxon Potter WR 5-10 170 Fr. Decatur, Ala.
85 Brooks Kleinpeter TE 6-3 240 Fr. Savannah, Ga.
86 Reece Wilder TE 6-2 210 R-So. Boonville, Ind.
87 Liam McCormack WR 6-2 200 R-Fr. Fort Mitchell, Ky.
88 Huseyin Simsir TE 6-5 255 So. Sunderland, U.K.
89 Rykin Maxwell WR 6-2 195 R-Fr. Charlotte, N.C.
90 Cameron Daniels DL 6-3 290 Fr. Lawrenceville, Ga.
91 Jerome Logan DL 6-2 300 R-Jr. St. Louis, Mo.
92 JJ Chatman DL 6-3 235 Fr. Rome, Ga.
93 CJ Sanderson DL 6-4 290 Fr. Blaine, Minn.
94 Rickshun Wilson DL 6-2 300 Fr. Memphis, Tenn.
95 AaMarii Lofton DL 6-3 270 Fr. Mobile, Ala.
96 Jadon Martin DL 6-3 225 Fr. Lawrenceville, Ga.
97 Harlem Phillips DL 6-4 215 Fr. Hawkinsville, Ga.
98 Michael Tilmon DL 6-4 295 Fr. Euless, Texas
VICE PRESIDENT FOR ATHLETICS
Greg Seitz begins his 33rd year in the athletic department at Jacksonville State University, where he has served as Director of Athletics since being officially named to the role on February 26, 2016.
Seitz served as interim Athletic Director for 14 months leading up to his full-time appointment, marking his third term as the interim Athletic Director for the Gamecocks.
In Seitz’s decade at the helm, the Gamecocks have experienced unprecedented success on the field and in the classroom. The architect of Jax State’s move from NCAA’s Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Conference USA, Seitz has navigated the athletic department through the recovery of the 2018 EF-3 tornado, the 2020 pandemic and a series of three conference changes over a four-year span.
During his tenure, the Gamecocks have shined in the classroom. Jax State student-athletes have earned a 3.20-or-better department GPA in each of the last six years, including the department’s highest combined GPA of 3.341 set during the most recent 2024-25 academic year.
Since taking the reins full-time in 2016, Seitz has hired an impressive list of head coaches that have produced Jax State’s first two trips to March Madness and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament (Ray Harper), first FBS bowl appearance, bowl victory and FBS Confer-
ence Championship (Rich Rodriguez) and the school’s first Division I national championship in women’s bowling (Shannon O’Keefe). The Gamecocks have claimed multiple softball and volleyball conference crowns, while also regularly placing individuals in NCAA postseason competition in golf, tennis and track and field. In 2019, Jax State baseball won its first NCAA Tournament games eliminating Illinois and Clemson en route to the Oxford Regional Final.
In the school’s second season as a full-fledged FBS school and member of Conference USA in 2024-25, the Gamecocks reached the championship game/round and finished first or second in the league in six sports (football, men’s basketball, bowling, women’s golf, softball and baseball). A feat made more impressive by the fact that CUSA ranked Top 10 in conference RPI in four of those sports (Bowling, Men’s Basketball, Softball, Baseball) The Gamecocks hosted and won the 2024 CUSA Football Championship with a dominant 52-12 win over Western Kentucky at AmFirst Stadium to win the program’s first FBS conference title. Jax State earned a second-straight bowl bid traveling to Orland, Fla., to face MAC champions Ohio in the Cure Bowl. The bowl game capped a record 10th nationally-televised game of the season for Jax State football. In March, Jax State made its debut in the men’s basketball National Invitation Tournament (NIT), where the Gamecocks made another national television splash with an 81-64 Opening Round win at Georgia Tech for the program’s first Power Four win in the last 50 years.
Jax State made a head-first dive into Conference USA and FBS football for 2023-24. Behind the school’s first FBS bowl appearance and bowl victory in the New Orleans Bowl and the upstart bowling program claiming
the 2024 NCAA national championship, the first for the school in any sport at the Division I level, the Gamecocks ending the year with their best-ever finish in the LEARFIELD Director’s Cup standings. Jax State scored 145 points to rank 123rd among all 350+ Division I institutions. Both marks surpassed Jax State’s previous bests of 140 points and 124th-place finish from 201516, which came during Seitz’s earliest year leading the department.
From his earliest days leading the Gamecocks, the Jax State football team won a JSU and Ohio Valley Conference-record five consecutive league titles and won a league-record 36-straight OVC games from 2014 to 2018, the second-longest conference win streak in FCS history. The Gamecocks were the only Division I program to win its conference title outright during those five seasons. The 2015 season saw the football team post it’s first-ever No. 1 ranking in school history, and earn the No. 1 National seed in the FCS Playoffs before advancing to Jax State’s first Division I National Championship Game appearance in Frisco, Texas. The Gamecocks set more than 50 school records and ranked in the top three in attendance at the FCS level after hosting three-straight home playoff games.
In 2017, Jax State reached the Division I NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament for the first time under firstyear head coach Ray Harper. The Gamecocks made their second all-time appearance in March Madness in 2022, winning the ASUN Conference in their first year. The transition to the ASUN saw immediate success on the hardwood as the women’s basketball program also took part in its first Div. I postseason with a bid to the WNIT.
Seitz has been with Jax State since 1993, when he began working as assistant sports information director. In 1999, he became Sports Information Director and was promoted to Associate Athletic Director in 2002, before being promoted to Senior Associate Athletic Director in 2011.
During his term as interim and Athletic Director, Seitz has been instrumental in many of the facility upgrades at Jacksonville State, including renovations at Rudy Abbott Field at Jim Case Stadium, Pete Mathews Coliseum, the Loring and Debbie White Football Complex and the Riley Green Athletic Sports Performance Center.
In 2017, Seitz announced an extension of a 14-year partnership between Jax State Athletics and Adidas, securing the Portland, Ore., based company as the Gamecocks’ official athletic apparel and footwear brand.
Also during 2017, Seitz and the Board of Trustees announced plans to install new state-of-the-art high definition video boards at football, baseball and softball, while also placing new scoreboards at the Jax State Soccer Field and the Jax State Tennis Courts. That proj-
ect went one step further in 2019, when a pair of video boards were installed inside Pete Mathews Coliseum as part of the reconstruction process following the 2018 EF-3 tornado that struck campus.
As part of the campus rebuild following the tornado, Seitz brought the athletic department’s administrative home to Pete Mathews Coliseum creating new office space throughout the third floor of the facility. The transition paved the way for a new main athletic ticket office in the coliseum lobby, updated basketball, soccer and volleyball locker rooms, and the installation of a full-size practice court on the east end of the building.
Under his guidance, Jax State athletics transitioned into the ASUN Conference in 2021, to better align with the evolving college landscape, and soon after accepted an invitation to join Conference USA beginning in 2023. The move elevated the Gamecocks’ football program to the highest level of college football. Among his notable hires since taking over as AD, Seitz landed Rich Rodriguez to lead Jax State’s efforts into FBS and Conference USA. The move proved successful from the start as Rodriguez and the Gamecocks won the ASUN Conference in his first season in 2022 during Jax State’s final FCS season. The momentum continued into Jax State’s debut FBS season in 2023 when Rodriguez and the Gamecocks became just the fifth team to play in a bowl during the program’s first full season of FBS competition. Jax State then became the first and only team to win a bowl in its first FBS campaign with a thrilling 34-31 overtime victory over Louisiana in the R+L Carrier’s New Orleans Bowl.
Seitz has served on the NCAA Men’s Final Four Media Coordinator team for the last 14 years and was just named to the NCAA Division I baseball committee, serving a four-year term through 2028. He also serves as a site representative for the NCAA for the Division I Baseball Regionals and Super Regionals, and has worked the College World Series for the past six years. Seitz served a four-year term on the NCAA FCS Football Committee, serving as Chair in 2019, and has been a site representative for the last 11 years. In addition, he served as a member of the NCAA Football Oversight Committee in 2019-20 and was a member of the NCAA Championships Financial Working Group that was formed in 2019.
He has worked numerous NCAA Championships and Alabama High School Athletic Association events over the last 30-plus years. In 2002, he became the first SID elected as President of the Alabama Sports Writers Association and currently serves as the organization’s secretary and treasurer.
