by beepbeep
Alcorn State University will announce this morning at a 11:00 a.m. press conference in Jackson, Mississippi that Ernest Jones has been selected to lead the Braves football program.
For once, most fans would like to be surprised by the selection of an African-American head coach in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with some head coaching experience with a winning program at the FCS, Division II or III levels.
Not so in this case.
Jones is completing his first season as the running backs position coach at the University of Cincinnati, under coach Brian Kelly. Cincinnati went 9-3 this season and will play Southern Mississippi in the PapaJohn.com Bowl on December 22, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Coach Jones previously served on Kelly's staff at Central Michigan University for two seasons as the running backs coach (2006) and the corner backs coach (2005). Jones also served as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Division III, Oberlin College in 2004; Division II, Kentucky State 2003; and Concordia University (Minn.) in 2000-2002.
Coach Jones has been a position coach for eight years and has indicated he played five years of professional football, but his Internet bios do not indicate where, what position played and at what level.
Photo: Coach Earnest Jones, Head Coach - Alcorn State University Braves
The Flint, Michigan native played college football at Hinds Community College ('91-'93) and at Alcorn State University ('93-'95), where he saw limited playing time for the Braves.
Jones was also one of 25 coaches selected in 2006, to attend the NCAA Expert Coaches Academy, a program created to address a shortage of minority head coaches in Division I football and assist the coaches with career advancement, networking and exposure opportunities, and to raise awareness regarding the substantial pool of talented and qualified coaching candidates.
Jones, who earned an associate's degree from Hinds Community College in 1993 is a 1995 graduate of Alcorn State University. He earned a master's degree from Concordia in 2002 and is currently working on a doctorate in human services at Walden University.
George Ross, Alcorn State University new president will start work on January 3, 2008.
Both Ross and Jones served at Central Michigan during the same period. President Ross was the former vice president of finance and administrative services at the Mt. Pleasant, Michigan school.
Coach Jones replaces Dr. Johnny Thomas, who was paid $86,000 annually, the second lowest head coach salary in the Football Championship Subdivision. Dr. Thomas was fired on November 19 and finished with a career record of 48-61, 2-8 in 2007.
Alcorn State University, the Sounds of Dyn-O-mite Marching Band and Golden Girls
Alcorn State University will announce this morning at a 11:00 a.m. press conference in Jackson, Mississippi that Ernest Jones has been selected to lead the Braves football program.
For once, most fans would like to be surprised by the selection of an African-American head coach in the Southwestern Athletic Conference with some head coaching experience with a winning program at the FCS, Division II or III levels.
Not so in this case.
Jones is completing his first season as the running backs position coach at the University of Cincinnati, under coach Brian Kelly. Cincinnati went 9-3 this season and will play Southern Mississippi in the PapaJohn.com Bowl on December 22, in Birmingham, Alabama.
Coach Jones previously served on Kelly's staff at Central Michigan University for two seasons as the running backs coach (2006) and the corner backs coach (2005). Jones also served as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Division III, Oberlin College in 2004; Division II, Kentucky State 2003; and Concordia University (Minn.) in 2000-2002.
Coach Jones has been a position coach for eight years and has indicated he played five years of professional football, but his Internet bios do not indicate where, what position played and at what level.
Photo: Coach Earnest Jones, Head Coach - Alcorn State University BravesThe Flint, Michigan native played college football at Hinds Community College ('91-'93) and at Alcorn State University ('93-'95), where he saw limited playing time for the Braves.
Jones was also one of 25 coaches selected in 2006, to attend the NCAA Expert Coaches Academy, a program created to address a shortage of minority head coaches in Division I football and assist the coaches with career advancement, networking and exposure opportunities, and to raise awareness regarding the substantial pool of talented and qualified coaching candidates.
Jones, who earned an associate's degree from Hinds Community College in 1993 is a 1995 graduate of Alcorn State University. He earned a master's degree from Concordia in 2002 and is currently working on a doctorate in human services at Walden University.
George Ross, Alcorn State University new president will start work on January 3, 2008.
Both Ross and Jones served at Central Michigan during the same period. President Ross was the former vice president of finance and administrative services at the Mt. Pleasant, Michigan school.
Coach Jones replaces Dr. Johnny Thomas, who was paid $86,000 annually, the second lowest head coach salary in the Football Championship Subdivision. Dr. Thomas was fired on November 19 and finished with a career record of 48-61, 2-8 in 2007.
Alcorn State University, the Sounds of Dyn-O-mite Marching Band and Golden Girls
