Mike Leach Adds Mississippi Coaching Veteran Jay Hopson To Staff
March 16, 2021 | Football
STARKVILLE – Coaching veteran Jay Hopson has joined Mississippi State's football staff, head coach Mike Leach announced Tuesday. Hopson will serve as a defensive analyst for the Bulldogs.
A longtime Mississippian, Hopson owns 29 years of experience at the collegiate level, including 17 in the state of Mississippi.
"I am excited about this opportunity and really want to thank Coach Leach," Hopson said. "I am looking forward to being a part of the Bulldog Family, and all the exciting things happening at Mississippi State."
Hopson, who is a native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, had three different stints at Southern Miss and most recently served as head coach of the Golden Eagles for the last four-plus seasons. Hopson led Southern Miss to winning records in each of his first four seasons as head coach, including three appearances in bowl games.
Hopson was as an assistant coach at Southern Miss from 2001-03 (defensive backs) and again from 2005-07 (defensive coordinator).
Before Southern Miss, Hopson had a successful four-year stint as head coach at Alcorn State where he led the Braves to a 31-17 record and consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference championships during his final two seasons. Alcorn State also recorded at least nine victories in each of his last three seasons, including a 10-3 mark in 2014. In 2013, Hopson was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS Coach of the Year.
Hopson posted a 60-40 overall record as a head coach.
Hopson also had coaching stops at Memphis (defensive coordinator; 2010-11), Michigan (linebackers; 2008-09), Ole Miss (defensive backs; 2004) and Marshall (defensive backs; 1996-2000). He was a member of Marshall's 1996 NCAA I-AA National Championship staff and helped coach the Herd to four straight Mid-American Conference championships.
No stranger to the Southeastern Conference, Hopson was a graduate assistant coach at LSU in 1994 and at Florida in 1995. He helped the Gators to the SEC championship and the national championship in the Fiesta Bowl.
Hopson began his coaching career at Tulane in 1992 as a graduate assistant coach. His first full-time coaching job was at Delta State as defensive backs coach in 1993.
During his tenure as head coach at Southern Miss, Hopson coached 11 Conference USA first-team selections, and he mentored four NFL draft selections including Quez Watkins, who was a sixth-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020. Watkins led the Conference USA and ranked seventh in the FBS in receiving yards per game (104.1) during his final season.
The Golden Eagles collected top-25 showings in both total offense (21st/472.8 ypg) and total defense (15th/324.8 ypg) in his first year and the defense ranked 20th in total yards allowed in 2017 (331.9 ypg).
That string of nationally ranked defenses continued in 2018, when Southern Miss posted its highest ranking under Hopson at No. 3, giving up 278.4 yards per contest. It was the highest finish for a Golden Eagle defense since 2000.
In 2019, Southern Miss turned in one of their better special teams seasons that included a school-record three kickoff returns for touchdowns and one more punt return for a score.
During his stint as defensive coordinator at Southern Miss, Hopson's units led the C-USA in scoring defense each of those three seasons. During his first stint with the Golden Eagles, the defensive unit led the nation in fewest passing touchdowns allowed and finished fourth nationally in pass efficiency defense in 2002. Southern Miss led C-USA and finished fifth nationally in pass defense during the 2003 season, and each year during that stretch, Southern Miss ranked in the top-15 nationally in scoring defense.
Hopson spent 2004 at his alma mater, Ole Miss, as defensive backs coach and was the program's recruiting coordinator. The Rebels' pass defense improved from 109th nationally in 2003 to 49th during the 2004 campaign.
He was a four-year letterwinner and received the 1991 John Howard Vaught Award as a player at Ole Miss. A CoSIDA Academic All-American, Hopson graduated from Ole Miss with a bachelor's degree in business administration (1992) and received a master's of health in physical education and recreation from Delta State (1994).
Hopson and his wife, Michelle, have two daughters, Hyde and Hannah.
Jay Hopson File
Date of Birth: Oct. 13, 1968
Hometown: Vicksburg, Miss.
Education: Ole Miss, '92 (bachelor's), Delta State, '94 (master's)
Years at Southern Miss: 6 seasons as an assistant coach, 4+ as head coach
Years in Coaching: 29
Coaching Experience
2016-20: Southern Miss (Head Coach)
2012-15: Alcorn State (Head Coach)
2010-11: Memphis (Defensive Coordinator)
2008-09: Michigan (Linebackers)
2006-07: Southern Miss (Defensive Coordinator/Middle Linebackers)
2005: Southern Miss (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
2004: Ole Miss (Defensive Backs)
2001-03: Southern Miss (Defensive Backs)
1996-00: Marshall (Defensive Backs)
1995: Florida (Graduate Assistant/Offensive Scout Team/Special Teams)
1994: LSU (Graduate Assistant/Defensive Backs/Offensive Scout Team)
1993: Delta State (Defensive Backs)
1992: Tulane (Graduate Assistant/Offensive Scout Team/Special Teams/Video Breakdown)
Bowl/Playoff Games As A Coach
2019: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
2017: Independence Bowl
2016: New Orleans Bowl
2015: Celebration Bowl
2015: SWAC Championship Game
2014: SWAC Championship Game
2007: PapaJohns.com Bowl
2007: GMAC Bowl
2005: New Orleans Bowl
2004: New Orleans Bowl
2003: Liberty Bowl
2002: Houston Bowl
2000: Motor City Bowl
1999: Motor City Bowl
1998: Motor City Bowl
1997: Motor City Bowl
1996: NCAA I-AA National Champions
1995: Fiesta Bowl
A longtime Mississippian, Hopson owns 29 years of experience at the collegiate level, including 17 in the state of Mississippi.
"I am excited about this opportunity and really want to thank Coach Leach," Hopson said. "I am looking forward to being a part of the Bulldog Family, and all the exciting things happening at Mississippi State."
Hopson, who is a native of Vicksburg, Mississippi, had three different stints at Southern Miss and most recently served as head coach of the Golden Eagles for the last four-plus seasons. Hopson led Southern Miss to winning records in each of his first four seasons as head coach, including three appearances in bowl games.
Hopson was as an assistant coach at Southern Miss from 2001-03 (defensive backs) and again from 2005-07 (defensive coordinator).
Before Southern Miss, Hopson had a successful four-year stint as head coach at Alcorn State where he led the Braves to a 31-17 record and consecutive Southwestern Athletic Conference championships during his final two seasons. Alcorn State also recorded at least nine victories in each of his last three seasons, including a 10-3 mark in 2014. In 2013, Hopson was named a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS Coach of the Year.
Hopson posted a 60-40 overall record as a head coach.
Hopson also had coaching stops at Memphis (defensive coordinator; 2010-11), Michigan (linebackers; 2008-09), Ole Miss (defensive backs; 2004) and Marshall (defensive backs; 1996-2000). He was a member of Marshall's 1996 NCAA I-AA National Championship staff and helped coach the Herd to four straight Mid-American Conference championships.
No stranger to the Southeastern Conference, Hopson was a graduate assistant coach at LSU in 1994 and at Florida in 1995. He helped the Gators to the SEC championship and the national championship in the Fiesta Bowl.
Hopson began his coaching career at Tulane in 1992 as a graduate assistant coach. His first full-time coaching job was at Delta State as defensive backs coach in 1993.
During his tenure as head coach at Southern Miss, Hopson coached 11 Conference USA first-team selections, and he mentored four NFL draft selections including Quez Watkins, who was a sixth-round selection by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020. Watkins led the Conference USA and ranked seventh in the FBS in receiving yards per game (104.1) during his final season.
The Golden Eagles collected top-25 showings in both total offense (21st/472.8 ypg) and total defense (15th/324.8 ypg) in his first year and the defense ranked 20th in total yards allowed in 2017 (331.9 ypg).
That string of nationally ranked defenses continued in 2018, when Southern Miss posted its highest ranking under Hopson at No. 3, giving up 278.4 yards per contest. It was the highest finish for a Golden Eagle defense since 2000.
In 2019, Southern Miss turned in one of their better special teams seasons that included a school-record three kickoff returns for touchdowns and one more punt return for a score.
During his stint as defensive coordinator at Southern Miss, Hopson's units led the C-USA in scoring defense each of those three seasons. During his first stint with the Golden Eagles, the defensive unit led the nation in fewest passing touchdowns allowed and finished fourth nationally in pass efficiency defense in 2002. Southern Miss led C-USA and finished fifth nationally in pass defense during the 2003 season, and each year during that stretch, Southern Miss ranked in the top-15 nationally in scoring defense.
Hopson spent 2004 at his alma mater, Ole Miss, as defensive backs coach and was the program's recruiting coordinator. The Rebels' pass defense improved from 109th nationally in 2003 to 49th during the 2004 campaign.
He was a four-year letterwinner and received the 1991 John Howard Vaught Award as a player at Ole Miss. A CoSIDA Academic All-American, Hopson graduated from Ole Miss with a bachelor's degree in business administration (1992) and received a master's of health in physical education and recreation from Delta State (1994).
Hopson and his wife, Michelle, have two daughters, Hyde and Hannah.
Jay Hopson File
Date of Birth: Oct. 13, 1968
Hometown: Vicksburg, Miss.
Education: Ole Miss, '92 (bachelor's), Delta State, '94 (master's)
Years at Southern Miss: 6 seasons as an assistant coach, 4+ as head coach
Years in Coaching: 29
Coaching Experience
2016-20: Southern Miss (Head Coach)
2012-15: Alcorn State (Head Coach)
2010-11: Memphis (Defensive Coordinator)
2008-09: Michigan (Linebackers)
2006-07: Southern Miss (Defensive Coordinator/Middle Linebackers)
2005: Southern Miss (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
2004: Ole Miss (Defensive Backs)
2001-03: Southern Miss (Defensive Backs)
1996-00: Marshall (Defensive Backs)
1995: Florida (Graduate Assistant/Offensive Scout Team/Special Teams)
1994: LSU (Graduate Assistant/Defensive Backs/Offensive Scout Team)
1993: Delta State (Defensive Backs)
1992: Tulane (Graduate Assistant/Offensive Scout Team/Special Teams/Video Breakdown)
Bowl/Playoff Games As A Coach
2019: Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
2017: Independence Bowl
2016: New Orleans Bowl
2015: Celebration Bowl
2015: SWAC Championship Game
2014: SWAC Championship Game
2007: PapaJohns.com Bowl
2007: GMAC Bowl
2005: New Orleans Bowl
2004: New Orleans Bowl
2003: Liberty Bowl
2002: Houston Bowl
2000: Motor City Bowl
1999: Motor City Bowl
1998: Motor City Bowl
1997: Motor City Bowl
1996: NCAA I-AA National Champions
1995: Fiesta Bowl
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