PRESS RELEASE FROM PEARL RIVER COMMUNITY COLLEGE
POPLARVILLE - A former Pearl River Community College assistant coach is coming
back to lead the Wildcat football program.
William Jones, 45, a native of Hot Springs, Ark. and assistant coach at PRCC
from 2001-07, is the new head football coach at Pearl River Community College,
pending approval by the PRCC Board of Trustees at its Dec. 13 meeting.
"We feel very fortunate to be able to recommend Coach William Jones as the next
head football coach at Pearl River Community College," said PRCC President
William Lewis.
"Coach Jones is passionate about his profession and has a deep sense of
commitment to the success of his players on and off the field. He has a proven
track record of success on the field, but he also has the same record of success
with developing his players for success after football. Coach Jones is a great
fit for our program. "
Jones comes to PRCC from East Mississippi Community College, where he has
served as associate head coach and defensive coordinator under head coach Buddy
Stephens. He also served as assistant athletic director.
He helped guide East Mississippi to a five-year record of 44-10, including the
school's first NJCAA national championship, two MACJC state championships and
four MACJC North Division regular-season crowns.
"This is the biggest moment in my professional career, being named head coach
at Pearl River Community College," said Jones. "I am very excited about the
opportunity to lead a program that has won a national championship and you have
the ability to win a national championship here.
"There is work to be done in terms of hiring coaches, evaluating current
personnel, looking at the facilities and getting everything in place."
He replaces Coach Tim Hatten, who resigned his position as head football coach
last month.
After having spent 12 years as a defensive coordinator in the Mississippi
junior college league, Jones knows he has his work cut out for him.
"It always starts with having good people, a good administration, good
community support, and good players," said Jones. "You have to build those
relationships that help you find those good players. It all starts with caliber
of football player and the kind of person you want in this program. I have to
set the bar for that."
Jones also knows that his first game as the PRCC head coach next season will be
at home against East Mississippi.
"There will be some excitement about that," he said.
At PRCC, Jones served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. During
that time, the Wildcats posted a composite record of 60-12 (.833), including an
NJCAA National Championship in 2004 and four consecutive MACJC state titles
(2003-06).
PRCC consistently ranked among the national team defensive leaders during
Jones' tenure, and 10 Wildcat players collected NJCAA All-American accolades
during his seven-year stay at the school, including 2003 NJCAA Male Athlete of
the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Larry Kendrick.
Upon earning his bachelor's degree in life sciences (pre-veterinary medicine)
from
Louisiana Tech University in
1990, Jones served as vice president of scouting operations and personnel
development for the Sportstek Management Group in Shreveport, La. He later earned
a master's degree in higher education administration, with a concentration in
sports administration, from the University of Louisville in 1999.
Jones' debut in collegiate coaching came at Grambling State University, where
he served as a defensive
assistant coach under the guidance of legendary Hall of Fame coach Eddie
Robinson. During his time at Grambling, the 1994 Tigers claimed the
Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship and played in the
inaugural Heritage Bowl.While Jones has divided his football coaching career
between the community college and NCAA Division II ranks, he also has extensive
experience at the professional level.
Before switching to the community college coaching ranks in 2001, Jones spent
six seasons at the NCAA Division II level at Kentucky State University, where
he served as co-defensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator before getting
the call from Pearl River.
