New South Alabama football coach Kane Wommack has landed a big name for his coaching staff.
Major Applewhite has joined the Jaguars as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, the school announced Monday. Applewhite, the former Houston head coach, spent the last two seasons as an offensive analyst at Alabama.
“My excitement grows with every conversation as we talk through Major’s vision for our offense at South Alabama,” Wommack said. “His experience as a coordinator and a head coach will provide tremendous value to our team. I’m eager to watch him develop and utilize our players’ skill sets and talents to create an explosive product in Hancock Whitney Stadium.”
South Alabama has also hired three other offensive assistants, including two who were also analysts with the Crimson Tide this season. Rob Ezell has been hired as tight ends coach, while Gordon Steele is now on-board as offensive line coach.
In addition, Earnest Hill has joined the South Alabama staff as running backs coach. Hill spent the last four seasons as head coach at McGill-Toolen Catholic School in Mobile.
RELATED: McGill-Toolen coach Earnest Hill leaving for job at South Alabama
Applewhite was reportedly ticketed for a job on Butch Jones’ staff at Arkansas State, but ultimately chose the Jaguars over the Red Wolves. Arkansas State announced a number of assistant coaches last week, but Applewhite was not among them.
The 42-year-old Applewhite was a star quarterback at Texas in the late 1990s, and remains one of the more popular players in Longhorns history. He also coached at his alma mater, serving as assistant head coach, co-offensive coordinator and running backs coach at various times from 2008-13.
Applewhite was head coach at Houston from 2017-18, posting a 15-11 record. He has also been offensive coordinator at Rice (2006), Alabama (2007) and Houston (2015-16).
Ezell, a former walk-on quarterback and wide receiver at Alabama, has worked as a graduate assistant and analyst under Nick Saban. He also coached with Jim McElwain at Colorado State.
“Rob has a great pedigree working among the best coaches in the country at Alabama,” Wommack said. “As he has grown working on both sides of the ball, he is truly one of the bright young minds in our profession. As a third-generation football coach in this state, Rob has great ties to our recruiting footprint as well. His connection and understanding to the vision Major has for our system makes him a great fit to build an explosive machine on game day.”
Steele, the son of Auburn defensive coordinator (and current interim coach) Kevin Steele, returns to South Alabama after three seasons at Alabama. Gordon Steele was a graduate assistant with the Jaguars under Joey Jones in 2017 and was previously offensive line coach at Murray State and a GA at LSU.
“Since working with Gordon previously, I have looked forward to the opportunity to build a team together with a shared vision,” Wommack said. “He comes honestly by his great knowledge of football as his father, Kevin, is one of the greatest defensive minds in our sport. Gordon’s deep understanding of offensive line scheme and fundamentals — accompanied by his ability to connect to his players — make him a perfect fit to come alongside Major and lead our ‘big men’ to success.”
Hill went 40-8 at McGill-Toolen, including a state championship game appearance in 2017. He was defensive coordinator on the Yellow Jackets team that won the 7A state title in 2015.
“Earnest is one of the most respected high school coaches in the state of Alabama,” Wommack said. “He has experienced great success wherever he has coached and has built great relationships throughout our state. His reputation for winning and deep connections to our city make Earnest a perfect fit for the culture we are building here at South.”
The four offensive hires bring the South Alabama assistant staff to seven, along with three defensive coaches announced earlier Monday. The Jaguars still seek three assistants, some combination of a defensive line coach, a wide receivers coach and a special teams coordinator.
RELATED: South Alabama announces 3 defensive assistants, including coordinator Corey Batoon