Alcorn State, MS (Sports Network) - Alcorn State University, a historically
black college, named Jay Hopson as its new head coach on Monday - the first
white person to hold the position.
Hopson, the defensive coordinator at the University of Memphis the last two
season, was one of four finalists for the Alcorn State position and later
withdrew his name from consideration before he accepted it.
University president M. Christopher Brown II introduced the 43-year-old
Hopson, a Vicksburg native, at an afternoon news conference.
Hopson replaces Melvin Spears Jr., who was fired in February after one season.
The Braves finished 2-8 overall and 1-8 in the Southwestern Athletic
Conference.
Hopson also was the defensive coordinator at Southern Mississippi from 2005-07
and was an assistant coach at Michigan, Marshall, Florida, LSU, Tulane, Delta
State and Ole Miss, his alma mater.
He was a Marshall assistant when the Thundering Herd won the NCAA Division I-
AA (now FCS) national title.
Other finalists for the position were Todd McDaniel, Alcorn State's defensive
line coach and interim head coach since December, when Spears was put on
administrative leave following his first season; Michael Armour, the Northern
Colorado offensive coordinator and a former Alcorn State assistant coach; and
Fredrick Farrier, the former head coach at Kentucky State.
The Sports Network