Starkville High School has named former Southern Miss and Alcorn State head football coach Jay Hopson as its new athletic director, the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District (SOCSD) announced Tuesday.
SOCSD Superintendent and interim Athletic Director Tony McGee expressed confidence in Hopson’s leadership, citing his extensive experience at the collegiate level.
“Jay is a proven leader,” McGee said in a statement. “He brings a wealth of experience as a player, coach, and administrator to our athletics program that I believe will position our coaches, teams, and students for success. We are excited about the future of Jacket athletics under his leadership and look forward to him taking our programs to a new level of excellence.”
A native of Vicksburg, Hopson, 56, is a graduate of Ole Miss and Delta State. He has held coaching positions at 12 Division I programs, serving as both an assistant and head coach throughout his career. Hopson was the head coach at Southern Miss from 2016 to 2020 and most recently worked as the cornerbacks coach at South Alabama.
In addition to his head coaching roles, Hopson has served as a defensive analyst and director of high school relations at Mississippi State and was previously the running backs coach at Ole Miss.
His appointment marks a significant addition to Starkville High School’s athletic department, with expectations that his leadership will enhance the program’s development and competitiveness.