Starkville hires former Southern Miss coach Jay Hopson as new athletic director

Hopson brings coaching experience from twelve Division One programs to the Yellowjackets.

After a couple of years without an athletic director, Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District has named the new head of their sports programs. Jay Hopson takes over in Starkville with a program that has nineteen sports and over 600 athletes.

Hopson brings experience coaching at twelve Division One programs in his career, including head football coach at Southern Miss from 2016-2020 and Alcorn State from 2012-2015. He also served as defensive analyst and director of high school relations at Mississippi State. Last year, he was an assistant football coach at South Alabama. Now, he’ll retire from coaching to instead lead a prestigious high school program and their athletic department.

His first order of business will be to immediately begin the search for the next head football coach of the Yellowjackets after previous head coach Chris Jones left to take the head coach position at Hines Community College.

Hopson says he’s excited for the opportunity to play a significant role with so many talented student athletes and athletic programs.

“Just watching the coaches and student athletes and watching how they develop, that’s something as you get older as a football coach you realize… you want these young men and women to be successful not only on the field and the court, but you want them to be successful in life,” said Hopson. “It’s time now to put the whistle on the shelf and I feel blessed. Dr. Magee gave me a wonderful opportunity and it’s a joy to work for him. My wife and I love Starkville, she taught school here in the district. It’s a great place for us and we’re excited.”