Former Tennessee running back’s coach Jerry Mack is the new head coach at Kennesaw State, the program announced on Sunday afternoon.
“After an extensive national search, I would like to welcome coach Jerry Mack, his wife, Starlett, and family to Owl Nation as our head football coach,” Kennesaw State Director of Athletics Milton Overton said. “Coach Mack’s values and professional qualifications align with the strategic direction of our football program. He has 20 years of coaching experience at all levels, has shown a longstanding ability to connect with players, and owns a relentless recruiting mindset. Coach Mack has proven experience running up-tempo and productive offensive schemes.”
𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋 ✍️
We’re proud to announce Jerry Mack as the second head coach of Kennesaw State Football!
📰 https://t.co/D5PIEcv3CH #GoldStandard | #SeeUs pic.twitter.com/ILbZaqHd3N
— Kennesaw State Football (@kennesawstfb) December 1, 2024
Mack was Tennessee’s running backs coach during Josh Heupel’s first three seasons as head coach in Knoxville. He left Tennessee last offseason to become the new running backs coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars but is jumping back in college football after just one year away.
Prior to his time at Tennessee, Mack spent stints at Rice, North Carolina Central, South Alabama, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and a handful of other small schools. Mack does has previous head coaching experience, spending four years as the head coach at North Carolina Central from 2014-17.
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While he does have head coaching experience in college, this is the first head coaching job that Mack has had at the FBS level. It is unclear whether Mack will call his own plays or bring in an offensive coordinator with full autonomy.
“My family and I are extremely excited to join the Owl family! … KSU is one of the fastest-growing institutions in the country with no ceiling on the potential opportunities it presents for our student-athletes,” Mack said. “I am grateful and honored to be entrusted as the leader and standard bearer of our team. I’m looking forward to helping our young men build on the success of our program, obtain degrees, win championships, and develop into great citizens that our KSU family will be proud of.”
Mack did a strong job in his three seasons at Tennessee, particularly in player development where he helped develop Jaylen Wright and Dylan Sampson from three-star recruits to All-SEC caliber players.
Mack has a tough task ahead of him at Kennesaw State. He is just the second head coach in program history after the school launched its football program in 2015. Brian Bohannon was the first head coach in Kennesaw State football history and had an abundance of success, leading the Owls to three births in the FCS Playoffs in eight years.
But Kennesaw State moved up to the FBS level this past season and struggled badly, posting just a 2-10 record this past season.
Mack will look to build a strong FBS program at Kennesaw State while Bohannon did at the FCS level for the Owls.
.@Vol_Football HC Josh Heupel on the new leader of the Owls 🎙️
📰 https://t.co/D5PIEcv3CH#GoldStandard | #SeeUs pic.twitter.com/ZKff5fbvyl
— Kennesaw State Football (@kennesawstfb) December 2, 2024
