Jackson Free Press

Jay Hopson will always be the answer to a trivia question as the first white football coach hired in Alcorn State University and SWAC history. The New York Times, ESPN and many national news outlets covered Hopson's hiring in May 2012.

Alcorn State already had white tennis coaches, but football is the highest-profile coaching position for a Mississippi university. The results on the field will matter even more for Hopson as the first white coach.

Hopson was born in Vicksburg in 1968 and was a star at Warren Central High School, where he received All-County, All-District and All-State Honors. He played defensive back at Ole Miss from 1988 to 1991 and was a four-time Academic All-SEC honor roll selection.

After graduating with a degree in business administration in 1992, Hopson went on to earn his master's degree in health, physical education and recreation from Delta State in 1994. He spent time coaching at both Delta State and Southern Miss before returning to Ole Miss in 2004.

Hopson also coached at LSU, Michigan, Florida and Marshall. He was defensive coordinator at Memphis before he resigned just two games into the 2011 season.

Alcorn State replaced former head coach Melvin Spears, who went 2-8 in his only season as the Braves' head coach. Hopson went 4-7 overall and 4-5 in SWAC during his first year.

The Braves made a huge leap in Hopson's second year. Alcorn State finished the season at 9-3 overall and 7-2 in SWAC playing including a huge 48-33 upset over Jackson State to end the regular season.

It was the first time since 1984 that Alcorn State won nine games in a season. The Braves couldn't even seize a nine-win season when the late-great Steve McNair was stirring up Heisman hype in Lorman.

Hopson has taken Alcorn State to impressive heights again this season. The Braves clenched their first SWAC Eastern Division title in school history with a 41-14 win over Alabama A&M and will play in their first ever SWAC Football Championship Game on December 6 in Houston.

Alcorn State achieved back-to-back nine-win seasons after a 56-6 win against Arkansas Pine-Bluff. It is the first time in program history that the Braves have won nine games in consecutive seasons.

All that is left this season for Alcorn State is the season finale against Jackson State. There is still plenty on the line for the Braves.

A win would give the Braves back-to back-wins over the Tigers since 2003-04. It would also give Alcorn State its first 10-win season in 67 years since W. Felix Harris's only season as the Braves' head coach.

Even without a win over Jackson State, Hopson's 22-12 record in three years is better than Marino Casem, the coach with the most wins in Braves history. Casem went 13-13-3 in his first three seasons leading the Alcorn State football team.

A win in the SWAC Championship means that Hopson will lead Alcorn State to its first conference title in 20 years since they shared the title with Grambling State in 1994. It will be the first outright conference title since 1992.

Hopson is also a top-20 finalist for the Eddie Robinson FCS Coach of the Year Award and a two-time survivor of testicular cancer in 1995 and 2007.

Hopson and his wife, Michelle, have two daughters, Virginia and Hannah.

Alcorn State faces Jackson State to end the regular season for both teams at 2 p.m. in Lorman this Saturday, Nov. 22.