MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama formally introduced Major Applewhite as the fourth head football coach in program history Friday at a news conference in the Hargrove Club at Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Applewhite has spent the past three seasons as the Jaguars’ offensive coordinator. He was hired by Kane Wommack when Wommack assembled his first staff after being named head coach in December 2020. Wommack resigned this week to become defensive coordinator at Alabama.
Applewhite agreed to a five-year contract with a base salary of $825,000 per year, according to athletics director Joel Erdmann, who said the agreement also includes increases to the salary pools for assistant coaches and off-field staff.
Erdmann: Familiarity Helped, But Didn’t Decide
Erdmann described the search process and said Applewhite’s three years on campus influenced the decision without being the reason for it.
“Major Applewhite obviously was a target, and I would be lying if when Major was hired three years ago as our offensive coordinator, that that did not enter my mind or anybody else’s mind,” Erdmann said.
“However, I want to be very clear about something. Major Applewhite is not our head football coach because he was here. Major Applewhite is not our head coach because he had an office up the hill for three years. That contributed to it, that influenced it. However, Major Applewhite is our head coach because he is incredibly capable.”
Erdmann said that as the search progressed, the choice went from “this might be a good thing” to one that became “very, very clear.”
University President Jo Bonner noted that the crowd for Applewhite’s introduction was larger than the one at his own introduction as president. Erdmann said players gave Applewhite a standing ovation when the hire was announced in a team meeting.
Applewhite Credits Players
Applewhite praised the players for keeping the roster together during the transition.
“I give credit to the players,” Applewhite said. “They’re the ones that have held the roster together. They’re the ones that are responsible for our success. So they’ve done a great job of that on their own. There have been departures here and there, but that’s normal.”
He said uncertainty affected coaches as well. “If you think the coaches weren’t looking for jobs too, while it was uncertain, you’re crazy,” he said. “It’s human nature. But that we have some stability and some more people will start coming in the building with jobs, it’ll slow down.”
Building the Staff
Corey Batoon will remain defensive coordinator and safeties coach. Applewhite confirmed that Rob Ezell will serve as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Most, if not all, of the remaining assistants are expected to be retained if they wish to stay. After the bowl game, Wommack had dismissed four position coaches and was interviewing replacements, and one assistant left to join Jon Sumrall’s staff at Tulane.
Applewhite still must fill or reassign duties for linebackers, defensive line, wide receivers, tight ends, offensive line, special teams and strength and conditioning. He said a full staff announcement will come “in the near future.”
“We’re going to have coaches and staffs that are positive, energetic, and intense,” Applewhite said. “I want intensity in our building, and a seriousness about our work each and every day. We’re going to have men that understand we’re changing lives. We’re changing lives each and every day in the classroom, off the field in the community, and obviously on the football field.”
Roster and Recruiting
Wommack’s departure opened a 30-day window for South Alabama players to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
After the regular season, Caullin Lacy entered the portal and committed to Louisville. After the bowl game, Jaden Voisin, Marquise Robinson, Dontae Lucas and Yam Banks entered the portal. Voisin later withdrew and will remain at South Alabama, while Robinson and Banks have committed elsewhere. Since Wommack’s resignation, Khalil Jacobs and James Robinson have entered the portal. The window remains open for other players.
Applewhite said the staff, though short-handed, will be back on the recruiting trail Monday. The regular signing period opens Feb. 7, and South Alabama has additional spots to fill because of portal departures and positions left open after the early signing period in December.
‘Our City’s Team’
Applewhite did not outline major changes to the program he helped build over the past three seasons, and he emphasized the program’s #OurCity theme.
“I love the #OurCity, I want to put it into action,” he said. “I see the results that happen on this field and I just want to make this our city’s team. I want to create an atmosphere here in the stadium that is full, the people are here early, that they’re loud, that they stay late. I want to see 50-60 smokestacks coming up. I want to see the tops of RVs. I want to create a situation where this stadium represents our entire city.”
“I’m going to bring every single community in the city to the stadium – north, south, east, west, central,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where you’re from, if you cross the bridge, I want everyone to be here on Saturday night and I want this thing to be loud and I want it to be rocking because these players are going to make it that way and I can promise you that.”
Recent Success
South Alabama did not post a winning record after becoming a full FBS member in 2012 until the 2022 season, when the Jaguars won 10 games for the first time as an FBS program.
The 2023 team became bowl eligible and earned the program’s first postseason victory, a 59-10 win over Eastern Michigan in the 68 Ventures Bowl at Hancock Whitney Stadium. The win gave South Alabama consecutive winning seasons for the first time.
Under Applewhite, the Jaguars’ offense averaged 25 points per game in 2021, 31.2 in 2022 and 33 in 2023.
