Courtesy of Kennesaw State Athletics
KENNESAW, Ga. – Jerry Mack, a veteran collegiate coach with 20 years of experience and five conference championships, has been named the second football head coach in Kennesaw State history, Director of Athletics Milton Overton announced Sunday. Jerry Mack’s last head coaching job was at Durham, NC-based HBCU North Carolina Central University (NCCU,) where he led the Eagles from 2014 to 2017
Mack comes to Kennesaw State after a season as the running backs coach with the Jacksonville Jaguars and three seasons as the running backs coach at Tennessee.
“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,” said Overton. “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.”
“My family and I are extremely excited to join the Owl family! I want to thank Director of Athletics Milton Overton and President Kathy Schwaig for this phenomenal opportunity. KSU is one of the fastest-growing institutions in the country with no ceiling on the potential opportunities it presents for our student-athletes,” said Mack. “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.”
Tennessee compiled a 27-12 record with Mack on staff, providing an immediate impact in his first season in Knoxville. Thanks to a bevy of backs and an electric, up-tempo offense, Tennessee jumped 73 spots in the FBS over its previous year to rank 11th nationally in Mack’s first season, putting up 217.8 rushing yards per game in 2021.
The Vols shattered eight offensive records in 2021 and ranked in the top 25 nationally in scoring offense (39.3 – seventh), total offense (474.9 – ninth), rushing offense (217.8 – 11th), offensive yards per play (6.5 – 17th) and third down offense (44.7 – 25th).
Under Mack’s tutelage, Jabari Small led the Vols in rushing with 141 carries for 796 yards and nine touchdowns, which tied for eighth in the SEC. Len’Neth Whitehead and Jaylen Wright also burst onto the scene as freshmen under Mack’s tutelage with each earning SEC Freshman of the Week honors during the year and combining for 616 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
In four seasons at North Carolina Central, Mack led the Eagles to at least a share of three consecutive Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championships and a berth in the 2016 Celebration Bowl, which pits the champions of the MEAC and SWAC each December. He compiled a 31-15 record in four seasons as one of the youngest head coaches at the FBS/FCS level. He was named the 2016 HBCU Football Coach of the Year by Black College Sports Page and The Pigskin Club in Washington, D.C., after NCCU smashed its school record for offense on its way to the Celebration Bowl.
Jerry Mack led the 2014 Eagles to the most victories in the program’s FCS tenure with a 7-5 overall record and a share of the MEAC Championship. The team also earned the program’s first win over a nationally ranked FCS opponent by defeating No. 24 North Carolina A&T in the final game of the season. NCCU broke the school record for pass completions in a season with 227 and ranked third in the FCS in turnover margin at +12.0.
In his second season at NCCU, Mack guided the 2015 Eagles to an 8-3 overall record and a 7-1 conference mark to repeat as MEAC co-champions. For the second-straight year, the Eagles beat a nationally ranked FCS opponent (No. 13/16 North Carolina A&T), this time closing out the campaign with a seven-game win streak. Mack became the first head coach in school history to win 15 games in his first two seasons. He was recognized as a finalist for the STATS FCS Coach of the Year award and was named the Black College Sports Page “Baad Team” Coach of the Year.
In his third season at NCCU, the Eagles received their first national ranking as an FCS program on Nov. 7, 2016, when the FCS Coaches Poll announced NCCU at No. 25. By the end of the regular season, the Eagles jumped to No. 18. NCCU (9-3, 8-0 MEAC) beat No. 9 North Carolina A&T, 42-21, on Nov. 19 to capture the outright MEAC championship and a trip to the second annual Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl.
NCCU’s nine victories in 2016 were the most by the Eagles in the program’s Division I era. In recognition of his success in 2016, Mack was named the MEAC Football Coach of the Year, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Regional Coach of the Year, and as one of 15 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS Coach of the Year. He was also recognized as the HBCU Football Coach of the Year by Black College Sports Page and The Pigskin Club in Washington, D.C., and the HBCU Male Coach of the Year by HBCU Digest.
An introductory event will be held at Kennesaw State on Tuesday at 11 a.m. The event will be streamed live at KSUOwls.com.