Behind the Beak

Behind the Beak #48 - Alexus Jimmerson

Wed, 18 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Alexus Jimmerson is entering her fifth season with the Gamecock softball program after seeing her true senior season cut short after just 21 games due to COVID-19. The power-hitting pitcher, who is known for a heroic postseason homerun as a freshman and dominate pitching performance against Auburn at the 2018 NCAA Tallahassee Regional, talks about her second chance to go out as a JSU legend and secure a fourth OVC Championship for her team as a senior.

Behind the Beak #47 - Alex Webb

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Alex Webb transferred to Jacksonville State in 2018 following a one-year stint at Chipola College and two seasons at Alabama. The catcher arrived just in time to help the Gamecocks win the 2019 OVC baseball title and knock off both Illinois and Clemson in the Oxford Regional of the NCAA Tournament. After his senior season was cut short by COVID-19, Webb is back for a sixth collegiate season, hoping to recreate the magic of 2019 and take the Gamecocks even further in 2021.

Behind the Beak #46 - Tysor Anderson

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Tysor Anderson was recently named the newest assistant coach on Ray Harper's men's basketball staff. Prior to the promotion, Anderson served as the team's coordinator of basketball operations. The grandson of hall of fame coach Lefty Driesell, Anderson is excited to be following in the footsteps of his coaching hero. Before becoming a high school coach early in his career, Anderson was a walk-on at Georgia Tech and served in the Peace Corps following graduation. The New Jersey native spent two years in Cambodia where he built a basketball court by hand before returning to the United States to coach prep basketball in Atlanta.

Behind the Beak #45 - Roger Cooke

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Matthew Boone was named the interim track and cross country coach on April 28 in place of long-time coach Steve Ray following his retirement, and was later confirmed as the new head coach of the Gamecocks. The first move of his new tenure was hiring Roger Cooke on September 4 as his assistant coach. Cooke previously served as an assistant coach at Lynn University and Hartford, and is a former Cross Country Runner of the Year at LSU where he walked on as a freshman. Now, the former Tiger is at Jacksonville State and is ready to take the Gamecock programs to new heights.

Behind the Beak #44 - Ray Harper & Rick Pietri

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Head men’s basketball coach Ray Harper his entering his fifth year with the Gamecocks, and head women’s basketball coach Rick Pietri is back for his eighth season at the helm in Jacksonville. Both teams began full practices last week and are preparing to open the year on November 25 after COVID-19 pushed the start of the season back a few weeks. Both coaches discuss the challenges the coronavirus pandemic has caused to scheduling, preparation and preseason workouts. Despite the changes to the normal routine, both are happy to a hard start date and are glad to see both teams on the court practicing for the upcoming campaign.

Behind the Beak #43 - Michael Shaddix

Tue, 13 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Michael Shaddix has one of the biggest personalities on the football team, from rocking a mullet to getting retweeted and reposted for his ridiculous photo shoots. Less than a year removed from an ACL tear that ended his 2019 season, the Fort Payne native is leading a group of War Pigs on the offensive line that has shown immense improvement from last year. In this week's episode, Shaddix talks about the team's performance thus far, his return to the field and his journey to Jacksonville State.

Behind the Beak #42 - Trae Barry

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Trae Barry was set to have a breakout year as a junior, but five games in, he suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for the rest of 2019 and the spring. The tight end rehabbed over the offseason and is back to nearly 100 percent as the Gamecocks begin their 2020 slate. As a preseason All-American and All-OVC selection, Barry hopes this is the year he turns the heads of NFL scouts and receives a chance to compete in the Reese's Senior Bowl.

Behind the Beak #41 - Zerrick Cooper

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Zerrick Cooper is beginning his third season at Jacksonville State following his transfer from Clemson, so the Gamecock quarterback is definitely familiar with Saturday's ACC opponent. Going into the four-game fall, Cooper is just one touchdown pass away from tying JSU Hall of Famer Ed Lett for most scores through the air in program history with 61. In this week's episode, Coop talks about playing the Seminoles, his friendship with NFL's Cam Newton and Deshaun Watson, and how his team has prepared for 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Behind the Beak #40 - Jeremiah Harris

Tue, 22 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Jeremiah Harris is a redshirt junior on the Gamecocks football team who began his college career as a walk-on. Now, the Shorterville, Ala., native is in a position to be a starting safety for the upcoming season. Harris looks back on his journey from Abbeville High School to Jacksonville State and those who helped him achieve his goal of playing college football, and talks about the upcoming season.

Behind the Beak #39 - Julie Boland

Tue, 15 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Julie Boland came to Jacksonville State in the late 90’s as a recruit to Jana McGinnis’ softball program. While on the diamond, Boland became one of the Gamecocks’ most prolific hitters, ranking among the all-time best in hits, runs scored, home runs and runs batted in. Following her playing career, the former shortstop became a student assistant, worked her way up to a graduate assistant and was later named a full-time assistant coach. Julie, who is entering her 20th season as an assistant at Jax State, works with the Gamecocks’ middle infielders and hitters, and is the program’s recruiting coordinator.

Behind the Beak #38 - Greg Seitz

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Greg Seitz is entering his fifth full season as Jacksonville State's athletics director since being named to the position full-time in February 2016. The coronavirus pandemic has already radically affected the fall 2020 competition schedule, and a lot of tough decisions have fallen on the AD. From last minute football scheduling to adhering to COVID-19 protocol, Seitz has guided the Jax State sports programs through nearly six months of uncertainty. Seitz joins Tyler Brown to update fans on the state of JSU Athletics and to provide information on the upcoming season.

Behind the Beak #37 - Ashley Cockrell

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Ashley Cockrell – Ashley Martin when she wore the No. 89 football jersey for Jacksonville State – made history on August 30, 2001 when she booted a first-quarter extra point against Cumberland University. The kick made her the first female ever to score in an NCAA football game and the first to play in a Division I contest. A two-sport athlete who initially came to Jacksonville to play soccer, she became a media sensation following her 3-for-3 night at Burgess-Snow Field. From Regis & Kelly and Good Morning America to being featured in USA Today, ESPN The Magazine, People Magazine and numerous other publications, Ashley was everywhere. This year marks 19 seasons since Cockrell etched her name into the college football annals.

Behind the Beak #36 - Earl Warren

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Earl Warren currently serves as Jacksonville State's Director of Development, but he made his name as a student-athlete on the men's basketball team in the mid 80's. The Oneonta, Ala., native played four seasons, tallying 1,156 points, 461 assists and 226 steals to become the 12th Gamecock to score 1,000 points in a career. His time on the court was highlighted by the 1985 NCAA Division II National Championship, in which a pair of free throws from the senior secured the title. He was inducted into the JSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.

Behind the Beak #35 - Taylor West

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Between regular season and tournament crowns, Taylor West contributed to six Ohio Valley Conference titles as a member of the JSU softball team. A nursing major while at Jax State, West was the recipient of the 2017 Eagle Owl Award for her performance on the field, in the classroom and in her community over her four-year career. Since graduating in 2018, Taylor has worked as a nurse in the Chattanooga area, but recently took an offer to move to New York and work with COVID-19 patients. Back in the Tennessee valley, West shares about her recent opportunity and the turn her profession has taken since March.

Behind the Beak #34 - Ray Hammett

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Ray Hammett spent 26 seasons as a color analyst for Jacksonville State football. With 19 seasons under his belt as Mike Parris’ right-hand man on the Gamecock Radio Network, with an additional seven season on television, Hammett announced his retirement from the air in July. A former Gamecock himself, Ray graduated from JSU in 1977 and spent four seasons on the gridiron.

Behind the Beak #33 - Riley Green

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Riley Green spent 2007 through 2009 wearing a JSU football uniform, but the former Gamecock is now an up-and-coming country star who had his first No. 1 with the single "There Was This Girl" last summer. With tours canceled due to COVID-19 beginning in March, the former JSU quarterback has spent his time at home in Jacksonville working on new material. In this week's episode, Riley shares how growing up in Jacksonville helped make him a successful song writer, why Jacksonville State is a special place to him and what's next for his young career when things return to normal.

Behind the Beak #32 - President Don Killingsworth

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Dr. Don C. Killingsworth, Jr. was named the 13th president of Jacksonville State University on June 23, 2020. A two-time graduate of JSU, President Killingsworth received his bachelor's degree in geography in 1999 and a master's degree in counseling in 2001. He earned his doctorate in higher administration from the University of Alabama in 2016. Taking the helm at a trying time, President Killingsworth is currently guiding the University through the COVID-19 pandemic and is working to put students first as he looks to move JSU forward.

Behind the Beak #31 - Donovan Hand

Tue, 21 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Donovan Hand lettered three years for the Gamecocks, leading head coach Jim Case’s pitching staff in wins all three seasons he wore a Jacksonville State uniform. After earning the top spot in the JSU Division I record book for career wins and innings pitched, the right-hander was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 14th round of the 2007 MLB Draft. Hand went on to play 11 seasons at the professional level, breaking into the bigs in 2013 with the Brewers. He also pitched for the Cincinnati Reds in 2015 before retiring from the New York Mets farm system in 2017.

Behind the Beak #30 - Malcolm Drumwright

Wed, 15 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Malcolm Drumwright lettered for Jacksonville State from 2014 to 2018 and is a member of the program's 1,000-Point Club. He is JSU's second-leading Division I scorer with 1,429 points and finished his career as the program's DI leader in field goal attempts, games played, games started and minutes played. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2017 Ohio Valley Conference Basketball Championships where he led the Gamecocks to their first Division I title and appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Tyler Brown and Drumwright revisit JSU's OVC Tournament semifinal win over No. 1 seed Belmont in what is possibly the biggest game in Jacksonville State's Division I history.

Behind the Beak #29 - Maxwell Thurmond

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Maxwell Thurmond became a Gamecock in 1996 when we arrived on campus as a cornerback on the football team. After the 2000 season, he became a coach and spent an additional 12 season on the JSU sidelines. His career has seen him make stops at Reinhardt, West Alabama, Austin Peay, Central Arkansas and Charlotte, but the Jax State alum has returned home to coach John Grass’ outside linebackers and special teams unit.

Behind the Beak #28 - Todd Jones

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Former Gamecock pitcher and MLB All-Star Todd Jones sits down with Tyler Brown to discuss his career at Jacksonville State, his time as a major leaguer and what he is doing with his time since retiring after the 2008 season. Jones pitched at JSU from 1987-89 before being taken by the Houston Astros as the 27th overall pick in the 1989 Major League Baseball Draft. In 16 years in the MLB, the right-hander saved 319 games, ranking 21st all-time in the category, and was named the American League's Rolaids Relief Man of the Year in 2000 after leading the league with 42 saves.

Behind the Beak #27 - Beth DeBauche & Kyle Schwartz

Tue, 16 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

In this week's episode, Tyler Brown sits down with Ohio Valley Conference Commissioner Beth DeBauche and Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Communications Kyle Schwartz to see how the league has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. DeBauche discusses how the OVC is preparing for the upcoming season, what cost-saving measures could be seen and how her day-to-day has changed since March. Schwartz digs into how this season's media days are changing, how the usual "OVC Football Game of the Week" will broadcast and what fans may see different from a media standpoint.

Behind the Beak #26 - Eli Jenkins

Tue, 09 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Eli Jenkins is one of the most decorated quarterback in Jacksonville State history. All-American, 2015 FCS Quarterback of the Year, 2015-16 OVC Male Athlete of the Year and Player of the Year, National Player of the Week… if there’s an award, Jenkins won it in his five seasons as a Gamecock from 2012 to 2016. In this week’s episode, Behind the Beak catches up with the football legend and takes a look back at one of his most memorable games – the 2015 win over Chattanooga in the second round of the FCS Playoffs.

Behind the Beak #25 - Misty Ray

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Misty Cassell Ray has served as Jacksonville State's Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance since 2008 and worked in the compliance department since 2004. A two-time JSU graduate, Ray began working in athletics as a student upon her arrival to campus in 2000. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the compliance office is busy sorting out COVID-19 waivers, new recruiting rules and NCAA-implemented dead periods. Misty joins the show to help explain what changes are coming to the world of college athletics and what fans can expect to see happen over the next few months.

Behind the Beak #24 - James Hobbs

Tue, 26 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Head golf coach James Hobbs has been a Gamecock since 1977, coming on as an assistant men's basketball coach to begin his Jacksonville State career. He took over the golf teams in 1983, and between coaching the three programs, he is one of the most decorated coaches in Jax State history. A member of the JSU Athletics Hall of Fame, he helped lead the Gamecocks to the Division II Men's Basketball National Championship title in 1985. On the golf side, Hobbs has made 15 NCAA regional appearances, claimed 13 conference titles and been voted conference coach of the year nine times. He takes listeners through his career, discusses the rise of Jacksonville State golf and reflects on the 1985 basketball national championship run.

Behind the Beak #23 - Jana McGinnis & Ella Denes

Wed, 20 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

The 2016 softball season was voted the greatest moment in Jacksonville State’s 25-year Division I history. That year’s squad went 26-0 in Ohio Valley Conference play, claimed the title in the OVC Championships and won two games in the Auburn Regional. Head coach Jana McGinnis was named the league’s Coach of the Year and then-senior Ella Denes was named OVC Player of the Year. Both join Tyler Brown for episode 23 to recap the memorable season.

Behind the Beak #22 - Eric Davis

Tue, 12 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Before his 13-year career in the NFL, defensive back Eric Davis was a member of the Jacksonville State football team. Davis letter with the Gamecocks from 1986 to 1989 for head coach Bill Burgess. During that time, the Anniston native helped JSU go from a 3-6-1 record a year before his arrival to a 13-1 mark in 1989 that saw the team claim the Gulf South Conference title and a runner-up finish in the NCAA Division II Championship game. Davis played for the San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions during his professional career. In that time, he was twice named to the Pro Bowl, voted an All-Pro three times and helped the 49ers to a Super Bowl title to cap off the 1994 campaign.

Behind the Beak #21: Part 2 - Tommy Wade

Tue, 05 May 2020 00:00:00 +0000

In part two of Episode 21, assistant men’s basketball coach Tommy Wade discusses surviving both stage-four cancer and a heart attack that left him unconscious in a hospital for more than a month.

Behind the Beak #21: Part 1 - Tommy Wade

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

In part one of Episode 21, assistant men’s basketball coach Tommy Wade talks about his time as a student-athlete and coach, his thoughts on the Ohio Valley Conference as a league veteran and recruiting at Jacksonville State.

Behind the Beak #20 - Rick Pietri

Tue, 21 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Head women’s basketball coach Rick Pietri just wrapped up a signing class that includes four total signees – three that inked NLIs last week. He gives listeners an in-depth look at each signee, how he sees each of the newest Gamecocks contributing to the program and discusses how the pandemic has affected the recruiting trail.

Behind the Beak #19 - Alba Conejero

Tue, 14 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Alba Conejero is a senior from Barcelona, Spain, on the women’s tennis team and one of Jacksonville State’s spring sports student-athletes who had their season cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. She talks about her decision to stay in Jacksonville over the summer, her video journal she is putting together and how she looks to spend her next academic year.

Behind the Beak #18 - Gavin Hallford

Tue, 07 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Head strength and conditioning coach Gavin Hallford, the former All-American and First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference kicker, joins Tyler Brown to talk in depth about the new Athletic Sports Performance Center, future plans for the space at Stephenson Hall and his excitement about the top-notch facility.

Behind the Beak #17 - Mackenzie Rombach

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Former Gamecock volleyball standout Mackenzie Rombach, who was playing her rookie year with the ProWin Volleys TV Holz out of Saarbrücken, Saarland, Germany, joins Tyler Brown to discuss how her first pro season was cut short by COVID-19, getting back to the United States and what she's doing to stay busy during the pandemic.

Behind the Beak #16 - Jason Burnell

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Former Gamecock basketball star Jason Burnell, who is playing his rookie season with Pallacanestro Cantù of the Italian LBA, joins Tyler Brown to discuss the current situation in Italy, how he is riding out the COVID-19 pandemic and how his first year in professional basketball is going.

Behind the Beak #15 - Greg Seitz & Dr. Jeff Ryan

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Athletic Director Greg Seitz joins Tyler Brown to talk about the state of athletics amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and Dr. Jeff Ryan, JSU Emergency Management, discusses the University’s response to the coronavirus threat.

Behind the Beak #14 - Jim Case

Wed, 12 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Jim Case is entering his 19th season as Jacksonville State's head baseball coach. He has led the Gamecocks to seven Ohio Valley Conference titles since he arrived and has been named the league's coach of the year three times. His squad goes into the 2020 season looking to defend their 2019 OVC title. Case previews the upcoming year, shares how he began coaching and talks about the new Jim Case Stadium.

Behind the Beak #13 - Jana McGinnis

Tue, 04 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Head softball coach Jana McGinnis is a six-time Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year and is entering her 27th season at the helm at Jacksonville State. She previews the upcoming 2020 season, recounts her time as a student-athlete with the Gamecocks and talks about how much the sport of softball has grown since she began coaching.

Behind the Beak #12 - Mackenzie Van Patten

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Mackenzie Van Patten, currently a sophomore majoring in Marketing, is a member of the Jacksonville State rifle team. She gives listeners a crash course on the sport, shares how she got started in rifle and gives an update on the 2019-20 season.

Behind the Beak #11 - Clay Whittemore

Tue, 19 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Former baseball star Clay Whittemore is one of the most recent inductees into the JSU Athletic Hall of Fame. He became JSU's first Division I baseball All-American and helped lead the Gamecocks to two Ohio Valley Conference championships upon transferring to Jacksonville State after one year at Georgia. He's the ninth baseball player to be inducted into the hall, but the first from the Jim Case era.

Behind the Beak #10 - Abbey Breit

Thu, 07 Nov 2019 00:00:00 +0000

On Oct. 25, 2019, Abbey Breit became the first volleyball student-athlete inducted into the JSU Athletic Hall of Fame. One of just three women to ever win multiple Ohio Valley Conference Female Athlete of the Year honors, she was a four-time first team All-OVC selection and three-time All-American. Breit was the OVC Player of the Year each of her final three seasons, a feat never before done in the conference at the time and only matched once since. Her school-record 1,897 career kills remains the fourth-most in OVC history, and her 1,342 digs are still sixth on JSU's career list.

Behind the Beak #9 - Mike Parris

Tue, 22 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Mike Parris began broadcasting Jacksonville State football 37 years ago, and Saturday’s homecoming game against Southeast Missouri marked his 400th in the booth as “The Voice” of the Gamecocks. He has been behind the mic for nearly every milestone game in almost every sport – whether it be the 1992 Division II Football National Championship, the back-to-back Division II baseball championships in 1990 and 1991, or the 1985 Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship. JSU fans have invited Parris into their homes for nearly four decades, and he shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.

Behind the Beak #8 - Dr. Kenneth Bodiford

Tue, 15 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

This week, BTB steps slightly outside athletics with Jacksonville State Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Kenneth Bodiford. A former Marching Southerner and graduate of Jacksonville State, Bodiford returned to JSU in 1994 to assume his current position. Ever since, the Southerners have only grown in numbers and continue to impress at halftime and after each and every home football game. Under his direction, the Southerners numbers grew to nearly 600 for band camp this past fall, continuing a long-running tradition of excellence since the school's first band was formed in 1923.

Behind the Beak #7 - Sadie Anderson

Tue, 08 Oct 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Volleyball's Sadie Anderson sat the entire 2017 campaign after having three ribs removed, then struggled through her redshirt sophomore season with torn ligaments in her ankle. Despite the serious ankle injury, she played the entire season and became the first Gamecock in nine years to be awarded OVC All-Tournament honors. This season, she is back and stronger than ever. The redshirt junior shares her story of injury recovery and battling through the pain to play the game she loves in the pod's seventh installment.

Behind the Beak #6 - Josh Pearson

Tue, 01 Oct 2019 11:20:00 +0000

Josh Pearson arrived in Jacksonville in 2015, but didn’t see the field until the end of 2017 because he was academically ineligible for the first half of his career. Ever since then, Josh has taken full advantage of his second chance on the field, but more importantly, he takes pride in being the fixture in the community he has become. Pearson wants to be a positive example and show that everyone deserves a second chance.

Behind the Beak #5 - Emma Meadows

Tue, 24 Sep 2019 09:00:00 +0000

Emma Meadows is a senior forward and midfielder on the JSU soccer team, and she is one of six Canadians on head coach Neil Macdonald’s roster. Despite being 980 miles from her hometown of Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada, Jacksonville has become her home over the past four years. Not only has she been a mainstay in the Gamecocks' lineup, playing in more than more than 60 matches since 2016, she has also made her presence felt in the community as a volunteer youth soccer coach.

Behind the Beak #4 - Cleo Lemon

Tue, 17 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Former NFL quarterback and current JSU assistant football coach Cleo Lemon talks about his unconventional journey to the professional ranks, coaching the Gamecocks' quarterbacks and his continued relationship with the National Football League.

Behind the Beak #3 - Maddie Cloutier

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Senior defensive specialist Maddie Cloutier has experienced many athletic firsts with Jacksonville State volleyball. She was a member of the first full-season beach team, helped the sand team to its first duels victory and is in line to become the program's winningest beach player. Before she's finished, she wants to help the Gamecocks bring home their first Ohio Valley Conference beach title.

Behind the Beak #2 - Josh Brady

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Senior long snapper Josh Brady owns a unique title for someone playing his position – All-American. Josh talks about being an All-American selection, why he chose to come to Jacksonville State over offers from Chattanooga and Auburn, and tells a few stories you can only get from sitting down face-to-face with the extremely personable senior.

Behind the Beak #1 - Greg Seitz

Tue, 27 Aug 2019 09:00:00 +0000

Athletic director Greg Seitz gives a facility update, discusses his busy schedule and talks about how far JSU Athletics has come since his arrival in 1993 in the series' first full-length episode.

Behind the Beak - Trailer

Sat, 24 Aug 2019 12:00:00 +0000

"Behind the Beak" is the official podcast of Jacksonville State Athletics. Hosted by Tyler Brown, a new episode will drop each week to update fans on a variety of topics surrounding the Gamecocks. A guest will join Tyler each week, giving fans a chance to go "Behind the Beak" with untold stories and inside news not found anywhere else.