John Grass begins his eighth season as head coach of the Gamecocks and his ninth season at JSU after what has been an unprecedented eight years in his profession.
Grass served as the Gamecocks’ assistant head coach and offensive coordinator in 2013 and orchestrated an offense that set numerous school, OVC and National records before taking the reigns as the head coach for the 2014 season.
Since then, he has taken JSU on a run not many have seen before. His 68-21 record over seven seasons is the best start to a tenure in JSU history, while his 23-3 record heading into the 2016 FCS Division I Championship Game tied for the best 26-game start to a career in FCS history. In seven years, he has been named the AFCA’s Region Coach of the Year an FCS-record five times and the Ohio Valley Conference Roy Kidd Coach of the Year three times. He was the AFCA’s National Coach of the Year in 2015.
He was an improbable 47-7 in Ohio Valley Conference play with a conference-record five-straight OVC titles from 2014-2018 and a sixth title in 2020.
He has had 31 All-Americans and 109 All-OVC performers in his seven seasons as the head coach, while 20 Gamecocks have moved on to opportunities in the NFL in that same span.
That first season as a collegiate head coach in 2014 saw him take JSU to a 10-2 record and as high as No. 2 in the national polls, thanks to a perfect 8-0 mark in league play and the Gamecocks’ first outright Ohio Valley Conference title since 2004.
Year number two was better, seeing the Gamecocks post a 13-2 record that included their first-ever trip to the FCS National Championship Game in Frisco, Texas. JSU catapulted into the No. 1 spot in the STATS polls, its first No. 1 ranking in school history, after falling in overtime at No. 6 Auburn in week two and would hold that spot until falling to North Dakota State in the title game.
The next two seasons each saw him take the Gamecocks to 10-2 records and unbeaten OVC marks en route to their third- and fourth-straight conference titles. Grass is the first coach in league history to go unbeaten in league play in his first two seasons, and has increased that to four entering 2018.
That OVC-record fifth-straight league title came in 2018, when he led JSU to the second round of the FCS Playoffs for the sixth time since arriving on campus in 2013.
A program that had never seen a 5,000-yard season in over 100 years of tradition, the first three seasons under Grass’ offensive mind saw the Gamecock offense amass over 6,000 yards of total offense in five of his eight seasons and over 7,000 in 2015. His offense has rewritten the JSU record books and set a new standard for production on that side of the football.
A 1990 graduate of JSU, Grass served as a head coach at the high school level for over 17 years and compiled a 122-61 career record along the way. He is now 33-6 as a collegiate head coach in three seasons that each saw him named the Roy Kidd OVC Coach of the Year, as well as the Region 3 Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association
His 2013 season as JSU’s offensive coordinator exceeded all expectations. His offensive unit was the most prolific in JSU history, breaking school records en route to helping the Gamecocks post an 11-4 record and advance to the Quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs. JSU rolled over No. 16 Samford, 55-14, in the first round before a convincing 31-10 win at No. 6 McNeese State in the second round. After a loss at No. 3 Eastern Washington in the Quarterfinals, the Gamecocks were ranked No. 10 in The Sports Network FCS Top 25, the highest in the program’s Division I history.
Grass’ offense was record breaking in every phase and highlighted a season that saw the Gamecocks set a total of 49 school records, 13 Ohio Valley Conference records and three NCAA records.
A quick-strike attack that scored 24 times on drives of less than one minute, the Gamecock offense amassed 6,637 yards of total offense, 1,755 yards more than any team in school history, and racked up 528 points, 107 more than the previous record set in 1991. JSU’s 65 touchdowns were a new school record, while its school record 48 rushing touchdowns also broke the OVC mark.
Leading the rushing attack was junior All-American DaMarcus James. Also a first team All-OVC selection, James ran for a school record 1,477 yards and was second nationally with 29 rushing touchdowns to break the JSU and OVC records in that category. James’ 174 points scored also broke the previous JSU and OVC records.
James also set a JSU and OVC record with five rushing touchdowns at Austin Peay and joined teammates Eli Jenkins, Troymaine Pope and Miles Jones to become the first foursome to each run for 100 yards in the same game in FCS history against Jacksonville on Sept. 7.
The ground game wasn’t the only thing that guided the Gamecocks in 2013. Despite having to start three different starting quarterbacks because of injuries during the season, Grass’ offense threw for a school record 3,033 yards. Quarterback Eli Jenkins earned Freshman All-America honors after throwing for 887 yards and running for 953 more, while junior Max Shortell threw for 1,608 yards to earn Second Team All-OVC recognition.
Freshman receiver Josh Barge was also a Freshman All-American after setting new JSU freshman records for catches (58) and receiving yards (885). He led a corps of 19 different JSU players to catch at least one pass during the season.
Year two in Jacksonville and his first year as the team’s head coach saw more the same output on the offensive side of the ball but unprecedented success within the OVC. They compiled a 10-2 record and a perfect 8-0 record in OVC play to claim JSU’s fourth OVC title and its first outright since 2004. The Gamecocks entered the FCS playoffs ranked No. 2 in the polls and as the No. 3 national seed before falling in the second round to Sam Houston State.
The Gamecocks capped the year ranked ninth in both polls after the second 6,000-yard season in school history. JSU gained 6,129 yards in just 12 games, a school-record 510.8 yards per game that was more than 68 yards per game more than any team had managed in JSU history.
The defensive side of the ball thrived under Grass’ leadership, as well in 2014. Junior Devaunte Sigler was named the OVC’s Defensive Player of the Year, the first Gamecock to earn the honor, and joined cornerback Jermaine Hough and center Max Holcombe on numerous All-America teams, while offensive lineman Justin Lea garnered Freshman All-America honors.
James ran for 1,151 yards and scored 14 touchdowns, ending his illustrious career as JSU’s second leading rusher and just one rushing score shy of the school record in that category. James, Sigler, Hough and Holcombe headlined a class of 18 All-OVC mentions at season’s end, the most in school history.
His third season with the Gamecocks saw Grass raise the bar even higher. The 13-2 record included a 12-game win streak that was one shy of the school record and also featured over 50 school records. The Gamecocks’ lone losses were to No. 6 Auburn in overtime and to North Dakota State in the FCS title game.
JSU was ranked No. 1 in the polls for the first time in school history and held that ranking for 11 weeks. The Gamecocks went unbeaten again in the OVC to win their second-straight title and was warded the No. 1 national seed in the FCS Playoffs. JSU stood up to that seeding, downing No. 7 Chattanooga in overtime in the second round before routing No. 8 Charleston Southern and No. 7 Sam Houston State in the quarters and semis, respectively.
The 2015 Gamecocks were as talented as any team JSU has fielded, placing 17 on the All-OVC teams and five on various All-America squads. Jenkins was the OVC Player of the Year and the FCS National Quarterback of the Year, while center Casey Dunn, running back Troymaine Pope, defensive end Chris Landrum and cornerback Jermaine Hough also grabbed All-America nods.
Pope ran for a school- and OVC-record 1,788 yards to lead a JSU attack that gained a school-record 7,613 yards. Jenkins was also a 1,000-yard rusher with 1,161 yards and 15 scores, while receiver Josh Barge set new JSU records with 92 catches, 1,145 yards and 11 touchdowns.
The 2016 season saw JSU reach the No. 1 spot in the major polls for the second-straight year and enter the FCA Playoffs as the No. 3 National Seed. The Gamecocks went 10-2 and put together their third-straight perfect record in OVC play, making them the first team in league history to go three seasons in a row without a loss or a tie.
JSU was unbeaten against FCS foes in the 2016 regular season, and Grass’ defense was a big part of that. The Gamecocks once again boasted the OVC’s best defense and the fourth-best defense in FCS, holding opposing offenses to less than 275 yards per game. The Gamecocks were also the best in the nation at getting off of the field on third down, limiting foes to a .231 third-down conversion percentage.
JSU also ranked third nationally in red zone defense, fifth in rushing defense, seventh in scoring defense, seventh in interceptions, seventh in sacks, eighth in tackles for a loss and 11th in turnover margin.
2017 saw Gamecock football continue along the dominant path it has recently paved in FCS Football. JSU went 10-2 and 8-0 in OVC play and grabbed the No. 3 seed in the playoffs for the second-straight year. It was the third-straight season that JSU has been one of the top three seeds in the postseason. JSU became just the fourth team in OVC history to win four-straight league titles broke the OVC’s record for consecutive conference wins by extending the streak to 32 by season’s end.
The defense led the way again, ranking second nationally in total defense, third in rushing defense and sixth in scoring defense. The unit was led by senior defensive end Darius Jackson, who became the first back-to-back winner of the OVC Defensive Player of the Year Award in over 25 years and then became JSU’s and the OVC’s first winner of the Buck Buchanan Award for the top defensive player in the FCS.
JSU had 16 All-OVC players and seven All-Americans before watching seven players get opportunities in NFL camps following the season. Cornerback Siran Neal became JSU’s first participant in the Reese’s Senior Bowl since 1994 and was drafted in the fifth round by the Buffalo Bills. He was JSU’s first draft pick since 2013 and the highest since Eric Davis went in the second round in 1992.
In 2018, the fifth-straight title was built on another dominant offensive attack. Led by First Team All-OVC quarterback Zerrick Cooper and wide receiver targets Josh Pearson and Jamari Hester, the Gamecocks rolled up 6,465 total yards, the third-most ever by a JSU team, as well as a school-record 3,864 passing yards. The Gamecocks also scored 520 points, third-most in school history.
Pearson led all Division I players with a school-record 17 touchdown catches, while Hester tied the previous school record with 11 scoring grabs.
The JSU defense once again led the nation in third down conversions and turned turnovers into points by leading the nation in defensive touchdowns.
The 2019 offense was again one of the nation’s best, racking up an OVC-best 419 yards per game. The Gamecocks led the OVC and ranked 14th nationally in passing with an average of 296 yards per game.
The 2020-21 campaign that was split by the COVID-19 Pandemic was perhaps the most challenging of Grass’ career, but he turned it into one of the most successful in the Gamecocks’ Division I history. JSU went 10-3, playing an FCS-high 13 games and claiming the only FCS win over an FBS foe that season with a 19-10 win at Florida International to close the fall portion of the schedule.
JSU then went 6-1 in OVC play to close its tenure in the league with its sixth title in Grass’ seven seasons in the OVC. The Gamecocks also earned the No. 4 National Seed in the FCS Playoffs and advanced to the Quarterfinals for the first time since 2015 but the third time since Grass joined the Gamecock staff.
Five Players earned All-America honors and 16 were named All-OVC, led by Consensus First Team All-American Nicario Harper, who was the OVC Defensive Player of the Year and the top defensive back in the nation as selected by the FCS Athletic Director’s Association.
Prior to coming to JSU in 2013, Grass was head coach at Oxford High School from 2008-2012, where he posted five straight winning seasons and a 41-16 record. He helped the Yellowjackets reach the playoffs four out of the five seasons he was there, including the school’s first-ever appearance in the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 6A State semi-finals in 2011.
While serving as head coach at Spain Park High School from 2006-2007, Grass was named the 2007 AHSAA Class 6A Coach of the Year after leading his team to the state championship game. Grass led his team against Clark’s Prattville squad in that Class 6A State Championship as Prattville claimed a 14-0 win.
Grass coached at Moody High School from 2003-2005, where he took over a team that had won six games in the previous six years before he took control. In 2004, he led his team to the 2004 Class 4A quarterfinals for the first time in school history.
From 2002-2003, Grass was head coach at Albertville High School, a school that had won five games in the three years before he took over, and led them to the 2002 Class 5A quarterfinals. While at Albertville, Grass was named the 2002 Class 5A Coach of the Year.
Grass spent two seasons as the Offensive Coordinator for Hoover High School from 2000-2001. He ran an offense that posted an impressive 28-2 record during his two seasons, including the 2000 Class 6A State Championship and an appearance in the State Championship again in 2001.
Grass’s first head coaching job came at Ashville High School, where he coached from 1995-1999. He guided his team to back-to-back postseason appearances for the first time in school history in 1998 and 1999, including the schools first-ever 10-0 regular season record in 1999.
Grass also served as an assistant coach at Eufaula High School and Ashville High School. While at Eufaula High School from 1993-1994, he served as Defensive Coordinator and Strength and Conditioning Coach while helping the school reach the 5A quarterfinals in 1993.
He began his coaching career at Ashville High School from 1990-1992, where he served as Offensive Coordinator and Strength and Conditioning Coach. While at Ashville, he helped the school reach the state semifinals for the first time in school history.
Grass graduated from Jacksonville State in 1990 with a degree in physical education. He received a Masters of Physical Education from JSU in 1997 and an EDS in Administration in 2010 from Lincoln Memorial University.
He is married to the former Jada Arnold, and the couple has a daughter, Jules, and two sons, Jud and Jace.
