South Alabama hires Major Applewhite as next head coach, per report

It did not take long for the South Alabama Jaguars to find their replacement for former head coach Kane Wommack. Shortly after Wommack surrendered his head coaching position to join Kalen DeBoer’s Alabama Crimson Tide coaching staff as defensive coordinator, the Jaguars athletic department promoted offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, naming him the program’s next head coach, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Applewhite joined the South Alabama coaching ranks in 2021, where he began to help reshape the Jaguars offense under Wommack. In their first season together, Applewhite and Womack led South Alabama to a 5-7 record in 2021 and doubled their number of wins the following season, finishing the year 10-3, just missing the Sunbelt championship game in 2022.

Wommack on leaving South Alabama

Wommack was more than happy with his job as the head coach of South Alabama. However, when Alabama came looking for a new defensive coordinator, it was a chance that he says he couldn’t pass up on.

Wommack spoke with Creg Stephenson at AL.com about his decision to join Kalen DeBoer’s staff after stepping down from his role with the Jaguars. After several years of loving his work in Mobile, including the last three as the leader of the program, he simply said that the opportunity with the Crimson Tide is one he had to take.

“There are very few things that could have pulled me away from the head coaching job at South Alabama because I love the city of Mobile,” said Wommack. “I love this university, love these players and believe in what can be accomplished here, knowing that our best days are still ahead of us. But this was one I couldn’t avoid.”

“People across the country know that what happens in Tuscaloosa is special and the opportunity to do it with one of my best friends in this profession and someone that I trust immensely and believe in as a person and as a coach? I couldn’t pass on that opportunity to do it with the best in the country.”

That best friend that Wommack is referring to is the new head coach of the Crimson Tide himself. DeBoer and Wommack crossed paths in 2019 as the offensive and defensive coordinators for the Indiana Hoosiers. Now, five years later, the two will reunite on the sidelines in Tuscaloosa.