Kane Wommack (born April 19, 1987)[1] is an American college football coach and former player who is currently the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the University of Alabama.[2] He previously served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Indiana from 2018 to 2020 and as the head coach of South Alabama from 2021 to 2023.
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Defensive coordinator, linebackers coach |
| Team | Alabama |
| Conference | SEC |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | April 19, 1987 Springfield, Missouri, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 2005–2006 | Arkansas |
| 2007–2009 | Southern Miss |
| Position(s) | Fullback, tight end |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2010 | UT Martin (QB) |
| 2011 | Jacksonville State (GA) |
| 2012–2013 | Ole Miss (GA) |
| 2014–2015 | Eastern Illinois (DC) |
| 2016–2017 | South Alabama (DC/LB) |
| 2018 | Indiana (LB) |
| 2019–2020 | Indiana (DC/LB) |
| 2021–2023 | South Alabama |
| 2024–present | Alabama (DC/ILB) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 22–16 |
| Bowls | 1–1 |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 1 Sun Belt West Division (2022) | |
Playing career
editWommack played fullback at Arkansas from 2005 to 2006, and helped the Razorbacks capture the Southeastern Conference (SEC) West Division title in 2006.[3] He transferred to Southern Miss, and helped the Golden Eagles to three straight bowl game appearances.[3]
Coaching career
editUT Martin
editKane Wommack started his college coaching career as the quarterbacks coach for the UT Martin Skyhawks team in 2010.[1]
Jacksonville State
editIn 2011, Wommack served as a graduate assistant for Jack Crowe at Jacksonville State. He coached the defensive line.[4]
Ole Miss
editThe following year, Wommack joined Hugh Freeze's new staff at Ole Miss as a graduate assistant. He joined his father Dave Wommack's defensive staff. Dave had just been hired as the defensive coordinator. Here, Kane coached the “Husky” position, one of the defensive backs in his father's 4-2-5 defensive scheme.[5]
While at Ole Miss, he also worked with Tom Allen for the first time. Allen was hired as the special teams coordinator and linebackers coach.[5]
Eastern Illinois
editIn 2014, Wommack was named the defensive coordinator at Eastern Illinois. In his first year at Eastern Illinois, Wommack's defense ranked second in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) in scoring and fourth in takeaways. In addition, four defensive players earned all-OVC honors that fall.[1]
In his second season, Wommack helped the Panthers to a first-round appearance in the 2015 NCAA Division I FCS playoffs, and a top-25 national ranking in the final polls. Under his direction, Eastern Illinois defensive lineman Dino Fanti was named the 2015 Ohio Valley Conference co-Defensive Player of the year, as well as the College Football Performance Awards FCS Defensive Tackle of the Year and a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association. Eastern Illinois defensive back Jourdan Wickliffe earned first-team all-OVC honors in consecutive seasons under Wommack's direction.[1]
During the 2015 campaign the Panther defense ranked second nationally in interceptions (19), third in takeaways (31), fourth in pass efficiency defense (103.0), eighth in red zone defense (67.3%) and 10th in tackles for loss (98). Eastern Illinois led the OVC in pass efficiency defense (91.8) and red zone defense (53.3%) that year, while ranking second in the league in scoring defense (19.8 ppg), pass defense (194.8 ypg), third-down defense (29.7%), first-down defense (17.2%) and sacks (19).[1]
South Alabama
editWommack joined the staff at South Alabama prior to the 2016 season, to serve as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.[4]
During Wommack's two seasons in Mobile, Alabama, South Alabama was the 13th-most improved scoring defense (-10.8) and rushing defense (-69.2) in the nation. He engineered one of the top turnarounds in the country. The unit was the fifth-most improved nationally in scoring defense (-10.3), and ranked in the top 10 nationally in passing defense. The Jaguars finished in the top five in the Sun Belt Conference in pass defense, pass efficiency defense, tackles for loss and third-down conversion percentage against. USA was one of two programs with multiple first team all-conference honorees and both of his starting linebackers received postseason accolades.[4]
Safety Jeremy Reaves was recognized as the 2017 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year and twice as a first team all-league honoree. The 2017 defense surrendered 22 points or fewer in regulation seven times in eight conference games.[4]
Indiana
editWommack rejoined Tom Allen at Indiana in 2018, when Allen hired him to be the teams linebackers coach as the tenth assistant coach.[6]
On December 27, 2018, Allen gave up the defensive coordinator duties and announced that Wommack would move forward as running the defense.[4]
Wommack additionally collaborated with future Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer, who served as Indiana’s offensive coordinator at the time.
South Alabama (second stint)
editOn December 12, 2020, Wommack was named the third head coach at the University of South Alabama.[7]
Alabama
editOn January 16, 2024, Wommack resigned from South Alabama to join Kalen DeBoer's staff at the University of Alabama.[2]
Personal life
editWommack is the son of former college coach Dave Wommack. He was born in Springfield, Missouri, but went to high school in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He then earned his bachelor's degree in political science at the University of Southern Mississippi.[4]
Wommack and his wife, Melissa, have three sons, Asher, Tatum, and Jones.[4]
Head coaching record
edit| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Alabama Jaguars (Sun Belt Conference) (2021–2023) | |||||||||
| 2021 | South Alabama | 5–7 | 2–6 | T–3rd (West) | |||||
| 2022 | South Alabama | 10–3 | 7–1 | T–1st (West) | L New Orleans | ||||
| 2023 | South Alabama | 7–6 | 4–4 | T–2nd (West) | W 68 Ventures | ||||
| South Alabama: | 22–16 | 13–11 | |||||||
| Total: | 22–16 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Kane Wommack". usajaguars.com. University of South Alabama SID. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
- ^ a b "Sources: South Alabama's Kane Wommack to join Alabama staff". ESPN. January 15, 2024. Retrieved January 15, 2024.
- ^ a b "Kane Wommack". eiupanthers.com. Eastern Illinois University SID. Retrieved January 27, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Kane Wommack". iuhoosiers.com. Indiana University SID. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
- ^ a b Schumann, Mike. "With Kane Wommack, Tom Allen Had His Ace in the Hole". thedailyhoosier.com. The Daily Hoosier. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
- ^ Osterman, Zach (January 8, 2018). "IU Football Adds Kane Wommack as New LBs Coach". Indianapolis Star. Indianapolis Star. Retrieved January 26, 2019.
- ^ "Kane Wommack Named South Alabama Head Football Coach". University of South Alabama Athletics. December 12, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.