Hinds Community College has announced Christopher A. Jones as its new head football coach, effective Jan. 2025. Jones, who has built a formidable reputation as the state championship coach at Starkville High School, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record to the program.
With an impressive overall coaching record of 129-37 over his coaching career, Jones has led Starkville High to three Mississippi High School Activities Association state championship appearances in 2017, 2022, and 2023. His coaching accolades include a state championship victory in 2016 with Kemper County High School and in 2016 with Starkville High School. In 2023, the Mississippi Association of Coaches named him its 2023 Coach of the Year.
Jones succeeds Larry Williams, who recently accepted the head football coach position at Coahoma Community College.
“When Coach Williams announced he was leaving, we needed to find a new coach that is a winner – not just on the field but off it as well,” said Hinds President Dr. Stephen Vacik. “By naming Chris Jones as our new football coach, we far exceeded my expectations. He was a stellar student-athlete himself and as a leader, he has won at every level of football.”
Star Player to Coach
Jones is native of Shuqualak and a 2000 graduate of Noxubee County High School. There he excelled as a quarterback and wide receiver before further distinguishing himself as a wide receiver at Jackson State University. He ranked third all-time in receptions and yards, contributing to one of the most prolific offenses in Division I-AA history. He earned a bachelor of arts in criminal justice from Jackson State and a master of counseling in psychology from the University of West Alabama.
Jones’s professional experience includes stints in the NFL with the Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks and playing for the Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL and the Kansas City Brigade in the AFL.
Athletic Director Nathan Werremeyer noted, “Chris stood out as the leader who will take Hinds football to the next level. With his remarkable experience across high school, college, and professional football, along with his extensive connections, I am confident he will inspire our student-athletes to find their purpose, passion, and profession in whatever they want to do.”
The Hinds community anticipates a meet-and-greet event in the spring semester to introduce Coach Jones and discuss his vision for the football program. Jones is married to Shaunacy, a Jackson State alum, and they have two children, Carrington and Christopher.
