MOBILE, Ala. ? Before it has even played a game, the University of South Alabama’s first-year football program is losing a staff member to a Southeastern Conference school. Jaguar head coach Joey Jones announced Monday that offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Les Koenning has accepted a position at Mississippi State.
Koenning was named to USA’s staff on Feb. 29 after serving the last five seasons at Texas A&M.
“I’m really pleased for Les, this is a great opportunity for him,” Jones stated. “He’s an outstanding coach and recruiter who deserves to be at a school like Mississippi State. This was too good of an opportunity for him to turn down, we wish him tremendous success in the future.”
“I have no doubt that South Alabama is headed in the right direction, and I’m thankful for the past year that I was able to spend there,” said Koenning. “The opportunity to return to Mississippi State and work with coach Mullen was an opportunity my family and I could not pass up. I wish nothing but the best for South Alabama and all of the fine people I had an opportunity to work with.”
Koenning previously served on the Bulldog staff working with running backs and wide receivers from 1986-89.
He has been an offensive coordinator since 1998 when he first assumed play-calling duties at Duke. Koenning then moved to Houston’s staff in 1999 and to Texas Christian a year later before serving three years at Alabama. He worked with quarterbacks while coordinating the offense at TAMU prior to coming to USA.
Koenning began his career with graduate assistantships at Texas and Alabama before being named wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Louisiana-Lafayette in 1985. He moved to Rice as wide receivers coach from 1990-93 before taking the same position at Texas A&M. Koenning gained a year of experience in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins during the 1997 season before returning to the college level.
Overall, Koenning has been part of a coaching staffs that have led their schools to bowl games on nine occasions, including each of his last two years with the Aggies.
The Houston, Texas, native earned his bachelor’s degree from Texas in 1981, and he added a master’s degree two years later. He and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Les and Lana.
South Alabama ? which officially approved football as the university’s 17th program on Dec. 6, 2007 ? will participate in spring practice next semester before taking the field against outside competition in the fall of 2009.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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