Kane Wommack is in his second year on the University of South Alabama football staff, serving as the Jaguars’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
In his first season with the program, Wommack’s unit was the fifth-most improved at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in scoring defense after allowing just over 10 points fewer per outing than it did during the 2015 campaign. Under his direction, the Jags ranked among the top 10 in the country in passing defense and were among the top five in the Sun Belt Conference in five different statistical categories including pass and pass efficiency defense, tackles for loss, sacks and third-down conversion percentage against.
South was one of two schools to have multiple first-team all-league honorees after both Randy Allen and Jeremy Reaves were recognized, while both his starting linebackers received accolades with Roman Buchanan an honorable mention all-conference selection and Darrell Songy named to the Sun Belt’s All-Newcomer Team.
Wommack worked the two years prior to coming to South at Eastern Illinois, where he helped the Panthers to a first-round appearance in the 2015 NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, and a top-25 national ranking in the final polls. Under his direction, EIU 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. EIU defensive back Jourdan Wickliffe earned first-team all-OVC honors in consecutive seasons under Wommack’s direction.
During the ’15 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). EIU 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).
In his first year at EIU, Wommack’s defense ranked second in the conference in scoring and fourth in the OVC in takeaways. In addition, four defensive players earned all-OVC honors that fall.
Prior to joining the staff at Eastern Illinois, Wommack spent two seasons as a defensive graduate assistant at Mississippi, where he coached the “husky” safety position. The Rebel defense ranked 36th in the nation in pass defense, and 38th in total defense in 2013. In 2012, the Rebels ranked fourth nationally in tackles for loss, 11th in sacks and 25th in the country in rushing defense.
He coached the defensive line at Jacksonville State in 2011, and helped the Gamecocks win a share of the OVC championship. Wommack spent the 2010 season as the quarterbacks coach at Tennessee-Martin.
Wommack played fullback at Arkansas from 2005-06, and helped the Razorbacks capture the 2006 SEC West Division title. He transferred to Southern Mississippi, and helped the Golden Eagles to three straight bowl appearances. Wommack earned his degree from USM in 2009, and began his coaching career there as a volunteer assistant coach working with the offensive line.
He and his wife Melissa have two sons, Asher and Tatum. His father, Dave, had more than 35 years of experience coaching at the collegiate level and was most recently the defensive coordinator at Ole Miss before retiring following the 2016 season.
The Wommack File
Born: April 19, 1987, in Springfield, Mo.
Education: Southern Mississippi ’09, bachelor’s degree in political science
Collegiate Playing Experience:
Two years, fullback, Arkansas
Three years, tight end/fullback, Southern Mississippi
Coaching Experience:
Tennessee-Martin — assistant coach, 2010
Jacksonville State — graduate assistant coach, 2011
Mississippi — graduate assistant coach, 2012-13
Eastern Illinois — assistant coach, 2014-15
South Alabama — assistant coach, 2016-
Family: Wife, Melissa; Two sons, Asher (3) and Tatum (2)
