Broderick Fobbs was hired as running backs coach at South Alabama in March 2025.
Fobbs wasted no time developing the Jaguars’ running back room, as Kentrel Bullock enjoyed a record-breaking season in 2025. Bullock rushed for 1,085 yards as a senior, setting the program’s single-season rushing record. He also produced 14 rushing touchdowns on his way to earning First Team All-Sun Belt honors. His performance landed him a spot in the East-West Shrine Bowl following the season. Fobbs also helped Keenan Phillips rush for 607 yards and three touchdowns.
No stranger to the Sun Belt Conference, Fobbs came to South Alabama by way of ULM, where he coached the Warhawks’ running backs in 2023 and 2024. Fobbs’ star pupil at ULM was running back Ahmad Hardy, who was named the 2024 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year. Hardy ranked 12th nationally and first in the conference with 1,351 rushing yards, while his 13 rushing touchdowns were the most in the league.
Prior to his time in Monroe, Fobbs served as the head coach at Grambling State for eight seasons. In 2017, Fobbs led Grambling State to an 11-2 overall record and an appearance in the Celebration Bowl. The Tigers repeated as SWAC champions by defeating Alcorn State, 40-32, and earned classic victories over Clark Atlanta, Prairie View A&M and rival Southern. Fobbs was named SWAC Coach of the Year for the fourth consecutive season, becoming the only head coach in conference history to win the award four straight years from 2014-17. The three-time Fritz Pollard Award winner led the Tigers to a final ranking of 14th in the FCS Coaches Poll and 16th in the STATS FCS Top 25 Poll.
In 2016, Fobbs led the Tigers to a 12-1 overall record, finishing the season as SWAC champions, Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl champions and HBCU national champions. After repeating as SWAC Western Division champions, winning the 2016 SWAC Championship Game and defeating North Carolina Central, 10-9, in the Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl, the Tigers were recognized as one of the top teams in FCS football. Grambling finished the season on an 11-game winning streak, earning the program’s 25th SWAC title, its first since 2011, and its 15th HBCU football national championship, its first since 2008. The Tigers finished the season ranked 15th in the final FCS Coaches Poll and 16th in the final STATS FCS Poll.
During his first three seasons as a head coach, Fobbs won three SWAC Coach of the Year awards and led the Tigers to a 25-2 regular-season conference record, including back-to-back undefeated conference seasons. In addition to being named SWAC Coach of the Year in 2016, Fobbs was named the Sheridan Broadcasting Network Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year, HERO Sports FCS Football Coach of the Year and BOXTOROW Co-Coach of the Year. He was also a three-time Fritz Pollard Award winner and a finalist for the FCS Eddie Robinson Award.
In 2014, Fobbs was named SWAC Coach of the Year, Louisiana Sports Writers Coach of the Year, Black College Football Hall of Fame Sports Writers Coach of the Year and Sheridan Broadcasting Network Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year. He was also named a finalist for the FCS Eddie Robinson Award. The success continued into Fobbs’ second season at Grambling, as he guided the Tigers to an undefeated 9-0 conference record, the first undefeated regular-season conference record by a SWAC program since Grambling finished 7-0 in 2008, and a Western Division championship.
Before earning the head coaching position at Grambling, Fobbs served as the tight ends coach at McNeese State in 2013 after previously working there as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2007-11. Between his stints with the Cowboys, Fobbs spent the 2012 season at Southern Miss as the wide receivers coach.
Fobbs began his coaching career at Louisiana as a graduate assistant in 2000. He earned his first full-time coaching position at Northwestern State as the tight ends coach in 2003. Fobbs spent two seasons in that role before being promoted to co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2005. During his time at Northwestern State, Fobbs completed an NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Buffalo Bills.
Fobbs was a two-time team captain at Grambling State, where he helped the Tigers win the 1992 HBCU national championship with a 45-15 victory over Florida A&M in the Heritage Bowl. Grambling State was also a co-champion of the SWAC in 1994. Fobbs led the conference in yards per carry as a senior, averaging 7.1 yards per attempt, and accumulated more than 1,500 rushing yards during his collegiate career. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Grambling State in 1997.
Fobbs is married to the former Kimbia Jones. The couple has two children, Kyndal and Rylee.
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THE BRODERICK FOBBS FILE
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PERSONAL
Born: Aug. 2, 1974
Hometown: Monroe, La.
Education: Grambling State, 1997
Wife: Kimbia
Children: Kyndal and Rylee
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PLAYING CAREER
College: Grambling State (Running Back)
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COACHING EXPERIENCE
2000-02: Louisiana (Graduate Assistant)
2003-04: Northwestern State (Tight Ends)
2005-06: Northwestern State (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers)
2007-11: McNeese State (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers)
2012: Southern Miss (Wide Receivers)
2013: McNeese State (Tight Ends)
2014-21: Grambling State (Head Coach)
2023-24: ULM (Running Backs)
2025-present: South Alabama (Running Backs)
