A name familiar with many football fans in Madison County is coming to Jackson to help coach University School of Jackson.
Bo Wallace will join the Bruins’ staff as the team’s offensive coordinator as well as the admissions assistant for the school.
Wallace is a former quarterback at Ole Miss, playing for Hugh Freeze and helping lead the Rebels to bowls in all three seasons he was there (2012-14).
“I am excited to bring Bo Wallace to our USJ family,” said USJ head coach and athletic director Derek Pritchard. “He brings a wealth of knowledge and experiences to share with our students and athletes that will benefit them in every aspect of their lives”
Wallace has an extensive background in both high school and junior college player development. He most recently served as the quarterback coach for Holmes Community College in Goodman, Mississippi.
Following his collegiate career, Bo opted to embark on his coaching career versus pursuing several Canadian Football League offers. Since his coaching debut in 2015, Wallace has continued to hone his offensive coordination skills through his high school and junior college roles, with many teams seeing significant gains in offensive production after his first year on staff.
“I am blessed to have the opportunity to join the USJ community,” Wallace said in a statement. “Coach Pritchard and Mr. Roe have been amazing through this process, and I am excited to be a part of what they are building here in Jackson.”
Originally from Pulaski, Wallace was the quarterback for Giles County that eliminated Liberty Tech in the state semifinals in 2009. The Crusaders’ defensive coordinator then, Anthony Sawyer, is on USJ’s staff now too.
“Coach Wallace and I have known each other for a few years now, and we’ve been talking about him possibly joining us here for the past few weeks,” Pritchard said. “He knows that college and high school football are different.
“In college, you recruit players for your system. In high school, you tweak your system for the players you have. He understands that and is ready to get to work putting our offensive plans together.”
Pritchard, who will also be the defensive coordinator, said having Wallace on staff to run the offense is a plus for him and the program.
“I’ll know what’s going on from a 30,000-foot view, but I trust him with our offense,” Pritchard said. “He will be a great addition for us.
“He met the players for the first time [Thursday] and already is building quality relationships with them.”
Brandon Shields, brandon@jacksonpost.news
