Samford University is working to finalize the hiring of John Grass as its next head football coach, sources tell FootballScoop.
Grass is set to replace Chris Hatcher, who exited last month as the program's all-time winningest coach.
For Grass, it's a return to the state where most of his coaching career has unfolded -- at both the high school and collegiate levels -- before he spent the past four years on Dabo Swinney's staff as a senior offensive assistant and assistant quarterbacks coach.
Grass most recently was a head coach for eight years at Jacksonville State, aiding that program's transition from Football Championship Subdivision powerhouse into scrappy FBS program.
In 2021, Grass led the Gamecocks to one of college football's biggest upsets this decade when they toppled host Florida State in Tallahassee, Florida.
Grass amassed a strong, 72-26 mark as Jacksonville State's head coach in his eight seasons. After guiding the Gamecocks to the 2015 FCS National Championship game, Grass was selected as the AFCA FCS Coach of the Year.
A Jacksonville State alum, Grass coached 22 years in the prep ranks in Alabama before he joined then-head coach Bill Clark's Jacksonville State coaching staff. He was elevated to head coach when Clark departed to take over at UAB.
Coincidentally, both Samford and UAB are hiring new head coaches in this year's coaching cycle. The Blazers fired Trent Dilfer in early October.