With spring practice on the horizon and winter conditioning drills ongoing, Alcorn State has finalized its defensive staff.
In addition to adding former Mississippi Valley State University defensive coordinator Derek Welch to coach the Braves’ secondary, Fred McNair also has tabbed Tommie Lewis Jr. to coach Alcorn’s defensive line.
An Alcorn alum, Lewis Jr. returns to his alma mater with experience from previous stops at Football Bowls Subdivision program Southern Mississippi, Miles College and Tuskegee.
Lewis got his start in coaching Southwestern Oklahoma State University and also had a previous turn at Alcorn in his early coaching days, assisting on defense.
A three-year letterwinner during his playing days at Alcorn, Lewis also has notable off-the-field experience from serving dual roles at Tuskegee that included his on-field coaching responsibilities but also saw him handle the program’s director of football operations duties.
Alcorn is set to open its 2023 season Sept. 2 at Southern Miss, which has been resurgent under coach Will Hall after Hall led the Golden Eagles to a seven-win 2022 season that culminated in a season-ending win in the Lending Tree Bowl.