Prospectus

2014 FOOTBALL
Jody Wright
Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs
ody Wright, a former
college player J
at Jacksonville State
and prep star at Pickens
(Ala.) Academy,
serves as UAB’s assistant
head coach/running
backs coach for
Bill Clark.
Wright spent the
2013 season as the passing game and recruiting
coordinator at Jacksonville State. During
his time in Jacksonville, the Gamecocks ranked
second in the Ohio Valley Conference in total
offense (442 yards per game) and scoring offense
(35.2 ppg).
Wright oversaw a passing attack that ranked
fourth in the OVC in passing yards per game,
with 202.2 yards through the air per contest.
Under his guidance, quarterback Max Shortell
was named second-team All-Ohio Valley Conference,
while wide receiver was Josh Barge was
a Phil Steele All-American.
Before his stint at Jacksonville State, Wright
spent three years at the University of Alabama
as a graduate assistant, helping the Crimson
Tide win back-to-back BCS National Championships.
Alabama posted a 35-5 record during
his three years as he worked with the wide
receivers and running backs. He was part of
a coaching staff that produced NFL first-round
draft picks Mark Ingram, James Carpenter, Julio
Jones and Trent Richardson.
Alabama ranked 12th nationally in scoring
offense (38.71 points per game), 16th in rushing
offense (227.50 yards per game) and 31st
nationally in total offense.
Prior to joining Alabama, Wright worked for
Dan Mullen at Mississippi State, where he was
director of football operations, while also serving
as an on-field offensive graduate assistant
under Sylvester Croom.
Wright assisted with coaching the offensive
line, and was in charge of coaching the scout
team. He spent a large portion of his time in
tape and computer scouting reports, and was
The Wright File
Born: July 21, 1981
Hometown: Ethelsville, Ala.
Family: Wife Meredith
Education
College: Jacksonville State, 2004 (bachelor’s),
Mississippi State, 2007 (master’s)
High School: Pickens (Ala.) Academy
Coaching Experience
Present: UAB (Assistant Head Coach/
Running Backs)
2013 Jacksonville State
(Passing Game Coordinator/
Recruiting Coordinator)
2011-12 Alabama (Offensive Analyst)
2010 Alabama (Graduate Assistant)
2006-08 Mississippi State
(Graduate Assistant)
2005 Mississippi State (Volunteer Coach)
2002-04 Jacksonville State (Student Assistant)
also in charge of compiling offensive quality
control variables.
In 2005, he served Mississippi State as a
volunteer coach for the defense, working closely
with the Bulldogs’ defensive coordinator and
helping coach the defensive backs.
From 2002 until his arrival at State, Wright
worked as a student assistant coach at Jacksonville
State, his alma mater. He coached on both
sides of the ball at JSU, working with the outside
linebackers early in the 2004 season.
Wright played running back at Jacksonville
State beginning in 2000 and became a student
assistant coach in 2002. While working with
the offense, Wright helped the Gamecocks win
the 2003 and 2004 Ohio Valley Conference
championships.
Wright played on three undefeated state
championship football teams at Pickens Academy
where his father Lynn Wright was the head
coach. The Wright family has a long football
coaching pedigree. Jody’s brother Josh is head
football coach at Bessemer (Ala.) Academy,
while his younger brother Jonathan played football
at West Alabama.
Wright is married to the former Meredith
Leigh Hocutt of Tuscaloosa, Ala.
U A B B l a z e r s