Ole Miss, under the guidance of Lane Kiffin, has made a strategic addition to its coaching staff for the upcoming season by appointing former Alabama tight ends coach Joe Cox, as reported by 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz. Cox’s hiring fills the void left by John David Baker, who transitioned to the role of offensive coordinator at East Carolina.
Cox initially joined the Alabama Crimson Tide coaching staff in 2022 during Nick Saban’s tenure. However, his tenure with Alabama was not extended when Kalen DeBoer assumed the position of head coach for the current season. Despite this, Cox garnered high praise from Saban, who lauded him as one of the brightest young coaches in the sport.
“Coach Cox is probably one of the brightest young guys that we’ve seen in a while, so we’re glad to have him on the staff,” Saban remarked on Aug. 8.
Embarking on his coaching career at the high school level at Mallard Creech in 2014, Cox transitioned to the collegiate scene, joining Colorado State in 2015 as a graduate assistant. His trajectory evolved, and he assumed the role of tight ends coach from 2016 to 2019. Following this, he entered the SEC as a wide receivers coach at South Carolina in 2020. However, he wasn’t retained by the program after the dismissal of then-head coach Will Muschamp.
A brief stint as a tight ends coach at Charlotte preceded Cox’s recognition by Nick Saban, leading to his role with the Crimson Tide. Now, as he moves on to Ole Miss, Cox brings a wealth of coaching experience and expertise to the Rebels’ coaching staff under the leadership of Lane Kiffin. This strategic addition is anticipated to contribute significantly to Ole Miss’s football program as they prepare for the upcoming season.
