WESSON — Glenn Davis becomes the fourth head football coach infive years at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Davis spent thelast seven years as running backs coach at Mississippi StateUniversity before deciding to return to Co-Lin.

Davis, 44, served as offensive coordinator at Co-Lin from1995-96, helping lead the team to a 15-5 overall record. Hereplaces David Poinsett who resigned after two years at the helmand a 5-13 record. Poinsett was elevated to the head job in lateJuly of 2002 when David Cross resigned to enter privatebusiness.

Cross had served one year as head coach at Co-Lin, replacingPhil Broome who resigned after five years at the helm.

“Coach Davis is a proven coach and a top of the line recruiter,”said Co-Lin athletic director Gwyn Young. “We believe he will takeour football team to the next level.”

The Wolves haven’t had a winning record in football since Crossled them to a 5-4 mark in 2001. They haven’t advanced to the stateplayoffs since 1991 when former head coach Randall Bradberrycoached them to a 6-4-1 record and a runners-up finish in the SouthDivision.

“We are pleased that Glenn is returning to Co-Lin,” said Co-Linpresident Dr. Howell Garner. “He has a lot of ties here and he wasreal successful. He has the ability to motivate and disciplinestudents.”

Garner said the head coaching vacancy attracted a long list ofoutstanding coaches. Ten applied and four finalists wereinterviewed by the screening committee. “I felt like Glenn was thebest applicant for the job.”

Asked about long-range expectations for the Co-Lin footballprogram, Garner said, “I would like for Co-Lin to be respectableevery year, better than .500. I know it’s hard to do.”

Davis said he was happy to be back at Co-Lin after a 7-yearabsence. “The big thing about Co-Lin is the people. They areabsolutely great. My family still has good friends here. My kidsenjoyed school here. Wesson has always had a special place in ourhearts.”

Two assistant coaches, defensive coordinator Paul Purvis andsecondary coach Calvin Green, are expected to remain on Co-Lin’sstaff. Offensive backfield coach Lauren Collins has indicated hewon’t return. Davis said he is in the market for an offensive linecoach.

Davis graduated from Tunica High School in 1978. He is a 1982graduate of Delta State University where he was a 3-year lettermanas a defensive lineman and linebacker for the Statesmen. His othercoaching stints included offensive coordinator at South NatchezHigh School, (1982-85), graduate assistant at Mississippi State(1986-87), defensive backs and wide receivers coach at theUniversity of North Alabama (1988-91), and quarterbacks, runningbacks and wide receivers coach at Holmes Community College(1992-94).

At MSU, Davis’ running backs led the Southeastern Conference inrushing in 2000, averaging 193.8 yards per game. The Bulldogsranked third in 1998, averaging 172 per game.

Davis mentored Dicenzo Miller to MSU’s sixth-ever 1,000-yardseason in 2000 and James Johnson to the fourth and fifth-ever1,000-yard campaigns in 1997 and 1998.

Officially, Davis begins his duties at Co-Lin on July 1, 2004.He will work with the assistant coaches regarding recruitingdecisions and other football-related business in the spring.

“There are a lot of good coaches and players in thisconference,” said Davis. “You just have to get in there and coachand have your kids play hard every game.”

Asked about recruiting, Davis said, “I’ll try to get a staffhired and get going recruiting. I want to see all the coaches andplayers in the area as soon as possible.

“We are still going to play with district players. We will workfrom our district first and do a good job with out-of-stateplayers. We want them all to be good citizens and students.”

Davis and his wife, Minta, have two children: Micah, age 14, andAnn Shelby, 11.