Thurmond joins UWA football staff

LIVINGSTON – Max Thurmond has joined the University of West Alabama football staff as linebackers and special teams coach, head coach Brett Gilliland announced Tuesday.

“We are extremely pleased to have Coach Thurmond join the Tiger family,” Gilliland said. “He brings a wealth of knowledge from his long stint at Jacksonville State University and will be a tremendous asset as he leads our linebackers and special teams.

“Max has a ton of experience recruiting the state of Alabama as well as Mississippi junior colleges,” Gilliland said. “He and his family are great additions to our program and the UWA community.”

Prior collegiate coaching stops for Thurmond include Reinhardt (Ga.) University and Jacksonville State, where he was a three-year starter at cornerback. He also served as the defensive coordinator and strength and conditioning coach at Pell City (Ala.) High School.

Following his playing career, Thurmond was a member of the Jacksonville State coaching staff from 2001 to 2012. After starting as student assistant in 2001, Thurmond coached JSU outside linebackers, cornerbacks and the punt return team for much of his stay on the Gamecock staff before finishing his career there as wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator.

As a member of the JSU staff, Thurmond helped lead the Gamecocks to three FCS Playoff spots and three Ohio Valley Conference championships. As an outside linebackers coach in 2009, the Gamecocks led the OVC scoring defense, total defense, pass defense and pass efficiency defense.

Thurmond earned his Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science in 2001. He is a member of the American Football Coaches Association, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Phi Beta Sigma.

Thurmond and his wife Gresha are the parents of two children, Maxwell, Jr. (17), and Asha (17).