McComb High School saw its second major coaching change of the year on Wednesday as Malcolm Jones was relieved of his duties as head football coach and athletic director less than a month before football season starts.
Offensive coordinator Jeffery Gibson will take Jones’ place as head coach.
Superintendent Dr. Cederick Ellis, who announced the change Wednesday, said there is no one being considered right now for the athletic director’s job.
Ellis, personnel director Jonathan McClendon and finance director Susan Cochran will split the AD’s duties in the interim.
Ellis said the decision to remove Jones from the two jobs was not a disciplinary action.
“We just think that this is in the best interest of the district and the best interest of our athletic program,” he said.
Ellis wouldn’t discuss why he waited until so close to the start of football season to make the coaching change.
Jones hasn’t been fired by the district. Ellis said Jones will keep his job as alternative school director, and since he’s still an employee of the school district, he doesn’t have the right to appeal the decision.
Jones was the Tigers’ head football coach for the past seven seasons and athletic director for three.
Gibson has been the football offensive coordinator and head track coach the past four years. The girls track team won back-to-back 4A state championships under Gibson. The boys track team won back-to-back state championships in 2014-15 and were the runners-up this past season.
Gibson declined to comment on his promotion on Wednesday.
The football team (8-3, 4-1 in 2015) won the district in 2014 and hosted a playoff game in each of the past two years.
While McComb made the playoffs the past five seasons under Jones’ leadership, the Tigers never won a post-season game during Jones’ tenure.
McComb had four touchdowns called back in a 21-20 home playoff loss to Poplarville this past season after leading 20-7 at halftime.
The Tigers lost at home in the first round of the playoffs to Forrest County Agricultural High School 28-7 in 2014, but quarterback Venchenza McCray, now a senior expected to start his third year, was injured during that game.
Jones’ removal from the football program marks McComb’s second major coaching change this year. In April, longtime head basketball coach Hilton Harrell left to become the boys and girls basketball coach at archrival South Pike after leading the Tigers to back-to-back state basketball championships. Harrell also is the district athletic coordinator.
