CLINTON, Miss. — The Mississippi College Choctaws have found their new head football coach to lead them in 2014.
John Bland, who is coming over from the University of the Cumberlands, has been named the 14th coach in MC history.
“We are very excited to have John Bland be the head coach of our football program as we head into this new era with our institution moving to Division II and the Gulf South Conference,” said MC Athletic Director Mike Jones. “We went into this process looking for someone that would meet the mission of Mississippi College and have a track record of winning. John Bland exemplifies everything we were searching for.”
Bland led UC to the NAIA playoffs six out of the eight years he was there and took them to the national championship game this year.
MC will move to Division-II next season and enter the Gulf Coast Conference with Bland at the helm.
“I’d like to start by saying that we have just spent eight incredible years with the University of the Cumberlands, who will always hold a special place in our hearts,” said Bland. “We are now excited to begin this new era in Mississippi College football. I feel like this is a great opportunity, and we are excited as a family to begin this new journey in our lives.”
Bland was selected from over 40 candidates and will take over immediately after former head football coach Norman Joseph stepped down in November.