By By Lowell McGill
Former Escambia County Training School quarterback Woodrow McCorvey Jr. is one of several candidates under consideration for the new head football coaching position at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, according to a published report in The Mobile Press Register Saturday.
McCorvey, who is currently the offensive coordinator at Mississippi State University, was also a former assistant coach at the University of Alabama. His college coaching career has taken him to other colleges throughout the south including Clemson, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Prior to entering the college coaching ranks he coached with Atmore's Floyd Adams at Tate High School near Pensacola from 1972-76.
Adams, who is a close friend, said he believes McCorvey has the necessary credentials for the job because he has been so successful throughout his entire coaching career.
"I think if they can get him, they need to do everything they can to get him because he has done a tremendous job wherever he has been," Adams said.
Adams said there are certain aspects of McCorvey's coaching philosophy that make him special.
"He is a great coach and such a classy young man," he said. "He would be an asset to any program because of his outstanding knowledge of the game and his way of connecting with the young men he coaches."
He began his college-coaching career at North Carolina Central following an outstanding four years as quarterback for Alabama State University. He has been at Mississippi State since 2004.
Other coaches under consideration for the USA job are Jeff Bower and Chris Scelfo, according the newspaper report.
Bower served for several years at the University of Southern Mississippi until this past year when he was not rehired for that job.
Scelfo was previously affiliated with Tulane University in New Orleans.
USA was given approval to begin a new football program only a few weeks ago. The school is a member of the Sunbelt Conference. USA athletic director Joe Gottfried hopes to have the new coach on board by early February, according to the report.
However, it was learned that he wanted to finish all interviews before making a selection, the paper reported.
McCorvey is the son of former Escambia County Training School principal Woodrow McCorvey Sr. He came back to Atmore when his father was a member of the inaugural induction class of the Atmore Area Hall of Fame in November of 2006.
McCorvey was known for his speed as well as throwing ability at Escambia County Training School.
Atmore Advance sports editor Matthew Nascone contributed to this article.