OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR
A.J. ERDELY
FOOTBALL STAFF
A.J. Erdely directed several high-powered offenses as a quarterback for football programs at the NCAA Division I and two-year college levels. Erdely hopes to duplicate that success after accepting the first offensive coordinator position of his young coaching career at Northeast Mississippi Community College. He joined the Tigers prior to the 2020 season as wide receivers coach and worked alongside previous offensive coordinator Nick Coleman, who is now an offensive analyst at the University of South Carolina. Erdely was the starter behind center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) during its first two seasons back from a three-year hiatus. He also spent his sophomore campaign at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. Erdely helped develop one of the most sensational wideouts in school history during his first season at Northeast in Andison Coby, who went on to sign a scholarship with the University of Tennessee. Coby earned All-Mississippi Association of Community Colleges Conference (MACCC) first-team honors after recording team-highs of 24 catches, 422 receiving yards and seven scores in just six games. His touchdown total was tied for third best in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) and first in the Magnolia State. Coby’s 17.6 yards per catch ranked 14th in the country as well. Erdely also trained Dallas Payne, who garnered All-MACCC second-team recognition after posting 23 receptions for 314 yards with three touchdowns. Two of those scores happened during the Tigers’ rivalry win at Itawamba Community College.
The Cumming, Ga., native began his transition from player to instructor in 2019 as an offensive quality control coach at the University of Southern Mississippi. The Golden Eagles went 7-6 that year and participated in the Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl. He primarily assisted with a talented group of Southern Miss quarterbacks that featured Jack Abraham, who secured All-Conference USA honorable mention distinction after throwing for 3,496 yards with 19 touchdowns over 13 contests. Erdely was an integral piece to UAB’s quick return to prominence on the gridiron. He led the Blazers to a combined 19-8 record during the 2017-18 campaigns with back-to-back bowl berths and the Conference USA championship as a senior. He accounted for UAB’s inaugural points during its historic first game back on a one-yard run less than six minutes into the matchup. Erdely added two passing touchdowns as the Blazers defeated Alabama A&M University on September 2, 2017 at Legion Field. Erdely eventually nabbed All-Conference USA honorable mention accolades following a junior year in which he threw for over 2,300 yards and tied the school record for most rushing touchdowns with 13. He broke the Conference USA all-time mark for completion percentage in a single game at 95.2 on November 4, 2017 versus Rice (Texas) University. Erdely was 20 of 21 for 197 yards with three scores through the air in the home victory over the Owls. His efforts against Rice paid off with a pair of prestigious prizes, including the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) National Performer of the Week and the
Manning Award Star of the Week as selected by the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Erdely set career-highs during the 2017 season of 321 yards and four passing touchdowns against the University of North Texas and 24 completions versus Ohio University in the Bahamas Bowl. He was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm and Manning Award watch lists prior to his final campaign at UAB. Erdely lived up to hype by guiding the Blazers to a program-best eight-game winning streak and their first ranking in 14 years. Erdely had season highs of 274 yards, including a career-long 95-yard pass, with two touchdowns at Rice and an 81.3 completion percentage versus the University of North Carolina at Charlotte in 2018. He guided Mississippi Gulf Coast to the 2016 MACCC South Division title and a top 10 rating from the NJCAA. Erdely threw for 1,881 yards and 14 touchdowns during his lone season with the Bulldogs. Erdely completed 19 of 29 passes for 246 yards and two scores in the MACCC championship contest against Northwest Mississippi Community College. He racked up 222 yards overall one week earlier in a semifinal triumph over Itawamba. His cumulative collegiate statistics includes 6,457 yards of total offense, 5,751 passing yards, 703 rushing yards, 37 passing touchdowns, 20 rushing scores and a 60.7 completion percentage. Erdely originally inked with Middle Tennessee State University after graduating from West Forsyth (Ga.) High School. He has an Associate’s degree from Mississippi Gulf Coast and a Bachelor’s degree from UAB.
NEMCCTIGERS
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