Jerry Mack was named Rice's offensive coordinator on December 12, 2017, coming to South Main after four seasons as the head coach at North Carolina Central University. He was named the Owls Associate Head Coach on February 13, 2019.
In his first year on South Main, Mack’s offense produced four individual 100-yard rushing days and three games with players totaling more than 100 receiving yards. He saw a trio of his receivers (Austin Trammell, Austin Walter and Aaron Cephus) each top 40 receptions and 500 receiving yards, the first time since 2008 Rice has had three receivers reach those levels in the same season. This past June, he joined with 40 assistant and positional NFL and NCAA coaches at the 2019 NFL Quarterback Coaching Summit in Atlanta, Georgia.
In four seasons at NCCU, Mack led the Eagles to at least a share of three consecutive MEAC championships and a berth in the 2016 Celebration Bowl, which pits the champions of the MEAC and SWAC each December. He compiled 31-15 record in four seasons as one of the youngest head coaches at the FBS/FCS level. He was named the 2016 HBCU Football Coach of the Year by Black College Sports Page and The Pigskin Club in Washington, D.C. after NCCU smashed its school record for offense on its way to the Celebration Bowl.
Mack led the 2014 Eagles to the most victories in the program's Division I-FCS tenure with a 7-5 overall record and a share of the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship. The team also earned the program's first win over a nationally-ranked FCS opponent by defeating No. 24 North Carolina A&T in the final game of the season on Nov. 22, 2014, broke the school record for pass completions in a season with 227, and ranked third in the nation (FCS) in turnover margin at +12.0.
In his second season at NCCU, Mack guided the 2015 Eagles to an 8-3 overall record and a 7-1 conference mark to repeat as MEAC co-Champions. For the second straight year, the Eagles beat a nationally-ranked FCS opponent (No. 13/16 North Carolina A&T), this time closing out the campaign with a seven-game win streak. Mack became the first head coach in school history to win 15 games in his first two seasons. He was recognized as a finalist for the STATS FCS Coach of the Year award and was named the Black College Sports Page "Baad Team" Coach of the Year.
In his third season at NCCU, the Eagles received their first national ranking as a Division I-FCS program on Nov. 7, 2016, when the FCS Coaches Poll announced NCCU at No. 25. By the end of the regular season, the Eagles jumped to No. 18. NCCU (9-3, 8-0 MEAC) beat nationally-ranked No. 9 North Carolina A&T 42-21 on Nov. 19 to capture the outright MEAC championship and a trip to the second annual Air Force Reserve Celebration Bowl.
NCCU's nine triumphs in 2016 were the most by the Eagles in the program's Division I era. In recognition of his success in 2016, Mack was named Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Football Coach of the Year, American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Regional Coach of the Year, and as one of 15 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award as the FCS Coach of the Year. He was also recognized as the HBCU Football Coach of the Year by Black College Sports Page and The Pigskin Club in Washington, D.C., and the HBCU Male Coach of the Year by HBCU Digest.
Mack joined NCCU after spending two seasons (2012-13) with the University of South Alabama as wide receivers coach. During that time, three of his receivers finished among the top five on South Alabama's single-season record lists for receptions and receiving yards.
He spent the 2011 campaign in his hometown with the University of Memphis, also as wide receivers coach, where he tutored the receiver with the second-highest single-season receptions in school history.
As offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in 2010, Mack transformed a unit that ranked 101st in the nation in total offense to 30th nationally and No. 2 in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC), breaking 10 offensive school records in the process.
Mack served as passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at the University of Central Arkansas during the 2008-09 seasons, helping to lead the 10-2 Bears to the Southland Conference championship and placing 10th in the NCAA Division I-FCS in total offense.
In Mack's two seasons (2006-07) as wide receivers and tight ends coach at Jackson State University, the Tigers ranked second in the SWAC in scoring offense both years and captured the SWAC championship title in 2007.
Mack started his coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant at Delta State University in 2004-05. During that time, he coached running backs, and worked as assistant special teams coordinator and video coordinator, helping the Statesmen to rank third in the NCAA Division II in scoring offense and total offense.
Mack began his collegiate playing career at Jackson State before transferring after one season (1999) to Arkansas State University. He lettered three years at Arkansas State (2001-03) before earning his bachelor's degree in management information systems in 2003.
Mack completed his master's degree in physical education from Delta State in 2006 after serving on the Statesmen coaching staff as a graduate assistant.
He has been selected for five internships in the NFL with the New York Jets (2009, 2010), Buffalo Bills (2008), Houston Texans (2018) and Miami Dolphins (2019) and participated in the NCAA Expert & Champion Coach’s Academy program in 2019.
Mack and his wife Starlett have two sons, Jaden and Jaxon, and one daughter, Skyler.
