Wommack meets with media as new South Alabama coach
For Kane Wommack, the goals were always the same.
Ever since he was 6 years old, Wommack wanted to be a head football coach, and after getting a taste of what life was like at the University of South Alabama and Mobile, Alabama, Wommack wanted to get back to South Alabama if an opportunity ever presented itself.
The Indiana defensive coordinator now has an opportunity to fulfil both, as he has been hired as the third football coach in the program of South Alabama.
"You have a dream of what you want out of this career. Since I was 6, I had a dream of being a football coach. From that point on, I never waivered," Wommack said. "When the opportunity came, I knew I would choose South. Melissa and I fell in love with this city and campus."
Wommack said he could remember a time when he was playing football with his children and there was talk of a new football stadium coming to South Alabama and he would close his eyes and just dream about what it would look like and what the program could become.
"As I came to Indiana and went south for recruiting, I would see the stadium being built, I would walk into and just dream about what this place is. On Sept. 4, 2021, I will close my eyes, but I won't have to dream anymore as I lead our program out for the first time," Wommack said.
And, he went back to a meeting with Indiana head coach Tom Allen and his wife, Tracy, in the living room of their home in Oxford, Mississippi when both were at the University of Mississippi.
"Long before Tom and I came to Indiana, we had a goal and a vision of doing these things together. We sat down in the living room in Oxford and talked about the opportunity to lead a program and coming with him if he were a head coach. To do that the last three years has been life fulfilling, and to leave that is bittersweet," Wommack said.
The 2020 Broyles Award nominee noted he will continue to coach the Hoosiers the remainder of the season and through the bowl game, while trying to build a program at South Alabama.
He admits it will be a challenge, but thanked the administration at South Alabama, as well as Indiana head football coach Tom Allen on helping to make the transition as smooth as possible.
"My intention is to coach the rest of the season and I am excited to carry the team and finish well with bowl preparation. I am excited for the moment this creates for me and the program at South," he said.
Wommack offered a little insight into what his coaching staff may look like and what the program could look like under him.
"We want to create an environment where players can strive for greatness and where staff will be men who reinforce our culture," Wommack said. "I am looking to hire to the role and not just the position. To our players, I want them to have ownership. We have to be able to explain why and giving them the why allows them to own our culture. I want to develop a group of men who consider the needs of others before themselves."
Wommack said his offense will be personnel driven centered around the quarterback and play of the offensive line and look to get the ball into the hands of playmakers. As for his defense, which Wommack has built Indiana's into one of the premier in the nation, he said he cannot wait to "bring the Swarm D back to Mobile."
"We will always teach the concept of what we are trying to accomplish defensively. Our players have to apply our concepts accordingly and recognize formations," Wommack said.
The newly minted coach did say he has had "exciting" conversations with potential assistants and coordinators, but would not get into specifics as to a timetable of having a staff in place.
"Be patient with me. Those things are taking some days, and it's not just one phone call," he said. "We have had productive talks. We will announce those in a few days, but I don't want to put a timeframe on it. It is important loyalty is built in," Wommack said.
Wommack was asked if he will take any current Indiana assistants with him and as a result of the success the Hoosiers have had, people will be interested in assistants.
"There are people we've identified in the program and exterior that I'd love to utilize. I am not ready to make any announcements on staff hires, but I do want to say this group of men and coaches at Indiana are a special group."
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