Earnest J. Wilson III is entering his second season as offensive coordinator with the Hampton University football program, coming off two successful seasons at Jackson State University. He brings with him an extensive coaching resume, with experience on several different levels of football.
In addition to his duties as offensive coordinator, Wilson will coach the wide receivers.
In Wilson’s first season with the Pirates, Hampton averaged 317.2 yards of total offense and 21.7 points per game in 2012 – ranking fifth in the MEAC in total offense and sixth in scoring offense. He presided over the MEAC’s fifth-best rushing attack in 2012, as the Pirates averaged 148.1 yards per game on the ground.
That attack was led by senior Jeremiah Schwartz, who rushed for 1,043 yards in 2012 – becoming the first Pirate to rush for 1,000 yards in a season since 2009. Schwartz averaged a MEAC-best 115.9 yards per game on the ground, and he was a First Team All-MEAC selection.
Wilson's offense at Jackson State led the SWAC in scoring offense, total offense, pass offense, pass efficiency, first downs and fourth down conversions. Jackson State quarterbacks passed for a conference-high 3,454 yards and 31 touchdowns, while Jackson State running backs rushed for 1085 yards and 16 scores.
Wilson came to Jackson State after serving as the running backs coach at New Mexico State. While at New Mexico State, Wilson's running back corps tallied 1,278 yards on the ground.
Prior to that season, Wilson was given an opportunity of a lifetime as an intern coach for the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. He spent several weeks at the Colts preseason training camp. While with the Colts, Wilson worked with the running backs, attending team meetings and running practices.
Wilson went to New Mexico state after serving as offensive coordinator at Benedict College in Columbia, S.C. He spent two seasons at Benedict; in 2003, Benedict posted a 6-5 overall record, the best for the school since 1962.
Wilson has an impressive background, which includes a stint as the head coach and director of football operations for the Jacksonville Tomcats and Carolina Rhinos of Arena League Football 2.
In his first stint as head coach in AFL2, Wilson led the Rhinos to a 13-5 record in 2001 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. In his first season as head coach in 2000, the Rhinos posted an 10-8 record.
Wilson took over at Jacksonville in 2002, leading the Tomcats to an 8-8 record.
Wilson has also served as head coach of the Dayton Skyhawks of the Indoor Football League (1999), offensive coordinator at Oberlin College (1998), offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at Elizabeth City State University (1996-97), special teams, receivers and tight ends coach at Alabama A&M (1994-95), receivers and tight ends coach at Maine (1992), and receivers and tight ends coach at Allegheny College (1990-91).
While at Allegheny, he served on a staff that won the 1990 NCAA Division III national championship.
Wilson played football while receiving both his graduate and undergraduate degrees from Texas Tech University. He earned a B.S. degree in recreation in 1989 and a M.ED. in sports administration in 1990.
Wilson is married to Maria, and the couple has three children: E.J., Jonathan, and Mya. Wilson was born in Columbus, Ohio on March 30, 1965.
