Tucker Peavey has been hired tocoach the offensive line at Southern Miss. He returns to collegecoaching after spending the last 10 years on the high school level,nine at head coach at Brookhaven High School.

 

    Peavey compiled a 74-32-0 record in nine years at the helm of OleBrook football fortunes. His Panthers won a Class 4A statechampionship in 2004. His 2010 team reached the Class 5A statechampionship game before losing to West Point.

    “I’m excited about it,” said Peavey, when contacted Tuesdaymorning. “I’m going to be working with some good people. I havemissed the college football experience at times.”

    Peavey, 49, was a tight end in high school and he graduated fromBHS in 1980. He was an offensive lineman at Copiah-LincolnCommunity College.

    He had previous college coaching experience at Louisiana-Lafayette,Louisiana-Monroe and LSU, plus one year at Itawamba CommunityCollege.

    Peavey joins new USM head coach Ellis Johnson’s staff. Johnson, 60,former South Carolina defensive coordinator, was hired last week toreplace Larry Fedora who accepted the head job at North CarolinaDec. 5.

    Fedora coached the Golden Eagles for four years, achieving a 12-2record this season, including the Conference USA championship witha win over previously unbeaten Houston. The Eagles won the HawaiiBowl over Nevada on Christmas Eve and achieved a school-record 12victories.

    “I first met Coach Johnson when he was at Southern Miss in the1980s,” said Peavey. “I knew him when he was at Mississippi State,too. We go back a long way.”

    Peavey stepped down as Ole Brook’s head coach in late February oflast year with plans to remain as athletic director and director ofthe maintenance department for the Brookhaven Public Schools. BHSoffensive coordinator Ryan Ross was promoted to head coach butchose to accept a similar position at Class 6A Ocean Springs afterless than four weeks in his new job.

    Wade Henderson was hired to replace Ross in May.

    Peavey is married to the former Leah Ann Holtslander of Natchez andshe teaches science at BHS.  They have four children and onegrandson. The children are Lauren Landry, Ashley Holtslander, NickPeavey and Emily Freeman.

    “I enjoy recruiting. I like going out seeing coaches and meetingfamilies and players,” said Peavey. “I look forward to that.”

    He said his children would finish the school year at BHS. “We willmiss Brookhaven. We have good memories and good friends here.”

    Peavey established Brookhaven as one of the strongest high schoolfootball programs in the Magnolia State. Many of his players havehad successful college careers.