An old friend and legend returns home.
Alcorn State will host Southern University in a game that holds little significance in the SWAC standings but carries emotional weight beyond the gridiron.
Fred McNair, the former Alcorn State head coach now leading Southern, will return to Lorman to face the program and community where he forged his legacy as a coach and player.
McNair, who spent eight seasons at Alcorn State, leading the Braves to four SWAC East Division titles, two SWAC championships, and two Celebration Bowl appearances, departed after the 2023 season.
Since then, Cedric Thomas, an Alcorn alum who was McNair’s trusted assistant for all those years, spoke reverently of his predecessor’s impact.
“Coach McNair hired me twice. I’m forever indebted for what he did for me and my family,” said Thomas on Monday. There were coaches on this staff who were part of those championships with him. He’s dear to a lot of people, not just here on staff but in the entire Alcorn community.”
Thomas expressed excitement about the matchup but will keep it all business when the whistle blows.
“We’ll be excited just to see coach, knowing what he’s done for us from a career standpoint. But at the end of the day, he’s on the sideline like the kids say — he’s the ops right now.”
McNair, who was named interim head coach at Southern after the school fired Terrence Graves, shared his complex emotions ahead of facing his former team.
“It’s always something special to go back home and be part of something you love so much. But right now, my emotions are about getting the young men at Southern to play a full 60 minutes of football,” McNair said. “We have to correct some things at practice today and get the guys in the right mindset to go out and play good football.”
Alcorn State enters the game with a 3-6 overall record and 2-3 in SWAC play, coming off a convincing 33-14 road win over Texas Southern.
Southern seeks to pick up its first SWAC win of the season.
The game, set for 2 p.m. at Jack Spinks–Marino Casem Stadium, promises not just a hard-fought contest on the field but a celebration of history and legacy for Braves fans and the wider Alcorn community of McNair’s return.