The Jacksonville State University family is mourning the loss of offensive coordinator Calvin Magee, who passed away on Friday.

 

Magee joined the Gamecock Football Program in December, joining head coach Rich Rodriguez's staff after spending three prior stints with him at previous schools. He was 59 years old. Arrangements will be announced at a later time.

 

Magee came to Jacksonville from Duke, where he spent the 2021 season as the Blue Devils' running backs coach, and brings over 25 years of collegiate coaching experience at the FBS level with him. JSU was going to be Magee's fourth stint with Rodriguez after serving as his offensive coordinator at West Virginia, Michigan and Arizona and the tight ends coach at Ole Miss, where Rodriguez was the offensive coordinator in 2019.

 

"Our hearts are broken with the loss of our beloved friend Calvin Magee," Rodriguez said. "Calvin was a great husband, great father and grandfather, great coach, great friend and great man. He impacted my life and the lives of so many others in such a positive way. Our thoughts and prayers are with his beautiful family - wife Rose, daughters Jade and Jasmine, son Bryson, his grandchildren, and all his friends and relatives. Our world is less, but heaven got better. I miss him dearly already. I love you my brother."

 

A former NFL tight end, Magee has served stints at South Florida (1996-2000), West Virginia (2001-07), Michigan (2008-10), Pittsburgh (2011), Arizona (2012-17), New Mexico (2018), Ole Miss (2019) and Duke (2021). Magee served as offensive coordinator during respective tenures at West Virginia, Michigan, Pittsburgh, Arizona and New Mexico.

 

He was named the AFCA's Assistant Coach of the Year in 2007 after guiding WVU to an 11-2 record, the BIG EAST Championship and a No. 6 final ranking after a 48-28 win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. That season, the Mountaineers ranked second nationally in rushing offense, third in scoring offense and fourth in total offense.

 

He was an All-American tight end at Southern University, while also garnering All-SWAC honors three times. He was inducted into the Southern University Hall of Fame in 2000.

 

"Our hearts are broken over the loss of Coach Magee, who touched many lives in just a few months here at Jacksonville State University," JSU Athletics Director Greg Seitz said. 

 

Editor's Note: Photo, from Rich Rodriguez's Twitter account, shows Calvin Magee, left, and former WVU standout running back whom he coached, Steve Slaton, right. Bottom photo of Magee is from his time at WVU and is courtesy of WVU Sports Communications; photo by Brent Kepner.