Upon being introduced as Samford's 37th head football coach on Thursday, John Grass vowed to construct championship-caliber teams that are tough and locally sourced.
“I think the sky is a limit,” said Grass, 57. “If I didn't think you can win and play for championships at Samford, I wouldn't be here. I think you can do that and win the right way and have fun doing it.”
A native of Ashville, Alabama, Grass joked about growing up on a dirt road 40 miles from campus and the frequent mispronunciation of his last name—which rhymes with moss. He has more than three decades of college and high school coaching experience, most recently spending the past four seasons as an offensive analyst at Clemson.
That followed eight years as head coach at his alma mater, Jacksonville State, where Grass compiled a 72-26 record, won six Ohio Valley Conference titles, earned six NCAA playoff berths and reached the 2015 FCS national championship game.
Grass discussed faith drawing him to Samford, which he described as “one of the few Christian universities across the country that still has Jesus at the front door.” Viewing coaching as a ministry, Grass said aspirations of building a Kingdom-centered championship program piqued his interest in the Bulldogs job. “I just thank our Lord and Savior for giving me the opportunity. God opened this door.”
Martin Newton, Samford’s athletics director, said the vacancy drew interest from coaches in the NFL and the FBS Power Four.
“What impressed me the most was everybody that I talked to—from coaches that he worked with, like Dabo Swinney, and his players—the most consistent comment was that he is an incredible person, an incredible father and an incredible mentor,” Newton said. “We're all excited that you're going to be our coach, and it's not just about winning football games. That's important, but it's about the Godly example and the impact that you're going to have on so many young men's lives.”
Samford President Beck A. Taylor welcomed Grass with a pledge to pack Pete Hanna Stadium on game days.
“Nowhere is Samford's commitment to excellence more on display than it is in our athletics program,” Taylor said. “We love our Bulldogs, and we know that athletics plays a central role in exposing people all across the country, all around the world, to the exciting things that are happening right here in Homewood.”
“We will recruit really hard within three to five hours of campus. You’ve got more than enough to win a national championship if you just do a good job in that area.”
— Samford's newly hired coach John Grass
As a high school coach in Alabama, Grass went 123-60 across stops that included Ashville, Albertville, Moody and Oxford. He also enjoyed a successful stint at Spain Park, where his team reached the Class 6A state final in 2007. With Samford situated in rich recruiting territory, Grass anticipates having instant credibility with high school programs.
“I’m back in my stomping grounds,” he said. “I have a lot of connections, because I'm deep-rooted in this state. The high school coaches know me, and one reason I have such a good relationship with them is because I did what they did for 22 years.
“We will recruit really hard within three to five hours of campus. You’ve got more than enough to win a national championship if you just do a good job in that area.”
Samford won Southern Conference championships under its previous two coaches, Pat Sullivan in 2013 and Chris Hatcher in 2022, the year the Bulldogs reached the FCS national quarterfinals.
“We'll have extreme work ethic, and that's just going be in our DNA—do nothing average,” Grass said. “God tells us in Revelations 3:15 and 3:16 that you cannot be lukewarm. He tells you, if you're lukewarm for Him, he wants to spit you out. We're going to be that way in our faith, we're going to be that way in the way we work and the way we handle our business. Do nothing average and we don't be lukewarm.”
John Grass (right) walks the Samford campus with his son Jace, athletics director Martin Newton and executive associate AD Corey Green.
