Jan. 11, 2008

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss football coach Larry Fedora announced today the hiring of Chris Kapilovic as assistant coach who will oversee the offensive line. The appointment is subject to approval by the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning.

Kapilovic spent the last two seasons as the offensive line coach as well as run game coordinator at his alma mater, Missouri State, where the Bears ranked No. 24 in total offense (414.3), No. 25 in rushing offense (202.9) and No. 10 in scoring offense (36.3) this past season.

Prior to his stint in Springfield, Kapilovic worked with the offensive line as an assistant coach for five years at Alabama State. He also had offensive coordinator duties for the Hornets in his last three seasons. ASU led the league in rushing yards in two of his final three seasons and the Hornets averaged over 32 points per game during his time of sharing offensive coordinator duties.

The Hornets finished No. 16 nationally in total offense in 2004 and No. 9 in 2005 and led the SWAC in fewest sacks allowed in 2004.

Eight offensive linemen Kapilovic has coached have gone on to the NFL and former Alabama State quarterback Tavaris Jackson was a second-round pick by the Minnesota Vikings in 2006.

Kapilovic started his coaching career as a student assistant at Missouri State. After leaving MSU, Kapilovic spent time as offensive coordinator at Deer Valley High in Glendale, Ariz., as offensive line and strength coach at Phoenix College and a graduate assistant coach for the offensive line at the University of Kansas.

As a player, Kapilovic lettered for two seasons, 1989 and 1990, for the Bears and was a member of the school's only Gateway Conference championship teams those two seasons as they also made their only appearances in the Division I-AA playoffs those years. He was a starter and Gateway first-team selection during his senior campaign in 1990. He also played two seasons at Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College.

Kapilovic joins Blake Anderson (quarterbacks), Todd Bradford (defensive coordinator/secondary), David Duggan (linebackers), Barney Farrar (tight ends), Tony Hughes (secondary), Frank Wilson (running backs) and Darrell Wyatt (offensive coordinator/wide receivers), who were announced earlier this month.

Kapilovic, and wife, Fiona, have two children, Carsen and Colin.