Now firmly installed as the head coach at James Madison, Bill Napier has hired a former HBCU coach staffer from Jackson State. Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports announced on Sunday that Napier has hired Kali James to his coaching staff as a defensive line coach.
“James Madison is set to hire Western Kentucky’s Kali James as a defensive line coach, a source tells
@CBSSports. Helped WKU rank second in CUSA in scoring defense. Previously worked at Jackson State and as assistant DL coach under Billy Napier at Florida. Now reuniting with Napier at JMU,” he said.
James joins the staff at James Madison after completing his tenure as the defensive line coach and run-game coordinator for Jackson State during the 2024 season. In his sole campaign with the Tigers, James was a crucial part of a historically successful year. He helped lead and strategize for the team, which culminated in a hard-fought SWAC Championship victory.
Furthermore, James was instrumental in preparing the defensive unit for the post-season, guiding the Tigers to a triumphant win in the Cricket Celebration Bowl against their formidable opponent, South Carolina State. His contributions in managing the run defense and coaching the defensive line proved vital to the team's overall success in capturing both major titles that season.
James then became Western Kentucky's defensive tackles coach for the past season. WKU finished 8-4 and was one of the top scoring defenses in Conference USA. He now joins a James Madison program that recently made the College Football Playoff and looks to further expand that success with Napier at the helm of the program.
