State High Football is historically represented very well at the next level. Some examples stick out more than others, like Jordan Norwood’s Super Bowl 50 punt return touchdown or Larry Johnson’s 2002 Maxwell Award. However, not many know that if you look to the sidelines of Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi, there’s a former State High football player making his mark on the college football coaching world.
Jay Shoop’s high school years looked a little bit different than most. His State College connection began in 2014 when James Franklin brought his father, Bob Shoop, with him from Vanderbilt to join the Nittany Lions’ revamped coaching staff as the defensive coordinator.
Shoop split much of his time in high school between his new home of State College and his old home of Nashville, Tennessee. He only attended State High for one semester in the fall of 2015, though the impact the school and football program had on him is clear. “My experience at State High was incredible,” Shoop said. “I still have multiple friends there. I’m getting married this spring, and guys from that high school class where I was only there for a semester are coming to my wedding.”
In Shoop’s only season with the Little Lions, the team made a state quarterfinal appearance before losing to Pittsburgh Central Catholic. Shoop said that his favorite State College memory was specifically that season, and the relationships he built along the way. “My relationship with Coach Lintal as well as the rest of the coaching staff and my teammates is something that I’ll always carry. Those guys have become good friends of mine that I’ll have for a lifetime.”
Shoop went on to play college football at the University of Tennessee. He was coached by former Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt for the majority of his time there, playing multiple positions in the secondary and learning Nick Saban’s famous Alabama defensive scheme.
“My contributions to the team were my football intelligence and my ability to plug and play wherever they needed a guy,” Shoop said.
This defensive scheme is what pushed Shoop to his first job in the coaching world post-graduation at Florida Atlantic University, where the new defensive coordinator was looking for young coaches with knowledge of the Alabama defense.
Shoop coached at FAU during the 2021 season, then spent a year at the University of South Florida, before being hired at Ole Miss prior to the 2023 season. Shoop worked as a defensive analyst in his first three regular seasons with the Rebels. In 2025, Ole Miss posted its best regular season record in school history at 11-1. Just after ending this historic regular season, with the Rebels ramping up towards the College Football Playoff, adversity struck.
Head Coach Lane Kiffin announced he would be stepping away from the program to take another head coach position at Louisiana State University. Many Ole Miss assistants left to join Kiffin at LSU, and defensive coordinator Pete Golding was promoted to be the head coach of the Rebels. As a result of this, Shoop was promoted to the inside linebackers coach, making him one of the youngest position coaches in college football at just 26 years old.
“I’m really excited…obviously, I got the three games experience in the playoffs and my first three games as a full time position coach were playoff games. I don’t know how many people can say that,” he said.
Despite the unprecedented circumstances, Ole Miss made a remarkable playoff run. The Rebels opened the playoff with a decisive victory over Tulane, then upset the third-seeded Georgia Bulldogs, before falling in the CFP semifinal to Miami in a four-point game. America rallied behind the Rebels and their mantra of spot the ball – it doesn’t matter who they’re playing against, spot the ball and play football.
“The story of Ole Miss, with Coach Kiffin having left, I think the underdog mentality of our team, the ‘spot the ball’ mentality of the team, I think we kind of stole the hearts of America, you know?” Shoop said. “It’s inspiring to watch players rally around each other, become a great team, and win big time games.”
Shoop will continue in his inside linebackers role with Ole Miss next season, and keep setting an example for State High students by the impact he makes on college football at such a young age. To those students, Shoop preaches to work hard and know football is a game for everyone.
“The beautiful thing about football is that it’s for everybody,” Shoop said. “The work that goes into the point where, wow, I’m coaching a big time football game, but then I do think back and remember the good times at State College High School and Memorial Field. Football is just a special game, and the hard work that goes into it is a unique part of it.”
For State High football players, Shoop’s climb in coaching is inspiring, especially when private schools traditionally dominate the next level.
“It’s so cool to see someone like Coach Shoop have so much success after attending State High,” senior football player Connor Young said. “In the world of powerhouse private schools, it’s amazing to see someone from my high school making huge impacts in the world of college football.”
