USM hires two new assistant coaches

Story from USM Athletics:
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss football coach Will Hall announced Wednesday the hirings of Micheal Spurlock and Fred Wyatt as assistant coaches.

Spurlock comes to Southern Miss after spending the last season at WKU as receivers coach. In his one season with the Hilltoppers, he mentored first-team CUSA selection Malachi Corley, who registered 75 completions for 958 yards and 11 touchdowns. His touchdown reception numbers ranked atop the league, and he finished No. 11 in the country in that category. Spurlock also had two receivers in the Top 100 nationally in receptions.
Spurlock, who will coach the running backs, joined the Hilltoppers after serving the 2022 season as a special teams assistant coach with the Green Bay Packers.

Prior to his coaching career, Spurlock played in the National Football League from 2006-14, with career stops that included the Arizona Cardinals, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Detroit Lions, Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears. At wide receiver and specializing as a punt and kickoff returner, Spurlock became the first player in Buccaneers’ history to return a kickoff for a touchdown, and later become the only player in Chargers history to return both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown in the same season.

After his playing career concluded in 2014, Spurlock began his coaching career at Philadelphia (Miss.) High School before joining the college ranks and Coahoma Community College as the running backs coach and special teams coordinator.

In 2016, Spurlock returned to the NFL for one season to coach special teams and defensive backs with the Cowboys. In 2017, Spurlock returned to college coaching when he joined UTSA’s staff as a special teams quality control coach and linebacker assistant. Southeastern Louisiana then hired him to coach the team’s wide receivers and serve as special teams coordinator.

With the Lions, Spurlock mentored Juwan Petit-Frere, who became an All-American all-purpose player as both a receiver and kick returner. Before joining the Packers ahead of the 2022 campaign, Spurlock returned to Ole Miss for two years. At Ole Miss, he served as a senior analyst for two seasons while helping the Rebels earn a berth in the 2021 Sugar Bowl.

Spurlock played collegiately at Ole Miss and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in 2005, while later earning a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix in 2015. Spurlock and his wife, Danielle, have six children. Daughters E’Landria, Giselle, Macie and Payton, and two sons, MJ and Christian. The couple also has one grandchild, Ja’Nyla.

“We are excited to have Michael joining our program,” said Hall. “He brings NFL experience as a player and coach. His reputation as a man of character was obvious throughout this process. Everywhere Michael has been, they have raved about his energy and attitude.”

Wyatt, who will oversee the defensive line, joins the Southern Miss staff after spending the last season at Eastern Illinois with current Golden Eagle defensive coordinator Clay Bignell. In his one season at EIU, Wyatt coached a defensive line for the Panthers that finished No. 30 nationally in the FCS in rushing defense (124.6 yards per game) and 32nd in red zone defense (.765). Defensive end Braylon Willis earned a spot in the postseason FCS National Bowl while teammate Joel Barrows earned all-league honors.

Prior to his time at EIU, Wyatt was a member of the staff at Missouri Western, where he coached defensive line in 2021 and 2022. His credits there included overseeing three honorable mention All-MIAA selections in 2022. The defensive line unit racked up 30.5 tackles for loss with 12 sacks, while allowing 146.9 yards per game rushing. In 2021, the defensive line unit had 21 sacks and 18 forced fumbles during 2021 season allowing 126.1 yards per game rushing.

He also worked as a graduate assistant coach at Kansas State for two seasons, where he worked alongside K-State defensive backs and his father Buddy, a 30-year college coaching veteran. He helped the Wildcats make an appearance in the Liberty Bowl.

As a collegian, he played football at Northwestern, where he appeared in 40 games helping his team to four bowl games (3-1 record). The Wildcats captured the Big Ten West title in his senior campaign and beat Utah in the Holiday Bowl.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Northwestern in 2018 and his master’s Degree from the Kellogg School of Management in 2019. He also played professionally in Japan. Wyatt, a native of Lawrence Kansas, is married to KyAnne.

“Fred brings a wealth of defensive line knowledge to our program,” said Hall. “He grew up as the son of a great defensive line coach and then became a great defensive lineman at Northwestern. He is a rising star in the profession, and I cannot wait to get him with our guys.”