University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Coach Blake Anderson Adds to 2026 Coaching Staff
1/12/2026 4:48:00 PM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss football coach Blake Anderson announced Monday afternoon the hiring of additional on-field staff as well as other administrative positions for the 2026 season.
Anderson announced the additions of Bobby Dodd as special teams coordinator, BJ Edmonds as running backs coach, Quinshad Davis as outside receivers coach and Kendrick Shaver as safeties coach. He also announced the following on-field personnel which includes Brandon Bowling as inside receivers coach, Cob Summers as assistant offensive line coach, along with Tyler Cardwell as assistant defensive line coach, Avi Rushinek as assistant defensive backs coach and Luke Kerver as assistant special teams coordinator.
Matt Shadeed was hired as Director of Sports Performance/Football, while Trey Kiser was added as Athletic Performance/Football assistant. Brittany Watts, who has served as the school's Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance will transition into the role of Director of On Campus Recruiting. Joel Baron was also hired as Video Coordinator, while Drake Diedrick was added as a recruiting analyst.
Dodd comes to Southern Miss after spending the 2025 season at special teams analyst at Pittsburgh. Dodd previously worked four seasons at Utah State, two of which were spent as a senior special teams analyst after spending his first two years as a special teams quality control coach.
During the 2023 season, Dodd helped Utah State to six wins and its 11th bowl game in the past 13 seasons, including its third straight, as it appeared in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
In 2023, Utah State's special teams blocked three kicks, ranking 10th nationally, and had two players earn all-Mountain West honors in kick returner Terrell Vaughn (second team) and punt returner Micah Davis (honorable mention). USU also had one player earn MW Special Teams Player of the Week honors as sophomore safety Ike Larsen blocked an extra point in the final minute of USU's 34-33 road win at UConn.
During the 2022 campaign, Dodd helped Utah State to six wins and an appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
In 2022, Utah State's special teams finished the year ranked 16th in the nation based on The Fremeau Efficiency Index (FEI), as the Aggies blocked four kicks, with three punts and one extra point, to rank 10th in the nation. USU also ranked second in the MW and 33rd in the nation in punt return defense, allowing 5.4 yards per return. USU was also third in the MW in both punt returns (8.9 ypr) and net punting (38.9 ypp).
In 2021, Utah State had its best season in school history as it tied the school record with 11 wins (11-3), won its first-ever MW Championship with a 46-13 victory at No. 19 San Diego State, posted a 24-13 win against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl and finished the season ranked 24th in the nation in both polls.
With the special teams, kickoff returner Savon Scarver had one kickoff return for touchdown in 2021 to tie the NCAA record with seven career kickoff returns for scores. Scarver was named second-team all-MW.
Utah State's special teams shined in the MW Championship game, setting a school record with two blocked punts. Furthermore, USU finished the season ranked 24th in the nation in punt return defense (4.3 ypr).
Prior to Utah State, Dodd spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Arkansas State working as a special teams quality control coach. Dodd also spent two seasons at Lamar, serving as the tight ends coach in 2018 and as a quality control coach in 2017.
Dodd arrived at Lamar from Jonesboro, Ark., where he spent three seasons (2014-16) working with the Arkansas State quarterbacks and special teams. During his time with the Red Wolves, he helped produce the nation's fourth-ranked kickoff unit. He was also a member of a coaching staff that won Sun Belt Conference titles in 2015 and 2016.
Prior to Arkansas State, Dodd worked as the head student equipment manager at New Mexico for three seasons from 2011-13.
While attending high school at John Curtis Christian School in River Ridge, La., Dodd worked in a volunteer role with the Tulane University athletic department's equipment office. Dodd earned his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Arkansas State in 2016.
Edmonds arrives in Hattiesburg after being a part of the Duke coaching staff since March 2024 and served as an analyst working primarily with the cornerbacks.
This past season, he assisted in helping the Blue Devils post a 9-5 record, capturing the ACC Championship and defeated Arizona State 42-39 in the Sun Bowl. Edmonds worked with cornerback Chandler Rivers for two seasons, who earned All-America honors once and first team All-ACC accolades twice.
Prior to arriving in Durham, Edmonds spent one season (2021) as a defensive recruiting analyst and two years (2022-23) as a defensive graduate assistant at Utah State University. While with the Aggies, Edmonds helped the program to a 23-17 (.575) record and three consecutive bowl game invitations (2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA, 2022 SERVPRO First Responders and 2023 Famous Idaho Potato). During Edmonds' first year in Logan, Utah, the Aggies claimed the 2021 Mountain West Championship after defeating San Diego State 46-13. In 2023, Edmonds mentored the defensive group to a No. 15 and No. 16 national ranking in defensive touchdowns (3) and fumbles recovered (10), respectively.
Edmonds began his coaching career at Kansas Wesleyan University where he served one year (2020) as a defensive graduate assistant. During his lone season, Edmonds helped the Coyotes to an 8-2 overall record, including a 5-2 mark in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) play.
Before joining the Coyotes staff, he was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at defensive back for Arkansas State University from 2016-19. During his time in Jonesboro, Edmonds helped the Red Wolves register 31 overall wins, 23 Sun Belt victories and earn four consecutive bowl game appearances in the 2016 AutoNation Cure, 2017 Raycom Media Camellia, 2018 NOVA Home Loans Arizona and 2019 Camellia bowls. In addition, Arkansas State claimed the 2016 Sun Belt Conference championship during Edmonds' rookie season.
The 2019 team captain finished his Arkansas State career with 265 tackles, including a career best 97 in 2019. He had eight career interceptions, to go along with 28 pass breakups and three forced fumbles. Edmonds earned two-time All-Sun Belt Conference honors in 2017 (HM) and 2019 (2nd Team) and was named the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl Defensive Player of the Game. He graduated ranked ninth in program history for most return yards for a single season after compiling 227 in 2019 and tied for first in bowl game history with most interceptions in a game with two during the 2017 Camellia Bowl.
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Edmonds graduated from Arkansas State with a bachelor's degree in sports management in 2020.
Davis begins his Southern Miss tenure after serving wide receivers coach at Georgia State since March 2022. He was named to 247 Sports' "30Under30" list for 2023 as a rising star in the coaching ranks.
This past season, Davis mentored first-team All-Sun Belt pick Ted Hurst, who finished sixth in the league in receiving yards with 1,004 to go along with six touchdowns, averaging 14.1 yards per catch and 83.7 yards per contest.
In his first season with the Panthers, he coached Jamari Thrash, who led the Sun Belt Conference with 1,122 receiving yards while earning all-conference and All-America honors. Robert Lewis also enjoyed a breakout season with six touchdown catches in just eight games.
While at USF, Davis served as a quality control analyst, working with the wide receivers in 2020 and then with running backs and tight ends in 2021.
Davis was a standout receiver at North Carolina, where he earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and finished his career as the Tar Heels' all-time leader in receptions (205) and touchdown catches (25).
He went on to professional football, spending time with the Detroit Lions in 2016 before playing one season in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Davis began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UNC, working with the wide receivers for two seasons (2018-19) before moving to USF.
The native of Gaffney, S.C., earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science and sports science from North Carolina in 2016. He and his wife Ceaira have a daughter, Aria Grace.
Shaver begins his Southern Miss tenure after spending the 2025 season as part of the UConn football coaching staff in 2025, working as an assistant coach with the defensive backs.
Shaver joined UConn defensive coordinator Matt Brock, as the pair worked at Mississippi State during the 2023 season. He served as a defensive analyst focused on the defensive backs position. He worked primarily with the team's safeties and on special teams while also assisting in the evaluation process of recruiting the transfer portal.
Prior to his stint at MSU, he spent two seasons on the staff at Tulsa where he was the team's safeties coach. He spent the fall of 2020 working in The Spring League as a secondary coach after spending the 2018 and 2019 seasons as the safeties and nickelback coach at Washington State.
Shaver also worked seven seasons on the defensive coaching staff at Utah State, the last two in 2016 and 2017 as the team's co-defensive coordinator. During his tenure, he coached the cornerbacks and safeties as well as the outside linebackers. He helped lead a program that played in a school-record five-straight bowl games, to go along with a 2012 Western Athletic Conference championship.
Prior to joining Utah State's staff, Shaver spent four years (2007-10) as the secondary coach at Northern Colorado. Shaver was also the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (2006), and defensive and special teams graduate assistant at Eastern Kentucky (2004-05). He began his coaching career at Hillcrest (Mo.) High School, where he coached defensive backs and wide receivers in 2002.
A native of Eufaula, Okla., Shaver played two seasons (1998-99) at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College before transferring to Missouri State, where he was a free safety and cornerback in 2000 and 2001. Shaver spent the 2003 season playing for the Sioux Falls Storm of the NIFL before coaching full-time.
He graduated from Missouri State with a bachelor's degree in business in 2002 and went on to earn his master's degree in physical education in 2005 from Eastern Kentucky. He served as an NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Oakland Raiders in 2014.
Shadeed returns to Southern Miss after working as a defensive analyst at Alabama this past two seasons with former Golden Eagle standout Kane Wommack as an analyst.
He worked as the assistant head coach/director of football athletic performance at South Alabama from 2021 through the 2023 season. Before that, Shadeed worked as director of sports performance at Massachusetts for two seasons, where he was responsible for the physical, mental, and emotional development on and off the field for the football program.
Prior to his stint at UMass, Shadeed was the director of athletic performance at Baylor for two seasons. During that time he worked with the women's basketball team, helping the Bears go 70-3 overall and 36-0 in the Big 12 Conference while claiming the league tournament both years. His first season on the staff BU finished 33-2 and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, while the following year the Bears posted a 37-1 mark on the way to the NCAA Championship.
Shadeed was Assistant AD for Athletics Performance at Arkansas State for three seasons, during which time the Red Wolves' football program participated in a postseason bowl game each fall while posting a 20-4 record in Sun Belt Conference play as they won the league title in both 2015 and '16. His efforts helped A-State post a 9-4 mark while going undefeated in the league during the 2015 campaign, with the team going 8-5 and 7-1 in the Sun Belt his final season highlighted by a 31-13 victory over Central Florida in the Autonation Cure Bowl.
He was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Ole Miss during the 2012 and '13 seasons after working with the women's basketball and softball teams at Southern Mississippi in 2011.
Shadeed graduated from Southern Miss with a bachelor of science degree with an emphasis in exercise science in 2009, and after serving an internship at LSU he completed his master of science degree with an emphasis in athletic administration at Nova Southeastern in 2012 while working as assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Sharks.
Shadeed and his wife Emily have two sons, Bear and Benny.
Anderson announced the additions of Bobby Dodd as special teams coordinator, BJ Edmonds as running backs coach, Quinshad Davis as outside receivers coach and Kendrick Shaver as safeties coach. He also announced the following on-field personnel which includes Brandon Bowling as inside receivers coach, Cob Summers as assistant offensive line coach, along with Tyler Cardwell as assistant defensive line coach, Avi Rushinek as assistant defensive backs coach and Luke Kerver as assistant special teams coordinator.
Matt Shadeed was hired as Director of Sports Performance/Football, while Trey Kiser was added as Athletic Performance/Football assistant. Brittany Watts, who has served as the school's Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance will transition into the role of Director of On Campus Recruiting. Joel Baron was also hired as Video Coordinator, while Drake Diedrick was added as a recruiting analyst.
Dodd comes to Southern Miss after spending the 2025 season at special teams analyst at Pittsburgh. Dodd previously worked four seasons at Utah State, two of which were spent as a senior special teams analyst after spending his first two years as a special teams quality control coach.
During the 2023 season, Dodd helped Utah State to six wins and its 11th bowl game in the past 13 seasons, including its third straight, as it appeared in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
In 2023, Utah State's special teams blocked three kicks, ranking 10th nationally, and had two players earn all-Mountain West honors in kick returner Terrell Vaughn (second team) and punt returner Micah Davis (honorable mention). USU also had one player earn MW Special Teams Player of the Week honors as sophomore safety Ike Larsen blocked an extra point in the final minute of USU's 34-33 road win at UConn.
During the 2022 campaign, Dodd helped Utah State to six wins and an appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl.
In 2022, Utah State's special teams finished the year ranked 16th in the nation based on The Fremeau Efficiency Index (FEI), as the Aggies blocked four kicks, with three punts and one extra point, to rank 10th in the nation. USU also ranked second in the MW and 33rd in the nation in punt return defense, allowing 5.4 yards per return. USU was also third in the MW in both punt returns (8.9 ypr) and net punting (38.9 ypp).
In 2021, Utah State had its best season in school history as it tied the school record with 11 wins (11-3), won its first-ever MW Championship with a 46-13 victory at No. 19 San Diego State, posted a 24-13 win against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl and finished the season ranked 24th in the nation in both polls.
With the special teams, kickoff returner Savon Scarver had one kickoff return for touchdown in 2021 to tie the NCAA record with seven career kickoff returns for scores. Scarver was named second-team all-MW.
Utah State's special teams shined in the MW Championship game, setting a school record with two blocked punts. Furthermore, USU finished the season ranked 24th in the nation in punt return defense (4.3 ypr).
Prior to Utah State, Dodd spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Arkansas State working as a special teams quality control coach. Dodd also spent two seasons at Lamar, serving as the tight ends coach in 2018 and as a quality control coach in 2017.
Dodd arrived at Lamar from Jonesboro, Ark., where he spent three seasons (2014-16) working with the Arkansas State quarterbacks and special teams. During his time with the Red Wolves, he helped produce the nation's fourth-ranked kickoff unit. He was also a member of a coaching staff that won Sun Belt Conference titles in 2015 and 2016.
Prior to Arkansas State, Dodd worked as the head student equipment manager at New Mexico for three seasons from 2011-13.
While attending high school at John Curtis Christian School in River Ridge, La., Dodd worked in a volunteer role with the Tulane University athletic department's equipment office. Dodd earned his bachelor's degree in interdisciplinary studies from Arkansas State in 2016.
Edmonds arrives in Hattiesburg after being a part of the Duke coaching staff since March 2024 and served as an analyst working primarily with the cornerbacks.
This past season, he assisted in helping the Blue Devils post a 9-5 record, capturing the ACC Championship and defeated Arizona State 42-39 in the Sun Bowl. Edmonds worked with cornerback Chandler Rivers for two seasons, who earned All-America honors once and first team All-ACC accolades twice.
Prior to arriving in Durham, Edmonds spent one season (2021) as a defensive recruiting analyst and two years (2022-23) as a defensive graduate assistant at Utah State University. While with the Aggies, Edmonds helped the program to a 23-17 (.575) record and three consecutive bowl game invitations (2021 Jimmy Kimmel LA, 2022 SERVPRO First Responders and 2023 Famous Idaho Potato). During Edmonds' first year in Logan, Utah, the Aggies claimed the 2021 Mountain West Championship after defeating San Diego State 46-13. In 2023, Edmonds mentored the defensive group to a No. 15 and No. 16 national ranking in defensive touchdowns (3) and fumbles recovered (10), respectively.
Edmonds began his coaching career at Kansas Wesleyan University where he served one year (2020) as a defensive graduate assistant. During his lone season, Edmonds helped the Coyotes to an 8-2 overall record, including a 5-2 mark in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) play.
Before joining the Coyotes staff, he was a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at defensive back for Arkansas State University from 2016-19. During his time in Jonesboro, Edmonds helped the Red Wolves register 31 overall wins, 23 Sun Belt victories and earn four consecutive bowl game appearances in the 2016 AutoNation Cure, 2017 Raycom Media Camellia, 2018 NOVA Home Loans Arizona and 2019 Camellia bowls. In addition, Arkansas State claimed the 2016 Sun Belt Conference championship during Edmonds' rookie season.
The 2019 team captain finished his Arkansas State career with 265 tackles, including a career best 97 in 2019. He had eight career interceptions, to go along with 28 pass breakups and three forced fumbles. Edmonds earned two-time All-Sun Belt Conference honors in 2017 (HM) and 2019 (2nd Team) and was named the Nova Home Loans Arizona Bowl Defensive Player of the Game. He graduated ranked ninth in program history for most return yards for a single season after compiling 227 in 2019 and tied for first in bowl game history with most interceptions in a game with two during the 2017 Camellia Bowl.
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Edmonds graduated from Arkansas State with a bachelor's degree in sports management in 2020.
Davis begins his Southern Miss tenure after serving wide receivers coach at Georgia State since March 2022. He was named to 247 Sports' "30Under30" list for 2023 as a rising star in the coaching ranks.
This past season, Davis mentored first-team All-Sun Belt pick Ted Hurst, who finished sixth in the league in receiving yards with 1,004 to go along with six touchdowns, averaging 14.1 yards per catch and 83.7 yards per contest.
In his first season with the Panthers, he coached Jamari Thrash, who led the Sun Belt Conference with 1,122 receiving yards while earning all-conference and All-America honors. Robert Lewis also enjoyed a breakout season with six touchdown catches in just eight games.
While at USF, Davis served as a quality control analyst, working with the wide receivers in 2020 and then with running backs and tight ends in 2021.
Davis was a standout receiver at North Carolina, where he earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and finished his career as the Tar Heels' all-time leader in receptions (205) and touchdown catches (25).
He went on to professional football, spending time with the Detroit Lions in 2016 before playing one season in the Canadian Football League with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.
Davis began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at UNC, working with the wide receivers for two seasons (2018-19) before moving to USF.
The native of Gaffney, S.C., earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science and sports science from North Carolina in 2016. He and his wife Ceaira have a daughter, Aria Grace.
Shaver begins his Southern Miss tenure after spending the 2025 season as part of the UConn football coaching staff in 2025, working as an assistant coach with the defensive backs.
Shaver joined UConn defensive coordinator Matt Brock, as the pair worked at Mississippi State during the 2023 season. He served as a defensive analyst focused on the defensive backs position. He worked primarily with the team's safeties and on special teams while also assisting in the evaluation process of recruiting the transfer portal.
Prior to his stint at MSU, he spent two seasons on the staff at Tulsa where he was the team's safeties coach. He spent the fall of 2020 working in The Spring League as a secondary coach after spending the 2018 and 2019 seasons as the safeties and nickelback coach at Washington State.
Shaver also worked seven seasons on the defensive coaching staff at Utah State, the last two in 2016 and 2017 as the team's co-defensive coordinator. During his tenure, he coached the cornerbacks and safeties as well as the outside linebackers. He helped lead a program that played in a school-record five-straight bowl games, to go along with a 2012 Western Athletic Conference championship.
Prior to joining Utah State's staff, Shaver spent four years (2007-10) as the secondary coach at Northern Colorado. Shaver was also the secondary coach and recruiting coordinator at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (2006), and defensive and special teams graduate assistant at Eastern Kentucky (2004-05). He began his coaching career at Hillcrest (Mo.) High School, where he coached defensive backs and wide receivers in 2002.
A native of Eufaula, Okla., Shaver played two seasons (1998-99) at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College before transferring to Missouri State, where he was a free safety and cornerback in 2000 and 2001. Shaver spent the 2003 season playing for the Sioux Falls Storm of the NIFL before coaching full-time.
He graduated from Missouri State with a bachelor's degree in business in 2002 and went on to earn his master's degree in physical education in 2005 from Eastern Kentucky. He served as an NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship with the Oakland Raiders in 2014.
Shadeed returns to Southern Miss after working as a defensive analyst at Alabama this past two seasons with former Golden Eagle standout Kane Wommack as an analyst.
He worked as the assistant head coach/director of football athletic performance at South Alabama from 2021 through the 2023 season. Before that, Shadeed worked as director of sports performance at Massachusetts for two seasons, where he was responsible for the physical, mental, and emotional development on and off the field for the football program.
Prior to his stint at UMass, Shadeed was the director of athletic performance at Baylor for two seasons. During that time he worked with the women's basketball team, helping the Bears go 70-3 overall and 36-0 in the Big 12 Conference while claiming the league tournament both years. His first season on the staff BU finished 33-2 and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, while the following year the Bears posted a 37-1 mark on the way to the NCAA Championship.
Shadeed was Assistant AD for Athletics Performance at Arkansas State for three seasons, during which time the Red Wolves' football program participated in a postseason bowl game each fall while posting a 20-4 record in Sun Belt Conference play as they won the league title in both 2015 and '16. His efforts helped A-State post a 9-4 mark while going undefeated in the league during the 2015 campaign, with the team going 8-5 and 7-1 in the Sun Belt his final season highlighted by a 31-13 victory over Central Florida in the Autonation Cure Bowl.
He was an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Ole Miss during the 2012 and '13 seasons after working with the women's basketball and softball teams at Southern Mississippi in 2011.
Shadeed graduated from Southern Miss with a bachelor of science degree with an emphasis in exercise science in 2009, and after serving an internship at LSU he completed his master of science degree with an emphasis in athletic administration at Nova Southeastern in 2012 while working as assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Sharks.
Shadeed and his wife Emily have two sons, Bear and Benny.
Players Mentioned
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