Coaches
Gene Murphy, Head Football Coach
Gene Murphy, who also serves as athletic director at Hinds Community College, has returned to the coaching ranks in the role of head football coach, a position he formerly held.
The Raymond native has served as the school's athletic director since July 1997, after serving as the head football coach from 1987 to 2003. Murphy had remarkable success during his tenure, compiling a 133-41-5 overall record.
The Eagles won six state and regional championships during this time frame, including four consecutive titles from 1994-1997. Numerous former Eagles coached by Murphy continued their playing careers at four-year universities throughout the nation and in the National Football League (NFL).
Murphy, who was also the offensive coordinator during his first time around, was selected as Region 23 Coach of the Year six times in 16 years as the Eagles head man. He also coached 31 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-Americans and two NJCAA National Players of the Year.
Before coming to Hinds in 1983 as the defensive coordinator, Murphy spent three years as the head football coach and athletic director at Caldwell High School in Columbus, where he led the team to a South Little Ten Conference runner-up finish.
Murphy also spent one season as the assistant football coach and head baseball coach at Philadelphia High School before relocating to Caldwell High.
Murphy received his Bachelor of Science degree and Master of Education degree from Mississippi State University. He also received an additional School Administration Certification from Mississippi College.
He is married to Dot, who currently serves as the assistant athletic director at Hinds. The couple has three children; son Kelly, and daughters Ashley and Jennifer.
Larry Williams, Defensive Coordinator
Larry Williams is currently in his seventh season with the Hinds football program. He serves as the program's defensive coordinator.
Williams started his coaching career at Mississippi Delta Community College, where he spent six seasons as the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach. He was a key component of the Region 23 Coaching Staff of the Year in 1998 and 2001 at Mississippi Delta.
Williams earned his Associate of Arts degree in physical education from the Moorhead school before moving onto Mississippi State University. He completed his undergraduate requirements by receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Educational Psychology. Williams has also done graduate work at Delta State University.
Williams was a standout on the gridiron during his collegiate career. At MDCC, he was a member of the 1993 NJCAA National Championship team. For his play, he was named a junior college All-American and defensive MVP for the Trojans. Williams continued to blossom at MSU, earning MSU Defensive Lineman of the Year honors in 1994 and Peach Bowl MVP in 1995.
The Indianola Gentry High School graduate would go to play for the Baltimore Ravens in the NFL for one season before a short tenure with the Scotland Claymores of the World Football League.
Williams, who resides in Raymond, is the father of one daughter, Annastasis. He is a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC).
Dwayne Curry, Defensive Line
Dwayne Curry is in his first season on the Eagles staff, but is no stranger to the college game. The Pascagoula native has played and coached at all levels of the sport.
Curry recently spent two seasons as an assistant coach at South Side High School in Atlanta and two seasons at Pensacola High School in Pensacola, Fla. Curry has also served on the coaching staffs of East Texas Baptist University, East Mississippi Community College, Lane College and most recently, Birmingham Southern College.
Curry, who graduated from Pascagoula High School, was an outstanding player in his own right, starring with fellow staff member Larry Williams for Mississippi State University. He was a four-time All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) player and two-time All-American at MSU, where he was a candidate for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s best linebacker.
Curry, a Raymond resident, received his Bachelor of Science degree in Education from MSU.
Ben Dew, Offensive Line
Ben Dew is in his first season on the Hinds coaching staff in 2009. The Eagles offensive line coach is a former Hinds athlete, having played for Hinds in 1993 and 1994.
Dew, who currently resides in Pelahatchie, has spent the last three years coaching at Puckett High School, where he helped lead PHS to the 2006 and 2008 Class 1A State Championships. Dew has also coached at numerous high schools in Mississippi, Kentucky and Tennessee.
Dew is a Vicksburg native and Warren Central High School graduate who received his Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education from Arkansas State University, where he lettered in football for the Red Wolves. He went on to receive his Master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville.
Dew and his wife Devona have two children, son Jackson, and daughter Darby.
Kelly Murphy, Quarterbacks
Kelly Murphy, also a Hinds alumnus, returns to his junior college alma mater to begin his first season back on the Hinds staff. He played for Hinds in 1997 and 1998, before spending the 1999 and 2000 seasons as a graduate assistant coach.
During his time at Hinds, Murphy was a part of two state championship teams, one in 1997 as a player, and one in 2000 as a graduate assistant coach. The Central Hinds Academy graduate also was part of the 1999 state runner-up team as a coach.
Murphy, who will coach the Eagles quarterbacks and wide receivers, comes to Hinds from Wayne County High School, where he served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for a program that won the 2002 (5A), 2003 and 2006 (4A) State Championships. Murphy also won a 2A State Championship at Ackerman High School in his lone year at AHS in 2001.
Murphy, who received a Bachelor of Science degree from Mississippi State University and a Master of Science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi, lives in Raymond with his wife Katie and their two sons, Thomas and Rhett, and a newborn daughter, Lainey Kate.
Dot Murphy, Wide receivers
Dot Murphy is beginning her 26th season as a member of the Hinds athletic department. In March 1999 she was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame for her career as a basketball standout and was also listed as one of Mississippi’s top 50 Athletes of the Century in Sports Illustrated.
Murphy is a Mississippi University for Women graduate, where she received her Bachelor of Science degree. At MUW, she received All-American honors, was selected as Rookie of the Year in the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (NIT) and was a member of the United States Women’s Basketball team in 1972 and 1973, where she was a silver medalist in the World University Games in Moscow, Russia in 1973.
After receiving her Master of Education degree from Mississippi State University, Murphy coached women’s basketball at various stops before coming to Hinds. The Starkville High School graduate is married to Gene, and the couple has three adult children, Kelly, Jennifer and Ashley.
Dwike Wilson, Secondary
Dwike Wilson, who is the third member of the new coaching staff to play at Hinds, is in his first season back on the Hinds staff. Wilson played at Hinds in 1997 before serving as a graduate assistant coach in 1998 and 1999.
Wilson, a Vicksburg resident and graduate of Vicksburg High School, comes to Raymond from Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, where he spent one season on the Tigers coaching staff.
Wilson previously spent one season at North Carolina A&T University, where he was the recruiting coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He also spent one season at Murray State University, also serving as recruiting coordinator, as well as the defensive backs coach for the Racers.
Before coaching at Murray State, Wilson spent a four-year stint at Itawamba Community College.
Wilson, who was a valuable member of the Eagles 1997 State Championship team, received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Mississippi.
Wilson is married to wife, Anntwaan, a former Hinds Hi-Stepper.
Reginald Dillon, Running Backs
Reginald Dillon is entering his first season as the running backs coach at Hinds. Dillon also serves as the school’s men’s track coach.
His tenure at Hinds has seen a remarkable amount of success, including 16 individual national championships and three National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) records. He was also the 2008 NJCAA Coach of the Year.
Dillon is a native of Tylertown and is a 1993 graduate of Tylertown High School. He furthered his education here at Hinds Community College and Jackson State University. After his time at JSU, Dillon returned to Hinds, serving as an assistant football coach from 1997-2004.
Dillon has sent numerous athletes to four-year colleges around the nation, including four currently at schools around the Southeast. Perhaps his best known pupil is Trell Kimmons of Coldwater. Kimmons won the 2006 NJCAA Indoor title when he ran the 60 meter dash in 6.53 seconds. He also went on to win the 200 meter dash in 2006 at Kansas State University, finishing in 20.89 seconds. Kimmons has since signed with adidas and runs professionally.
Dillon also worked with Tyson Gay, the American record holder in the 100m dash (9.77), during the Summer of 2007.
Thadeus Jackson, Graduate Assistant
Thadeus Jackson is in his first season as a graduate assistant coach for the Hinds football team. Jackson serves as a supervisor in Williams dorm and oversees the Eagles strength and conditioning efforts. He has worked with the Eagles football program before, serving as a student athletic trainer in 2000 and 2001.
The Columbus native graduated from New Hope High School in 1999 before moving on to the University of Alabama, where he completed his Bachelor of Science degree in 2005. Jackson was involved in the tradition rich Crimson Tide football program during his undergraduate days, as he was a student athletic trainer from 2002-2005. Jackson also served an internship with the New England Patriots in summer 2003.
After graduation, Jackson spent three seasons (2005-2007) as strength and conditioning coach with the Alabama football program before moving on to Young Champions of America, where he was a training coordinator/manager in 2007 and 2008.
The Raymond resident is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Sports Science from Jackson State University.