Entering his fourth season as the quarterbacks coach for the Majors (the longest tenure on the Millsaps coaching staff) is Alcorn State alumni and AFL veteran, Fred McNair.

In 2006 with sophomore quarterback Juan Joseph behind center, McNair’s experience and tutelage helped the Edgard, La., native gain SCAC Offensive Player of the Year honors while breaking or tying three Millsaps single-game records and six single-season marks. Joseph also led the SCAC in total offense and passing average/game while ranking third in pass efficiency (127.0) behind Rhodes’ Mark Oliver and teammate Burt Pereira who filled in for an injured Joseph in Week 3 against Huntingdon College.

McNair began his college football career as a wide receiver, before moving to quarterback his junior season. After the switch, McNair went on to finish fifth in Division I-AA in passing efficiency his senior year and was named to the All-SWAC second-team in 1989. He received his bachelor’s in 1992 and furthered his education with a master’s in 1996.

As a seasoned AFL veteran (Albany 1993-95; Florida 1996-00; Carolina 2000-01), McNair holds almost all of Florida’s passing records, including passing yards in a season (3,269 in 1999), passing TDs in a season (60, 1998), passing TDs in a game (8, four times) and passing yards in a game (362, 2000).

McNair also holds all of Carolina’s passing records and became the 13th quarterback in AFL history to surpass the 10,000-yard career passing mark (vs. Carolina in 2000). McNair is ranked in the top eight in the AFL in all-time passes attempted, passes completed and passing yards. Over his eight-year career, McNair completed over 57 percent of his passes, while throwing for 16, 591 yards (8th all-time) and 291 TDs.

He is known as the original “Air McNair” and is the brother of current Baltimore Ravens quarterback and 2003 Co-MVP, Steve McNair.

McNair and his wife, Barbara, reside in Jackson with their son, Frederick (6).