After guiding the Majors to their first winning season in 10 years, first SCAC outright title in 15 years and a berth into the NCAA Division III Playoffs for the first time in 31 years, expectations are at an all-time high for the reigning SCAC Coach of the Year and second-year head man of the Majors, Mike DuBose.

In his first year at the helm, the college football veteran helped a struggling program regain its composure by instilling confidence in his players that they could compete for a conference championship.

Now, with that feat accomplished and his entire coaching staff back, DuBose will work with 19 of 22 returning starters, including 57 lettermen, and nearly 60 fresh faces to make a run at a second consecutive playoff berth and the Majors’ first playoff win since a 28-21 victory over Colorado College back in 1975.

“We have a really good staff that has the potential to be outstanding,” DuBose said. “Their knowledge of the game and how they approach it, their chemistry and the way they mead together is great. It all starts at the top with the staff.”

After a three-year stint at Northview High School and Luverne High School in Alabama, DuBose was hired as Millsaps’ defensive coordinator in 2005 and succeeded the man who hired him, David Saunders, last season.

Coaching his first collegiate team since leaving the University of Alabama in 2000, DuBose guided the Majors to a 7-4 overall mark, a perfect 6-0 league mark and the 2006 SCAC Football title. Since joining the league in 1989, Millsaps had never run the table unscathed in conference play and had won seven or more games just twice.

While playing for Paul “Bear” Bryant at Alabama, DuBose was a star defender for a Crimson Tide team that posted an overall record of 32-4, including three SEC Championships and one national title. He had the game of his career in 1972 against Tennessee, where he recorded 20 tackles (2.0 tackles-for-loss) and caused one fumble. For his efforts, DuBose received “SEC Lineman of the Week” accolades. DuBose ended his career with 129 total tackles (26 tackles-for-loss), 71 assists, eight forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries and three pass breakups. His name still stands in the Tide record books as first all-time in forced fumbles in a season/career (four, 1972; eight career), second in career fumbles recovered (six) and tied for fifth with most career tackles-for-loss in a season (11, 1973).

His coaching career began in 1975 as a graduate assistant for the Crimson Tide. After a season with Alabama, DuBose spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Fairhope High School and two seasons as the head coach/athletic director at Prattville High School.

DuBose began his collegiate coaching career as a defensive line coach at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in 1980. After two seasons with UTC, DuBose was offered the defensive line job at Southern Miss, which he accepted. In his only season with the Golden Eagles, DuBose was on the opposite sideline of the game that ended Alabama’s then 57-game home unbeaten streak in Nov. 1982.

DuBose returned to Alabama as defensive line coach from 1990-96 under head coach, Gene Stallings. With DuBose’s defensive scheme, the Tide ranked eighth or better in rushing defense four times, including the nation’s best in 1992 during a National Championship season.

After Stallings announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 1996 season, DuBose took the reins of his first collegiate team. During his four year tenure as head coach at Alabama (1997-2000), DuBose led the Tide to a 24-23 record, including a berth in the inaugural Music City Bowl in 1998 and an SEC Championship and Orange Bowl berth in 1999.

DuBose is married to the former Polly Ann Martin. They have two children, Juli Keller and Michael. They have a son-in-law, GW Keller, a grandson, Will (12) and are expecting another grandchild in the near future.