Football

Jake McKenzie was named to the Tusculum University football staff in January 2024 where he serves as the Pioneers’ offensive line coach.

The Pensacola, Florida native comes to TU after two years on the coaching staff at Mississippi College (2022-2023). He served as full backs coach and special teams coordinator in 2022 and was put in charge of MC’s offensive line in 2023.

From 2021-2022, McKenzie was the tight ends and full backs coach at Berry College. While at the Rome, Georgia school, he served as the team’s video coordinator, coached the kickoff return team and was the program’s strength and conditioning coordinator.

He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Kennesaw State University, where he was an offensive graduate assistant for the Owls from 2019-2021. He coached the running backs, assisted with the tight end, offensive line and wide receivers. He worked heavily on the recruiting side and assisted with film breakdown and statistics. While on the staff at KSU, the Owls posted a 15-4 combined record during the 2019 and 2020 campaigns. In 2019, the Owls went 11-3 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA FCS Playoffs. During the 2020-21 COVID spring season, Kennesaw went 4-1 including 2-1 in conference play.

During his playing career at Kennesaw State, McKenzie was part of two Big South Conference championship seasons in 2017 and 2018 as the team advanced to the NCAA FCS Playoff quarterfinal in both seasons. In 2017, he earned All-Big South second team honors at running back as he finished eighth in the league averaging 52.2 rushing yards per game. His 4.5 yards per carry average was tops on the team and sixth in the Big South.

During his 46-game career at KSU, he rushed for 2,005 yards on 453 carries with nine touchdowns and averaged 4.4 yards per carry. He also passed for 464 yards as an Owl, including 408 in his 2015 rookie season. He also recorded 19 receptions for 266 yards and three touchdowns.

McKenzie earned his Bachelor of Science degree in 2019 and his Masters of Public Administration in 2021, both from Kennesaw State.