Former Hinds Community College and Alcorn State football player Ernest Jones is expected to be hired as Alcorn State’s next football coach. The university called a press conference for this morning at a Jackson hotel to make the announcement.

Jones is the running backs coach at Cincinnati and just completed his first season with the Bearcats, who are scheduled to play Southern Miss in the Papajohns.com Bowl on Dec. 22 in Birmingham.

Jones will replace Dr. Johnny Thomas, who was fired following a loss to Jackson State. Thomas went 48-61 in 10 seasons with the Braves.

Jones graduated from Alcorn in 1995 after playing professional football for five years. He then went into coaching, making stops at Concordia University, Kentucky State, Oberlin College and Central Michigan.