Before Kane Wommack ever became one of college football's top young defensive minds, he launched his coaching career - as have so many of his brethren in the profession - on a branch of Jason Simpson's remarkable UT-Martin coaching tree.
As quarterbacks coach for Martin and the Skyhawks.
Pertinent why? Because Wommack, in an ever-ascending career arc, never forgets his roots.
Especially not those at Southern Miss, his alma mater and his latest tombstone in posting 14 wins in his last 20 games atop the University of South Alabama.
Jaguars 55, Southern Miss 3.
If possible to envision, the game wasn't that close -- South Alabama score the game's final points barely a minute into the fourth quarter and then proceeded through the remaining formalities of their fourth win of the season and second in a row with a 55-point explosion.
But after Wommack praised his team and staff postgame Tuesday night, he made his most pointed comments for USM administrators and marketing officials who had elected to troll South Alabama with provocative bought-and-paid-for billboards near the USA campus in Mobile.
One billboard misappropriated Mobile's "Welcome to Port City" mantra to say "Welcome to Hub City," a reference to Hattiesburg and the home of Southern Miss.
Another said: "A major university experience at a cost comparable to your local university" and featured USM branding.
But the biggest branding done on Tuesday night? Wommack's shoe-print on the backsides of the Golden Eagles.
No question remained as to Wommack's intention when he understandably unloaded on USM officials -- though he spared Golden Eagles head coach Will Hall, whose team has followed up last year's 7-6 campaign that ended with a bowl win by losing each of its first six games this season against FBS competition.
"I have a lot of respect for Will Hall, a lot of respect for people that built that program at Southern Miss -- Jeff Bower, Larry Fedora, (current USA cornerbacks coach, former USM head coach) Jay Hopson," Wommack told gathered reporters postgame. There's some special people there that have always kind of gone about things with a humble confidence in that program.
"Whoever the administrator is that made a decision to put billboards up that were disrespectful for the City of Mobile and the University of South Alabama just needs to know that sometimes those things are great in a board meeting, but it will get your ass kicked on the playground."
You come at #OurCity, you best not MISS. pic.twitter.com/TP5KjU7zmk
— South Alabama Football 🏈 (@SouthAlabamaFB) October 18, 2023
Wommack had one final piece of wisdom.
"Let's make sure we do things the right way. And my alma mater, I think, should hold themselves to a different standard than that."
Worth noting: Wommack has won his three meetings as head coach against his alma mater by a combined 83 points.
The Jaguars, two wins from back-to-back seasons of bowl eligibility, have home games remaining against Louisiana, Arkansas State and Marshall as well as road contests at rival Troy and Texas State.