Kane Wommack climbed the coaching ranks as a defensive assistant at various schools and various positions.
But he became one of college football's top young head coaching candidates from his work as defensive coordinator at Indiana University under Tom Allen.
Wommack has spent the past three seasons as the head coach of the Jaguars, leading the team to a 22-16 mark is set to return to an assistant post: as a defensive coordinator in the SEC.
Sources tell FootballScoop that Wommack is Kalen DeBoer's top target to take over the Alabama defense under new Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer, with whom Wommack closely worked at IU.
DeBoer was offensive coordinator at IU before he departed to take over at Fresno State; he was hired as Nick Saban's replacement at Alabama at the end of last week.
Wommack has both coaching and playing experience in the SEC. He spent half of his collegiate playing career at Arkansas before he finished out at Southern Miss.
The opening at South Alabama marks the 25th FBS head coaching change of the cycle, with Arizona the only other current program searching for a head coach.
South Alabama officials have fended off other programs for the past two seasons after they approached Wommack for different head coaching opportunities; the school also revamped his contract after his 10-win 2022 campaign.