Holmes Community College will begin a national search for its next head football coach following the retirement of Marcus Wood.
Wood announced his retirement on Monday. He was named the Bulldogs’ frontman in October 2021 and took over full-time that November. His teams posted winning records in each of his first three seasons: 5-4 in 2022, 6-3 in 2023, and 8-2 in 2024. The 2024 team was the best of his tenure. Holmes opened up with a 7-0 record, climbing to No. 6 in the NJCAA Division I polls. Holmes earned the North Division No. 2 seed and played in the MACCC semifinals at East Central. It was the program’s first playoff appearance since its 2002 state championship season.
Before Holmes, Wood spent nine seasons under Buddy Stephens’ leadership at East Mississippi, where the Lions won three NJCAA national championships and five state titles. Wood was a fan favorite in the hit Netflix documentary series “Last Chance U,” which documented two seasons of EMCC football.
Wood spent 10 years in Mississippi high school football. He was head coach at Gulfport High School from 2006-07. He coached three seasons at Columbia High School, which made the Class 3A playoffs three straight years from 2003-05 under his leadership. Before that, he helped Philadelphia High School make back-to-back playoff trips in 2001 and 2002
His ties to Holmes go back to 1996, when he was a volunteer coach on a Bulldog team that won the North Division and finished state runner-up.
“I’ve been blessed to coach football for 30 years, and I’m grateful I got to finish at Holmes,” Wood said. “I want to thank the college, our football staff, and every player who came through here. I’ll be cheering for the Bulldogs.”
Holmes finished the 2026 season with a 1-9 record and missed the playoffs.