Pearl River adds dynamic play caller, All-American to staff

POPLARVILLE, Miss. — Seth Smith’s first staff at Pearl River is beginning to take shape. The new Wildcat head coach has announced the addition of Michael King as offensive coordinator. King will also coach the quarterbacks and running backs.

“Offensively, Michael is innovative and his concepts mesh with what we want our brand of football to be at Pearl River Community College,” Smith said.

The hire signals a move away from the three-back, run-heavy system that helped make Smith so successful during his tenure at East Central High School.

“For seven years at East Central we were a ground-and-pound, physical offense that tried to out-will people. Moving to this level, it’s important to modernize with the new spread concepts but also match our physical mentality,” he said. “Michael is a perfect fit and his systematic concepts can match our physical mentality.”

King joins PRCC’s staff after spending his previous three years as Greene County High School’s head coach. Between 2017-19, King compiled a 28-10 overall record. His Wildcats won the Region 7-4A Championship this season.

“He took over a team that before he got there went 1-9, 1-9, 4-7 and he immediately flipped the program, flipped the culture and got them into the playoffs,” Smith said of King’s Wildcats, who were 11-2 in his debut and then posted records of 9-4 and 8-4 the last two seasons.

Smith said he knew he had the perfect guy for the job after seeing how King adjusted Greene County’s attack following the injury to his starting quarterback. King moved a position player to QB and GCHS didn’t miss a beat.

“It was clear then that he could put a kid in who wasn’t a quarterback and develop him into a good passer,” Smith said. “What he did under those circumstances was impressive.”

GETTING THE CHANCE

King said the opportunity to join Smith’s staff was too good to pass up.

“In 15 years this is the first time an opportunity like this has presented itself and there’s no guarantee that in another 15 years a similar opportunity would come along,” King said. “I felt like knowing Coach Smith and having the respect I have for him and what he’s done as a football coach that I’d have been crazy to turn down the opportunity.”

Having coached against one another at the prep level, King said a mutual admiration between the two coaches was formed years ago. That respect helped pave the way for King to join Smith’s staff.

“He was always real complimentary of our style of football and so when he called and asked if I’d be willing to come and implement that style, I knew he meant it,” King said. “I knew I wanted to get on board with him. What he does as a motivator is unlike many I have ever been around.

“With my approach to football and his approach to football, we thought it would be a good combination.”

CLIMBING THE RANKS

Prior to taking over Greene County, King was the offensive coordinator at George County between 2014-16 and the OC at Greene County from 2010-13.

In 2012, his Wildcats won the South State Championship.

STANDOUT WR

Prior to getting into coaching, King was a standout on the gridiron. A George County graduate, King was a two-year starter at Gulf Coast Community College before moving on to Belhaven. While with the Blazers, King flourished at receiver. He was a Second Team Mid-South All-Conference selection in 2002 and First Team Mid-South All-Conference pick in 2003. King was also named an All-American.

King is still in Belhaven’s record books. His 1,068 receiving yards in ’03 are the fifth-most in a single season in Belhaven history. His 86 receptions in ’03 set a school record and led the NAIA. During his two seasons with the Blazers, King recorded nine 100-yard receiving games, which is fourth in program history.

Michael and his wife, Danielle, have three children, Madison (15), Coby (13) and Malorie (9).

King has an associate degree from MGCCC; bachelor’s in Sports Administration from Belhaven; and a master’s in Secondary Education from William Carey.

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