Bio

In his 10^th year overall working on Buddy Stephens’ football coaching staff at East Mississippi Community College, Cade Wilkerson is in his third season serving as the Lions’ offensive coordinator.

Upon assuming EMCC’s offensive play-calling responsibilities prior to the 2022 season, Wilkerson has seized the opportunity to help guide the Lions to consecutive MACCC championships, including last year’s NJCAA championship runner-up team finish.

During Wilkerson’s first two successful seasons serving as EMCC’s offensive coordinator, the Lions have posted an 18-6 composite record and 10-2 mark in MACCC North Division play. East Mississippi’s traditionally high-powered offense has been maintained under Wilkerson’s guidance with consistent top five national statistical rankings among NJCAA Division I teams in scoring offense, total offense and passing offense. Last year’s impressive per-game numbers for scoring offense (35.5 ppg-6^th), total offense (409.4 ypg-8^th) and passing offense (271.1 ypg-4^th) were preceded by EMCC’s equally formidable offensive numbers from the previous season (36.4 ppg-3^rd; 417.7 total ypg-5^th & 258.8 pass ypg-5^th).

Headlined by Ty Keyes earning 2023 NJCAA Division I Offensive Player of the Year honors and becoming EMCC’s ninth NJCAA All-America quarterback during the Stephens era, a total of 25 offensive standouts for the Lions have moved on to the four-year level the past two years. In addition, 18 EMCC players have garnered All-MACCC offensive honors during that span.

All total during Wilkerson’s nine prior seasons on EMCC’s football coaching staff under Stephens’ leadership, the Lions have put together a collective 72-15 overall record and 43-5 division mark, including an NJCAA championship in 2014, last year’s national runner-up finish, along with four conference titles.

Beginning with his initial role as a graduate assistant football coach during the 2012 season, Wilkerson’s coaching and administrative skills have been displayed during his various stints within EMCC’s football program. His primary responsibilities for the past decade with the Lions have included coordinating the program’s recruiting efforts as well as assisting with the team’s offensive game plan and special teams play. In addition to his current duties as EMCC’s offensive coordinator, Wilkerson also continues to be responsible for the Lions’ overall football operations.

Between his first two EMCC coaching stints, Wilkerson gained valuable prep experience as quarterbacks coach at Horn Lake (Miss.) High School during the 2013 football season.

Four years later in 2017, Wilkerson briefly left the state of Mississippi to gain additional experience as a graduate assistant within the University of Oklahoma athletics department. While completing his master’s degree in adult and higher education with an emphasis in intercollegiate athletics administration, he assisted in the area of conduct and accountability for OU’s student-athletes.

Wilkerson served as a student assistant on Northeast Mississippi Community College’s football staff and had the unique distinction of assisting his father, David, who was the Tigers’ offensive coordinator at the time. During the 2007 and 2008 seasons, Wilkerson aided his father by serving as Northeast’s running backs coaching assistant as well as the football program’s video coordinator.

Wilkerson first gained valuable football knowledge and coaching experience during his prep playing days under the guidance of Hall of Fame coaching legend Jim Drewry at Booneville High School. Selected as a team captain for the Blue Devils, Wilkerson capped his playing career by collecting all-region and all-division honors as a senior.

A 2011 Ole Miss graduate with a degree in exercise science, Wilkerson is married to the former Amanda Hutcheson of Loganville, Georgia. They are the proud parents of a daughter, Crosby, who was born this past February.