JACKSON, Miss. | Mo Williams has announced he is stepping down as the head men's basketball coach at Jackson State on Tuesday morning to accept a role on the Kentucky coaching staff.
"I want to thank Ashley Robinson for giving me the opportunity to come back home and lead the Jackson State men's basketball program," Williams said. "To be able to come back to Jackson and lead the hometown team is something I did not take lightly, and I want to thank AD Robinson and the university for believing in me. My family and I will always call Jackson home, and I want to thank the fans and alumni for the love and support they showed us over the last four years, and showing why we love Jackson. To everyone associated with the program over the last four years, know that the work you put in did not go unnoticed and thank you for the buy-in and the hard work over my tenure. I wish nothing but the best to Jackson State as they move forward."
Williams led Jackson State to the SWAC championship game in 2025, with a runner-up finish in the regular season with a 14-4 conference record. He followed the up with a quarterfinal finish this past season, while leading the Tigers to a 10-8 record in conference play. During Williams' tenure, the Tigers played one of the nation's toughest schedules each year and he led the team to a 47-25 record in conference play during that same span. This past season, he coached the SWAC Player of the Year and HBCUGo National Player of the Year, Daeshun Ruffin who finished fourth in the country in scoring.
"I want to thank Mo for what he has done for Jackson State men's basketball," Jackson State Vice President/Director of Athletics Ashley Robinson said. "His commitment to coming back home and elevating the program to compete at a high level speaks volumes about his character and work ethic. We are grateful for his leadership and impact, and we wish him nothing but success at Kentucky."
Trey Johnson has been named the interim head coach.
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