Mario Magana Jr. became an assistant football coach at Jackson State University in May 2023, coaching the Tigers’ cornerbacks and adds the title of Director of Player Personnel this year.
Defensively last season (2024), the Tigers finished ranked nationally in team passing efficiency defense (third), team defense (fourth), scoring defense (sixth), third down conversion percentage defense (seventh), passing yards allowed (ninth), passes intercepted (12th), rushing defense (13th), team tackles for loss (17th), turnovers gained (18th), team sacks (18th), sacks allowed (31st), fumbles recovered (35th), first downs defense (40th), and turnover margin (45th). This past season he also coached All-American Ke’Vric Wiggins and Rob McDaniel who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Washington Commanders.
Magana’s specific responsibilities include instructing players on the 4-2-5 defensive scheme, an attach which resulted in Jackson State ranking No. 1 in interceptions in the NCAA FCS division in 2023. The team also ranked No. 11 in turnovers as well as No. 28 in passing yards allowed during his first year with the program.
On game days, Magana has press box game day responsibilities, including charting pass concepts, identifying pass game tendencies, personnel identification and play-by-play formation breakdown. His overall work earned him a spot on the Coaching Network’s 30 Under 30 Coaching list.
Prior to joining the coaching staff at Jackson State, Magana held a brief stint as a restricted earnings cornerbacks coach at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Mo., a position he held from February 2023 until his appointment to a full-time position at Jackson State in May 2023. At Central Missouri, he coached eight cornerbacks to the expectations of the program’s new defensive coordinator and was tasked with proposing and executing personnel changes, on-the-road recruiting of California JUCO’s and familiarizing the players with the 3-3-5 style defense. He also served as the lead recruiter and evaluator of Iowa high school, Iowa junior college and California junior college talent.
From December 2022 to February 2023, Magana served as Interim Defensive Backs Coach at Central Missouri while simultaneously working as a Graduate Assistant for the football program. As the program’s lead recruiter, he successfully signed six choice mid-year and five high school cornerbacks. His GA duties saw him develop two first-year starters, including an Honorable Mention All-American.
Magana earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from William Jewell College in Liberty, Mo. in May 2023. During his time on the college’s football team, he was Football Team Captain from 2019 to 2022 and he was the recipient of many honors, including selection as WJC Cornerback Athlete of the Year (2021), GLVA James R. Spaulding Sportsmanship Award honoree (2021) and Pee Wee Summers Award for Academic Excellence honoree (2022). He served as Student Senate President from 2019-22 and served on the college’s Diversity and Inclusion Task Force from 2021 to 2022.
