The University of Mississippi Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Assistant Coach/Safeties
- Year at Ole Miss:
- Third
- E-mail:
- rebelfootball@olemiss.edu
- Phone:
- 662-915-7890
- Alma Mater:
- Alabama (2011)
Wes Neighbors III is in his third year as safeties coach at Ole Miss entering 2025.
Neighbors' safeties helped contribute to one of the best all-around defenses in Ole Miss history in 2024 that led the nation in sacks (52) and tackles for loss (120) while ranking second at 80.5 rushing yards allowed per game -- the fewest by a Rebel defense since 1966.
That Rebel defense was protected on high by senior safeties John Saunders Jr. and Trey Washington, who combined for 111 tackles, 4.5 TFL, four interceptions, 13 pass breakups and five forced fumbles.
In his first season in Oxford in 2023, Neighbors coached a talented safeties group that helped propel Ole Miss to its first 11-win season in program history. The Landshark D led the SEC and ranked fifth in the FBS in turnover margin at +11, helped greatly by 13 interceptions -- second-most in the SEC and the most by a Rebel defense since 2015.
Leading the safety group was NFL Draft pick Daijahn Anthony, who was taken in the seventh round by the Cincinnati Bengals. Anthony was a force for the Rebels, tying for the team lead with three picks, leading with eight pass breakups while ranking fourth on the team at 61 tackles. Fellow safeties Trey Washington and John Saunders Jr. were key starters for the Rebels en route to their Peach Bowl victory, with Washington leading the team with 83 tackles while also tallying three INTs, and Saunders third on the team at 65 tackles and also three picks and five PBUs.
Neighbors arrives in Oxford after serving as a position coach at Maryland, Louisiana, South Florida and Florida Atlantic throughout his coaching career. He was on Lane Kiffin’s staff at FAU during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
The Huntsville, Alabama, native spent the 2022 season as the safeties coach at Maryland. With the Terps, Neighbors mentored Maryland’s top two tacklers in Beau Brade and Dante Trader Jr. Brade and Trader tied for the most interceptions on the team with two.
Neighbors also coached safeties at Louisiana in 2021, helping lead the Ragin’ Cajuns to a historic 13-1 season and a Sun Belt championship. The season culminated with a win in the R+L New Orleans Bowl against Marshall where he served as the interim defensive coordinator, holding Marshall to just 21 points.
Under Neighbors’ tutelage, Louisiana had one of the best defenses in the nation in 2021, standing 14th in the FBS in passing yards allowed at only 190.1 yards per game. The Cajun defense only allowed 18.5 points per game and held eight opponents under 20 points.
Neighbors spent the 2020 season at South Florida, where he helped coach a secondary that produced 10 interceptions. Mekhi LaPointe was one of the top defensive players on the team under Neighbors’ tutelage, ranking second on the team with two interceptions and third among secondary players with 33 tackles.
In his first stint on Kiffin’s staff, Neighbors helped FAU’s defense become one of the best in the nation. In 2019, the Owls set a program record with 21 interceptions and led the nation in total takeaways (33), interceptions (22) and turnover margin (+21).
In his first season at FAU (2018), Neighbors’ safeties unit was led by senior Jalen Young, a second team All-Conference USA selection that ended his career tied among all active FBS players with 13 interceptions and finished second on the team with 59 tackles.
Neighbors began his coaching career as an Alabama student assistant (2011-12), working with the special teams and running scout practice periods, before assuming an off-field graduate assistant role with special teams. In 2013-14, Neighbors moved to defensive intern where he worked with the outside linebackers, organized opponent data and led the scout team unit for a defense that was ranked No. 5 nationally in 2013.
He then served one year as a defensive graduate assistant (2014-15), assisting the defensive coordinator and helping develop Butkus Award winner and All-American Reuben Foster and All-American Reggie Ragland.
In the spring of 2015, Neighbors moved into a defensive analyst position. During his time as a staff member at Alabama, the Tide held no lower than a No. 3 national ranking (2015) and garnered the No. 2 spot in 2016 and 2017. Neighbors was a part of teams that played in the Peach and Cotton Bowls and won two SEC Championships.
As a player, Neighbors was a safety and a member of special teams units for the Crimson Tide from 2008-11. He played on two national championship teams, winning BCS titles in 2009 and 2011.
Neighbors graduated from Alabama with honors in 2011, earning a bachelor’s degree in commerce and business administration. He continued his education in Tuscaloosa, earning a Master of Science degree in marketing in 2012.
