Jo Nixon joined the Grambling State coaching staff in the winter of 2024 and will serve as the General Manager. Before arriving at Grambling, Nixon previously served on the staff as Defensive Coordinator at St. Pius X Catholic High School, Houston Texas.
The St. Petersburg, Fla. native brings 28 years of coaching and Personnel experience and an extensive background to Grambling. Nixon spent the 2014 season across the border as running backs coach for the CFL’s Edmonton Elks. Under his watch, the Elks completed the best turnaround in CFL history as they improved their win total by nine games as they finished the season with a 13-6 mark. Nixon then moved to collegiate US scouting for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL.
Nixon’s first tenure in the SWAC took place at Alabama State in 2009 as the team’s defensive coordinator. His defensive unit ranked third in the SWAC in total defense, scoring defense and led the league in rushing defense while linebacker Adrian Hardy and defensive back Rechard Johnson earned All-SWAC first team honors.
During a four-year stint at Langston University from 2005-08, Nixon would make a name for himself as the defensive coordinator, secondary coach, and assistant head coach. The Lions went 21-11 during his tenure and reached the NAIA national quarterfinals in 2008. Nixon’s defensive units ranked sixth (2006), fifth (2007) and second (2008) in the NAIA in total defense. He coached 14 all-conference players, one conference player of the year and one NAIA All-American in Darnell Brown.
Before Langston, Nixon spent two years (2003-04) as the defensive line coach at Central Oklahoma University in Edmond, where he coached four all-Lone Star Conference players and was part of UCO’s 2003 NCAA Division II playoff team that finished 9-3. He also coached two seasons (2001-02) as a defensive line coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in Miami, Okla., and helped lead the Norse to a 17-6 two-year record, the 2002 SWJCFC championship and the Red River Bowl Championship. During his time at Northeastern, Nixon coached Michael Pruitt, a 2002 NJCAA All-American and the NJCAA Defensive Player of the Year, as well as eight NCAA Division I players and three future NFL Draft picks.
Nixon began his collegiate coaching career in 1998 as a graduate assistant working with the secondary at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Ala. as he coached two NFL draft picks in Eurious Parker and Delvin Hughley.
Nixon, a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and National Coalition of Minority Football Coaches (NCMFC), National Football League Alumni Association, produced a video series in 2008 for the AFCAs monthly magazine covering 3-4 defenses, served as a participant in the AFCA Professional Development Series from 2007-10 and coached the linebackers for the West Team in the inaugural Russell Athletic/HBCU Senior Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., in 2009. Nixon earned his bachelor’s degree in public relations/ journalism from Central Oklahoma in 2006 and is currently pursuing his master’s degree in Sports Administration from Grambling State University.
He is a former football standout at Hinds Community College before transferring to Florida State University. He is married, and is a life member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, incorporate
