MOBILE, Ala. ? Former Auburn University quarterback and Mobile-area native Dameyune Craig has been named running backs coach at South Alabama, head coach Joey Jones announced Wednesday. Craig, most recently the quarterbacks coach at Tuskegee, is the first hiring for Jones since he was named to lead the startup NCAA FBS program earlier this month.

Craig, 33, comes to the Jaguar program with coaching and playing experience at every level of football. In addition to two years on the Golden Tiger staff, he spent the 2005 season as assistant special teams coach with the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Nick Saban. He began his career as an assistant coach at his high school alma mater, Blount High School, then served as a graduate assistant coach at LSU, also under Saban.

“This is a great opportunity for me and my family,” Craig said. “The University of South Alabama takes great pride in its athletic programs and I have followed the Jaguars since my time at Auburn. I was very excited to hear they were starting a football program.”

A four-year letterwinner for the Tigers from 1994-97, Craig was named Academic All-Southeastern Conference as a senior. He still ranks fifth in the school’s record book for career passing yards (6,026), while also accounting for 30 touchdown passes.

Following his collegiate career, Craig signed as a free agent with the Carolina Panthers and spent his rookie season between the active roster and the practice squad. He saw action in six games over the next three years, 1999-2001, plus appeared with the Scottish Claymores of the NFL Europe in 1999. His final professional season came in 2002 with Indiana in the Arena Football League.

“We are extremely excited about bringing Dameyune into the South Alabama family,” Jones said. “He is a man of great character and will be an excellent addition to our staff. I was very impressed with the passion he has for coaching and recruiting, but more importantly, I am impressed with the desire he has to be a positive influence on the young men who will play here at South Alabama.”

Craig and his wife Neke, have two sons, Devin Chanse and Drake Christian.