Jermaine Gales enters his second season as the offensive coordinator for Alcorn State Football in 2025, bringing over two decades of experience coaching at the NCAA Division I and II levels. A proven leader and developer of high-powered offenses, Gales has a strong history of rebuilding and elevating programs across the country.

Prior to joining Alcorn, Gales served as the head coach at Lincoln University from 2021 to 2023. Before that, he played a pivotal role in restarting the football program at Bluefield State, where he was hired in November 2020 as associate head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach. In the Big Blue’s first football season in 40 years, Gales helped guide the team to a 4-3 record in 2021.

From 2018 to 2019, Gales was the offensive coordinator at Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Under his leadership, the Golden Lions’ offense made remarkable strides—averaging 443.4 yards per game in 2019 (third in the SWAC and 17th in FCS) and 423.5 yards per game in 2018, a 100-yard improvement from the prior season.

Gales also made an impact at North Carolina Central, where he coached wide receivers from 2016 to 2017. The Eagles went undefeated in MEAC play in 2016 and appeared in the Celebration Bowl. That year, NCCU’s receivers posted 19 touchdowns and ranked 18th in FCS in yards per completion. In 2017, NCCU again posted a winning record with the offense ranking fourth in the MEAC.

His coaching résumé includes multiple stints at Mars Hill University (2006–09, 2013–15) and a successful run at Saint Augustine’s University, where he served as offensive coordinator and guided the team to record-setting offensive seasons and its first-ever postseason victory in the 2010 Pioneer Bowl.

A former standout receiver, Gales played at Mt. San Antonio before transferring to Southern Arkansas, where he helped the Muleriders capture the 1997 Gulf South Conference title. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, serving as an assistant from 2003–05.

Gales earned a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in human performance and recreation from Southern Arkansas in 2002 and later completed a Master of Education in kinesiology in 2005.

He and his wife, Kizzy, have been married for 17 years and have six children: Devaughn, Kassidy, Braeden, Tailagua, Ettastajia, and Darius. They are also proud grandparents to Jhase, De'Mauri, and Ava.