Chad O'Melia
Chad O'Melia is entering his first season as Head Coach of the Falcons after being hired in March 2023. O'Melia comes to JP2 after four years coaching at his alma mater Birmingham-Southern College.
In 2022, O’Melia served as the Panthers recruiting-coordinator and mentored two wide receivers to All-SAA honors in Branden Rew and Race Marin. Rew finished seventh in the nation in yards per catch.
In 2021, O’Melia helped the Panthers to the winningest season in program history. The Panthers made it to the sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, following the first NCAA tournament berth in program history. O’Melia also mentored two receivers to All-SAA honors in Gentry Neese and Branden Rew.
O’Melia previously coached the Panthers’ running backs from 2019 – Spring 2021. Under O’Meila’s guidance, three running backs earned national recognition. Robert Shufford was named the SAA Offensive Player of the Year 2 years in a row. Shufford was a Gagliardi Trophy Finalist and led the nation in two rushing categories. He was also named a unanimous All-American and the D3Football.com All-South Region Offensive Player of the Year. This helped increase the Panthers’ offensive rushing attack by 147.4 yards per game, finishing seventh in the nation in rushing yards and first nationally in yards per carry.
A native of Decatur, Georgia, O’Melia graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in December 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in physics, after being a 3 year starter on the Panthers offensive line.
O’Melia previously coached the Panthers’ running backs from 2019 – Spring 2021. Under O’Meila’s guidance, three running backs earned national recognition. Robert Shufford was named the SAA Offensive Player of the Year 2 years in a row. Shufford was a Gagliardi Trophy Finalist and led the nation in two rushing categories. He was also named a unanimous All-American and the D3Football.com All-South Region Offensive Player of the Year. This helped increase the Panthers’ offensive rushing attack by 147.4 yards per game, finishing seventh in the nation in rushing yards and first nationally in yards per carry.
A native of Decatur, Georgia, O’Melia graduated from Birmingham-Southern College in December 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in physics, after being a 3 year starter on the Panthers offensive line.
