Northeast Mississippi Community College Athletics

Cordell Upshaw joins Northeast Mississippi Community College’s staff to work with their defensive linemen. He boasts a combined two decades of experience at the collegiate level between his time as a coach and a student-athlete.

He comes to the Tigers after serving in the same role at Southwestern Oklahoma State University. Upshaw’s professional career began at his alma mater of Southern Arkansas University.

The Leesville, La., native spent seven years with the Muleriders over the course of three stints beginning as a graduate assistant in 2009. Upshaw was previously employed at institutions in Alabama, Kansas and Missouri as well.

Upshaw made an instant impact at Southwestern Oklahoma State last fall. He instructed senior RJ Powell, who broke a nine-year drought for the Bulldogs without an all-conference selection on the defensive front.

Powell placed fourth among all defenders in the Great American Conference (GAC) with 15.5 tackles for loss. He also finished inside the top 10 in total takedowns at 78 and sacks with seven.

Upshaw moved from his longtime home of Arkansas to the University of North Alabama in 2018. He helped the Lions make the switch from NCAA Division II powerhouse to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

North Alabama compiled a 7-3 record during its first-ever FCS season. The Lions held their opponents to just 24.3 points per game overall, including 17 points or less in three of their last four contests.

Wallace Cowins, Jr., was a three-year starter for Upshaw and the Lions who earned first-team all-league accolades in 2021. He led the Big South Conference with four forced fumbles to go with 49 stops, 9.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.

Micah Bland and Kam’ron Green obtained postseason recognition from Phil Steele’s publication one year later. Bland had the most tackles among North Alabama’s linemen with 54 while Green registered a team-best four sacks.

Upshaw was a four-year letterwinner for Southern Arkansas that started at both linebacker and defensive end. The Muleriders were ranked 18th nationally at the conclusion of his senior campaign in rushing defense with only 96.8 yards allowed per contest.

His promotion to a full-time position coincided with a return to prominence for Southern Arkansas. The Muleriders won 19 games during the 2012-14 seasons, including three straight in the Battle of the Timberlands rivalry series with the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM).

Their 2012 team in particular was special. Southern Arkansas went 8-3 and accepted an invitation to compete against McMurry (Texas) University in the inaugural C.H.A.M.P.S. Heart of Texas Bowl.

The Muleriders secured a pair of road shutouts versus East Central (Okla.) University and Texas College. Southern Arkansas conceded just 91.4 yards per game on the ground, which was sixth best in the country and number one in the GAC.

All-GAC performers Brandon Rashad and Tahare Ray guided Upshaw’s linemen, who as a unit racked up 47 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks. The Muleriders rose to as high as No. 10 in the NCAA’s Super Region Three rankings.

He relocated to William Jewell (Mo.) College from 2015-16. Aaron Neier was a second-team All-Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) honoree after accumulating 6.5 sacks during Upshaw’s first season with the Cardinals.

Upshaw received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from Southern Arkansas. He is a former All-State and west central Louisiana Defensive Player of the Year recipient for the Wampus Cats of Leesville High School.