Justin Franks is in his first season as an assistant coach on Southeastern head coach Mike Lucas’ staff. Franks, a Ponchatoula native and Southeastern graduate, is primarily responsible for coaching the Lion safeties.
Franks spent the last two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Division II national power Delta State. Last season with Franks coaching the running backs and specialists, while also coordinating the team’s kickoff return unit, DSU advanced to the national semifinals and finished the season with a 12-3 record and No. 3 national ranking. Jeremy Ricks, a Franks’ pupil in the kick return game, finished as a third-team All-Southeast Region selection.
In 2006, Delta State averaged nearly 30 points a game and Franks’ protégés ran for 1,900 yards. During the team’s march through the playoffs, DSU’s running backs combined for 509 yards in the postseason. Delta State fullback Ben Stallings was a second-team All-Southeast region selection under Franks’ watch.
Franks was a secondary coach, as well as overseeing the squad’s kickers and punters. One of Franks’ safeties, Jamarcus Wiggins, was Delta State’s leading tackler with 100 stops in 2005. During his tenure at DSU, Franks recruited Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Alabama high schools, as well as junior colleges throughout the country.
Franks got his start in collegiate coaching as a student assistant coach at Southeastern. Under the direction of former Lion coach Hal Mumme, Franks assisted in the handling of video technology, including opponent video exchange, self-scout, using tapes as a teaching tool and opponent breakdowns.
Prior to joining Mumme’s staff, Franks spent time as an assistant at traditional Class 3A state power Independence High School, helping the Tigers to a pair of appearances in the state playoffs. In 2002 season, Franks served as an assistant at Class 2A Springfield High School where he coached the offensive and defensive line.
Franks earned his bachelor’s degree in sports management from Southeastern in 2002 and completed his graduate studies at Delta State in education with a focus in health, physical education and recreation.
Franks, who is engaged to Jamie Barnett, also a graduate of Southeastern, resides in Hammond.
