A.J. Hopp joined the Southeastern Louisiana football staff in 2018 and currently serves as the offensive line coach for the Lions. Prior to the 2022 campaign, Hopp added run game coordinator duties.
Hopp’s 2023 group was led by Allen. The senior earned All-Southland Conference honors for the third straight season.
Despite losing three opening day starters for the season by week four, the 2022 Lion offensive line cleared the way for an offense that ranked among the nation’s top 20 in scoring offense (35.3 ppg, 17th), total offense (439.8 ypg, 19th) and first downs (291, 13th) on the way to the program’s first SLC championship since 2014.
Under Hopp’s tutelage, Allen was named All-America by Stats Perform and the AFCA, as well as the Southland Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year. Allen, Dom Serapiglia III and Jhy Orgeron represented the SLU offensive line on the All-Southland Conference teams.
Hopp’s 2021 offensive line cleared the way for a Lion offense that finished in the top five in the FCS in third-down conversion percentage (52.1, 2nd), fourth-down conversion percentage (70.0, 5th), completion percentage (72.8, 1st), first downs (376, 1st), passing offense (407.2, 2nd), scoring offense (45.1, 1st), passing efficiency (173.35, 2nd) and total offense (551.8, 2nd). All five starters – Allen, Rendon Miles-Character, Jalen Bell, Drew Jones and Ethan McMullan – were named to the All-Southland team with Miles-Character also earning All-Louisiana accolades.
In 2020, Hopp coached a SLU line that paved the way for a Lion offense that ranked in the top 10 nationally in passing offense, scoring offense, total offense, pass efficiency, third down conversion percentage, fourth down conversion percentage and red zone offense. Bell and McMullan earned All-Southland Conference and All-Louisiana honors, while Jones and Miles-Character joined Bell and McMullan on the All-Southland team.
In 2019, Hopp’s charges helped the Lion offense rank among the FCS national leaders in total offense (484.8 ypg, 2nd), passing offense (354.4 ypg, 2nd), first downs (322, 5th) and scoring offense (36.6 ppg, 12th). Senior offensive tackle Pat Allen was named AFCA Coaches All-America and All-Louisiana, as both he and senior guard Jarius Gooch were named to the All-Southland Conference team.
In 2018, Hopp coached offensive tackles and tight ends. Among the players under Hopp’s tutelage in his debut season with the Lions were first team All-Southland Conference tight end Bransen Schwebel and Allen, who earned honorable mention All-Southland honors.
Prior to coming to Hammond, Hopp spent the previous five seasons as an offensive graduate assistant for three different programs. During the 2013 and 2014 seasons, he was an offensive graduate assistant and assistant offensive line coach at Florida Atlantic, where he worked with Freshman All-American Reggie Bain.
He moved on to Mississippi State for two seasons, both of which ended in bowl victories (Belk Bowl, 2015 and St. Petersburg Bowl, 2016). The 2016 Bulldogs finished with a school record 5.6 yards per rush and was second in the SEC in sacks allowed.
Hopp worked with All-SEC performers Justin Senior and Martinas Rankin during his time in Starkville.
His most recent stop before coming to Hammond was a one-year stint at Houston. During the 2017 season, Hopp helped the Cougars increase their rushing yards per carry by 1.5 ypc and also allowed 1.5 less sacks and 1.72 less tackles for loss per game.
Hopp was an Academic All-American during his time as an offensive tackle at Slippery Rock University. He earned All-PSAC West honors as a senior after helping his team to the PSAC Western Division championship.
A native of Akron, Ohio, Hopp earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Slippery Rock in 2011. He also earned master’s degrees from Florida Atlantic (Educational Leadership, 2015) and Mississippi State (Teaching/Community College Education, 2016).
