J Pond is entering year three in Magnolia and has just been elevated to Assistant Head Coach of Mulerider Football. In his first two seasons mentoring the offensive line, his units have helped pave the way for one of D2 Football's most explosive offenses. Leading the Great American Conference in Total Offense in both seasons and a Top 5 national leader in both seasons as well; finishing #3 in 2022 (485.6 ypg) and #5 in 2023 (476.5 ypg).
In both seasons at SAU the offense has produced the #3 nationally ranked rushing attack. This past season the Muleriders were also among the nation's leaders in Rushing TD's (#3), Yards Per Rush (#6), 1st Downs (#9) Wins (#12) and 3rd Down Conversions (#16). The 2023 season finished off with its 10th victory in the Live United Bowl where the Muleriders o-line led an offensive attack that finished with 552 yards of offense versus a Missouri Western defense that was one of the top units in the MIAA and NCAA D2.
Pond's 2023 unit was led by 1st Team All-GAC and All-Super Region 3 offensive lineman Colton Grier. In his 2 seasons Pond has had 4 All-GAC selections and helped blaze a trail for back-to-back All-GAC 1st Team RB Jariq Scales.
A native of Abilene, Texas, J Pond came to Magnolia after serving alongside Smiley at FCS Northwestern State. While with the Demons, Pond directed an offensive line that was the backbone of multiple record-setting offenses in Natchitoches which included two dozen Northwestern State team and individual offensive records and the school's all-time leaders in passing yards, both career and single season, in passing touchdowns, both career and single game, in receptions, and in single-season receiving yards and touchdowns.
Prior to NSU, Pond served one season as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator as well as the strength and conditioning coordinator at Texas High School in Texarkana. That one season stop in Texarkana was preceded by a lengthy and highly-successful eight-year stint, from January of 2009 to May of 2017, at Trinity Valley Community College. While at TVCC, Pond coached the offensive line, served as the run game coordinator and directed the strength and conditioning program.
During his time with the Cardinals and while working under Smiley, Pond’s offensive line, much like his time at NSU, played a key role in multiple record-breaking offenses. In his final five seasons, TVCC posted an overall record of 49-9 record, won conference titles, and spent 64 consecutive weeks ranked in the National Junior College Athletic Association Top 20 which included holding a top ten ranking for 22 straight weeks.
Pond’s trench leadership saw the Cardinal rushing attack finish in the top ten nationally four times and his unit protected for a passing offense that ranked in the top ten six times with four top five placements nationally.
In his stints at TVCC and NSU, Pond coached twenty all-conference offensive linemen and four that received All-American honors. In terms of recruiting, Pond is extremely familiar with central and west Texas as well as Houston and the surrounding areas having blanketed those parts of the state during those two previous coaching stops.
Pond received his start in collegiate coaching in the mid-2000s as he served as a graduate assistant offensive line coach at Sul Ross University for two seasons from 2007 to 2008 where he also assisted as the head strength and conditioning coach and recruiting coordinator. That two-year stop followed a spring internship in 2007 with the Texas A&M Football program which saw Pond assist offensive line coach Jim Bob Helduser and with the strength and conditioning program.
No stranger to College Station, Pond played for the Aggies for five seasons earning letters in 2005 and 2006 for a Texas A&M program that won 14 games in those two seasons, including nine in 2006. In each of his final two seasons as a student-athlete, Pond was named a Verizon Academic Scholar-Athlete.
Pond received his Bachelor of Science in Sport Management with a Business Administration minor from Texas A&M in August of 2007. In December of 2008, Pond earned a Master of Education degree from Sul Ross State.
