MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. - Assembling his team on the field as well as on the sideline, St. Thomas University's new Head Coach Drew Davis announced the addition of Khalil Pope to his coaching staff. Pope joins the Bobcats with experience coaching at the NAIA and NCAA levels.

Serving STU as the Running Backs Coach, Pope inherits a unit has ranked in the top-10 of the NAIA for rushing yards per game twice in the last five years while averaging 137.3 yards per game with 23 touchdowns.

"Coach Pope is a tremendous addition to our staff at St. Thomas University," Davis said. "He brings great energy, strong relationships in recruiting, and a real passion for developing young men on and off the field. Khalil has a proven ability to connect with players and teach the details of the position, and I'm excited for the impact he's going to have on our running backs and our entire program. He's the kind of coach who fits exactly what we're building here with Bobcat Football."

No stranger to the Sun Conference, Pope spent the last two seasons at Southeastern University as the Wide Receiver Coach/Recruiting Coordinator/Specialist Coach. He played a pivotal role in the Fire securing the top transfer portal class in the NAIA each season he was there, resulting in Southeastern earning their first NAIA Football Championship Series berth since 2017 this past fall and the program's first postseason victory. 

Prior to moving to the Sunshine State, Pope spent three seasons at his alma mater Faulkner University where he rose from a role in Admissions as a Football & Athletics Recruiter to the Co-Offensive Coordinator & Running Back Coach.

Pope also spent one season at NCAA Division III's Belhaven, East Central Community College and NCAA Division I Southern Mississippi during the 2019-20 season when they competed for teh Conference-USA Championship.

As a four-year student-athlete at Faulkner, Pope was a part of the Falcons' 2014 team that won the Mid-South Conference Championship and served as a team captain his senior season where he received the NAIA Champions of Character Award.