A product of the Mississippi junior college system, Jonathan Webster enters his sixth season coaching defensive backs for the Rangers.
Webster’s stingy secondary has combined to pick off 61 passes in addition to 154 breakups, 23 forced fumbles and 10 blocked kicks over his first five seasons. Last season, the Rangers' unit totaled 15 interceptions for the second time in three seasons.
All-conference safety Turner Rotenberry returned three interceptions for touchdowns in 2017 to give him four for his career and break a 17-year old school record. Kaleb Chalmers’ 13 breakups and Tito Windham’s 10 both ranked in the top 15 in the country nationally in 2016.
Twenty-one of Webster’s former players at Northwest have gone on to sign scholarships to compete at the next level, including 12 to Division I programs over the last three seasons alone in second-team All-American Brandin Echols (Kentucky), Jerrick Reed II (New Mexico), Malik Sanders (UMass), Devin Rockette (South Alabama), Marlon Character Jr. (Louisville), All-American Joshua Norwood (West Virginia), Chris Stamps (Middle Tennessee), Kaleb Chalmers (South Carolina), All-American Tito Windham (Memphis), Fred Garth Jr. (Bowling Green), Wesley Bush (Middle Tennessee) and K.T. McCollin (Southeast Missouri).
Three have since spent time at the professional level, most notably All-American Treston DeCoud (Oregon State), who was a fifth-round selection of the Houston Texans in 2017 and now plays for the Dallas Cowboys. Marcel Newson (Mississippi College) spent time in the Pittsburgh Steelers' training camp in 2016 and Wesley Bush (Middle Tennessee) was invited to rookie mini-camp with the New York Giants.
Prior to the start of the 2017 season, Webster spent a month with the defending NFC Champion Atlanta Falcons as a Bill Walsh Diversity Fellowship Coach. He worked hands on with head coach Dan Quinn and worked with multiple defensive positions while being involved in cut-ups and film breakdown. He was on the field for the Falcons’ first preseason game against Miami. He returned to Atlanta to work 2018 preseason camp as well as the Falcons' game in New York.
Prior to the start of the 2014 season, Webster spent three weeks in the San Diego Chargers’ training camp as part of a Bill Walsh Minority Internship. Webster worked specifically with special teams and cornerbacks and was prominently involved in cut-ups and film breakdown. He was on the field for the Chargers’ 27-7 preseason win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Webster came to Northwest in 2014, following two seasons at Northeast Mississippi Community College (2011-12) and three seasons at Southwest Mississippi Community College (2008-10) as defensive backs coach.
Webster started his collegiate career under legendary Northwest head coach Bobby Franklin during the 2003-04 seasons. Nationally-ranked both seasons, Webster helped lead the Rangers to a combined 15-4 overall record and 10-2 mark in the division with a north division championship his freshman season.
As a freshman, the Rangers ranked fourth nationally in rushing defense (71.6 ypg), 14th in total defense (237.2 ypg) and 27th overall in passing defense (165.6 ypg). The following year, Northwest was ranked in the Top 10 in the country in total defense (212.0 ypg) and was second in pass defense (91.9 ypg).
He finished his Ranger career with 108 tackles (63 solo), 24 breakups and a pair of interceptions. Northwest allowed just 15.2 ppg his freshman year and 15.1 ppg as a sophomore. Webster and the Rangers also averaged four sacks a contest during his sophomore season and he was named the team’s defensive MVP.
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Webster went on to play two seasons for Steve Mullins and the Wonder Boys of Arkansas Tech in 2006-07 and posted 126 tackles, 3.0 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions and five pass breakups. He played in 20 career games as Tech went 12-8 overall and 8-8 in Gulf South Conference play.
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Webster not only stood out on the field for the Wonder Boys but the Mississippi native also focused his concentration in the classroom. He was twice named to the ESPN The Magazine/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District VI team — just the 27th Wonder Boy to garner the honor.
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Webster graduated from Arkansas Tech in 2008 with a bachelor’s in sociology and later received his master’s from Southern Mississippi in psychology in 2012.
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The Batesville native is married to the former Bridget Riley. The couple have two daughters, Kenadie (13) and Nori (2), and a son, Kaleb (12).
