Eleven-year MACJC veteran and Starkville native Travis Macon is set to enter his sixth season as the defensive line coach at Northwest.
Macon has made his unit arguably one of the most talented in the MACJC and prepared them to be impact players at the four-year level.
Northwest boasted the MACJC's top scoring defense (19.5 ppg) and second-ranked total defense (302.3 ypg) in 2017, with the guys up front a big reason for that. Northwest had 93 tackles-for-loss and 32 sacks in 2017, a year after breaking a 24-year-old school record with 117 tackles-for-loss and 46 sacks.
Northwest tied the 1992 national championship team with four shutouts two seasons ago, one shy of a school record, and held seven of its 11 opponents to three touchdowns or less.
A total of 17 linemen have continued on to the four-year level under Macon at Northwest, including 15 to Division I programs such as Ole Miss, Louisville, West Virginia, Houston and Kansas.
Macon spent the 2008-13 seasons at his alma mater, Northeast Mississippi. After coaching the offensive line in 2008, Macon moved over to the other side of the ball and worked with the defensive line and as defensive coordinator for five seasons. The Tigers were nationally-ranked and made their first playoff appearance in six years in 2011.
Macon coached 13 to four-year schools while at Northeast, including Daryl Petty (Northwestern Oklahoma State), Heath Blount (South Alabama), LaVon Hooks (Ole Miss/Pittsburgh Steelers), Mario Addison (Troy University/Carolina Panthers), Bernard Smith (Louisiana), Pat Moore (South Alabama), Anthony Brown (Memphis), John Brown (Valdosta State/AFL), B.J. Taylor (Tennessee-Chattanooga), Anthony Payne (Murray State), Emmanuel Dudley (Troy), Jeremy Liggins (Ole Miss/Indianapolis Colts) and Nicholas Thompson (Louisiana Tech).
Between Northeast and Northwest, Macon has helped send 30 players on to four-year schools and a handful have played professional football.
During his high school career, Macon helped the Starkville High Yellowjackets win back-to-back state titles from 1995-97. After graduation, Macon moved on to Northeast Mississippi Community College as a student-athlete where he played football for head coach Laurin Collins from 1998-99.
Macon then transferred to the University of Mississippi where he played offensive tackle for the Rebels from 2000-02 for head coach David Cutcliffe. Macon helped the Rebels to an appearance in the Music City Bowl in 2000.
Macon and his wife, Deimara, have three children Haleih (13), Brian (11) and Ambrielle (9).
