After being released by the Washington Football Team in late November, Damion Willis texted Marcus Wood, his former position coach at East Mississippi Community College.

Willis, a 2015 graduate of Southeast Lauderdale who played wide receiver for the Lions and later for Troy University before turning pro, told Wood he was thinking about beginning his coaching career. Wood is now the head football coach at Holmes Community College, and Willis said Wood texted him right back and said, “Of course.” 

On Monday, Holmes announced Willis as its new wide receivers coach, reuniting him with Wood and giving him an opportunity to help other young receivers get a shot at advancing to a four-year college and, hopefully, the NFL.

“I didn’t realize he’d have a job for me right away,” Willis said. “I thought he’d bring me in and show me the ropes. I know he’s trying to build things up at Holmes, so him bringing me in means a lot.”

Willis is currently a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad, and he said he’s not done with his NFL career, but he also realized when he was still in school that he might like to coach one day . That desire was deepened when Willis began training last year under former Ole Miss receiver Shay Hodge with Hodge Performance in Jackson.

“I like how he works with people and develops them from when they arrive there until they leave,” Willis explained. “I thought that was interesting, and I said, ‘Maybe I should try that.’”

As someone who played at the junior college, college and professional levels, Willis said he’s hoping to impart the knowledge he’s accumulated to help other young receivers improve their skills. He’ll be getting players fresh out of high school, and whereas high school football usually comes down to whoever is the better athlete, Willis said things get much more complicated when the talent level increases in college and the pros.

“In college and the NFL, it’s all about coverages and blind spots of the defender who’s guarding you,” Willis said. “There’s so much you have to learn, and some of them think they can just come in and wreck the game — and sure, some could, but for most of them there’s a developmental process.”

He’s eager to get started and has already met his future receivers at Holmes, but Willis said he’s still not keen on them saying, “Yes sir,” to him.

“I’m not too much older than them,” Willis said with a laugh. “I’m 24. I think they’ll be eager to learn from me. They look at it as, ‘He went to the NFL, so let me soak up as much knowledge as I can.’ I think it’ll be a great experience for the players and for me.”