New Alcorn State football coach Jay Hopson has cleaned house in his first week on the job.

Hopson said Tuesday afternoon that he will not retain any of former head coach Melvin Spears’ staff. Hopson, a Vicksburg native, was hired by Alcorn State on May 28 and is the first white coach in the history of the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

In his first week, Hopson said he would not bring back coaches Eugene Daniel, Louis Green, Todd McDaniel or Tramon Douglas. McDaniel was one of four finalists for the head coaching position along with Hopson, current Northern Colorado offensive coordinator Michael Armour and former Kentucky State coach Fredrick Farrier. McDaniel was named the interim director of football operations after the school fired Spears in February following a 2-8 season in 2011. McDaniel directed the Braves during their spring drills that concluded on April 28.

Hopson wanted a fresh start.

“Nobody from the previous staff will be with us as we move forward to next season,” Hopson said.

Alcorn State opens its 2012 season Sept. 1 against Grambling in Shreveport.

Hopson announced five hires for his staff. The biggest name is former Alcorn quarterback Fred McNair, the brother of late Alcorn State and Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair. Fred McNair was a finalist for the head coaching position when Spears was hired in early 2011. He has coached at Millsaps College under then coach Mike Dubose and spent last season as the head coach at Collins High School. Fred McNair will be the assistant head coach and passing-game coordinator.

Former Middle Tennessee State assistant coach and Clemson quarterback Willie Simmons is another addition to the staff. Mark McHale, Doc Gamble and Ralph Street also will be going to Lorman. Hopson is still

looking to fill some positions on his staff, such as defensive coordinator.

“All of these are high-character guys who are also great football coaches,” Hopson said. “As of now, Gamble will coach tight ends and running backs and McHale will have the offensive line.”

Simmons was the backup quarterback for three seasons to Woody Dantzler at Clemson. He became the first Clemson football player to graduate in three years. He spent his senior season at The Citadel where he was named to the All-Southern Conference team.

At Middle Tennessee State, he was hired as a running backs coach in 2007. He was promoted to passing game coordinator for the 2010 and 2011 seasons but resigned in mid-October.

Gamble was a successful high school coach in Cincinnati, where he went 53-19 in seven seasons at Withrow High School. He left the high school ranks to work for University of Cincinnati coach Butch Jones as the offensive quality control coach for the 2011 season.

Street was the defensive coordinator at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Prep School in Fort Collins, Colo.

McHale, 62, is the most experienced hire of Hopson’s new staff and will coach the offensive line. McHale has spent more 30 years in coaching, including a stint at Florida State under Bobby Bowden. He coached at Southern Miss, where his linemen protected Brett Favre, and at Marshall, where he was former NFL quarterback Byron Leftwich’s offensive coordinator for two seasons.

Additionally, Alcorn State president M. Christopher Brown II announced Tuesday in a school release the hiring of Dwayne White as the interim director of athletics. He replaces Patric Simon, who resigned Monday.

White was an offensive lineman and given the nickname, “Road Grader,” during his playing days at Alcorn State.

He went on to the NFL and played seven seasons with the New York Jets and the St. Louis Rams. After retiring, he was an assistant coach with the Seattle Seahawks. White will leave his job as the president of the South Florida Chapter of the NFL Players Association to come back to Lorman.

Brown said in a school release the hires continue a process of lifting the caliber of the school’s athletic administration. Brown was not available for comment.

“Alcorn must be committed to knowledge and character at every level of the campus,” Brown said in the release. “The heightened focus on campus athletics and corollary affairs requires us to have unit heads with the experience and gravitas to serve our students and stakeholders with excellence. Our recent hires in men’s basketball and football warrant us having an athletic administration equivalent to the front office of any professional sports team.”