Lassiter Football Hires College Assistant

hired a new assistant football coach in Shaun Gaines and he comes to the Trojans from Bethel University where he’s been on staff for eight years and the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the past five.

Gaines told the Jackson Sun that leaving Bethel University was extremely difficult, and was more a family decision than anything else.

“This is one of the harder decisions I’ve ever made, and it was great to be on that field and around those kids,” Gaines said. “(The departure) had nothing to do with (Bethel), and this was a better opportunity for my family.”

Gaines started at Bethel in 2003, according to a press release from the university, after earning his B.S. degree in Education at Florida State University.

He was an assistant coach in the Victory Sports Network Senior All-Star Classic in 2007. He was also on the staff when Bethel played in the Polk County Classic in 2004. During his time at Bethel, he has coached one All-Conference Quarterback and one Mid-South Offensive Player of the Year.

Bethel head coach Dino Kaklis said in the release, "We are thankful for Shaun's hard work and effort these last eight years. He has been our offensive coordinator since 2005. He has a great opportunity and we understand his decision. We wish him and his family the very best."

The Bethel University offense averaged 39.5 points per game last season under Gaines and scored 40 or more points four times.