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Wayne State University Athletics

Jimmy Hill and J.C McDonald Graphic

Football Jeff Weiss, Senior Associate Director of Athletics/Media Relations

Football Completes Offensive Coaching Staff

McDonald and Hill join WSU; Khaleefah elevated to full-time.

DETROIT -- Third-year Wayne State University head football coach Tyrone Wheatley has completed his offensive coaching staff for the upcoming season with the hiring of J.C McDonald as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and Jimmy Hill being selected as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator.  In addition, Mustafa Khaleefah, who served as a graduate assistant coach in 2024, was named tight ends coach.

McDonald was previously the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2024 at Livingstone College, and helped the Blue Bears to a 6-4 mark.  He was an offensive special assistant at LC in 2023.

Prior to becoming the quarterbacks coach at Morgan State in February of 2022, McDonald spent four years (2018-2021) as the offensive coordinator at Frostburg State University.  The Bobcats transitioned from NCAA Division 3 to Division 2 in 2019.  His 2018 Bobcats offensive averaged over 40 points per game (40.7), which ranked 20th in D3 and quarterback Connor Cox was selected NJAC and ECAC Offensive Player of the Year.

He was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at West Virginia Wesleyan College during the 2017 campaign after one season (2016) as an assistant football coach and teacher at Suwannee High School in Live Oak, Fla.

He coached quarterbacks and wide receivers for two years (2014-2015) at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas.  His other coaching stops include Alief Taylor High School (Texas) in 2013, Southern Virginia University (2007, 2012), Willowridge High School (Texas) from 2009 through 2011, Westbury High School (Texas) in 2008, and Virginia State University in 2005 and 2006,

McDonald was the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach at Glenville State College for two years (2000-2001) prior to serving the next three seasons (2002-03-04) as offensive coordinator for the Pioneers.

His previous positions included wide receivers coach at William Jewell College in 1999 and quarterbacks and wide receivers coach at Potomac State College in 1997 and 1998.

A native of Cumberland, Maryland, McDonald began his collegiate playing career at Potomac State College (1994-95), before earning a bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Glenville State College in 1998.  McDonald received a master's degree in Physical Education from West Virginia Wesleyan University in 2002.  He served as a team captain at PSC before earning his associates degree.

Hill was named as wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator after serving the previous three seasons in a similar role at fellow GLIAC member Davenport.

He also worked with the Panther running backs in 2024.  During the 2023 season, Hill's group of receivers caught 159 passes for 2,037 yards and 15 touchdowns with Preston Smith earning First Team All-GLIAC recognition.  In his first year at DU, Hill mentored three ALL-GLIAC receivers in Sy Barnett (First Team), Roy Livingstone and Preston Smith (both Second Team).

Prior to his arrival in Grand Rapids, Hill was at Fleming Island High School in Florida where he served as quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator (2018-2021).  In 2015, Hill was named Region 15 Coach of the Year by the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association.  That year he led Detroit Northwestern to an undefeated regular season (9-0) before a first round playoff setback to Detroit Denby.  In 2017, he was named head coach at Atlantic Coast High School in Jacksonville, Florida.

After graduating from Detroit Mumford High School, Hill spent two years at the University of Toledo before playing his final three seasons as a Tartar.  In 1996, Hill passed for 1,138 yards and seven touchdowns, while completing 100 passes.  He also rushed for 60 yards and a score.  The following year, he primarily played wide receiver catching 49 passes for 775 yards and six scores in garnering Second Team All-MIFC (Midwest Intercollegiate Football Conference) accolades.  He also completed 10 passes for 124 yards and rushed for additional 133 yards.  Hill returned 19 punts (for 146 yards) and two kickoffs in 1997 to finish with 1,098 all-purpose yards.

As a senior in 1998, Hill set the school record with 15 touchdown receptions (record was eclipsed by Pierre Brown in 2000 with 17) and was voted to the All-MIFC First Team.  He finished that season with 60 receptions (fifth all-time in WSU history) for 858 yards (eighth in school history), while also rushing for 88 yards and completing 22 passes for 186 yards.  Hill received Academic All-GLIAC recognition as a senior as well as being voted Tartar of the Year (team MVP).

Hill concluded his three-year WSU career with 1,729 yards of total offense, 1,645 receiving yards (seventh in school history) and 2,153 all-purpose yards.  His 110 career receptions is sixth in school history, while his 21 touchdown receptions ranks fourth in the WSU annals.

He earned his bachelor's degree in Communications (Radio/TV/Film) from WSU in 1999 and a master's in Secondary Education from the University of Phoenix.  Hill and his wife, Dana, have four children, Amoni, Jaden, Keysean and Jourdan.

Mustafa Khaleefah
Khaleefah joined the Wayne State football coaching staff in August of 2024.  He served as a graduate assistant coach working with the offensive line in 2024.  He was promoted to tight ends coach in the spring of 2025.

In his first season with the Green and Gold, Khaleefah helped guide Charles Wesley to an Honorable Mention All-GLIAC certificate.  Eight of his student-athletes garnered Academic All-GLIAC recognition, including five on the GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team for maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5.

A native of Dearborn, Khaleefah graduated from Michigan State University with a Bachelors of Arts in Criminal Justice in the spring of 2021.  Following graduation, he served as a building substitute and football coach at Dearborn High School for three years.

Link to MSU Bio

After redshirting for the Spartans in 2017, Khaleefah made his collegiate debut at Maryland.  He also saw action in 2018 vs. Ohio State.  He played in five games (Tulsa, Western Michigan, Arizona State, Penn State, and Rutgers) in 2019 seeing action on the offensive line as well as on special teams.  Khaleefah played a season-high 25 snaps at Rutgers.

A 2017 graduate of Dearborn High School, he was selected to the Detroit Free Press and Detroit News All-State Dream Teams.  Khaleefah was named to The Associated Press 2016 Division 1-2 All-Michigan First Team, along with being chosen to USA TODAY's All-USA Michigan First Team.  

A PrepStar All-Midwest Region Team honoree, he was selected to the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association East-West All-Star Game.  The captain of the Detroit Free Press All-West Team, Khaleefah was selected to the Dearborn-area All-City First Team by MIPrepZone.com.

He played under coach John Powell and helped Dearborn to a 9-2 record in 2016 and a berth in the MHSAA Division 1 district finals as well as back-to-back Western Wayne (Red) league titles.  Khaleefah also played on the defensive line and had 21 tackles as a senior, including two for loss.  A two-time Western Wayne (Red) all-league honoree, he only allowed two sacks in three seasons of varsity football.  Khaleefah was rated the No. 3 offensive tackle in the state of Michigan by Scout.com.  He was listed one of the top players in the state of Michigan by ESPN.com (No. 16), The Detroit News (No. 17), Detroit Free Press (No. 18), Rivals.com (No. 18) and 247Sports (No. 22), along with being ranked one of the top offensive tackle prospects in the nation by ESPN.com (No. 62), Scout.com (No. 75) and 247 Sports (No. 95).

Wayne State begins the 2025 season at home on Thursday, Sept. 4 with a 6 p.m. kick-off against Tiffin.


 
 
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Players Mentioned

Charles Wesley

#69 Charles Wesley

OL
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior

Players Mentioned

Charles Wesley

#69 Charles Wesley

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
OL