Conner Pic

Football

Lane College Announces Football Leadership Transition

JACKSON, Tenn. — Lane College announced today that Stanley Conner has stepped down as head football coach. Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Jeremy C. Patterson will serve as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2026 season.

Conner joined Lane in February 2025, bringing a coaching career that spans four decades. A Jackson State University alumnus, he has coached and mentored young men at Alabama State, Alabama A&M, Benedict College, Miles College, and in high schools across Alabama. At Lane, he devoted himself to the student-athletes in the program, on and off the field. 

"Coach Conner has given his life to developing young men through this game, and he brought that same commitment to Lane College," said Lane College President Donald W. Comer, Ph.D. "We are grateful for his service to the Dragons, we have great respect for him, and we wish him and his family every success in the next chapter." 

"I am grateful to Lane College for the opportunity to lead this program, and to our players for their hard work and commitment," Conner said. "I wish them and the College continued success." 

Patterson, a Lane alumnus, knows the program well. He served as the Dragons' defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 2021–22 and has coached at Mississippi Valley State University and Ouachita Baptist University. He will continue to serve as Director of Intercollegiate Athletics during the interim period, and the current football staff will remain in place. 

"Our focus is on our student-athletes and on finishing this season together," Patterson said. "I want to thank Coach Conner for his commitment to these young men. They have worked hard, and we will support them every step of the way." 

The College will share information about the future leadership of the football program after the season. Lane asks the Dragons family to continue supporting our student-athletes, and to extend the same respect to Coach Conner that he has shown to this program. 

About Lane College: Founded in 1882 by Bishop Isaac Lane, Lane College is a private, historically Black liberal arts college in Jackson, Tennessee, affiliated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. The Dragons compete in NCAA Division II as members of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).