Southern Virginia athletics director Deidra Dryden today named Joe DuPaix as the Knights next head football coach. DuPaix previously led Southern Virginia's football program from 2016–17 before joining the coaching staff at the United States Naval Academy.
 
"We are thrilled that Coach DuPaix is returning to lead our football program," said Dryden. "During his previous two years at the helm, we witnessed his excellent work firsthand. He had tremendous recruiting success while building a solid foundation for the future. Now we're excited for him to pick up where he left off and continue that positive momentum."
 
"We had several tremendously successful and experienced candidates for this opening, but ultimately felt that Coach DuPaix gives us the best chance to hit the ground running as we work to build a successful football program here at Southern Virginia," added Dryden.

In DuPaix's previous stint, the Knights were 4-16 in two seasons. He had inherited a program that had lost 19 of 20 games in a tumultuous period in which five people had been in charge of the Southern Virginia program in a span of 25 months.

After DuPaix's departure, the Knights were coached by ten-year NFL veteran and Super Bowl champion Edwin Mulitalo. In the intervening five seasons, one shortened by COVID, the Knights went 11-33. SVU was 3-7 in 2018 as a member of the New Jersey Athletic Conference, 5-9 in one-plus seasons in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, and 3-17 in two seasons in the USA South Athletic Conference.

"I believe in the mission of Southern Virginia University!" DuPaix said. "Being in a place where we can develop men of character utilizing Christlike attributes is an incredible opportunity. I've seen so many individuals become better versions of themselves on and off the field at this one-of-a-kind university, and I am excited to help many more do the same."

Before Southern Virginia University and Navy, DuPaix was the recruiting coordinator and running backs coach at Brigham Young from 2011–12. During his two years at BYU, the Cougars went 18–8 overall, including a 10–3 record in 2011, while collecting wins in their consecutive bowl game appearances.
 
From 2001–07, DuPaix served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Cal Poly. DuPaix began his collegiate coaching career in 1998 as the quarterback coach for the University of Missouri-Rolla.
 
During his playing career, DuPaix was the starting quarterback and team captain for Southern Utah, where he set an NCAA FCS individual rushing record for a quarterback with 1,246 yards during the 1996 season. Prior to joining SUU, DuPaix was named an Honorable Mention Junior College All-American in 1995 after recording 2,482 passing yards and 832 rushing yards for Snow College. He was also the MVP of the Real Dairy Bowl that same year.
 
DuPaix hails from Salt Lake City, Utah. He played quarterback at Skyline High School for his father, Roger DuPaix, and was named the 1990 4A Utah State MVP.