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Kim Helton

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Kim Helton
Biographical details
Born (1948-07-28) July 28, 1948 (age 76)
Pensacola, Florida, U.S.
Playing career
1967–1969Florida
Position(s)Center
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1970–1971Eastside HS (FL)
1972Florida (GA)
1973–1978Florida (OL)
1979–1982Miami (FL) (OC)
1983–1986Tampa Bay Buccaneers (OL)
1987–1989Houston Oilers (OL)
1990–1992Los Angeles Raiders (OL)
1993–1999Houston
2002–2003Washington Redskins (OL)
2004–2006Toronto Argonauts (RB)
2007–2011UAB (OC)
2019Western Kentucky (offensive analyst)
Head coaching record
Overall24–53–1
Bowls0–1
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
1 C-USA (1996)
Awards
C-USA Coach of the Year (1996)
University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame

Charles Kimberlin Helton (born July 28, 1948) is an American college and professional football coach. He served as the head football coach of the University of Houston from 1993 to 1999, compiling a record of 24–53–1. His sons Clay and Tyson Helton both rose to also become college football head coaches.

Early years

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Helton was born in Pensacola, Florida. He attended Gainesville High School[1] and the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played center for coach Ray Graves' Florida Gators football team from 1967 to 1969.[2] He graduated from Florida with a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1970.

Coaching career

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Helton began his coaching career as head coach at Eastside High School in Gainesville in 1970. After two seasons there, Helton became a graduate assistant at the University of Florida in 1972.[3] Later, Helton became the offensive line coach under new Gators head coach Doug Dickey, a position he held from 1973 to 1978. In 1979, he was hired by Howard Schnellenberger to serve as the offensive coordinator for the Miami Hurricanes.

In 1982 Helton moved to the National Football League (NFL), becoming offensive line coach under head coaches John McKay and Leeman Bennett with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He later held similar positions with the Houston Oilers and Los Angeles Raiders. In early 1993, Helton agreed to join the Miami Dolphins as offensive line coach, but was offered the head coaching position at the University of Houston before starting with the Dolphins.

In seven years at Houston, Helton had two winning seasons and one bowl game appearance. He was fired in November 1999, after a 7-4 season.[4] After a few years out of coaching, Helton was hired by fellow Florida alumnus Steve Spurrier to coach the Washington Redskins offensive line. After Spurrier's dismissal as Redskins head coach in 2003, Helton became the running backs coach for the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. In January 2007, he was hired as offensive coordinator at UAB by Neil Callaway who had served as offensive coordinator himself under Helton at Houston. Callaway and his staff were fired following the 2011 season.

After Helton's son, Tyson Helton, was named head football coach at Western Kentucky University, he joined the coaching staff as an offensive analyst in the spring of 2019.

Helton was inducted in the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Distinguished Letter Winner" in 2001.[5][6]

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Houston Cougars (Southwest Conference) (1993–1995)
1993 Houston 1–9–1 1–5–1 T–7th
1994 Houston 1–10 1–6 6th
1995 Houston 2–9 2–5 5th
Houston Cougars (Conference USA) (1996–1999)
1996 Houston 7–5 4–1 T–1st L Liberty
1997 Houston 3–8 2–4 T–4th
1998 Houston 3–8 2–4 T–5th
1999 Houston 7–4 3–3 6th
Houston: 24–53–1 15–28–1
Total: 24–53–1
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Greene, Jerry (February 5, 1983). "Tampa Bay hires Helton to get offense in line". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved September 24, 2022. Born in Pensacola, Helton went to Gainesville High…
  2. ^ 2011 Florida Gators Football Media Guide Archived April 2, 2012, at the Wayback Machine, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 174, 176–177, 182 (2011). Retrieved August 29, 2011.
  3. ^ Barnes, Craig (January 27, 1993). "Helton Hired To Improve Dolphin Line". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  4. ^ Associated Press, "Helton loses job despite winning season," ESPN.com (November 27, 1999). Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  5. ^ F Club, Hall of Fame, Distinguished Letterwinners. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  6. ^ "Nine Former Gators Enshrined into the Hall of Fame Archived October 4, 2012, at the Wayback Machine," GatorZone.com (April 6, 2001). Retrieved July 21, 2011.

Bibliography

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  • Carlson, Norm, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia (2007). ISBN 0-7948-2298-3.
  • Golenbock, Peter, Go Gators! An Oral History of Florida's Pursuit of Gridiron Glory, Legends Publishing, LLC, St. Petersburg, Florida (2002). ISBN 0-9650782-1-3.
  • Hairston, Jack, Tales from the Gator Swamp: A Collection of the Greatest Gator Stories Ever Told, Sports Publishing, LLC, Champaign, Illinois (2002). ISBN 1-58261-514-4.
  • McCarthy, Kevin M., Fightin' Gators: A History of University of Florida Football, Arcadia Publishing, Mount Pleasant, South Carolina (2000). ISBN 978-0-7385-0559-6.
  • McEwen, Tom, The Gators: A Story of Florida Football, The Strode Publishers, Huntsville, Alabama (1974). ISBN 0-87397-025-X.
  • Nash, Noel, ed., The Gainesville Sun Presents The Greatest Moments in Florida Gators Football, Sports Publishing, Inc., Champaign, Illinois (1998). ISBN 1-57167-196-X.
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