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Kris McCullough

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Kris McCullough
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamUT Permian Basin
ConferenceLSC
Record11–3
Annual salary$172,500[1]
Biographical details
Born (1995-10-11) October 11, 1995 (age 29)
Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S.
Alma materHenderson State University
Arkansas State University
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2015–2016Henderson State (SA)
2017 (spring)Old Dominion (assistant QB/OQC)
2017Fairmont State (assistant ST/RB)
2018–2019East Central (ST/QB)
2020East Central (OC/QB)
2021East Central (AHC/OC/QB)
2022East Central
2023–presentUT Permian Basin
Head coaching record
Overall20–6
Bowls1–0
Tournaments0–1 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
LSC (2023)
Awards
LSC Coach of the Year (2023)

Kris McCullough (born October 11, 1995) is an American college football coach. He is the head football coach for the University of Texas Permian Basin, a position he has held since 2023. He was the head football coach for East Central University in 2022. He previously coached for Henderson State, Old Dominion, and Fairmont State.

Early life and education

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McCullough was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on October 11, 1995. He attended Watson Chapel High School where he played football and baseball. He received his bachelor's degree in integrated studies from Henderson State University before earning his master's degree in sports administration from Arkansas State University.[2]

Coaching career

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Early coaching career

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McCullough started his coaching career as a student assistant coach for his alma mater, Henderson State University.[3] For two-and-a-half seasons from 2015 to the spring of 2017 he worked with the tight ends, running backs, wide receivers, and quarterbacks. With the team, he was a part of the 2015 Henderson State team that won their first-ever NCAA Division II playoff win after earning the Great American Conference (GAC) title along with coaching GAC Player of the Year, Jaquan Cole.[4][5]

In the spring of 2017, McCullough joined Division I FBS Old Dominion as an assistant quarterbacks coach and as an offensive quality control coach, but departed prior to the start of the season.[6]

In the fall of 2017, McCullough joined Fairmont State University as the team's assistant special teams coordinator and running backs coach. Alongside those duties he was also the video coordinator.[7][8]

In 2018, McCullough joined East Central University as the special teams coordinator and quarterbacks coach.[9] He held those positions until 2020 where he was promoted to offensive coordinator.[9] In 2021 he added the title of assistant head coach.[9] During his stint as offensive coordinator he helped lead the team to nine wins across the shortened 2020 COVID-19 season and 2021. In 2021, the team recorded a season-best, since 2015, 7–4 record.[10][11]

Head coaching career

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East Central

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On March 10, 2022, McCullough was named interim head coach after the previous head coach, Al Johnson, was hired by Wisconsin.[12] With his appointment to head coach he became the youngest head coach in all of college football at the age of 26.[13] Despite losing his first two career games as head coach, he then led the team to a six-game winning streak which including six-straight 30-plus point games and two 40-plus games, including a season-high 44 against Southern Nazarene.[14]

On October 27, 2022, the interim tag was removed and he was hired as the full-time head coach.[15][16] He led the team to a 6–2 record up until that point before losing to Ouachita Baptist. He finished out his inaugural season going 3–0,[14] beating Arkansas–Monticello, Southeastern Oklahoma State, and earned a bid to the Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl where they beat Texas A&M–Kingsville.[17] The team finished with a 9–3 record which was the team's best finish since 1993 when they ended 10–3 and won the NAIA Championship under Hank Walbrick.[18]

On December 23, 2022, McCullough announced that he was stepping down from his position.[19]

UT Permian Basin

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On December 22, 2022, less than two months after becoming full-time head coach for East Central, McCullough was hired by the University of Texas Permian Basin to be the team's second head coach all-time, replacing Justin Carrigan who left to take a role in the athletics department.[20] In McCullough's first game with the Falcons, he outscored NAIA opponent Texas College 96–0, a program record, and just four points away from the century mark.[21] The following week the team fell to non-conference opponent Western Colorado before once again scoring 80-plus and beating Southwest Baptist 86–7.[22][23][24] Following the loss to Western Colorado, the team went on a six-game winning streak.[25] They beat West Texas A&M; an upset against ranked Texas A&M–Kingsville[26][27]—the same team he beat a year prior in a bowl game; Midwestern State; Eastern New Mexico; and the team's second upset win of the season beating ranked Angelo State.[28] The Falcons were ranked No. 25 in the D2 Football poll released on October 16, marking the first time in program history that the Falcons were ranked in a national poll.[29] A week later, on October 23, the Falcons would be ranked in the AFCA poll for the first time, debuting at No. 22.[30] Alongside their first AFCA poll ranking in program history they also broke the previous D2 Football poll by earning the No. 19 rank.[31] The Falcons would finish the regular season at 10–1, going 8–0 in conference play to win the LSC championship for the first time in program history.[32] The historic season would continue as UTPB was selected for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time in program history, hosting, and losing to, Bemidji State in the first round.[33] McCullough was named the 2023 LSC Coach of the Year.[34]

Following the season, McCullough was extended by the university through the 2026 season, along with incentives that can extend him until 2029. The new contract made him among the highest paid head football coaches in the Lone Star Conference.[35]

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs AFCA# D2°
East Central Tigers (Great American Conference) (2022)
2022 East Central 9–3 8–3 T–3rd W Heritage
East Central: 9–3 8–3
UT Permian Basin Falcons (Lone Star Conference) (2023–present)
2023 UT Permian Basin 10–2 8–0 1st L NCAA Division II First Round 18 17
2024 UT Permian Basin 1–1 1–0
UT Permian Basin: 11–3 9–0
Total: 20–6
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

References

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  1. ^ Barnett, Zach (December 11, 2023). "Nation's youngest head coach signs $1 million-plus extension to remain at D2 UT-Permian Basin". Footballscoop. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  2. ^ "Kris McCullough - Football Coach". UTPB Athletics. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  3. ^ Dunson, Alexa (May 31, 2023). "Beyond the field: Meet UTPB's new Head Football Coach, Kris McCullough". UTPB. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  4. ^ "2015 Football Schedule". Henderson State University Athletics. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  5. ^ Deckelbaum, Kyle (August 4, 2016). "Henderson State tabbed preseason GAC favorite". KATV. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  6. ^ Hadorn, Christopher (January 4, 2023). "New football coach McCullough believes UTPB ready to take next step". mrt. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  7. ^ "Kris McCullough - Running Backs Coach - Football Coaches". Fairmont State University Athletics. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  8. ^ Hogue, Cory (December 22, 2022). "Kris McCullough to be named UTPB head football coach". Texas Football. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  9. ^ a b c Hadorn, Christopher (December 22, 2022). "College Football: McCullough hired as UTPB head coach".
  10. ^ "2020 Football Schedule". East Central University Athletics. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  11. ^ "2021 Football Schedule". East Central University Athletics. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  12. ^ Hummer, Chris (October 21, 2022). "Meet 27-year-old Kris McCullough, the youngest head coach in college football". 247 Sports. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  13. ^ Baker, Davis (December 22, 2022). "Kris McCullough leaves ECU, takes head coaching job at UTPB". K10. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  14. ^ a b "2022 Football Schedule". East Central University Athletics. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  15. ^ "Kris McCullough - Football Coach". East Central University Athletics. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  16. ^ "McCullough Looks to Future as ECU's Head Football Coach". ECU. October 27, 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  17. ^ Castillo, Rey (December 4, 2022). "Texas A&M-Kingsville ends season with loss to East Central in Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl". Caller Times. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  18. ^ "Football History and Records UPDATED (PDF)" (PDF). East Central University Athletics. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  19. ^ "McCullough Steps Down as ECU Tiger Coach". KXII. December 23, 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  20. ^ Perpetua, Tom (December 22, 2022). "Rising Star McCullough Named Head Football Coach". UTPB Falcons. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  21. ^ Hadorn, Christopher (September 2, 2023). "College Football: UTPB flirts with 100 points in McCullough's debut". mrt. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  22. ^ "College Football: Western Colorado beats UTPB with red zone stop". mrt. September 9, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  23. ^ "College Football: UTPB crushes Southwest Baptist, 86-7". mrt. September 16, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  24. ^ "UTPB Takes The Fight Out Of Bearcats". UTPB Athletics. September 16, 2023. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  25. ^ "2023 Football Schedule". UTPB Athletics. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  26. ^ Ray, Isaac (September 30, 2023). "TAMUK suffers first loss of the season to UTPB, 29-17". Texas A&M - Kingsville Athletics. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  27. ^ Martinez, Quinton (September 30, 2023). "UT Permian Basin upends Texas A&M-Kingsville on the road". Caller Times. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  28. ^ Witwer, Paul (October 21, 2023). "The No. 19 Angelo State football falls to UT-Permian Basin, No. 1 ranked D-II offense". Go San Angelo. Retrieved October 22, 2023.
  29. ^ Smith, Kayler (October 16, 2023). "UTPB football cracks into Top-25 for first time on school history". Your Basin. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  30. ^ "Augustana Takes Down Minnesota State". American Football Coaches Association. October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  31. ^ "D2Football.com Top 25 Poll". d2football.com. October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  32. ^ Hadron, Christopher (November 11, 2023). "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Cooley's catches lead UTPB to conference title". Midland Reporter-Telegram. Retrieved November 11, 2023.
  33. ^ Bauer, Michael (November 17, 2023). "COLLEGE FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK: UTPB ready for first playoff game". Odessa American. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  34. ^ LeRoy, Oscar (November 16, 2023). "COLLEGE FOOTBALL: UTPB's Hrncir, Cooley lead LSC award winners". Midland Reporter-Telegram. Retrieved November 17, 2023.
  35. ^ "UTPB Head Football Coach signs contract extension - The University of Texas Permian Basin | UTPB". www.utpb.edu. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
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