UTPB selects new head football coach

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - The University of Texas Permian Basin, has selected Kris McCullough as the second head coach in UTPB Football history.

On Thursday, Vice President for Athletics Todd Dooley announced McCullough will take over the Falcons after a season as head coach at East Central University in Ada, Oklahoma.

McCullough led the Tigers to a 9-3 record in the difficult Great American Conference that culminated in a victory over Texas A&M – Kingsville in the Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl.

“What Kris has done in a short amount of time in charge of a football program is quite remarkable,” said Dooley. “Throughout the entire search process, Kris’ charisma and vision stood out in a very competitive group of candidates. He checks all the boxes in what we are looking for in our pursuit of comprehensive excellence.”

For his efforts in 2022, McCullough was named to the American Football Coaches Association 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute, recognizing him as one of the best young coaches in the game of football. He was the only Division II coach selected to the list that included coaches from Michigan, Texas, Auburn, Tennessee, and the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks among others.

He started at East Central in 2018 as the team’s Special Team Coordinator and Quarterbacks coach before getting promoted to Offensive Coordinator in 2020 and Assistant Head Coach in 2021.

“First, I’d like to thank everyone at East Central,” said McCullough. “I enjoyed every second spent in Ada and at East Central and want to thank them for believing in me and giving me a chance to be a head coach. We made history at that school in many ways, and no one can take that away from the student-athletes and coaches. I’m so excited about this opportunity! My wife Hannah and I can’t wait to arrive in the Permian Basin to get started and meet all the great folks in West Texas as we level up UTPB Football. Falcons Up!”

McCullough got his start in coaching at his alma mater, Henderson State, as a student assistant working all over the offensive side for three seasons. In 2015 he helped Henderson State win their first NCAA Division II Playoff game after winning the GAC.

This hire comes after the announcement that former UTPB Head Football Coach, Justin Carrigan will become the new deputy athletic director. You read more about that change here.