UTPB Athletics

Kris McCullough, one of the young rising stars in the world of Division II football, was announced as the second head coach in UT Permian Basin Football history on Thursday, December 22, 2022. In four seasons as head coach at UTPB and East Central University, McCullough has a career record of 37-13.

The Falcons have had three straight winning seasons and have had at least 10 wins in two of McCullough’s three seasons leading the team. He has compiled a 28-10 overall record and a 21-5 Lone Star Conference record leading the Falcons, and became the program’s all-time winningest coach during his third season.

In his first year as head coach (2023), McCullough led the Falcons to their first ever Lone Star Conference Championship, finishing the regular season with a program best 10-1 overall record - defeating all DII Texas schools in the conference, a first for the football program, and finishing with a perfect LSC record of 8-0, another first. The success he had in the regular season resulted in the Falcons hosting the first round of the NCAA Championships for the first time in program history. Three players earned six All-American honors - the most All-American honors earned in a single season in program history - while 19 players earned All-LSC honors and five Falcons, including Coach McCullough, earned major awards from the conference. McCullough was named LSC Coach of The Year, The College Football Network D2 Coach the Year and All-Texas Non-FBS Coach of The Year. Graduate student linebacker Hayden Kelly earned multiple awards as well: 2023 Don Hansen NCAA Division II All-America First Team, 2023 D2CCA All-America First Team and All-Super Region 4 First Team, Associated Press Division II All-American Second Team, LSC Linebacker of the Year and All-LSC First Team, D2Football.com Elite 100 Squad and All-Texas Non-FBS Squad. In addition, graduate student quarterback Kenny Hrncir earned the LSC and the All-Texas Non-FBS Offensive Player of the Year awards, junior Jeremiah Cooley was named LSC Receiver of the Year, and senior Dominique Varela was named LSC Defensive Lineman of the Year. Kelly (first-team), Hrncir (second-team) and Varela (second-team) were each named to the 2023 Division II Conference Commissioners Association (CCA) All-Super Region 4 football team. Success on the football isn’t the only thing that McCullough stressed in year one, as he had 50 student-athletes earn 3.0 GPA’s and had the only football player in the LSC to earn Scholar-Athlete honors (Kelly).

In McCullough’s second season (2024), he led the Falcons to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in program history. UTPB finished the year 7-5 overall and was in a three-team tie for third place in the LSC at 6-3. UTPB also made its second consecutive postseason appearance for the first time in program history and nearly defeated No. 25-ranked Central Missouri in the 2024 Heritage Bowl Powered by Riot. In a 75-7 victory at Sul Ross State University (Nov. 16) in its final regular-season game of the season, UTPB finished with 711 total yards of offense, which was good for a new program record, breaking the previous record of 677 yards set on October 14, 2023, vs. Eastern New Mexico University. Junior running back Kory Harris became the Falcons' new all-time leading rusher against Texas A&M-Kingsville on September 21, broke the school record with 13 rushing touchdowns on the season, and became the first UTPB runner to surpass 200 rushing yards in a game and 1,000 yards in a season. Sophomore Tristan Exline was named the LSC Co-Linebacker of the Year and First-Team All-Conference. He also earned a spot on the D2Football.com Elite 100 Squad Team, the 2024 Dave Campbell's Texas Football All-Texas Non-FBS team, and the 2024 Don Hansen NCAA Division II Honorable Mention All-America team. For the second year in a row, senior Jeremiah Cooley was named the LSC Receiver of the Year and First-Team All-Conference. In all, UTPB had 22 All-Lone Star Conference selections, which was the most Falcons honored in one season by the LSC in program history. UTPB was 8-0 in road LSC games through two seasons with Coach McCullough.

In 2025, UTPB made the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the second time in program history and for the second time in the last three seasons, and advanced to the Super Region Final (NCAA Quarterfinals) for the first time in program history. UTPB finished the season 11-3 overall, setting a program record for wins in a single season while also earning the first two playoff wins in program history, and was in a three-team tie for second in the Lone Star Conference with a 7-2 record. In regard to the national rankings, UTPB broke into the top-10 of both the D2Football.com Media Poll and the American Football Coaches' Association (AFCA) Coaches’ Poll for the first time in program history, and set regular-season records for ranking as high as No. 4 in the D2Football.com Poll and No. 6 in the AFCA Poll following its 5-0 start to the season. During the playoffs the Falcons were ranked No. 10 in the AFCA Poll. Following the conclusion of the season, UTPB was ranked as the No. 3 team in the country in the D2Football.com Poll, setting new program record for the highest national ranking in program history, and was ranked No. 5 in the final AFCA poll. The Falcons finished the year 4-2 against nationally-ranked opponents (all top-15), and were the only team in the country with three wins over teams ranked in the top-five. Those wins included a 34-14 victory over the No. 5-ranked University of Central Oklahoma (Aug. 30) during the Falcons' highest-ranked season opening matchup in program history, a 28-14 win at No. 5-ranked Angelo State University (Oct. 4) in the ESPN NCAA Division II Game of the Week (UTPB's first game in program history where both teams were ranked in the top-10), a 37-24 victory at No. 4-ranked and No. 3-seeded Colorado State University Pueblo (Nov. 22) in the first round of the NCAA Playoffs (representing the highest nationally-ranked win in program history), and a 21-15 comeback win on the road in overtime in the second round at No. 15-ranked Western Colorado University (Nov. 29). UTPB fell in the 2025 NCAA Division II Football Championship Super Region 4 Final with a 34-28 loss at No. 2-ranked Harding University (Dec. 6). The UTPB offense scored the most points by any team against Harding this season, and was the only one-score game the Bisons had been in all season. Under Coach McCullough the Falcons are now 4-1 against top-10 opponents. In the end, the Falcon football team became the first UTPB athletic program to advance to the Elite Eight in the NCAA Division II era. On September 27, UTPB defeated Midwestern State University 37-15 at home as Coach McCullough earned his 30th career win (30-10) between his three years at UTPB and one year at East Central. He is believed to be the fifth head college football coach to win 30 games before turning 30. Then on November 15, UTPB defeated Sul Ross State University 74-10 to wrap up the regular season and make Coach McCullough the Falcons' all-time winningest coach with 26 wins at the time. Coach McCullough also earned his first head coaching win in the state of Colorado during UTPB's 41-7 victory at Adams State University (Sept. 6), and in all, the Falcons finished the season 3-0 in Colorado, unofficially earning the moniker as "Colorado State Champs."

As a team in 2025, UTPB ranked first in all of NCAA Division II and the Lone Star Conference in total passing offense (4,622 yards), ranked first in DII and the LSC in first downs (367 first downs), ranked fourth in DII and first in the LSC in total offense (6,467 yards), ranked 21st in DII and second in the LSC in third-down conversion percentage (46.2 percent), ranked ninth in DII and first in the LSC in fourth-down conversion percentage (71.8 percent), ranked 16th in DII and third in the LSC in scoring offense (37.1 points per game), ranked fifth in DII and first in the LSC in offensive touchdowns (68 touchdowns), ranked third in DII and first in the LSC in passing defense (151.5 yards per game), ranked 20th in DII and first in the LSC in total defense (304.1 yards per game), ranked fifth in DII and first in the LSC in team passing efficiency defense (99.49 efficiency), and ranked 21st in DII and second in the LSC in scoring defense (19.1 points per game). The Falcons also set new program records for passing completions (363), passing attempts (564), passing yards (4,622), passing touchdowns (36), total touchdowns (70), points (520), total offensive plays (1,046), and total yards of offense (6,467) in a single season. 

On the 2025 All-LSC awards' list, the Falcons set a new program record for the most all-conference players honored in one season (27) for the third year in a row under Coach McCullough. Under McCullough's watch, junior linebacker Tristan Exline became just the second Falcon to be named an Associated Press All-American (First-Team), a Don Hansen All-American (Second-Team), a D2CCA All-American (FIrst-Team and an AFCA All-American (Second-Team) all in the same season. Throughout the season, Exline was also named the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year (J.V. Sikes Award), was the LSC Linebacker of the Year for the second year in a row, was a two-time LSC Defensive Player of the Week and a two-time D2Football.com National Defensive Player of the Week, and was named to the First-Team D2CCA All-Super Region Four Team. He was the first LSC Defensive Player of the Year in program history and was just the second Falcon to be named a two-time LSC Linebacker of the Year. Exline was also named as one of 36 initial nominees for the 2025 Harlon Hill Trophy (Division II College Football Player of the Year), becoming the fourth Falcon to be nominated for the award. It was later announced that Exline finished in the top-six in regional voting from Super Region Four and was listed as an official "Harlon Hill Candidate", becoming just the second player in program history to reach that stage in the voting. With a tackle for loss in the Falcons' second-round playoff win at Western Colorado (Nov. 29), Exline broke the UTPB record for tackles for loss in a single season (19.5). He also broke the Falcons' single-season record for solo tackles (80). On the offensive side of the ball, junior quarterback Kanon Gibson was twice named the LSC Offensive Player of the Week and broke the Falcons' single-season records for completions (317), passing attempts (497), passing touchdowns (31), passing yards (3,990) and total offense (4,524 yards). In addition, Gibson's 4,425 yards of total offense ranked first in all of NCAA Division II and the LSC.

McCullough took over the Falcons after a season as head coach at East Central University (DII) in Ada, Oklahoma. McCullough led the Tigers to a 9-3 record in the difficult Great American Conference (GAC) that culminated in a victory over Texas A&M – Kingsville in the Fun Town RV Heritage Bowl. Three players would go on to earn All-Super Region Three honors while 16 were named to the All-GAC Team. Linebacker Devon Roush was named GAC Defensive Player of the Year on a defense that forced 28 turnovers and led the nation in turnover differential. 
 
"What Kris has done in a short amount of time in charge of a football program is quite remarkable," said Todd 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. His first two seasons in Ada saw the team go 3-8 before his promotion. Since then the Tigers went 19-7, including an upset of former Lone Star Conference rival and now Division I school Tarleton State. 
 
"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 for 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!"
 
Prior to his success in Ada, McCullough was the Running Backs Coach and Assistant Special Teams Coordinator at Fairmont State from 2017-18. There he helped develop Terrell Charles, who finished top-10 in Fairmont State history in rushing yards and touchdowns. In the Spring and Summer of 2017, he was the Offensive Quality Control Analyst and Assistant Quarterbacks Coach at Old Dominion.
 
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 its first NCAA Division II Playoff game after winning the GAC.

 

McCullough at UTPB
Year	Season at UTPB	Overall Record	Conference Record	Conference Finish/Accolades
2023	1st	10-2	8-0	1st LSC (LSC Champions) Advanced to NCAA Division II Playoffs Named LSC Coach of the Year Named The College Football Network D2 Coach the Year Named All-Texas Non-FBS Coach of The Year
2024	2nd	7-5	6-3	T-3rd LSC Played in 2024 Heritage Bowl
2025	3rd	11-3	7-2	T-2nd LSC Advanced to NCAA Division II Quarterfinals
Overall		28-10 (.737 pct.)	21-5 (.808 pct.)	One-Time LSC Coach of the Year One LSC Championship Two NCAA Division II Playoff Appearances