Zach Kittley Named Hagerty Family Head Football Coach

BOCA RATON,Fla. – Florida Atlantic Vice President and Director of Athletics BrianWhite announced Monday that Zach Kittley has been named the school's HagertyFamily Head Football Coach. One of the brightest and most innovative offensiveminds in college football, Kittley comes to Boca Raton after three seasons asthe offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Texas Tech.

Kittley signed his agreement Monday and will be officially introduced to theFlorida Atlantic community with a press conference at FAU Stadium on Friday.Details on the press conference will be forthcoming.

At the time of his hire, Kittley is the youngest head coach in the FootballBowl Subdivision (FBS) at age 33.

"I am thrilled to welcome Zach, his wife Emily, and their boys Knox, Ford,and Rhoads to the Florida Atlantic family," said White. "Following anextensive search with a tremendous amount of interest from candidates acrossthe country, Zach emerged as the ideal choice to be our next head coach. He isa man of high integrity and character, with an incredible reputation in theprofession for player development. Zach is one of the most innovative offensiveminds in the game, and I am confident in his ability to build a championshipprogram with an exciting brand of football that can be a source of pride forour fans, our alumni, and the FAU community."

"What was clearly evident to me was Zach's passion and excitement for thepotential at Florida Atlantic," said President Stacy Volnick. "He isan incredibly impressive person. I am excited about his authenticity, hisenergy, and his family-oriented approach. He is an ideal fit, and I welcomehim, his wife Emily, and his family to our University and I look forward to theleadership he will provide our program."

"I am thrilled at this opportunity to be the head coach at Florida Atlantic," said Kittley. "I am extremely grateful. I want to thank Vice President and Director of Athletics Brian White and President Stacy V olnick for believing in me to take over this nationally-regarded program. I know we can win here, and we have tremendous leadership from the top down to create a championship program. I am excited to get to know the student-athletes, build a staff, and get out in the community, and engage our tremendous supporters. My wife, Emily, and my family are excited and can't wait to get to Boca Raton!"

CAREER SUMMARY

 Kittley brings 12 years of Division I coaching experience to Florida Atlantic, beginning with his time as a student assistant and graduate assistant coach at Texas Tech from 2013 to 2017. His first full-time coaching appointment came at age 26 when he was named offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Houston Christian (Houston Baptist) from 2018 to 2020. He moved to Western Kentucky as the offensive coordinator and QB coach in 2021 and returned to his alma mater three seasons ago in the same position.

A highly-regarded developer of quarterbacks, Kittley, has been the architect ofthe prolific offenses at each of his stops while coaching the likes of futureNFL signal-callers Patrick Mahomes II, Bailey Zappe, and Davis Webb. In hisseven seasons as an offensive coordinator, quarterback coach, and play-caller,Kittley's teams have averaged 457.3 yards and 34.8 points per game.

Each of his last four seasons have produced bowl-eligible teams, beginning in2021 with Western Kentucky beating Appalachian State, 59-38, in the Boca RatonBowl at FAU Stadium to cap a 9-5 season. Texas Tech has been bowl eligible ineach of the last three years, with the Red Raiders beating Ole Miss in theTexas Bowl in 2022, beating California in the 2023 Independence Bowl, and going8-4 this past season.

At Texas Tech (2022-present; 2013-2017)

Kittley wasnamed the offensive coordinator and quarterback at his alma mater on December6, 2021, returning to Lubbock after beginning his coaching career as a studentassistant in 2013 and rising to graduate assistant and assistant quarterbackscoach his final three seasons.

Working alongside former Tech head coach Kliff Kingsbury in the development ofMahomes, Kittley tutored the future NFL MVP into becoming the nation's leadingpasser in 2016 and an eventual top-10 selection by the Kansas City Chiefs. FutureNFL draft pick Davis Webb, now the quarterbacks coach for the Denver Broncos,was also in Lubbock during Kittley's first stint.

In Kittley's first season as the offensive coordinator in 2022, he cemented hisreputation as a quarterback developer as Texas Tech's offense managedconsistent numbers despite numerous injuries behind center. Each of the threeRed Raider starters at quarterback threw for at least 1,000 yards as Texas Techbecame just the second team since 1996 to have three different QBs throw for atleast 1,000 yards in the same season.

Texas Tech averaged 34.2 points per game in 2022 en route to an impressive 8-5record that included a win in the TaxAct Texas Bowl over Ole Miss. The RedRaiders led the Big 12 and ranked ninth nationally in passing offense in 2022,averaging 302.0 yards per game through the air as part of a unit that was inthe top-25 nationally and second in the Big 12 for total offense.

With significant injuries under center again in 2023, Kittley adapted hisoffense to a more balanced attack with junior running back Tahj Brooks, whobecame only the fifth Red Raider in program history to rush for at least 1,500yards in a season. Brooks, an All-Big 12 first team honoree, ranked fourth inthe nation in rushing yards to push the Red Raiders to another 5-4 mark in Big12 play and a victory in the Radiant Technologies Independence Bowl over Cal.

This season, with a healthy Morton starting all 12 games at quarterback andBrooks amassing another 1,500 yards on the ground, the Red Raiders are 8-4 andranked top-10 nationally in nearly every offensive metric, including 10th intotal offense, eighth in scoring and ninth in passing. The team averaged 459.8yards in total offense and scored 38.6 points per game to lead the Big 12 ineach. Individually, Morton is top-10 nationally in yards per game andtouchdowns, while Brooks has amassed 1,505 yards on the ground to rank thirdnationally in rushing average at 136.8 yards – the first back-to-back1,500-yard rusher at Texas Tech in school history.

In total, five different quarterbacks have started under center duringKittley's 38 games as offensive coordinator the past three seasons, includingtwo true freshmen at the time in Morton and Jake Strong. In games that Mortonstarted last season and did not leave due to injury, the Red Raiders were 6-1as he garnered honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades by the conference coachesafter throwing for 1,757 yards and 15 touchdowns over his eight starts.

Western Kentucky (2021)

Behind thearm of Zappe, who followed Kittley from Houston Christian to WKU, Kittleytransformed the Hilltoppers into one of the nation's most explosive offenses,averaging an impressive 44.2 points per game and 535.3 yards of total offense.Western Kentucky closed the 2021 campaign as the FBS leader in passing yardsper game (433.7) and first downs (384) and ranked second for both scoringoffense and total offense and then 13th in red zone offense after scoring in90.9 percent of their appearances inside the 20.

Just the sixth quarterback in FBS history to record at least 5,000 passingyards and 50 touchdowns, Zappe was named the Conference USA Most ValuablePlayer as well as the winner of the Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award. He was alsoa finalist for the prestigious Manning Award and a semifinalist for both theDavey O'Brien and Walter Camp Player of the Year awards. His 5,967 passingyards and 62 passing touchdowns were each single-season FCS records.

Zappe was the highest-drafted quarterback in WKU history when he was selectedin fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. Zappe hasspent three years in the NFL with Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs and theCleveland Browns.
 
The year prior to Kittley's arrival at WKU, the Hilltoppers went 5-7, averaging19.0 points and 290.3 yards per game.

Houston Christian (2018-2020)

Kittley washired as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Houston Christianin 2018 and spent three seasons constructing one of the top offenses in theFootball Championship Subdivision (FCS).

In the first season under Kittley, the Huskies doubled their offensiveproduction from the year prior, racking up 4,337 yards of offense, 301 pointsand 41 touchdowns – 2,975, 150 and 18, respectively, in 2017.

Zappe led the nation with 35 passing touchdowns in 2019 as Houston Christianimproved its record from 1-10 in 2018 to 5-7 in 2019. He ranked second inpassing yards per game for a Huskies offense that was third nationally inpassing offense with 334.3 yards per game through the air. Houston Christianalso ranked second in the Southland Conference and 12th nationally afterposting 426.6 yards of total offense that season.

During its COVID-shortened 2020 season, Houston Christian continuallyfrustrated FBS opponents as Zappe, who later transferred to Western Kentuckyafter Kittley's hire, completed 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,833 yards and15 touchdowns with only one interception over four games.
 

PERSONAL

A native ofLubbock, Kittley originally attended Abilene Christian to play basketballbefore transferring back to Texas Tech to complete his bachelor's in history in2014. He earned his master's degree in interdisciplinary studies from theuniversity in 2016.

Kittley and his wife, Emily, were married in February of 2017 and are parentsto three boys, Knox, Ford, and Rhoads. Kittley is the son of Wes Kittley, TexasTech's longtime Director of Track and Field, who has led the Red Raiders to twonational titles at the 2019 NCAA Men's Outdoor Championships and most recentlyat the 2024 NCAA Men's Indoor Championships.
 

ZACH KITTLEYFILE

Hometown:Lubbock, Texas
Education: Texas Tech, 2014 (Bachelor's in History); Texas Tech, 2016 (Master'sin Interdisciplinary Studies)
Wife: Emily
Children: Knox, Ford, Rhoads
Birthday: August 14, 1991

KITTLEY'S COACHING CAREER
2025 – Florida Atlantic (Head Coach)
2022-2024 – Texas Tech (Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks)
2021 – Western Kentucky (Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks)
2018-20 – Houston Christian (Offensive Coordinator, Quarterbacks)
2015-17 – Texas Tech (Graduate Assistant; Assistant Quarterbacks)
2013-14 – Texas Tech (Student Assistant; Offensive Intern)

POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE
2024 – Bowl TBD – Texas Tech
2023 – Independence Bowl – Texas Tech (def. California, 34-14)
2022 – Texas Bowl – Texas Tech (def. Ole Miss, 42-25)
2021 – Boca Raton Bowl – Western Kentucky (def. Appalachian State, 59-38)
2017 – Birmingham Bowl – Texas Tech
2015 – Texas Bowl – Texas Tech
2013 – Holiday Bowl – Texas Tech (def. Arizona State, 37-23)
 
ZACH KITTLEY HIGHLIGHTS

• One of the nation's most highly-regarded offensive     coordinators and quarterback coaches, Kittley has aided in the development     of NFL quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Bailey Zappe and Davis Webb
• Twelve seasons as a Division I assistant coach,     including the last seven as an offensive coordinator, quarterback coach     and play-caller.
• As a full-time offensive coordinator for seven     seasons, Kittley's teams have averaged 457.3 yards and 34.8 points per     game.
• Led the FBS in passing offense, ranking second in     total offense and second in scoring offense in 2021 at Western Kentucky.
• Ranked eighth nationally in scoring offense this     season at Texas Tech, while ranking 10^th in total offense     and ninth in passing offense.
• Led the FCS in passing offense in 2020 at Houston     Christian
• Has ranked in the top-25 nationally in passing     offense six times in seven seasons as an offensive coordinator.
• Has ranked in top-25 nationally in total offense     five times in seven seasons as OC
• Has ranked in top-25 nationally in scoring offense     four times in seven seasons
• Been part of seven bowl-eligible teams in 12 years     as a coach (4-2 record, won three straight).
• Kittley's arrival at Houston Christian produced a     46% increase in total yards (2,975 to 4,337), a 56% increase in touchdowns     (18 to 41), and a 100% increase in total points (150 to 301) from the year     prior
• His arrival at Western Kentucky produced a 115%     increase in total yards (3,484 to 7,507), a 192% increase in touchdowns     (27 to 79), and a 171% increase in total points (228 to 619) from the year     prior

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