Bennett Houston is in his first year with the Gardner-Webb football staff, serving as Director of Football Operations and coaching the team’s receivers. Houston joined the Runnin’ Bulldogs after serving two seasons as a graduate assistant at North Greenville University on the Division II level. In addition to his work with the Gardner-Webb receiving corps, Houston will also handle the day-to-day logistics, planning and other duties as assigned in his role as Director of Football Operations.
During his two seasons as a graduate assistant with the Crusaders, Houston worked with the defensive backs, a position he also worked with for three seasons as a student assistant coach. Houston also worked with the Crusaders’ linebackers prior to his involvement with the secondary. In 2016, Houston was part of a North Greenville staff that directed the Crusaders to an outstanding campaign. NGU finished with a sparkling 9-5 record overall – including a 5-1 mark at home. That lone loss came in a competitive game against eventual SoCon champion and NCAA Division I FCS playoff participant The Citadel in early October. The Crusaders picked off 17 passes on the season, with 10 different players getting into the act. North Greenville also broke up 58 passes, helping limit opponents to a 125.10 pass efficiency rating. North Greenville advanced to the NCAA Division II Playoffs before falling to North Alabama in the second round.
North Greenville intercepted 14 passes as a team in 2015, with 35 break ups – holding opponents to a 109.40 pass efficiency rating. That effort helped the Crusaders to a solid 7-3 mark, which included a 4-0 record at home. Houston was on staff as an undergraduate assistant in 2014, helping North Greenville to a 7-5 record and a win in the 2014 NCCAA Victory Bowl over Shorter. The Crusaders’ defense picked off 18 passes, limited opponents to a cold 102.60 pass efficiency rating and returned two interceptions for touchdowns.
He was a student on head coach Carroll McCray’s staff as a sophomore in 2012, working with a secondary that intercepted 12 passes – and helping a staff mold the Crusaders past a tough start to win five times in the final six games.
Houston’s freshman season at North Greenville was a magical one, as he was part of a staff that led the Crusaders to an 11-3 mark and a trip the NCAA Division II quarterfinals. That included two-straight wins over nationally-ranked teams in November before a narrow, 28-23, loss at 8th-ranked Delta State to close the season.
North Greenville won nine consecutive games before its loss to the Statesmen, including wins over traditional South Atlantic Conference contenders Lenoir-Rhyne, Carson-Newman and Catawba. The Crusaders then whipped No. 19 Mars Hill, 58-32, in the Division II playoffs. North Greenville’s defense was particularly disruptive, recording 75 tackles for loss, 21 sacks and 24 interceptions on the season.
Houston, a native of Easley, S.C., graduated from North Greenville in 2015 with a degree in sports management – with a focus on coaching. He completed his master’s degree in December 2016 at North Greenville, graduating with a degree in business administration (MBA).
