BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. (December 14, 2019) – Gardner-Webb announced Saturday afternoon that Tre Lamb has been named head football coach.

An introductory press conference is scheduled for Monday, December 16, at 2:30 pm in Tucker Student Center on campus.

"We are thrilled to have Tre Lamb agree to lead our football program at Gardner-Webb University," said GWU President Dr. William Downs. "He quickly rose to the top of a large and distinguished list of interested coaches with his bold vision, his unmatched energy and his confident commitment to winning championships at GWU. Tre comes from a long line of successful football coaches, and leading young men to victory is in his DNA. His plan to immediately and positively impact our student-athletes is impressive, and we couldn't be more excited."

Lamb most recently served as offensive coordinator at Ohio Valley Conference member Tennessee Tech for the past two seasons and has developed a national reputation as a rising star in the coaching industry.

"Tre is a great fit for our university and football program," said Vice President for Athletics Chuck Burch. "The young men on our roster will be empowered by his genuine love for the game and interest in building our team to its full potential. We spoke with many very impressive candidates during this process, but Tre proved himself to be the most impressive choice."

Football runs deep in the Lamb family, with Tre Lamb the latest to rise to the position of head coach. 

His father, Hal, recently retired after a legendary career and three state titles at Calhoun (Ga.) High. His grandfather, Ray, won three state championships during a career that included head coaching stops at Warren County (Ga.) High, Commerce (Ga.) High and Monroe Area (Ga.) High. Uncle Bobby Lamb has more than 100 wins and four national playoff appearances during a Division I coaching career at Furman and Mercer.

"This is a dream come true for me and I want to thank Dr. Downs, Chuck Burch and the rest of the search committee for their confidence in my ability to lead this program," said Lamb. "Gardner-Webb is a program with great potential. Our approach on the field will be innovative and fun. We will recruit young men who will represent this school and community with class and integrity. Our students, alumni and fans will enjoy watching the Runnin' Bulldogs play football on Saturdays."

Lamb was part of a coaching staff at Tennessee Tech in 2019 that engineered one of the biggest turnarounds in Division I FCS nationally. The Golden Eagles won just two games combined in 2017 and 2018, but bumped that win total to six games this past season. 

Lamb's offensive mastery was on full display in last season's opener, as the Golden Eagles racked up 671 yards of total offense in a 59-58 win over Samford. Tennessee Tech went on to score more than 30 points five times in 2019 and finished second in the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring offense (29.0 ppg) and offensive plays (893).

The Golden Eagles ranked third in the conference in pass offense and pass efficiency, fourth in rushing offense – and led the OVC in time of possession.

Quarterback Bailey Fisher broke six Tech records on his way to a second-team All-OVC nod. The sophomore passed for 2,643 yards and 21 touchdowns while rushing for 489 more and 11 scores. Freshman receiver Metrius Fleming also earned All-OVC honors after catching 47 balls for 629 yards and three touchdowns. He also had two rushing touchdowns, a 91-yard kick return touchdown and 1,200 all-purpose yards.

Fisher was named the OVC Freshman of the Year under Lamb's guidance in 2018 and was a finalist for the prestigious STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award.

Prior to returning to his alma mater, Lamb called the plays for Mercer in 2017 and spent four seasons as the quarterbacks coach for the Bears. He mentored John Russ to an outstanding career and helped freshman Kaelan Riley to a spot on the Jerry Rice Award Watch List and Southern Conference Freshman of the Year honors in 2017. Lamb served as the quarterbacks coach at Tennessee Tech in 2013.

As a player, Lamb played quarterback at Tennessee Tech from 2009-2012, serving as team captain his final three seasons. He led the Golden Eagles to an OVC title in 2011, the program's first since 1975, and a spot in the NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs for the first time. Lamb was outstanding during his team's title run, directing an offense that set nine school records, including single-season marks for points scored (355), scoring average (32.3 ppg) and most first downs in a season (238).

The program's Robert Hill Johnson Award winner, Lamb set three individual school records himself in 2011, establishing new marks for single-game attempts and completions and the single-season record for total offense with 2,555 yards.

He finished his career with 5,301 passing yards, which ranks third in program history. He passed for a school-record 481 yards vs. Southeast Missouri State as a senior.

Lamb played for his father, Hal, at Calhoun (Ga.) High before joining the college ranks, posting a 21-4 record as a starter under center. A first-team All-State selection in 2007, he passed for 2,232 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior.

Lamb graduated from Tennessee Tech with a degree in interdisciplinary studies education and exercise science.

He and his wife, Carter, recently welcomed daughter Olivia James on December 5, 2019.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT GARDNER-WEBB HEAD COACH TRE LAMB

Georgia Head Coach Kirby Smart
"Tre is a rising star in college football. He knows football and he knows how to create a culture of winning. He will do great things at Gardner-Webb!"
 
Charlotte Head Coach Will Healy
"I've spent a lot of time around Tre. I think he is the right man for the job. He is a true relationship builder and will connect with his players. He is a tremendous offensive mind. He did a great job helping build a program at Mercer and resurrecting a program at Tennessee Tech. What an awesome hire by Gardner-Webb."
 
Tennessee Tech Head Coach Dewayne Alexander
"With Tre, you're getting somebody who's very intelligent, a really smart football coach. He's been around the game his whole life. His grandad was a great coach. His dad was a great coach. His uncle is a great coach. He's a football junkie. Tre is a very competitive guy and has lots of passion and energy for the job. He's also a person of high character. His values are tremendous and he exhibits those every day. He never has a bad day. People, from student-athletes to alumni and fans, will be around him and be excited about football. We are going to miss him, but this is a great opportunity for him as head coach at Gardner-Webb."
 
South Carolina Offensive Coordinator Mike Bobo
"Tre comes from a great football family. He is smart, hard-working, and on the cutting edge of college football. He will energize the Gardner-Webb football program!"
 
Former Tennessee Tech Head Coach Watson Brown
"Tre is a great hire for Gardner-Webb. He was a great quarterback on our Tech team that won an OVC championship for first time in 36 years. He's been an outstanding Offensive Coordinator at Tech as well. He's one of the outstanding young coaches on the rise. Tre is ready for this and will do a great job. I couldn't be more proud of him."
 
Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterbacks Coach Clyde Christenson
"Tre is one of the most exciting, emerging talents in football. He knows how to connect with his players, has a history of developing strong quarterbacks and will get the most out of his team. He will win at Gardner-Webb the right way."
 
Former Furman and Mercer Head Coach Bobby Lamb
"Tre is one of the bright young coaches in the business. He is a man of character and integrity and will be a great influence on the student-athletes. Tre has a great offensive mind and will bring an exciting brand of football to Gardner-Webb."