BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb University Vice President and Director of Athletics Brendan Fahey has announced the hiring of Kris McCullough as the new head coach of the Gardner-Webb football program
 
McCullough arrives at Gardner-Webb, having most previously served as the head coach at the University of Texas-Permian Basin, a position he held from December of 2022 when he was hired as the youngest head coach in college football. Prior to his time in Odessa, McCullough also spent one successful season as the head coach of East Central University where he led the Tigers to a nine-win season, one season as the running backs coach and special team coordinator at Fairmont State, a short spell as the offensive quality control and assistant quarterback coach at Old Dominion University, and two seasons as an undergraduate assistant coach at Henderson State University. In all, McCullough has a decade of experience at various levels and positions as a college football coach

"We are thrilled to welcome Kris McCullough as the next head coach of Gardner-Webb Football," said Fahey. "Kris' proven track record speaks for itself - with 37 victories over four excellent seasons, two playoff appearances, and a program that has consistently competed at the highest level. He has built a culture of excellence both on and off the field, developing young men who succeed at the next level. Kris' ability to recruit elite talent, develop players, and win championships makes him an ideal leader here at Gardner-Webb. We are excited to welcome Kris and his entire family into the Gardner-Webb family and couldn't be more excited about the future of Runnin' Bulldogs football with him at the helm"

While leading the University of Texas-Permian Basin program, McCullough guided the Falcons to a pair of NCAA Division II playoff appearances in 2023 and 2025, and the Heritage Bowl in 2024. He helped lead the program to a 10-2 record and the first Lone Star Conference title in school history in his debut season at the helm in 2023, and a national ranking as high as No. 18. His final season at Texas-Permian Basin was perhaps his finest, guiding the Falcons to a program-record 11 wins, a first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals, and a national ranking of No. 3 in the final AFCA poll, the first time the Falcons ever ended a season inside the top-five of a major poll. In addition, the Falcons placed 27 players on All-Lone Star Conference teams and ranked near the top of NCAA Division II in various categories in 2025, including first in total passing yards, third in passing offense, fourth in total yards and fifth in total touchdowns, and third in pass defense. Linebacker Tristan Exline was named a 2025 Harlon Hill Trophy finalist under the guidance of McCullough as well, the award given the nation's best Division II player in a given season.
 
"My family and I are excited to get to Boiling Springs and become part of the Runnin' Bulldog family," said McCullough. This is an awesome opportunity and a program with rich history, and it will take every Runnin' Bulldog to continue to move this program forward. Sko Dawgs!"

During his time at Texas-Permian Basin, McCullough landed several individual awards and accolades as well, including 2023 Lone Star Conference Coach of The Year, 2023 Dave Campbell All-Texas Non-FBS Coach of The Year and 2023 College Football Network D2 Coach of The Year. Furthermore, McCullough was named a Dave Campbell Texas Football "40 Under 40" selection, an AFCA "35 Under 35" Leadership Institute selection, a 247Sports.com "30 Under 30" selection, and saw his team nominated as an Allstate AFCA Good Works team. McCullough did all this on top of becoming just the fourth coach in college football history to win 30 games before the age of 30, joining the likes of all-time football greats such as Pop Warner

Prior to his time at Texas-Permian Basin, McCullough held several different positions at East Central University between 2018 and 2022, including a brief stint as interim head coach before eventually being promoted to lead the program. McCullough worked his way up the East Central staff, beginning as the quarterbacks coach and special team coordinator in 2018, before taking on the role of offensive coordinator in 2020. He'd add an assistant coach title to his name in 2021 while continuing to coach quarterbacks and serve as offensive coordinator, before finally being promoted to interim head coach in March of 2022. After a successful stint as interim, McCullough was named the full-time head coach in October of that year. The 2022 season proved to be a successful one for McCullough in his first season as a college head coach, leading East Central it's best season since 1993 by finishing with a 9-3 record and a Heritage Bowl victory, doing so with a team that led NCAA Division II in turnover margin, and scored just shy of 30 points per game. Under McCullough, the 2022 East Central team also posted the second-least number of turnovers in the country, ranked third for time of possession, while finishing second in forced turnovers on the defensive end

Other coaching stops for McCullough have included Fairmont State University, Old Dominion University and Henderson State University, all in offensive and special team assistant roles. In 2017, McCullough helped lead Fairmont State to an 8-3 season as the program's running back coach and assistant special team coordinator, developing running back Terrell Charles who posted over 2,000 yards for the season, a mark that is top ten in program history. Fairmont State continued a strong upward trajectory with McCullough on staff between 2017 and 2018, where the program placed top-30 in interceptions thrown and turnovers lost, and top-40 in the nation for turnover margin
 
Prior to Fairmont State, McCullough was the offensive quality control and assistant quarterbacks coach at Old Dominion between May and July of 2017 and served as an undergraduate assistant at Henderson State, where with the latter he was part of an 11-2 team in 2015, winning the GAC and making the first NCAA Division II semifinals in Henderson State history. His time at Henderson State allowed McCullough to work with one of the nation's best offenses, with the 2016 Fairmont State team throwing for nearly 300 yards per game and averaging nearly 500 yards per game, both marks top 25 nationally. The 2015 Henderson State team was also the GAC conference leader in turnover margin, fourth in completion percentage, and fifth in red zone completion percentage.

A native of Pine Bluff, Arkansas, McCullough was a multi-sport athlete in high school, playing both football and baseball at Watson Chapel High School. McCullough is a 2017 graduate of Henderson State University, where he received his Bachelor of Integrated Studies in 2017. He'd go on to complete his Master's in Sports Administration from Arkansas State in 2019. Joining McCullough at Gardner-Webb is Hannah, his wife of seven years, and their two children, SJ and KJ