Veteran assistant coach Travis Cunningham enters his 16th season on the Gardner-Webb coaching staff and second as defensive coordinator in 2017. One of the region’s most respected young defensive minds, Cunningham quickly excelled in his new role – particularly with in-game adjustments. Cunningham will continue to coach Gardner-Webb’s inside linebackers, in addition to his lead role on the defensive side of the football.
His 2016 unit improved steadily as the year progressed, with linebacker Chad Geter earning FCS All-America honors and running mate Aaron Cook landing a spot on the All-Big South team. The Gardner-Webb defense produced four total All-Big South Conference performers in 2016, with Geter leading the league with 118 total tackles – earning a spot on the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List as well. The Runnin’ Bulldogs ranked in the top-3 among Big South program’s defensively in total defense, scoring defense and rushing defense. The ‘Dogs ranked second in red zone defense, an all-important stat that has become a fine tradition in Boiling Springs.
Cunningham and the GWU defense were excellent in 2015 statistically, finishing No. 13 nationally in total defense (300.5 ypg), No. 3 in third down conversion defense (25.9 percent), No. 3 in red zone touchdowns allowed (9), No. 7 in passing defense (151.5 ypg), No. 6 in first down defense (15.0 per game), No. 19 in red zone defense (69.0 percent), No. 23 in scoring defense (20.6 ppg) and No. 24 in tackles for loss per game (7.4). GWU held four opponents to less than 100 yards rushing in 2015, including each of the last two games of the season. Six teams failed to rush for more than 150 yards on the season against the Runnin’ Bulldogs.
In 2013 Cunningham was part of a defense staff that directed GWU to a No. 5 ranking in total defense (296.8 ypg) and led the Big South Conference in rushing defense (122.5 ypg), pass defense (174.2 ypg), pass efficiency defense (114.0 rating), opponent first downs, third down conversion defense (32.2 percent), sacks (27) and fourth down conversion defense (25.0 percent).
Cunningham has continually churned out excellent production from his linebacker unit. He has coached seven of the program’s top-20 career tacklers for at least one season. A total of 20 players have earned All-Conference honors under Cunningham’s guidance and six have been named to postseason All-America teams. Two players – Mario Brown in 2008 and Jeffery Williams in 2009 – have been named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List. Former standout Tory Atkins, who was Gardner-Webb’s first Division I All-America selection in 2001, was inducted into the Gardner-Webb Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.
Cunningham also has experience coaching in the secondary, mentoring All-Big South Conference freshman Daniel Cooke at safety in 2005. Cooke went on to earn All-Big South honors four times on the gridiron – one of only seven student-athletes to do so in league history. Cooke topped that feat one year later, earning All-Big South Conference honors in baseball as well as a standout in left field.
Cunningham also coached the team’s linebackers in 2003 and 2004, and spent the 2001-2002 seasons as a student assistant linebackers’ coach when GWU utilized a four-linebacker scheme. During his time with the Bulldog inside linebackers, Cunningham saw Keppy Baucom earn All-Big South honors three times in as many seasons, with Baucom leading the 2004 Bulldogs with 90 total tackles. His 2003 unit, spearheaded by Baucom, Jonathan Little, Adam Wagner and J.P. Weaver, developed into one of the region’s most consistent and effective groups.
Under Cunningham’s guidance in 2002, Baucom earned first-team All-Big South honors and was named Big South Freshman of the Year after leading the league’s rookies with 75 total tackles. Four of Cunningham’s pupils – Baucom, Brown, Patterson and Williams – earned All-Big South honors three times. Brown was also named the Big South’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2009, in addition to earning ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District honors.
Cunningham, a native of Knoxville,?Tenn., played two seasons at Gardner-Webb, making his mark as a long snapper and as a hard-nosed special teams coverage man. Prior to enrolling at Gardner-Webb, Cunningham was a standout in football and baseball at Powell (Tenn.)?High in Knoxville.
Cunningham graduated from?Gardner-Webb in August, 2003, with an undergraduate degree in Physical Education. He and his wife, the former Kelly King, reside in Boiling Springs.
