Photos of Head Coach Kris McCullough and the Falcons courtesy of UTPB.
The Atlantic examines UTPB football coach Kris McCullough’s early successes
The University of Texas Permian Basin’s (UTPB) new head football coach, the nation’s youngest coach at 28, is in the national spotlight for leading the Falcons to their best ever season since launching as a program in 2016.
Just one day before the Falcons (9-1) are set to face Central Washington for the Lone Star Conference championship, The Atlantic published a profile of Head Coach Kris McCullough with the aim of understanding the ingredients to his early successes.
The article details examples of his raw talent and dedication to studying game film. It also goes into the reasons McCullough chose to take on the UTPB role one year after leading East Central to its best record, 9-3, since becoming an NCAA-level program. The Atlantic cites West Texas’ rich pool of football talent, and also its resources. McCullough lauded the region’s “top-notch” facilities, its nearby airport supporting recruiting, and financial support from the booming oil and gas industry.
It’s also what McCullough is doing with local resources that is making the difference, the article indicates. In May, UTPB announced that McCullough found a donor in Cindy and Homer Daniels to help create a nutrition center for UTPB student-athletes. He also “added player amenities in the locker room like a PlayStation, cornhole boards and massage chairs,” which made the facility feel more like an elite program and encouraged players to stay and bond, according to the report.
“The culture change clicked in as soon as the season started,” notes The Atlantic.
For The Atlantic’s full report on McCullough, go here.
Find this story in audio for blind and low-vision adults 2 pm daily on The Recording Library of West Texas radio station www.recordinglibrary.org live stream.
