Kliff Kingsbury No Longer Division I's Youngest Head Football Coach

By Kris Hughes

 

Bob Donnan – USA TODAY SPORTS

Just a few days ago former Texas Tech Red Raiders quarterback Kliff Kingsbury was named the school’s new head football coach taking over for the departed Tommy Tuberville and moving over from Texas A&M where he was the offensive coordinator under Kevin Sumlin.

At the time, Kingsbury was the youngest head coach in Division I football at the age of 33.

It turns out that honor was short-lived.

Enter P.J. Fleck.

The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers assistant was named the new head coach of the Western Michigan Broncos earlier today and takes over the reins as the country’s youngest DI coach at the age of 32.

As seems to be the trend as of late, Fleck was brought in by Western Michigan due to his energy and enthusiasm, both of which will be needed in large supply to turn around a program that has gone 22-27 over the last four seasons. That dismal record includes a 4-8 finish in 2012 which led to the firing of former head coach Bill Cubit in mid-November.

Fleck coached under Greg Schiano both at Rutgers and also in Tampa Bay, and spent his playing career with the Northern Illinois Huskies where he also coached for three seasons.

The hiring of P.J. Fleck at 32 further “lowers” the bar on what is seen as an age acceptable to be given the reins of a large school Division I football program.

For all you aspiring coaches out there, this is great news. Your path to a college head coaching job may not be as far down the road as you may have previously thought.

Who will be the first coach to get a gig in their late 20s?

You laugh now…

Kris Hughes is the College Football Network Manager for Rant Sports and a member of the Football Writers Association of America. You can follow him on Twitter or check out his Facebook page. Kris the host of Rant Sports Radio on the Blog Talk Radio Network Wednesday evenings at 8 Central Time.

Share On FacebookShare StumbleUpon

You May Also Like