COLLEGE STATION, Texas – Former head coach and longtime offensive coordinator Dave Christensen will coach the Texas A&M offensive line and oversee the running game in 2015, Aggie head coach Kevin Sumlin announced Tuesday.
Terms of Christensen’s contract are pending approval by The Texas A&M University System Board of Regents at a future meeting.
A veteran of 30 seasons as a collegiate coach, Christensen comes to Texas A&M from the University of Utah, where he helped the Utes to a 9-4 record and a bowl win in his lone season in Salt Lake City. Previously, Christensen was the head coach at the University of Wyoming from 2009-13 and also a longtime offensive assistant under Gary Pinkel at Missouri and Toledo.
“We are fortunate to have Dave join our staff,” said Sumlin, “as he not only brings a wealth of experience and coaching acumen, but also a relentless approach that will benefit our offensive line and running game and carry over to the entire team. I know Dave is excited to get started, and we welcome him to Aggieland.”
Serving as Utah’s offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, Christensen helped the Utes to a four-win improvement while orchestrating a balanced offensive attack that averaged more than 190 rushing and passing yards per game.
From 2009-13, Christensen was the head coach at Wyoming where he compiled a 27-35 record in five seasons. In 2009, Christensen became the first Cowboy head coach to win a bowl game in his debut season when he led Wyoming to a 35-28 win over Fresno State in the New Mexico Bowl. Two years later, Christensen was named the 2011 Mountain West Coach of the Year after the Cowboys compiled an 8-5 overall record, including a 5-2 record against MWC opponents.
He became a head coach after serving 17 years as an assistant for Pinkel at Toledo (1992-2000) and Missouri (2001-08). Christensen coached the offensive line at both schools and was the offensive coordinator from 1997-2008, including his entire stay at Missouri.
Christensen devised and implemented one of college football’s most exciting no-huddle, spread offenses at Mizzou, where he was named the 2007 National Offensive Coordinator of the Year by Rivals.com and was runner-up for the 2007 Frank Broyles Award, honoring the nation’s top assistant coach. Missouri played in the Big 12 Championship game in both 2007 and 2008 as the champion of the Big 12 North.
Missouri finished the 2007 season with a No. 4 Associated Press ranking and Christensen’s offense ranked No. 5 in the nation in total offense (490.3 yards per game), No. 8 in scoring offense (39.9) and No. 9 in passing offense (314.1).
Missouri quarterback Chase Daniel finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy balloting in 2007, when Christensen’s offense scored a school-record 558 points, far surpassing the previous Missouri single-season record of 399 points. Also that season, tight end Martin Rucker and freshman wide receiver Jeremy Maclin were consensus first-team All-America selections, marking the first time Missouri had two consensus in the same season. Senior center Adam Spieker was named a finalist for the Rimington Award, which honors the nation’s best center.
In 2008, the Tigers finished fourth in the nation in passing offense (330.4 yards per game), No. 6 in scoring offense (42.2) and No. 8 in total offense (484.1). That season, the Tigers again had two consensus first-team All-Americans in Maclin and tight end Chase Coffman. Coffman also won the 2008 John Mackey Award as the nation’s top tight end, while Maclin was a finalist for the Biletnikoff Award, which honors the nation’s top wide receiver.
The Tigers were nationally ranked offensively throughout Christensen’s tenure as the offensive coordinator, which followed a successful stint at Toledo. During his nine years as a Toledo assistant (the last four as the offensive coordinator), the Rockets set numerous school records on offense while winning one Mid-American Conference championship and two MAC West titles (tying for another).
Christensen also served assistant coaching stints at Western Washington (1983), Eastern Washington (1986-87), Washington (1988-89, graduate assistant) and Idaho State (1990-91).
The Dave Christensen File
Education
- Western Washington, 1985 (Bachelor’s in sociology)
- Eastern Washington, 1988 (Master’s in college instruction & sport science)
Playing Career
- Christensen played offensive line at Washington from 1980-82.
Personal Data
- Hometown: Everett, Wash.
- Birthdate: Jan. 17, 1961
- Family: Wife Susie, Children Katie, D.J. and Emily.
Coaching Experience
- 2015-: Texas A&M (Offensive Line/Running Game Coordinator)
- 2014: Utah (Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends)
- 2009-13: Wyoming (Head Coach)
- 2001-08: Missouri (Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line
- 1997-2000: Toledo (Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line)
- 1992-96: Toledo (Offensive Line)
- 1990-91: Idaho State (Offensive Line/Running Backs)
- 1988-89: Washington (Graduate Assistant)
- 1986-87: Eastern Washington (Offensive Line/Defensive Line)
- 1985: Everett (Wash.) HS (Offensive Line/Defensive Line)
- 1984: Sehome (Wash.) HS (Offensive Line/Defensive Line)
- 1983: Western Washington (Running Backs)
Bowl Games
- 2014 Las Vegas Bowl
- 2011 New Mexico Bowl
- 2009 New Mexico Bowl
- 2008 Alamo Bowl
- 2008 Cotton Bowl
- 2006 Sun Bowl
- 2005 Independence Bowl
- 2003 Independence Bowl
- 1995 Las Vegas Bowl
- 1989 Freedom Bowl
Story courtesy of Texas A&M Athletics