Max Olson, ESPN Staff WriterDec 2, 2024, 05:36 PM ET
- Covers the Big 12
- Joined ESPN in 2012
- Graduate of the University of Nebraska
Florida Atlantic is targeting Texas Tech offensive coordinator Zach Kittley as its next head coach, sources confirmed to ESPN on Monday.
The 33-year-old would become the youngest head coach in FBS. He has led some of the top passing offenses in college football during his stints as offensive coordinator at Texas Tech, Western Kentucky and FCS Houston Christian. The Red Raiders produced the No. 9 passing offense in FBS this season during their run to an 8-4 regular season, and they ranked 12th nationally in passing in 2022.
Kittley, a Kliff Kingsbury protégé, returned to Lubbock under coach Joey McGuire after one season at Western Kentucky, where he coached the No. 1 passing offense and No. 2 scoring offense in FBS. Hilltoppers quarterback Bailey Zappe threw for 5,967 yards and 62 touchdowns in 14 games and became a fourth-round draft pick of the New England Patriots.
FAU fired coach Tom Herman on Nov. 18 amid an 0-6 start to AAC play and finished 3-9 this season. Herman, the former head coach at Texas and Houston, went 6-16 in less than two seasons.
Kittley served in various roles under Kingsbury from 2013 to 2017, rising from student assistant to assistant quarterbacks coach. During that time, he worked closely with Kingsbury in developing Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs' three-time Super Bowl champion.
Kittley is the son of longtime Texas Tech track and field coach Wes Kittley and played basketball at Abilene Christian before finishing his degree at Texas Tech. Kittley emerging as FAU's target was first reported by On3.
