Chris White - Special Teams Coordinator - Football Coaches

Chris White

Title:
Special Teams Coordinator
Email:
football@memphis.edu
Phone:
901-678-5119

Chris White enters his second season as special teams coordinator at Memphis in 2024. Head coach Ryan Silverfield announced the hiring of White on Jan. 6, 2023. White came to the Tigers after serving in the same position for two seasons at Buffalo. White has also coached in the Big Ten, ACC, as well as the NFL during his career.

“We are thrilled to hire Chris White as our special teams coordinator,” Silverfield said at the time of his hiring. “He will be a tremendous asset to our program with his experience at every level including the NFL. Coach White knows how to build relationships and will allow Memphis to once again be recognized nationally for our special teams.”

In 2023, White helped guide the Tigers to a 10-3 season, including a win in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl, 36-26, over Iowa State. The 10-win season was just the fifth in program history. Individually, Sutton Smith ranked 18th in the NCAA in kickoff returns (24.2).

In 2022, White helped kicker Alex McNulty win MAC Special Teams Player of the Year honors, as well first-team all-conference accolades. McNulty was the first UB player to ever earn the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year award.

On the season, McNulty finished third in the nation in field goals per game (1.85) and 18^th in scoring (8.7). He led the MAC in both categories as well and was a Lou Groza Award semifinalist.

In his first season with the Bulls in 2021, White coached returner Ron Cook who was named to the All-MAC Third Team as a kick returner. The speedy Cook averaged 21 yards per return. Kicker Alex McNulty finished the season strong making 8 of his final 10 kicks of the season, including a 50 and school-record 55-yarder. McNulty also made all 37 PAT attempts on the season.

White came to Buffalo after coaching at the high school, collegiate or professional level since 1993. Prior to Buffalo, White served as analyst at Michigan in 2020.

Before Michigan, White spent the 2019 season as tight ends coach for the Detroit Lions. He spent the 2017 and 2018 seasons as an assistant at the University of Connecticut.

White went to UConn from the University of Iowa where he was the special teams coordinator and running backs coach for four seasons. During his tenure with the Hawkeyes, White helped the team to four bowl appearances, including a berth in the 2016 Rose Bowl.

Prior to his stint in Iowa City, White was an assistant special teams coach for the Minnesota Vikings from 2009-12. He helped the Vikings win the 2009 NFC North Division Championship and Minnesota also earned a berth in a 2012 Wild Card game.

From 2000-08, White served in several capacities at Syracuse. He was the special teams coordinator and tight ends coach from 2000-03, the recruiting coordinator and tight ends coach from 2003-04 and the recruiting coordinator and wide receivers coach from 2005-08. The Orange defeated Kansas State in the 2001 Insight.com Bowl and won the Big East Championship in 2004.

The Groveland, MA native also spent time on staff at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo (defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, special teams coordinator) from 1999-00 and at UNLV (special teams coordinator, inside linebackers coach) from 1996-98.

A 1990 graduate of Colby College in Waterville, Maine, White was a four-year starter for the football and baseball teams and went on to earn his master's degree in education from Syracuse in 1992.

After receiving his master's degree, White served as a graduate assistant/quarterbacks coach at Arkansas State from 1992-93 and as the quarterbacks coach for Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. from 1993-94.

From 1994-96, White was the head football coach at Bishop Manogue High School in Reno, Nev. White and his wife, Angela have two daughters, Payton and Riley.

White At A Glance

Alma Mater	Colby College, 1990 Syracuse, 1992
Playing Experience	Colby College (1987-90) Four-year starter for football and baseball teams
Family	Wife - Angela Children - Payton, Riley

Coaching Experience

Bishop Manogue (NV) High School	Head Coach (1994-96)
Arkansas State	Graduate Assistant, Quarterback Coach (1992-93)
Holy Cross	Assistant Coach, Quarterbacks (1993-94)
UNLV	Special Teams Coordinator, Inside Linebackers (1996-98)
Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo	Defensive Coordinator, Linebackers, Special Teams Coordinator (1999-00)
Syracuse	Special Teams Coordinator, Tight Ends (2000-03) Recruiting Coordinator, Tight Ends (2003-04) Recruiting Coordinator, Wide Receivers (2005-08)
Minnesota Vikings	Assistant Special Teams Coach (2009-12)
Iowa	Special Teams Coordinator, Running Backs (2013-16)
Connecticut	Senior Quality Control, Director of Football Research and Special Projects (2017) Special Teams Coordinator (2018)
Detroit Lions	Tight Ends Coach (2019)
Michigan	Analyst (2020)
Buffalo	Special Teams Coordinator (2021-22)
Memphis	Special Teams Coordinator (2023-Present)

Bowl Coaching Experience

2001	Insight.com Bowl
2004	Champs Sports Bowl
2013	Outback Bowl
2014	TaxSlayer Bowl
2015	Rose Bowl
2016	Outback Bowl
2022	Camellia Bowl
2023	AutoZone Liberty Bowl