Zach Kittley was named HBU’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Jan. 10, 2018.
HBU had one of the most explosive offenses in the FCS in 2019, ranking second in the Southland Conference and 12th nationally in total offense with 426.6 yards per game and third nationally in passing offense with 334.3 yards per game. Junior quarterback Bailey Zappe led the nation in completions and attempts per game, ranked second in passing yards per game and led the nation with 35 touchdown passes during the regular season.
Under Kittley’s guidance, the Huskies’ offense averaged 27.4 points and 394.3 yards per game in 2018. Quarterback Bailey Zappe earned All-Southland Conference Honorable Mention, tying for the league lead with 23 touchdown passes and breaking the school career and single-season records for completions, attempts, yards and touchdowns. Receiver Jerreth Sterns also earned all-conference honors, leading the league with 68 receptions.
Kittley spent three seasons as graduate assistant coach and assistant quarterbacks coach at Texas Tech under head coach Kliff Kingsbury. He was an offensive intern for the Red Raiders in 2014 and a student assistant coach in 2013. Texas Tech finished among the top 10 nationally in passing offense and averaged more than 30 points per game each of the last three seasons, leading the nation in total offense and passing offense and ranking fifth in scoring offense in 2016. The Red Raiders were second nationally in total offense and scoring offense in 2015.
Two of Kittley’s proteges were selected in the 2017 NFL Draft. Pat Mahomes II was one the top quarterbacks in Red Raider history, before being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the 10th overall pick and Davis Webb, who finished his collegiate career at Cal, was drafted with the 87th pick overall by the New York Giants.
A native of Lubbock, Texas, Kittley originally went to Abilene Christian to play basketball, but earned a bachelor of arts in history from Texas Tech in 2014, then earned a Master of Science in interdisciplinary studies in 2016. He is the son of Texas Tech head track and field coach Wes Kittley, who is entering his 20th season at the helm of the nationally-ranked program. Kittley and his wife, Emily, were married in February of 2017.
