Kliff Kingsbury was named Arizona’s head coach on January 8, 2019 when he signed a four-year contract with a team option for a fifth. The 39-year old Kingsbury came to Arizona after spending the past six seasons (2013-18) as the head coach at his alma mater, Texas Tech. The New Braunfels, TX native is an 11-year coaching veteran who has also worked at Texas A&M (2012) and at the University of Houston (2008-11).
Dating back to his first offensive coordinator job at Houston in 2011, a Kingsbury-led offense never finished outside the top-20 in the nation in total offense and never finished outside the top-15 in passing offense.
- Became an NFL head coach for the first time when hired by Arizona on January 8, 2019.
- Kingsbury came to Arizona after spending the past six seasons (2013-18) as the head coach at his alma mater, Texas Tech.
- Recognized as one of the profession’s brightest and most-innovative offensive minds, Kingsbury has tutored six future NFL quarterbacks. That list includes first-round selections Patrick Mahomes, Baker Mayfield and Johnny Manziel as well as Case Keenum, Davis Webb and Nic Shimonek. Under Kingsbury’s guidance, Mahomes (2016) and Keenum (2009, ’11) both led the nation in passing.
- While at Texas Tech, Kingsbury served as the play-caller for one of the college football’s most explosive and productive offenses. The Red Raiders featured a passing attack that ranked in the top-10 in the country in all six seasons of his tenure, ranked in the top-20 nationally for total offense in all six seasons and finished in the top-25 in scoring five times.
- Patrick Mahomes, the NFL MVP in 2018, spent two full seasons (2015-16) as the starter at Texas Tech under Kingsbury during which the Red Raiders finished #1 (2016) and #2 (2015) in the nation in total offense while Mahomes threw for a combined 9,705 yards and 77 TDs in 25 starts.
- Under Kingsbury, Texas Tech averaged at least 30 points per game, 470 total yards per game and 300 passing yards per game in all six seasons. The Red Raiders averaged over 500 yards of offense in four seasons and over 450 passing yards twice. They also averaged at least 140 rushing yards per game four times in six seasons under Kingsbury and averaged more than 40 points per game twice.
- Kingsbury has also coached at Texas A&M (2012) and at the University of Houston (2008-11) where he began his coaching career. Between 2011-18, Kingsbury’s teams averaged 40.3 points per game.
- At both Houston (2011) and Texas Tech (2016), Kingsbury’s offenses led the nation in total offense and passing offense.
TEXAS TECH: Kingsbury spent the past six seasons as the head coach at Texas Tech where he also called the plays for the Red Raiders high-powered offense that annually ranked among the top units in the country.
The Red Raiders featured a passing attack that ranked in the top-10 in the country in all six seasons of Kingsbury’s tenure, ranked in the top-20 nationally for total offense in all six seasons and finished in the top-25 in scoring five times. In 2016, Texas Tech led the nation in total offense (566.6 ypg), passing offense (463.0 ypg) and ranked fifth in scoring offense (43.7 ppg).
Under Kingsbury, Texas Tech averaged at least 30 points per game, 470 total yards per game and 300 passing yards per game in all six seasons. The Red Raiders averaged over 500 yards of offense in four seasons and over 450 passing yards twice. In 24 games against ranked opponents, the Red Raiders offense averaged 502 yards per game.
Kingsbury’s star pupil at Texas Tech, future first-round selection and 2018 NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes, helped rewrite the history books during his tenure with the Red Raiders. Mahomes eclipsed the 5,000-yard mark as a junior in 2016, becoming just the third quarterback ever to record 5,000+ yards of total offense in back-to-back seasons. He was selected as the 2016 Sammy Baugh Award winner after leading the country in passing yards (5,052) while throwing for 41 touchdowns and rushing for 285 yards and 12 touchdowns. He became the second of Kingsbury’s quarterbacks to lead the nation in passing yards, joining former Houston quarterback Case Keenum (2009, ’11).
As a sophomore in 2015, Mahomes became the youngest quarterback in NCAA history to amass 5,000 yards of total offense (4,653 passing yards; 456 rushing yards) and accounted for 46 touchdowns (36 passing, 10 rushing) for an offense that led the nation in plays that gained at least 10 yards (284). Texas Tech finished #2 in the nation in total offense (579.5 ypg), passing offense (388.2 ypg) and scoring (45.1 ppg). The Red Raiders were one of just two schools nationally to score 25 or more points in every game that season.
In 2015, the Red Raiders featured a 4,000-yard passer, 1,000-yard receiver and a 1,000-yard rusher for the first time in school history. Wide receiver Jakeem Grant had 1,268 receiving yards to set the school career receiving yardage record (3,164 yards), breaking the previous mark held by two-time Biletnikoff Award winner Michael Crabtree. Grant also broke the school single-season record for all-purpose yards (2,353) and career kick return touchdowns (4).
Running back DeAndre Washington had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons (2014-15), becoming the first Red Raider since Doak Walker award winner Byron Hanspard (1995-96) to accomplish that feat. Washington ran for 1,492 yards in 2015 after rushing for 1,103 yards in 2014, becoming the first running back to go over 1,000 rushing yards since Ricky Williams did so in 1998. The Red Raiders finished the 2014 season #5 in passing offense (351.1 ypg) and #10 in total offense (504.1 ypg).
In his first year at Texas Tech in 2013, Kingsbury’s offense finished 2nd nationally in passing offense (392.8 ypg) and 8th in total offense (510.7 ypg) and beat #16 Arizona State in the Holiday Bowl. He became just the second coach in program history to win a bowl game in his first season.
Kingsbury had 12 players named to either the All-Big 12 first or second team as well as three All-America selections during his tenure at Texas Tech. He also helped eight players get selected in the NFL Draft.
QUARTERBACK SUCCESS: Recognized as one of football’s brightest and most-innovative offensive minds, Kingsbury has tutored six future NFL quarterbacks, including first-round selections Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs), Baker Mayfield (Browns) and Johnny Manziel (Browns) as well as Case Keenum, Davis Webb and Nic Shimonek.
Under Kingsbury’s guidance, Mahomes (2016) and Keenum (2009, ’11) both led the nation in passing. Mahomes (2015-16) and Keenum (2008-08, ’11) are two of the five quarterbacks (Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson, Graham Harrell) in FBS history to record 5,000+ yards of offense twice in a career. Keenum finished his college career by throwing for 5,631 yards and 48 touchdowns on 428-of-604 attempts in 2011.
During his lone season at Texas A&M (2012), Kingsbury mentored Johnny Manziel, who became the first freshman ever to win the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 3,706 yards and rushing for 21 touchdowns.
OTHER COACHING CAREER: Kingsbury began his coaching career at the University of Houston under current University of Arizona head coach Kevin Sumlin as the offensive quality control coach (2008-09) prior to being elevated to quarterbacks coach (2010) and co-offensive coordinator in 2011.
With Kingsbury serving as co-offensive coordinator in 2011 and calling the plays, Houston led the nation in total offense (599.1 ypg), passing offense (450.1 ypg) and scoring (49.3 ppg). Keenum was selected as the Sammy Baugh Award winner as the nation’s top quarterback and finished seventh in Heisman Trophy voting. Houston scored over 70 twice that season and finished the season by beating Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl.
Kingsbury spent the 2012 season at Texas A&M as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach again working under Sumlin. Texas A&M finished third nationally in total offense (558.5 ypg) with an attack that ranked 13th nationally in rushing (242.1 ypg) and 14th in passing (316.5 ypg). The Aggies beat #1 Alabama on the road and #11 Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl.
In his only two seasons as an offensive coordinator (2011-Houston; 2012-Texas A&M), Kingsbury was named Offensive Coordinator of the Year both years by FootballScoop.com.
Following his tenure as head coach at Texas Tech, Kingsbury was hired as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at USC before joining the Cardinals.
PLAYING CAREER: Kingsbury had a prolific career as a quarterback at Texas Tech (1999-2002), playing his last three seasons under Mike Leach where he set 39 school records, 16 Big 12 marks and 17 NCAA records during his collegiate career while throwing for 12,423 yards and 95 touchdowns. As a senior in 2002, he was awarded the Sammy Baugh Trophy as the nation’s top college quarterback and was also named the Associated Press Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year while finishing ninth in Heisman Trophy voting.
At Texas Tech, Kingsbury recorded more than 12,000 passing yards and total offense, including over 1,000 completions, making him just the third player in NCAA history to accomplish all three feats.
He was drafted in the sixth round (201st overall) of the NFL Draft by New England in 2003 and spent his rookie season on the Patriots injured reserve list before spending the 2004 season on the Saints practice squad. Kingsbury played in one game with the Jets in 2005 and completed one of two passes for 17 yards. He played with the Cologne Centurions of NFL Europe in 2006 before attending training camp with the Bills that summer. Kingsbury finished his playing career in the Canadian Football League by playing with the Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2007.
PERSONAL: Kingsbury grew up and played high school football under his father, Tim, at New Braunfels (TX) High School where he threw for over 3,000 yards and 34 touchdowns as a senior in 1997 to lead the Unicorns to the Class 5A Division II state semifinals just one year after finishing 4-8. New Braunfels finished Kingsbury’s senior season with a 13-2 record, which included six come from behind wins. In 2018, Kingsbury was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame.
While at Texas Tech, Kingsbury was one of 14 collegiate football players to receive a post-graduate scholarship from the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame. He was also awarded with Academic All-America Player of the Year honors in 2002, the highest academic honor for a player in Texas Tech history. Kingsbury earned a bachelor’s degree in Management from Texas Tech in 2001.
Kliff Kingsbury Coaching Breakdown
Year School/Team Position
2008–09 University of Houston Offensive Quality Control
2010 University of Houston Quarterbacks
2011 University of Houston Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2012 Texas A&M Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
2013–18 Texas Tech Head Coach
2019– ARIZONA CARDINALS HEAD COACH
2003 New England Patriots Quarterback
2004 New Orleans Saints Quarterback
2005 New York Jets Quarterback
