Texas High School Football Coach Hired As Division 2 Head Football Coach

Chris Softley hired at UT-Permian Basin after guiding Lubbock Christian School to state title

Lubbock Christian football coach Chris Softley blows the whistle during practice, Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, at Masked Rider Capital Field. He was hired as the head coach at UT-Permian Basin on Dec. 31. / Annie Rice/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Fresh off a TAPPS Division III football title, Chris Softley is making a career move in West Texas.

The Lubbock Christian Schools head coach was hired as the University of Texas-Permian Basin head coach on Dec. 31.

"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Softley to our program," said Vice President for Athletics Scott Larson. "He is a proven winner who understands that success is built on discipline, accountability, and teamwork. Just as important, he is deeply committed to developing men of character, preparing them not only for victories on the field, but for life beyond football."

He replaces Kris McCullough, who left on Dec. 23 to take a job at Division 1 Gardner-Webb.

The Falcons went 11-3 this year and reached the NCAA Division II quarterfinals.

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Title Run

Softley has spent 9 years as the head coach for the Eagles, posting a 101-22 record with eight double-digit winning seasons and six straight trips to the state semifinals.

He won state championships in 2022 and 2025, and secured seven district titles, seven final trips to the final four, and eight area championships.

He’s been a coach of the year six times and district coach of the year seven of his nine seasons.

This year, Lubbock Christian School went 12-1, with the only loss coming against Wellington. The Eagles' schedule included six games against UIL teams.

They beat Stamford, 43-35, in Week 3. Stamford was coming off a state runner-up finish in 2024, losing in triple overtime to Ganado.

In the state title game, they beat Dallas Christian, 36-30.

RELATED: Defending Champs Fall in UIL Quarterfinals; TAPPS Winners Crowned: Week 14 in Texas high school football

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Overall success

He was also the athletic director and oversaw programs that won 10 state championships in six sports. Every sport qualified for the final four over the last two years, according to the UTPB press release.

Lubbock Christian won the Henderson Cup Championship twice, 2022-23 and 2023-24, an award given to the overall school championship award for TAPPS schools.

He also helped raise $6.5 million for facilities and upgrades.

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The background

Softley is a graduate of both Abilene Christian and Nebraska Wesleyan, where he played football.

He coached at Rockwall-Heath and Sunnyvale, where he was a basketball coach, before going to Lubbock Christian.

He was a graduate assistant at Abilene Christian from 2008 to 2010, working with the defense from the coaching booth.