CHRIS WILLIS
Assistant Head Coach
Co-Defensive Coordinator
Secondary
Chris Willis is in his ninth season on the
UNA staff and will coach the secondary again
in 2009, in addition to serving the team as
assistant head coach and co-defensive
coordinator.
His nine years in the UNA football program
are the most of any current staff member.
Willis has helped lead UNA to three
conference championships and six NCAA
playoff berths in his eight years at the
school - including an overall 77-26 record.
In his first season with UNA he coached
tight ends before moving to running backs in
his second season. He also served as UNA's
recruiting coordinator from 2002 to 2005.
In 2003, while helping lead the Lions to a
13-1 record that included a Gulf South
Conference title and an NCAA playoff
appearance, Willis coached a tandem of All-GSC
runningbacks in Demarcus Blount and Randy
Vickers.
In 2004 he moved to defense and coached the
safeties, which is his current position.
That season he coached All-GSC and Academic
All-GSC performer Jay Snipes.
North Alabama went 11-3 in 2005 and again
reached the semifinals of the Division II
playoffs. The Lion defense ranked among the
Division II national leaders in every
category, including ranking 18th in scoring
defense and total defense. The Lions also
picked off 21 passes and ranked ninth
nationally in turnover margin.
In 2006 UNA was 11-1, won a GSC title and
advanced to the quarterfinals of the
Division II playoffs. On that team, Willis
coached All-GSC and All-South Region pick
Derrell Ashford.
During the 2007 season the Lions were 10-2
and advanced to the quarterfinals of the
Division II playoffs and UNA safety Craig
Fox was named to numerous Division II
All-American teams.
In 2008 UNA was 12-2 and reached the
semifinals of the Division II playoffs.
The Lions' defense led Division II with 32
interceptions and three members of the UNA
secondary earned All-GSC honors.
Last season the Lions were 11-2, won a GSC
championship and advanced to the
quarterfinals of the Division II playoffs.
UNA was sixth in the nation in pass
efficiency defense and 11th in scoring
defense. The Lions were also 11th in
turnover margin. UNA's secondary also placed
four players on the All-GSC team: Quinton
Andrews, Jason Tate, J.J. Johnson and Chad
Daniel. Tate and Andrews were also
all-region picks and Andrews made the
D2football.com All-America team.
Prior to coming to UNA, Willis served as
recruiting coordinator and coached numerous
positions at Delta State University for
three years. He joined the DSU staff in 1999
under Steve Campbell as a graduate
assistant. In 2000 the Statesmen won the
NCAA Division II National Championship at
Braly Stadium, with Willis working along
side current UNA Head Coach Mark Hudspeth
with the running backs and quarterbacks.
In 2001, he worked with then DSU offensive
coordinator and former UNA quarterback Cody
Gross, who led the Lions to three national
titles as a player.
As a student-athlete, Willis spent two years
at Itawamba Community College on a
football/baseball scholarship. He was a
pitcher on the baseball team that claimed
the school's first state championship in
1993.
He was quarterback at Aberdeen (Miss.) High
School where, in 1990, he led his team to
the third round of the playoffs as the team
posted a school best 12-1 record. In his
last two seasons at Aberdeen, he
quarterbacked the Bulldogs to a 20-2 record
before his graduation in 1992.
Willis received his Bachelor's Degree in
Education in 1998 from Delta State and his
Master's Degree in Education in 1999 from
Delta State.
While at DSU, he also taught in the Health,
Physical Education and Recreation
Department.
He was born February 2, 1974 and is married
to the former Tara Beausoliel of Greenville,
Miss. They have two sons, Beau and Cody.
WILLIS' COACHING EXPERIENCE
Yrs Position School
1999 Assistant Coach Delta State University
2000 Assistant Coach Delta State University
2001 Assistant Coach Delta State University
2002 Assistant Coach University of North
Alabama
2003 Assistant Coach University of North
Alabama
2004 Assistant Coach University of North
Alabama
2005 Assistant Coach University of North
Alabama
2006 Assistant Coach University of North
Alabama
2007 Assistant Coach University of North
Alabama
2008 Assistant Coach University of North
Alabama
2009 Assistant Coach University of North
Alabama
2010 Assistant Coach University of North
Alabama
