Ryan Aplin, 28, is in his second season as offensive coordinator at the University of North Alabama after helping lead the Lions to a 7-3 record in the program's first season in Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
The Lions mastered four, fourth quarter comebacks that led to UNA wins and the team set a school record with the fewest turnovers in a season in school history with nine. UNA quarterback Christian Lopez also set a school individual record by throwing 253 consecutive passes without an interception.
Aplin followed Steadman Campbell in the role as offensive coordinator at North Alabama. Campbell served as UNA's offensive coordinator in 2016 and 2017 before taking the reins of the Lions' defense as defensive coordinator.
Aplin previously coached at UNA as receivers coach in 2016 and the took a position as receivers coach at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga in 2017 before returning to UNA as offensive coordinator.
During his previous stint at UNA in 2016, Aplin coached the UNA receivers as the Lions posted an 11-2 record, won Gulf South Conference and Super Region 2 championships and advanced to the NCAA Division II National Championship Game.
Prior to coming to UNA, Aplin had served as a graduate assistant coach at Auburn University under Gus Malzahn in 2015 and had spent two years as an administrative intern at Ole Miss under Hugh Freeze.
A former two-time Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year at quarterback for Arkansas State University where he played under both Freeze and Malzahn, Aplin led the Redwolves to back-to-back conference championships in 2011 and 2012. He became the first person in the history of the Sun Belt Conference to receive the Male Student- Athlete of the Year award twice.
Under Freeze's tutelage in 2011, Aplin threw for 3,588 yards and 19 touchdowns (with 16 interceptions) and rushed for 10 more scores. With Malzahn's help in 2012, Aplin upped his accuracy to 68 percent and cut down on his interceptions, throwing just four. He was responsible for 30 total touchdowns, throwing for 24 and rushing for six more.
He completed his four-year career with more than 25 combined single-game, season and career school records and became the Sun Belt Conference's all-time leader in completions, passing yards and total offense.
Aplin is originally from Tampa, Fla., and graduated from Fleming Island High School near Jacksonville. He earned a bachelor's degree in exercise science from Arkansas State in 2012 with a cumulative GPA of better than 3.3.
He is married to the former Victoria Price of Fleming Island, Fla., and they have two sons, Maverick and Hawkins.
