Chris Boone enters the second year of his second stint on the Samford football coaching staff. Boone serves as the team’s defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
Boone’s 2022 defense was a major part of leading the Bulldogs to a historic season, posting a record of 11-2 and reaching the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division I-FCS Playoffs for the first time since 1991. The team also went 8-0 in the Southern Conference, winning the program’s first outright SoCon title. Following the season, linebacker Nathan East, defensive back Hakeem Johnson, defensive lineman Seth Simmer and defensive back Isaiah Richardson represented the defense on the All-SoCon teams.
Boone comes to Samford from East Mississippi Community College where he was the defensive coordinator and safeties coach during the 2021 season. His 2021 defense led the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 12.8 points per game, and the unit placed fourth nationally in total defense.
From 2018 to 2020, he coached the defensive line and safeties at Southern Mississippi. His 2018 defense finished third in the nation in total defense, first in first-down defense, sixth in rushing defense, ninth in team pass efficiency defense and 10th in red zone defense.
From 2015 to 2018, Boone was the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Murray State. His 2016 Racers defense led the Ohio Valley Conference in turnovers, and ranked 25th nationally in both red zone defense and turnovers forced.
Boone’s first stint at Samford came in 2014 when he coached the Bulldogs’ defensive line and special teams. That season, the Samford defense ranked second in the SoCon and 15th in the nation in total defense. The unit was also 16th nationally in scoring defense.
Boone came to Samford from Northwestern State, where he served as associate head coach, defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 2013. Boone’s defense finished second in the Southland Conference in total defense in 2013. The Demons also won six games for the first time in five years.
Prior to working at Northwestern State, Boone served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Jacksonville State in 2011 and 2012. In 2012, his Jacksonville State defensive unit led the Ohio Valley Conference in red zone defense in league play. In 2011, JSU won the OVC, going 7-4 overall and 6-2 in the league. Boone’s defense led the OVC with 17 interceptions and in league games, led the OVC in rush defense (144.9 ypg), third down conversion percentage (67 percent) and scoring defense (24.8 ppg). Five of his players made All-Conference in his two seasons at JSU.
From 2006 to 2010, Boone was assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Tennessee-Martin, reaching the FCS playoffs in 2006. During his time at UT-Martin, Boone helped the Skyhawks post their best five-season record (32-25) in school history. He coached two All-America linebackers in 2007 and 2008, and a 2006 Buck Buchanan Award nominee. Two of his defenses (2010, 2006) ranked in the top 12 nationally in total defense. His 2010 defense led the OVC in total defense, ranking 12th nationally. UTM led the OVC in pass defense, pass efficiency defense, fewest first downs allowed and third down conversion defense. The 2006 UTM team won the OVC and finished 9-3 with a No. 13 national ranking. Boone’s defense led the OVC and finished sixth in the nation in total defense, scoring defense, rush defense, pass defense and pass efficiency defense.
Boone was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at East Central Community College from 2004 to 2005.
From 2002 to 2004, Boone coached at Nicholls State University. The 2003 Nicholls team played for the Southland Conference championship as two of Boone’s linebackers earned All-Southland Conference honors for the second straight year. In 2002, Nicholls had its first winning season since 1996 (7-4) and finished with a No. 21 national ranking, leading the conference in scoring defense.
Boone has also coached collegiately at Arkansas-Monticello (2000-02), UAB (1999-2000), Pearl River Community College (1997-98) and Southern Mississippi
(1996-97). He was a high school coach at Wayne County (Miss.) during the 1998 season.
Boone, a 1997 graduate of Southern Mississippi, played at USM in 1995. Prior to that, he played at Jones County (Miss.) Junior College where he was a two-year starter and voted team captain in 1991 and 1992.
Boone and his wife, Coco, have three children, daughters Cameron and Casidee, and son Colton.
