Friday, December 21, 2012
by Davidson Athletic Media Relations

DAVIDSON, N.C. - Paul Nichols ’03, who as a student-athlete in 2000 quarterbacked Davidson to its first-and-only undefeated season, is returning to his alma mater to serve as the football program’s 27th head coach, Director of Athletics Jim Murphy announced Friday.

Nichols, a coach at the Football Bowl Subdivision level since 2004, becomes the youngest head coach in all of NCAA Division I football at age 31. Born January 25, 1981, Nichols is 57 days younger than P.J. Fleck (born November 29, 1980), who was officially named as the head coach of FBS-level Western Michigan Tuesday. Portland State’s Nigel Burton, born July 30, 1976, was previously the youngest Football Championship Subdivision head coach.

Nichols most recently served as the director of player personnel at Illinois last season. In that position, he coordinated on-campus recruiting efforts and relations with high school coaches, among other duties, for head coach Tim Beckman and the Fighting Illini staff.

Prior to his time at Illinois, Nichols spent three seasons on Beckman's staff at Toledo as co-defensive coordinator/safeties coach, where he played a vital role in the transformation of the Rockets' defense.

In 2011, Nichols helped guide the Rockets to a 9-4 record and a win over Air Force in the Military Bowl. Toledo was 7-1 in the MAC and shared the West Division title. Defensively, the Rockets forced 30 turnovers on the season (ranking 16th nationally) and ranked third nationally in turnover margin (+1.23). In 2010, UT increased its forced turnovers from 21 to 34, the fifth-highest takeaway total in the nation, as the Rockets made their first bowl appearance in five years.

Previous to his stint at UT, Nichols served as an assistant at Marshall University for three seasons, where he coached All-Conference USA safety Curtis Keyes (2006) and All-Freshman cornerback Zearrick Matthews (2006).

Prior to his tenure at Marshall, Nichols completed two seasons as a graduate assistant at Ohio State from 2004-05 where he assisted with the defensive backs and defensive line.

A native of Dunwoody, Ga., Nichols graduated from Davidson College in 2003 with bachelor's degrees in political science and history. Nichols was a first-team All-Pioneer Football League and a first-team Pioneer Football League All-Academic selection as a senior, and was named honorable mention All-America by Don Hansen's Football Gazette.

Nichols departed as the school record holder for career passing yards (5,822), completions (465) and touchdown passes (51), and compiled a 22-6 record as a starting quarterback. After seeing limited action as a freshman, Nichols won the starting job prior to his sophomore year and guided the ‘Cats to a 10-0 season. His junior year was cut short by a knee injury, but Nichols bounced back as a senior and matched the school record for touchdown passes in a single season with 25.

Nichols now ranks third in passing yards and completions after being surpassed by Ryan Alexander ’08 and rising senior Jonathan Carkhuff. He is also now second to Alexander in career passing touchdowns, but Carkhuff needs just six more touchdown passes to move past Nichols in that category.

Nichols will be the first Davidson alumnus to guide the football program on a full-time basis since Dave Fagg ’58, who finished his second coaching stint with the Wildcats following the 1992 season. He joins Matt Spear ’93 (men’s soccer) as the only other Davidson alum currently serving as a head coach at Davidson.

Nichols and his wife, the former Lauran Lightmas, a 2004 graduate of Davidson, have a son, Drew, who was born May 26, 2011.