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KINGSVILLE, Texas (Football) – He certainly has the credentials and following Monday's press conference, he now has a key to the city.
 
Texas A&M University-Kingsville Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and Campus Recreation D. Scott Gines introduced former Colorado State University-Pueblo offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Daren Wilkinson as the 10^th head football coach at Texas A&M-Kingsville during a press conference Monday in McCulley Hall. Among the press conference attendee's was Mayor Sam Fugate, who presented Wilkinson with a key to the city.
 
Wilkinson had spent the past two seasons at CSU-Pueblo and the Thunder Wolves finished the 2014 season on top of the Division II world, earning their first ever NCAA Division II Football Championship by defeating previously top-ranked and undefeated Minnesota State-Mankato.
 
"I am extremely excited about the opportunity to have a coach of the caliber and experience of Daren Wilkinson leading our football program into the future," said Gines. "The success he has had throughout his 17-year coaching career is solid and will offer a unique opportunity for our student-athletes to learn from one of the best."
 
"Let me share some thoughts that the committee shared with me. Wilkinson is a coach with unmatched potential, a rising star in all of college football and a coach who will work harder than any other coach in the nation."
 
"It's a privilege to welcome Coach Wilkinson and his family to Texas A&M-Kingsville and to Javelina Nation."
 
Wilkinson was hired following a national search led by Parker Executive Search and committee members Jim Brown, Ruben Cantu, James Davis, Ed Dodds, Sam Fugate, Jorge Guerra, Moses Horn, Fred Nuesch, John Randle and Richard Ritchie.
 
The screening committee members reviewed, interviewed, and recommended finalists to Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and Campus Recreation, D. Scott Gines, and President, Steven H. Tallant, Ph.D. 
 
"Coach Wilkinson is a talented coach with a great knowledge of the game, tremendous character and exceptional leadership abilities."
 
"I am grateful to Vice President Gines and President Tallant for giving me this opportunity and I am excited for the opportunity to build on the rich history that is Javelina football," said Wilkinson. "This is a football program with outstanding student athletes, a history of winning and optimism in the future. In my conversations with President Tallant and VP Gines, it became clear that we share the same goal: to achieve a consistent record of excellence and a national reputation for winning with integrity. We will put an emphasis on the student aspect of student-athlete and hold everyone on our team accountable. I'm honored to be part of the Javelina family and I'm ready to get to work."
 
Wilkinson joined CSU-Pueblo after nearly four seasons as the quarterbacks coach and assistant recruiting coordinator for NCAA Division I program and his alma mater, Colorado State University. Serving under Rams coach Steve Fairchild from 2008-12, he helped lead Colorado State to the New Mexico Bowl championship in 2008. That season, his offense ranked in the top 40 nationally and former CSU quarterback Billy Farris went on to play in the National Football League with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2009. While at CSU, his recruiting areas included San Diego, North Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, North Calif., Ariz., Nev., Utah and all quarterback prospects.
 
In 2004, he joined the South Dakota State University football coaching staff as the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks and wide receivers coach. While there, he helped SDSU have a smooth transition to Division I as the team had a winning record each season he led the offense, culminating in the 2007 Great West Conference championship. Spending four seasons as the offensive signal caller for SDSU, he coached the quarterback that set the school's all-time passing record and defeated the No. 1 team in the nation in 2007. South Dakota State finished with a winning record in his four seasons.
 
Joining the NCAA Division II ranks as the passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach at Fayetteville State University (N.C.) in 2001, Wilkinson coached two all-conference receivers and assisted the team in earning back-to-back CIAA Conference titles in 2002-03 and a NCAA Division II playoff berth in 2002. A quick turnaround came to fruition as FSU went from 3-7 to 10-1 in his tenure.
 
Wilkinson has coached for 17 years at the collegiate level, beginning as an offensive graduate assistant at Colorado State in 1997 and 1998 after quarterbacking the Rams for two seasons, leading them to the 1995 Western Athletic Conference title. He then served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Eastern Arizona College from 1999-00.
 
While at Eastern Arizona, he recruited and coached six players that went on to play NCAA Division I football and led the squad to an upset win over the No. 1 team in the nation. As an offensive graduate assistant for the Rams, he helped lead the team to the 1997 Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Championship and Holliday Bowl Championship. In his two seasons as a GA, he worked with two quarterbacks that earned conference player of the year honors.
 
As a player, Wilkinson started seven games for Colorado State in 1995 as junior, leading the Rams to a share of the WAC title. Joining the Rams after a sensational playing career at Ricks Junior College (now BYU-Idaho), he went 21-2 as a starter and was crowned the College Sports Magazine Junior College Player of the Year in 1994. That season, he earned first team All-American honors, leading the squad to an 11-0 mark and throwing for over 3,000 yards en route to the school's all-time passing record.
 
Growing up in Valley Center, Calif., Wilkinson was a two-sport athlete at Orange Glen High School, lettering in both basketball and football. He earned second team all-conference honors on the gridiron.
 
Born Feb. 11, 1972, in Corona, Calif., he owns two degrees from Colorado State, a bachelors in psychology ('97) and a master's in education ('99). He and his wife Ann have three children, Alexa, Macy and Jet.
 
The 2015 season begins on Sept. 5 at the University of the Incarnate Word.
 
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