Paul Creighton joined the UC Davis football program in 2014 and now enters his sixth season as a tight ends coach and special teams coordinator.
In 2018, the Aggies won their inaugural Big Sky championship and earned the first FCS playoff berth in program history; the special teams unit was a key reason why the team enjoyed the most successful season in its Division I era.
Punter Daniel Whelan became the first Aggie to earn three Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week awards in 2018; only running back Ulonzo Gilliam scored more points (on a program-record 17 TDs) than kicker Max O'Rourke and his 95; Namane Modise ended his senior season as one of the top kick returners in the country thanks to his 23.1 return yards/kick average.
With Isaiah Thomas leading the Aggies with a punt return average of 5.0 yards, UC Davis was the only Big Sky team in 2018 with players that holds top-two kickoff and punt return averages.
Tight end Wesley Preece also thrived under Creighton's tutelage, and finished with a team-high nine touchdowns. By averaging 11.6 yards per reception, Preece provided UC Davis with another dangerous option on offense all season long.
Creighton came to UC Davis after three years on the staff at Colorado State University-Pueblo. He was the defensive line coach during his tenure with the ThunderWolves, helping them allow just 108 rushing yards per game and only eight TDs on the ground in 2012. CSUP went 33-0 in the regular season during those years. Creighton mentored three athletes who went on to pro ball: Darius Allen (BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos), Morgan Fox (Los Angeles Rams) and Mike Pennel (Green Bay, New York Jets).
A three-sport star at Niwot High School in Colorado, Creighton walked on at Colorado but eventually earned a scholarship as a fullback and tight end. He earned his undergraduate degree in psychology from Boulder in 2006. Creighton moved on to Auburn after graduation where he served two years as graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach.
He returned to his alma mater in 2009 where he was the defensive graduate assistant for two seasons. This also forged a relationship with then Buffs head coach Dan Hawkins, who would later retain Creighton on the new Aggie football staff in 2017.
Creighton has been married to his high school sweetheart, Kathleen, for 11 years. The couple has two children: June (6) and James (4). Creighton’s parents live in southern Missouri, but during the football season, they rent an apartment in Davis in order to attend all of their son’s football games.
