An NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist and former assistant coach for the Aggies, Paul Shelton returned to UC Davis ahead of the 2024 season following two years back in his home state of Tennessee.
2025 will be his second year as offensive coordinator at UC Davis.
During 2024, his first season as offensive coordinator, UC Davis saw record setting numbers set offensively on the way to an historic 11-3 season. With an eye on quarterback development, Shelton's guidance saw senior quarterback Miles Hastings earn All-American honors, named a Walter Payton Award finalist and set nine single season records, including becoming the first quarterback in program history to throw for over 4,000 yards in a season. As a unit the Aggies set five season records, headlined by throwing for a program record 4,643 yards.
Shelton spent two season as head coach at South-Doyle High School in Knoxville, Tenn, before rejoining the Aggie staff. While in Knoxville Shelton helped improve the team’s GPA to over 3.0 and oversaw quarterback Maddox Cupp set school single-season records in passing yards and touchdowns.
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Shelton’s first stop in Davis was from 2018-22 where he served under previous head coach Dan Hawkins. During his first stint in Davis, Shelton was the special teams coordinator and helped coach the tight ends.
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While at UC Davis the first time, Shelton coached current NFL players punter Daniel Whelan and tight end McCallan Castles. Following the 2021 spring season Whelan was named First Team All-American and McCallan earned First Team All-American Sophomore honors.
Shelton also spent time interning with Jeff Bourque on the Aggie strength and conditioning staff.
Originally from Newport, located on the Volunteer State's eastern border, Shelton played football at Cocke County High School and Maryville College before graduating from East Tennessee State with a degree in history and a minor in secondary education. He coached and taught at Unicoi County HS (Erwin) from 2008-14, then at Bearden HS (Knoxville) from 2014-18, serving as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at both stops.
Shelton met his wife, Sarah, while attending ETSU in 2012. She currently works as an OBGYN for Kaiser in Sacramento. The couple has two daughters, Riley and Hadley Mae, and one son, Jett, who was born in 2023.
Shelton completed his master's in exercise science from Liberty in 2019. He has also run three full marathons in Atlanta, Cincinnati and Nashville, including two with Sarah. In particular, Paul recalls Sarah pushing him at mile 21 during the Atlanta race: "She said, 'we're almost getting beat by the walkers. Can't you go any faster?'"
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