Texas State head football coach Dennis Franchione announced the hiring of Jeff Conway as co-offensive coordinator and running backs and tight ends coach on Monday, Feb. 6.

“Jeff has been part of a winning program and is an exceptionally knowledgeable football coach,” said Franchione. “He will bring ideas to our program not only in terms of x's and o's, but also recruiting and team wise which we are excited about,” said Franchione. “His recruiting area has been Houston and Darrell (Dickey) had done a great job in Houston. I think Jeff will step into that role and do the same for us.”

Conway comes to Texas State after serving as the assistant head coach and wide receivers coach during the past two seasons when the Bearkats posted a combined record of 20-6. In 2011, Sam Houston State was a Division I FCS Finalist and ended the season ranked No. 2 nationally with a 14-1 overall record. The Bearkats also won the Southland Conference with a 7-0 league record.

Conway went to Sam Houston State after serving as the associate head coach and wide receivers coach at Central Missouri for six seasons. During that span, the Mules compiled a 41-24 record, including an 8-3 mark in 2009. Central Missouri also had four seven-win campaigns in 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2008.

He also worked six seasons as a special teams and recruiting coordinator at the University of New Mexico, where he began his tenure coaching wide receivers in 1998, tight ends in 1999 and 2000, running backs in 2001 and wide receivers from 2002-03. During the 2001 season as running backs coach, New Mexico enjoyed its best season in four years as the Lobos averaged 191 yards per game and produced a NFL Draft selection, Jarrod Baxter.

Conway went to New Mexico from Blinn College, where he was a first-year head coach in 1997 and led the Buccaneers to an 8-3 record and a No. 14 national ranking. He was named head coach after serving as the offensive coordinator for four seasons when Blinn posted a 47-8-1 record, won 26 consecutive games and won back-to-back national championships in 1995 and 1996.

Conway also served on the staff at Purdue under Fred Akers in 1989 and then became the offensive coordinator at Houston's Northshore High School in 1990.

He began his coaching career as an assistant at his alma mater, Northwest Missouri State in 1984 before moving to Sam Houston State as a wide receivers coach in 1985-86 when the Bearkats finished 8-3 both years and won a Gulf Star Conference championship. He also served as a quarterbacks and receivers coach at Lamar from 1986-89.


Conway is a 1981 graduate of Northwest Missouri State where he earned his bachelor's degree in finance and played football as a free safety from 1978 to 1981. He was named an All-Conference selection as a senior. A native of Knoxville, Iowa, Conway and his wife, Jolene, have three daughters - Callie, Patsy and Bobbi.