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Will Healy

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For the American composer, pianist, and artistic director, see Will Healy (composer).

Will Healy
Current position
TitleHead Coach
TeamEast Tennessee State
ConferenceSoCon
Record0–0
Biographical details
Born (1985-01-16) January 16, 1985 (age 39)
Chattanooga, Tennessee, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Richmond
Playing career
2003Air Force
2004–2008Richmond
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2009–2015Chattanooga (WR)
2016–2018Austin Peay
2019–2022Charlotte
2023UCF (AHC/analyst)
2024Georgia State (RB)
2025–presentEast Tennessee State
Head coaching record
Overall28–45
Bowls0–1
Accomplishments and honors
Awards
As player
As coach

William Livingston Healy (born January 16, 1985) is an American college football coach. He is the head coach for the East Tennessee State Buccaneers, a position he has held since 2024. He previously served as assistant to the head coach and senior offensive analyst for UCF.[1] He was the head coach at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (2019-2022) and Austin Peay (2016-2018).

In just his second season at Austin Peay, Healy spearheaded one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history. At the time he was the 2nd youngest football coach in Division 1 football. Coming into the 2017 season with just one win in the last four years, Healy guided the Governors to an 8–4 mark, including an 8–1 record against Football Championship Subdivision competition. Austin Peay tallied seven OVC victories – the most conference wins in program history.

Playing career

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Healy, a native of Chattanooga, Tennessee, was an all-state quarterback at Boyd-Buchanan School where he still holds the Chattanooga-area career passing record (7,700+yds). After signing a football scholarship at Air Force coming out of high school, he then transferred to The University of Richmond to play quarterback for Dave Clawson and Mike London. The Spiders went on to win the FCS National Championship in 2008, Healy's senior season, with the game being played in his hometown of Chattanooga, Tennessee. He then started his coaching career for coach Russ Huesman at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2009.[2]

Coaching career

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Early coaching career

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After spending his first season at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga as the quarterbacks coach for record-setting quarterback B. J. Coleman, Healy moved to the wide receivers coaching position. He spent six more years at Chattanooga, with titles of recruiting coordinator and passing game coordinator. As the recruiting coordinator, Healy manufactured back-to-back top recruiting classes in FCS football.

Austin Peay

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Healy was announced as the 19th head coach at Austin Peay State University[3] on December 20, 2015.[4] His 2016 recruiting class was ranked top 5 in FCS football, followed by the #1 ranked class in 2017 according to 247sports.

During the 2017 season, a cbssports.com article asserted that "Will Healy is doing a miraculous job at Austin Peay.".[5] Healy's Governors finished the season 8–1 in the FCS with its only FCS loss to Jacksonville State. The 7–1 mark in the OVC set a school record for Austin Peay and ties the most wins ever in a season. These accomplishments garnered Healy with the OVC Coach of the Year Award and the Eddie Robinson Award by STATS for the FCS National Coach of the year."[6]

Charlotte 49ers

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On December 5, 2018, Healy was announced as the Charlotte 49ers second head football coach.[7]

On August 29, 2019, Healy recorded his first win as the head coach of Charlotte in a 49–28 victory against Gardner–Webb.[8] On September 14, he recorded his first career victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) opponent with a 52–17 win against UMass.[9] Healy would record his first C-USA win against North Texas on October 26.[10] Healy and the 49ers both would reach bowl eligibility for the first time following a home victory over Marshall on November 23 in his first season at the helm.[11]

After achieving the program's first winning and bowl season, Healy's contract was altered to extend his terms of service with a slight raise and additional achievement bonuses for himself and his staff.[12][13]

On September 3, 2021, Healy would record both his and the program's first win over a Power 5 opponent with a 31 to 28 win over the Duke Blue Devils.[14]

Charlotte fired Healy on October 23, 2022, after a 1–7 start to the season. Offensive line coach Peter Rossomando took over as interim head coach.[15]

UCF

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On February 6, 2023, Healy was hired by UCF to be their advisor to the head coach & senior offensive analyst for the 2023 season.[16]

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs
Austin Peay Governors (Ohio Valley Conference) (2016–2018)
2016 Austin Peay 0–11 0–8 9th
2017 Austin Peay 8–4 7–1 2nd
2018 Austin Peay 5–6 3–5 T–6th
Austin Peay: 13–21 10–14
Charlotte 49ers (Conference USA) (2019–2022)
2019 Charlotte 7–6 5–3 4th (East) L Bahamas
2020 Charlotte 2–4 2–2 4th (East)
2021 Charlotte 5–7 3–5 T–5th (East)
2022 Charlotte 1–7[a] 0–4
Charlotte: 15–24 10–14
East Tennessee State Buccaneers (Southern Conference) (2025–present)
2025 East Tennessee State 0–0 0–0
East Tennessee State: 0–0 0–0
Total: 28–45
  1. ^ Charlotte fired Healy with four games remaining.

References

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  1. ^ "Will Healy". ucfknights.com.
  2. ^ Vannini, Chris. "Feature: How 30-year-old Will Healy landed a Division I head coaching job". coachingsearch.com. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  3. ^ Pouncy, Colton (September 8, 2017). "Austin Peay vs. Miami: 5 things to watch". The Leaf Chronicle. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  4. ^ "Austin Peay Governors – Staff Directory". letsgopeay.com. Retrieved September 12, 2017.
  5. ^ "Why the best young coach in college football might be this man, not Scott Frost".
  6. ^ "Healy wins National Coach of the Year".
  7. ^ Stewart, Mike (December 4, 2018). "Charlotte hires Will Healy as football coach". The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  8. ^ "Charlotte Scores 49 in Healy's Victorious Debut". Charlotte49ers.com. August 30, 2019. Retrieved August 31, 2019.
  9. ^ "Charlotte Explodes for 52-17 Win Over UMass". Charlotte49ers.com. September 14, 2019. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  10. ^ "Niners Rally to Win on Tucker's Dramatic TD". Charlotte49ers.com. October 26, 2019. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  11. ^ "BOWL ELIGIBLE! Niners Claim Sixth Win vs. Marshall". Charlotte49ers.com. November 23, 2019. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  12. ^ "Will Healy contract details" (PDF). Agent49. December 5, 2018. Retrieved January 11, 2019.
  13. ^ "Charlotte 49ers extend contracts of football coach Will Healy and AD Mike Hill". Agent49. February 11, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  14. ^ "Late-Game Heroics Secure Charlotte's First Power Five Win, 31-28, Over Duke". September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 5, 2021.
  15. ^ Bailey, Hunter (October 23, 2022). "Charlotte 49ers head football coach Will Healy fired as team languishes in FBS cellar". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved October 23, 2022.
  16. ^ "UCF football adds former Charlotte head coach Will Healy as advisor, offensive analyst". Daytona Beach News-Journal Online. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
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