FHSU Athletics

Zach Watkins enters his fourth season on the Fort Hays State football coaching staff in 2014. Watkins coaches the defensive line and serves as the special teams coordinator. He also coached the inside linebackers in 2011.

In his first season at FHSU, Watkins helped guide linebacker Alex Whitehill to an All-America season. Whitehill led NCAA Division II and set a new Fort Hays State single-season record for tackles with 164. He also set a new NCAA Division II record for assisted tackles in a season with 106, breaking the old mark of 105 set by Brian Holliday of Fayetteville State in 2002. Whitehill was a first team All-MIAA selection and was named an All-American by four different outlets.

Watkins coached a pair of All-MIAA selections on the defensive line in Jesse Trent and Jeremy Jones, and kick returner DeAndre James who garnered All-MIAA status in 2013.

Watkins came to FHSU for the 2011 season after serving as a defensive graduate assistant at Northwest Missouri State coaching the inside linebackers since January 2011.

Watkins was a four-year starter at linebacker for Washburn from 2006-09 under current Fort Hays State head coach Chris Brown and defensive coordinator Cooper Harris. He put together a historic career for the Ichabods, registering 100 or more tackles in each season, compiling a school record 473 for his career. That mark also places him third all-time in NCAA Division II history.

Watkins was named the MIAA Freshman of the Year in 2006 following a season which saw him earn honorable mention All-MIAA and second team all-region honors. From there, Watkins went on to earn first-team All-MIAA in each of his final three seasons. In 2007, Watkins helped lead the team to the NCAA II Playoffs for the second time in school history. Watkins would go on to be named the MIAA conference and Daktronics regional Defensive Player of the Year in 2009 following a stellar senior season. He was also a first team All-America selection by the American Football Coaches Association in 2009 and a second team selection by Daktronics. In addition, Watkins was a three-time All-American selection by Don Hansen’s Football Gazette.

Following his playing career at Washburn, Watkins was invited to Minnesota Vikings mini-camp in 2010 before going into coaching. In the summer of 2011, Watkins played for Team USA in the IFAF World Championship and helped the USA defend its world title by defeating Canada in the Gold Medal Game. He was a first team all-tournament selection in the event.

His accolades go beyond the field as well, since Watkins was a three-time selection as both Academic All-MIAA and as an MIAA Scholar Athlete. He was also an ESPN The Magazine / CoSIDA Academic All-American in 2008 and a Ken B. Jones MIAA Student-Athlete of the Year Award finalist in 2010.

Watkins, a native of Independence, Mo., graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Washburn University in December of 2009 and completed his master’s degree in Sports Administration at Fort Hays State University in 2013.