Rob Christophel is in his 10th season with the Nicholls State University football program as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
In the 2021 spring season, the Colonel offense set program records in total offense per game with 521.6 yards per game and an astounding 48.7 scoring average. Nicholls scored 50 or more points three times in the seven-game season, including twice in Southland Conference play.
Under Christophel’s direction, the Colonels led the Southland in rushing for the third straight season while ranking third in the nation at 263.4 yards. Quarterback Lindsey Scott Jr. ranked third in the conference in rushing while running back Julien Gums finished fourth en route to his second consecutive All-Southland campaign. A total of seven offensive players earned all-league in the spring, highlighted by five on first team.
In 2019, Gums led the way on the ground and set school single-season rushing records with 1,232 yards and 16 touchdowns en route to earning All-Southland First Team. Christophel’s 2019 offense had a total seven All-SLC selections.
The Colonels scored 40 or more points in four games that season and had 500-plus yards in three victories. The offense produced season-highs in total yards (537) and rushing yards (349) in the win over rival Northwestern State. The second-high offensive output was in the Senior Day victory against McNeese when the Colonels more than doubled the Cowboys in yardage with 519.
Christophel had quarterback Chase Fourcade under center for four years (2016-19), helping the Colonel signal-caller leave Nicholls as one of the best ever. Fourcade broke nearly every passing record and even set a new career record with 35 rushing touchdowns. He was the first Colonel to be named Southland Player of the Year in 2018 and followed up with being named Offensive Player of the Year as a senior. Fourcade was also the first Nicholls quarterback to be named All-Southland First Team since Josh Son in 2002, earning the distinction in ’18 and ’19.
In 2018, Christophel’s offense ranked among the best in the FCS. Nicholls had the 28th-rated scoring offense in the country (32.3 ppg), ranked 12th in total offense (474.0 ypg) and rushing offense (246.8). The Colonels broke a handful of program offensive records including most points scored (420), total yards (6,162) and yards per game (474.0), and first downs (314).
Nicholls scored more than 40 points in five straight games in 2018, capped by its 49-point showing in the playoff win over San Diego. The Colonels also had two program bests since 2007, registering their first 50-point Southland game in a win over Lamar and then rushing for 418 yards at Stephen F. Austin.
In Christophel’s first season at Nicholls, the Red and Gray closed on a high note by averaging 27.3 points and 433.3 yards over the final four contests. The success carried over through the next two campaigns as the Colonels ranked fifth in the Southland in scoring in ‘16 and ‘17, finishing at 28.2 points per game (2017) and 30.3. While it was a vastly improved passing game that led to the spike in ’16, the rushing attack averaged over 200 yards in ‘17 and ranked as the second best in the Southland.
Christophel, a native of Reading, Ohio, joined the Colonel staff after spending eight seasons at Missouri State as the Bears’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
A veteran with more than 20 years of experience at the college level, Christophel’s ties to Louisiana, as well as Coach Tim Rebowe, came before his stint at Missouri State. From 2001-06, Christophel served as offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at the University of Louisiana. During his tenure, UL ranked seventh in the FBS in rushing offense in 2005 while leading the Sun Belt in nine offensive categories. In 2006, the Ragin’ Cajuns were 14th nationally and first in the Sun Belt in rushing offense and second in total offense.
At Missouri State, Christophel’s offense produced several national and conference high-ranking marks. In 2013, his Bears produced the second-most rushing yards (1,484) of any MVFC school in league games, and after helping engineer an offense that ranked 20th nationally in pass efficiency in 2011, his offense garnered another national ranking in 2012, allowing just 1.36 sacks per game, which ranked 22nd nationally.
Upon his arrival in Springfield in 2007, Christophel installed a no-huddle, spread offense that produced the highest scoring average in school history for an 11-game season in 2007 as the Bears averaged 36.3 points. The Bears also averaged 49.5 points at home and posted a 5-1 record. The following year, the offense was fueled by an All-American tight end in Clay Harbor, who collected AP All-America and first-team All-MVFC honors for the third straight year in 2009 and went on to be selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the NFL Draft.
Likewise, the 2010 offensive unit produced a consensus All-American in OT David Arkin who was picked by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. The 2010 Bears finished 13th in the nation in total offense (425.45) and 11th in rushing yards per game (214.18), while committing just 13 turnovers in 11 games.
From 1997 to 2002, Christophel was offensive coordinator and quarterback coach at Lambuth University in Jackson, Tenn., where the offensive units he guided were among the top 10 in passing offense and total offense in the NAIA from 1998-2000. Christophel held a similar position from 1992 to 1997 at Idaho State after coaching at Murray State from 1984 to 1991.
Christophel is a 1984 graduate of Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn. He and his wife, Paula, have two sons - Eric, who played football at Missouri State and was a graduate assistant coach at Nicholls, and Tyler.
THE CHRISTOPHEL FILE
Personal: Born July 7, 1961. Hometown: Reading, Ohio. Family: Has a wife, Paula; and two sons, Tyler and Eric.
Coaching Experience: Murray State (1984-86), wide receivers; Murray State (1987-91), quarterbacks and wide receivers; Idaho (1992-96), offensive coordinator; Lambuth University (1997-2001), offensive coordinator; Louisiana (2001-06), offensive coordinator; Missouri State (2007-14), offensive coordinator; Nicholls (2015-present) offensive coordinator/quarterback coach.
Playing Experience: Quarterback at Austin Peay (1980-82).
Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Austin Peay in 1984.
