Northwestern University Athletics
Get to Know Special Teams Coordinator & Tight Ends Coach Paul Creighton
2/21/2024 4:31:00 PM | Football
EVANSTON, Ill. – After spending the last two seasons on the Washington coaching staff as a quality control coach working with special teams, Paul Creighton joined the Northwestern coaching staff this winter as the Wildcats' Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends Coach.
– Dan & Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun
"Thank you to Coach Braun for this opportunity, and for welcoming me into the program. I've long admired Coach Braun's work ethic and passion toward the game, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this staff. I'm excited to work with such a talented group of student-athletes that strive for excellence–both on and off the field–and can't wait to get started with spring ball."
– Special Teams Coordinator & Tight Ends Coach Paul Creighton
At Washington, Creighton helped lead the Huskies to a combined for a 25-3 record, including a trip to the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.
During their 2023 season which saw Washington go 14-1 with a Pac-12 Championship and a victory over No. 3 Texas in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the Huskies' special teams ranked 12th in kickoff return defense, as well as 14th in punt return defense. It marked the second straight season under Creighton in which the Huskies ranked Top Three in the Pac 12 and Top 50 in the nation in both categories.Prior to his stint at Washington, Creighton was the tight ends coach at Fresno State during the 2020 and 2021 seasons under head coach Kalen DeBoer.
In 2021, he was part of the offensive staff that helped Fresno State finish the season ranked No. 1 in the Mountain West in total offense (464.8 yards per game), and second in both scoring offense (33.4 points per game) and passing offense (330.1 yards per game).
The Bulldogs also led the conference in total offense during the 2020 season, averaging 479.3 yards of total offense per game to go along with the league's second-highest points per game total (32.8). Fresno State also led the Mountain West and was fifth in the nation in passing yards per game, with 356.3 per game.
Before joining DeBoer's staff at Fresno State, Creighton spent the previous six years as tight ends coach at UC Davis from 2014-19, during which he also served as the recruiting coordinator (2014-16) and special teams coordinator (2017-19) for the Aggies.
In 2019, Creighton helped UC Davis tight end Wes Preece earn a spot on Phil Steele's All-America third team in 2019, as well as claiming three consecutive All-Big Sky honors. Preece became just the third tight end in program history to record over 100 career receptions, while his 24 career touchdowns remain a school record for the position.
UC Davis turned in its most successful season as a Division I team in 2018, posting a 10-3 record en route to winning its first Big Sky championship while securing its first FCS playoff berth in program history.
Prior to UC Davis, Creighton coached at Colorado State University-Pueblo for three seasons (2011-13) as defensive line coach. CSU-Pueblo went 33-0 in the regular season during his three years working with the defensive line. During his time with the Thunderwolves, Creighton mentored three athletes who went on to play professional football: Darius Allen (BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos), Morgan Fox (Los Angeles Rams) and Mike Pennel (Green Bay, New York Jets).
A three-sport star at Niwot High School in Colorado, Creighton walked on at Colorado, playing fullback and tight end, and earned a scholarship after one semester. He saw action in 47 games during his CU playing career and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in psychology from Boulder in 2006.
Creighton's first post-graduation move was to Auburn where he served two years as graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach. He returned to Colorado in 2009, where he was a defensive graduate assistant for two seasons at his alma mater.
Paul and his wife, Kathleen, have two children, June and James.
Quotables:
"We are thrilled to welcome Paul Creighton to our coaching staff. Paul is a proven winner that has had success at every stop of his coaching career. He will be a tremendous asset to our special teams unit and tight ends room, and I can't wait to see how he contributes to the overall growth and success of our players."– Dan & Susan Jones Family Head Football Coach David Braun
"Thank you to Coach Braun for this opportunity, and for welcoming me into the program. I've long admired Coach Braun's work ethic and passion toward the game, and I'm thrilled to be a part of this staff. I'm excited to work with such a talented group of student-athletes that strive for excellence–both on and off the field–and can't wait to get started with spring ball."
– Special Teams Coordinator & Tight Ends Coach Paul Creighton
The Creighton File
At Washington, Creighton helped lead the Huskies to a combined for a 25-3 record, including a trip to the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship.During their 2023 season which saw Washington go 14-1 with a Pac-12 Championship and a victory over No. 3 Texas in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Allstate Sugar Bowl, the Huskies' special teams ranked 12th in kickoff return defense, as well as 14th in punt return defense. It marked the second straight season under Creighton in which the Huskies ranked Top Three in the Pac 12 and Top 50 in the nation in both categories.Prior to his stint at Washington, Creighton was the tight ends coach at Fresno State during the 2020 and 2021 seasons under head coach Kalen DeBoer.
In 2021, he was part of the offensive staff that helped Fresno State finish the season ranked No. 1 in the Mountain West in total offense (464.8 yards per game), and second in both scoring offense (33.4 points per game) and passing offense (330.1 yards per game).
The Bulldogs also led the conference in total offense during the 2020 season, averaging 479.3 yards of total offense per game to go along with the league's second-highest points per game total (32.8). Fresno State also led the Mountain West and was fifth in the nation in passing yards per game, with 356.3 per game.
Before joining DeBoer's staff at Fresno State, Creighton spent the previous six years as tight ends coach at UC Davis from 2014-19, during which he also served as the recruiting coordinator (2014-16) and special teams coordinator (2017-19) for the Aggies.
In 2019, Creighton helped UC Davis tight end Wes Preece earn a spot on Phil Steele's All-America third team in 2019, as well as claiming three consecutive All-Big Sky honors. Preece became just the third tight end in program history to record over 100 career receptions, while his 24 career touchdowns remain a school record for the position.
UC Davis turned in its most successful season as a Division I team in 2018, posting a 10-3 record en route to winning its first Big Sky championship while securing its first FCS playoff berth in program history.
Prior to UC Davis, Creighton coached at Colorado State University-Pueblo for three seasons (2011-13) as defensive line coach. CSU-Pueblo went 33-0 in the regular season during his three years working with the defensive line. During his time with the Thunderwolves, Creighton mentored three athletes who went on to play professional football: Darius Allen (BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos), Morgan Fox (Los Angeles Rams) and Mike Pennel (Green Bay, New York Jets).
A three-sport star at Niwot High School in Colorado, Creighton walked on at Colorado, playing fullback and tight end, and earned a scholarship after one semester. He saw action in 47 games during his CU playing career and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in psychology from Boulder in 2006.
Creighton's first post-graduation move was to Auburn where he served two years as graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach. He returned to Colorado in 2009, where he was a defensive graduate assistant for two seasons at his alma mater.
Paul and his wife, Kathleen, have two children, June and James.
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