Chris Ault

Christopher Thomas Ault (born November 8, 1946) is a former American football player, coach, and college athletics administrator. He served three stints at the head football coach at the University of Nevada, Reno (1976–1992, 1994–1995 and 2004–2012), leading the Nevada Wolf Pack to a record of 234–108–1[n 1] over 28 seasons and guiding the program from the NCAA's Division II to Division I-AA in 1978 and then to Division I-A in 1992. Ault was also the athletic director at Nevada from 1986 to 2004. He was the school's starting quarterback from 1965 to 1968. He is a former consultant for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). Ault was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2002, seven years after his first retirement from coaching in 1995. He also coached in the Italian Football League.

Chris Ault
Ault on September 16, 2009
Biographical details
Born (1946-11-08) November 8, 1946
San Bernardino, California, U.S.
Playing career
1965–1968Nevada
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1968Churchill County HS (NV) (assistant)
1969–1971Bishop Manogue HS (NV)
1972Reno HS (NV)
1973–1975UNLV (assistant)
1976–1992Nevada
1994–1995Nevada
2004–2012Nevada
2016–2017Rhinos Milano
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1986–2004Nevada
2013–2015Kansas City Chiefs (consultant)
Head coaching record
Overall234–108–1 (college)[n 1]
Bowls2–8
Tournaments9–7 (NCAA D-I-AA playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
5 Big Sky (1983, 1986, 1990–1991)
3 Big West (1992, 1994–1995)
2 WAC (2005, 2010) Italian Football League Champion (2016)
Awards
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year (1991)
4× Big Sky Coach of the Year (1983, 1986, 1990–1991)
2× WAC Coach of the Year (2005, 2010)
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2002 (profile)

Coaching career

After the 2004 season, Ault fired head coach Chris Tormey. He named himself as the replacement three days later, with the approval of school president John Lilley and the Nevada Board of Regents.[2][3] A member of the university's faculty senate expressed concern at the perceived conflict of interest, especially because the salary of head football coach exceeded that of athletic director.[4]

Ault is credited as the creator of the "Pistol Offense", which he instituted at Nevada in 2004. Since becoming the primary offense for Nevada, the Pistol has been used by other schools across the country. The San Francisco 49ers began employing the pistol offense with the emergence of former Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Since installing the Pistol, Nevada has won shares of two WAC titles—in 2005 (with Boise State) and 2010 (with Boise State and Hawaii).

Ault won his 200th college football game October 9, 2009 when his Wolf Pack beat Louisiana Tech, 37–14.

On December 28, 2012, Ault announced his retirement, effective at the end of the year. In an emotional press conference, Ault said the time had come to pass the program to a new coach.[5] He had spent 41 years―all but seven years of his adult life―at Nevada as a player, coach or administrator.

Italian Football League

On September 17, 2015, Rhinos Milano announced Ault as new head coach for the 2016 season.[6] On July 9, 2016, he won the Italian Football League Italian Bowl Championship after an undefeated season and a 13 games win streak. Ault led the Rhinos to the Italian Bowl championship game again in 2017 but this time lost to Seamen Milano, 37–29.

Education and family

Ault graduated from St. Catherine's Academy in Anaheim, California, graduated from University of Nevada, Reno with a bachelor's degree in education in 1968 and went on to complete an M.B.A. in 1971. He is married to Kathy Ault and has three children: Lisa, Chris Jr., and Amy. His daughter, Lisa, is married to American baseball coach, John Savage.

Head coaching record

College
Year Team Overall ConferenceStanding Bowl/playoffs Coaches# AP°
Nevada Wolf Pack (NCAA Division II independent) (1976–1977)
1976 Nevada 8–3
1977 Nevada 8–3
Nevada Wolf Pack (NCAA Division I-AA independent) (1978)
1978 Nevada 11–1L NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal
Nevada Wolf Pack (Big Sky Conference) (1979–1991)
1979 Nevada 8–45–22ndL NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal
1980 Nevada 6–4–14–3T–2nd
1981 Nevada 7–44–3T–4th
1982 Nevada 6–53–4T–5th
1983 Nevada 10–4[n 1]6–11stL NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal
1984 Nevada 7–45–22nd
1985 Nevada 11–26–12ndL NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal
1986 Nevada 13–17–01stL NCAA Division I-AA Semifinal
1987 Nevada 5–64–4T–4th
1988 Nevada 7–44–4T–4th
1989 Nevada 7–45–3T–3rd
1990 Nevada 13–27–11stL NCAA Division I-AA Championship
1991 Nevada 12–18–01stL NCAA Division I-AA Quarterfinal
Nevada Wolf Pack (Big West Conference) (1992)
1992 Nevada 7–55–11stL Las Vegas
Nevada Wolf Pack (Big West Conference) (1994–1995)
1994 Nevada 9–26–1T–1st
1995 Nevada 9–37–01stL Las Vegas
Nevada Wolf Pack (Western Athletic Conference) (2004–2011)
2004 Nevada 5–73–5T–6th
2005 Nevada 9–37–1T–1stW Hawaii
2006 Nevada 8–55–3T–3rdL MPC Computers
2007 Nevada 6–74–4T–4thL New Mexico
2008 Nevada 7–65–3T–2ndL Humanitarian
2009 Nevada 8–57–12ndL Hawaii
2010 Nevada 13–17–1T–1stW Kraft Fight Hunger1311
2011 Nevada 7–65–2T–2ndL Hawaii
Nevada Wolf Pack (Mountain West Conference) (2012)
2012 Nevada 7–64–45thL New Mexico
Nevada: 234–108–1[n 1]133–53
Total:234–108–1[n 1]
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth

See also

Notes
  1. In 1985, UNLV was forced to forfeit all 7 wins from the 1983 season and all 11 wins from the 1984 season, including their victory in the California Bowl.[1] Ault and his team were given a win and the Fremont Cannon as a result. See Wikipedia:WikiProject College football/Vacated victories for an explanation of how vacated victories are recorded.

References
  1. McCurdie, Jim (March 13, 1985). "UNLV Punished for Using Ineligible Football Players". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  2. "Nevada AD Ault succeeds Tormey". The Seattle Times. December 4, 2003.
  3. "Ault deserves credit for coaching accomplishments". The Nevada Sagebrush. September 25, 2007. Archived from the original on September 26, 2009.
  4. "2003-04 Faculty Senate minutes". University of Nevada, Reno. December 10, 2003.
  5. "Nevada coach Chris Ault retires]". ESPN. December 28, 2012.
  6. "Una leggenda alla guida dei Rhinos: Chris Ault!". Rhinos Milano. September 17, 2015.
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