Gardner-Webb University has terminated football head coach Kris McCullough, ending his tenure after only one game on the sideline.
The school made the announcement Wednesday, September 2, saying the move was effective immediately. University officials did not release specific details explaining the decision.
The dismissal followed a suspension announced just two days earlier. On Monday, August 31, Gardner-Webb placed McCullough on leave while it looked into an ongoing investigation tied to matters outside of football activities. As with the termination, the school has not shared specifics about what prompted the inquiry.
A Short Stint With the Runnin’ Bulldogs
McCullough, 30, took over the program in December 2025 and coached exactly one contest before his exit. That game came on August 27, when Gardner-Webb opened its season with a 35 to 17 loss on the road against a ranked Austin Peay squad. He finishes his time with the Runnin’ Bulldogs with a winless 0 and 1 record.
Special teams coordinator and tight ends coach Pete Bennett has stepped in as interim head coach. Bennett joined the Gardner-Webb staff in 2024 and previously worked at the FBS level with programs including Memphis and South Alabama.
He is now tasked with leading the team into its next matchup on the road at Wofford this Saturday.
Gardner-Webb becomes the third program to change head coaches in this role since 2020. McCullough took over after Cris Reisert left to become offensive coordinator at Toledo, while an earlier predecessor, Tre Lamb, moved on to become head coach at Tulsa.
A Notable Résumé Before the Setback
Before arriving at Gardner-Webb, McCullough built a strong reputation running the program at Texas-Permian Basin, a Division II school. Over three seasons there from 2023 through 2025, he compiled a 28 and 10 overall record.
His accomplishments included a Lone Star Conference championship, two trips to the NCAA playoffs, and a run to the national quarterfinals during the 2025 season. By the end of his time at UTPB, the team was ranked among the top programs in major Division II polls.
Earlier in his coaching career, McCullough also spent one season as head coach at East Central, where he went 9 and 3 and won a Heritage Bowl title. Combining his stops, he carried a career head coaching mark of 37 wins and 13 losses into his new job at Gardner-Webb.
As of Wednesday afternoon, the university had not issued any further public statement addressing the reasoning behind McCullough’s sudden dismissal, and the nature of the investigation remains undisclosed.
