Football

Zac Spavital
Zac Spavital

Hometown:
Tulsa, Okla.
High School:
Tulsa Union
Position:
Assistant Coach - Safeties
Birthdate:
07/15/1982
Experience:
Fourth Season
Alma Mater:
Murray State, 2004

Zac Spavital begins his fourth season at the University of Houston in 2011 and continues to work with the Cougar safeties.

During the 2010 season, Spavital narrowed his focus to tutoring the safety position and aided a foursome of defenders who accounted for 213 tackles, four interceptions, 3.5 tackles for loss and eight passes broken up.

In 2009, the Cougars recorded 11 interceptions with cornerbacks Jamal Robinson and Brandon Brinkley finishing 1-2 on the team. Brinkley posted four pickoffs for 108 yards on the way to being named to the All-Conference USA Second Team. Robinson etched his name into Cougar lore with a 26-yard return for touchdown at No. 5/6 Oklahoma State that sealed the win for the Cougars.

Brinkley finished his career ranked among the Cougars' all-time career leaders in interceptions, games played and pass breakups.

During Spavital's first season with the Cougars in 2008, Houston defensive backs picked off 13 opposing passes with the four interceptions by Brinkley and Loyce Means topping all players.

Prior to Houston, Spavital spent three seasons as the defensive graduate assistant on Bob Stoops' staff at Oklahoma, where he worked closely with the defensive backfield and the scout team. Spavital helped lead the Sooners to a pair of Big 12 titles and two appearances in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Statistically, in each of his three seasons at OU, the Sooners' defense ranked at the top of the Big 12 and among the elite in the country in total defense. Oklahoma never finished outside of the top two in total defense in the Big 12, leading the league in both 2005 and 2006 while ranking second in 2007.

Nationally, the Sooners ranked 13th in total defense in 2005, 16th in 2006 and 26th in 2007.

He coached six players who earned All-Big 12 honors and five players who went on to sign NFL contracts, including 2007 third-round NFL Draft pick Reggie Smith.

A native of Tulsa, Okla., Spavital played football at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M for two seasons before transferring to Murray State in Kentucky where he played for two years. He was an All-Conference and All-Region selection and was named a Gridwire Scholar All-American.

Spavital graduated from Murray State in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in business administration.

He is married to the former Catherine Johnston, and the couple lives in Houston.

THE SPAVITAL FILE
Personal
Birthdate: July 15, 1982
Hometown: Tulsa, Okla.
Family: Wife, Catherine

Education
High School: Tulsa Union
College: Murray State • bachelor's degree in business administration • 2004

Coaching Experience
2010 - • Houston • Safeties
2008-09 • Houston • Cornerbacks
2005-07 • Oklahoma • Graduate Assistant

Postseason Experience
2009 • Bell Helicopter Armed Forces (Houston)
2008 • Bell Helicopter Armed Forces (Houston)
2008 • Fiesta (Oklahoma)
2007 • Fiesta (Oklahoma)
2005 • Holiday (Oklahoma)

Playing History
2003-04 • Murray State
2001-02 • Northeastern Oklahoma A&M

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