Contact Info.
Phone: 479-968-0245
E-Mail: smullins@atu.edu  

Education:
High School:
Camden High School (Camden, Arkansas), 1976
College:
University of Arkansas-Monticello (Monticello, Ark.), Bachelor of Science, 1980
University of Central Arkansas (Conway, Ark.), Master of Physical Education, 1982

Coaching Experience:
Coach Mullins began his coaching career at Lamar University as outside linebackers coach in 1982. He also served as defensive line coach from 1983-84 and as offensive line coach in 1985 while at Lamar. He was the assistant head coach and offensive line coach at Southwestern State University (Okla.) from 1986-87. From 1988-89, Coach Mullins served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Northwest Missouri State University. In 1990, Mullins went to Northwestern State University (La.) as linebackers coach. In 1991-96, he served as offensive line coach. From 1994-96, he served as offensive coordinator and he was the assistant head coach from 1995-96. Coach Mullins has been at Arkansas Tech University since 1997.

At Tech:
When Steve Mullins became the 14th head football coach in Arkansas Tech University history in the summer of 1997, he inherited a program in transition. The Wonder Boys had posted just six winning seasons and one conference championship in the previous 20 years, and they were in the infancy of a new era as members of NCAA Division II and the ultra-competitive Gulf South Conference.

Eight football seasons later, Tech has accomplished feats unmatched by any of its fellow GSC members from Arkansas. The Wonder Boys are the only Gulf South football program in Arkansas to ever win the GSC title outright (1999), the only GSC football program in Arkansas to host an NCAA Division II Playoff game (2004) and the only GSC football program in Arkansas to win an NCAA Division II Playoff game (2004).

Those deeds have earned Mullins two Gulf South Conference coach of the year awards (1999, 2004) and one NCAA Division II South Region Coach of the Year honor (2004).

“It means a lot to me personally, and it means a lot to our program as well,” said Mullins when asked about the awards. “When we go out to sell this program and this university, it gives us more credibility. Coach of the year awards are just like playing quarterback. When things are going great, you get too much credit. When everything is going poorly, you get too much blame. So, I guess when things do go well you need to accept them and enjoy them while you can. It’s truly a team award. So many people contribute to a successful football program. I hold the position of head coach so I get all that credit, but there are countless people who worked very hard so that I could win those awards.”

Personal:
Coach Mullins is 49 years old. He was born June 9, 1958, in Camden, Arkansas. He is married to the former Liz Morgan of Groves, Texas. The couple has three children: Katie, Hunter, and Mason.

Benyard Jones
Assistant Football Coach (Defensive Coordinator)

Contact Info:
Phone: 479-964-3205
E-mail: bjones@atu.edu

Education:
High School:
Kankakee High School (Kankakee, Ill.), 1993
College:
Indiana University (Bloomington, Ind.), Bachelor of Science, 1998
Arkansas Tech University (Russellville, Ark.), Master of Education, 2001

About Jones:
Benyard Jones is entering his sixth overall season at Tech and his first as the Wonder Boys defensive coordinator.  He returned to the Wonder Boys coaching staff last season after serving one year (2005) as the defensive coordinator at Butler University, an NCAA Division I-AA school in Indianapolis, Ind.  Prior to going to Butler, Jones spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Tech.  A native of Kankakee, Ill., Jones is a graduate of Indiana University, earning the Bachelor of Science degree in 1998. He came to Tech in the fall of 1998 as a graduate assistant coach and received his Master of Science degree in 2001.

While attending Kankakee High School, Jones earned two football letters and All-Conference and All-State honors as an offensive center and defensive tackle. He also earned four prep letters in wrestling. After high school, he was a three-year letterman at Indiana University as a defensive tackle for the Hoosiers. He is married to the former Terri Hankton of Russellville, Ark., and the couple has a daughter, Shakayla, age 11.

Scott Preston
Assistant Football Coach (Offensive Coordinator)

Contact Info:
Phone: 479-964-0351
E-mail: spreston1@atu.edu

Education:
High School:
Palo Alto High School (Palo Alto, Calif.), 1979
College:
Valdosta State University (Valdosta, Ga.), Bachelor of Arts, 1994

About Preston:
Scott Preston is entering his first season with the Wonder Boys football program, serving as the team's offensive coordinator, along with coaching the quarterbacks and running backs.  Preston brings an extensive background with him, that includes 18 years of football coaching at various levels. Preston comes to Tech after spending four seasons (2000-03) as the offensive coordinator and quarterback, running back and receivers coach at Illinois State University, an NCAA Division I-AA school in Normal, Ill. In addition to Illinois State, he spent two seasons (1998-99) as both an offensive coordinator and wide receiver/passing game coordinator at Murray State University. Other coaching stops for Preston include serving one season (1997) as the offensive coordinator at Ventura College, and one season (1996) as the quarterback/receiver coach and passing game coordinator at Georgia Military College. He has also served as a head coach in 1995 of the Helsinki Roosters in the Finnish Professional Football League. Preston began his coaching career as the offensive coordinator at Palo Alto High School in 1988 and then was promoted to head coach at Palo Alto H.S. (1989-90). He also has had stints as a passing game coordinator at San Francisco State University and as a running backs coach at Valdosta State University.

Preston, a native of Dayton, Ohio, was a three-year letterwinner as a quarterback in high school at Palo Alto H.S. He earned his bachelors degree in 1994 from Valdosta State University. Preston is single and resides in Russellville.

Les Boyum
Assistant Football Coach (Offensive Line)

Contact Info:
Phone: 479-968-0346
E-Mail: lboyum@atu.edu

Education:
High School:
Battle Lake High School (Battle Lake, Minn.), 1977
College:
Augsburg College (Minneapolis, Minn.), Bachelor of Science, 1982
University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), Master of Education, 1987

About Boyum:
Les Boyum is entering his second season with the Arkansas Tech football program, working with the Wonder Boys' offensive line and handling all the team's equipment. Boyum comes to Tech after spending the past two seasons (2004-05) at the University of Arkansas working with current Razorbacks Head Coach Houston Nutt. Prior to working at Arkansas, Boyum spent seven seasons as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach at Missouri Western State in St. Joseph, Mo. In addition to working at Arkansas and Missouri Western, Boyum has served as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri-Rolla (1992-96), Austin Peay State University (1990-91) and spent two seasons (1985-86) as a graduate assistant coach at University of Minnesota, including  working the 1985 season with former Arkansas and Notre Dame head coach Lou Holtz. Boyum began his coaching career in 1981 as an assistant at Anoka Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids, Minn. In addition to his college coaching experiences, Boyum also coached in high school at Robert E. Lee High School in Houston, Texas from 1982-84 and again from 1987-89. After his second stint at Lee H.S., he spent one year (1989) as an assistant at North Lamar High School in Paris, Texas, and spent two seasons (1991-92) as the offensive coordinator and head boy's track and field coach at Fayetteville (Ark.) High School.

Boyum, a native of Battle Lake, Minn., began his college playing career at Golden Valley Lutheran Community College in Minneapolis, Minn., before completing his final two years at Augsburg College, where he earned All-Conference honors as an offensive lineman. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Augsburg in 1982 and earned his masters degree in education from Minnesota in 1987. He is married to the former Sheri McElfresh Lucy of Salem, Mo. and has two stepchildren, Michelle Lucy (23) and Nathaniel Lucy (18).

Erik Kruppe
Assistant Football Coach (Defensive Line)

Contact Info:
Phone: 479-968-0282
E-Mail: ekruppe@atu.edu

Education:
High School:
Maine East High School (Park Ridge, Ill.), 1995
College:
Illinois Wesleyan University (Bloomington, Ill.), Bachelor of Arts, 1999
Northeastern Illinois University (Chicago, Ill.), Master of Special Education, 2001

About Kruppe:
Erik Kruppe is entering his first season with the Arkansas Tech football program, working with the Wonder Boys' defensive line. Prior to coming to Tech, Kruppe spent three seasons (2004-06) as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri-Rolla. With the Miners, he served as the linebackers coach and the team's strength and conditioning coach. Before coaching at UMR, Kruppe spent three seasons (2001-03) as an assistant coach (linebackers coach) at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo. He began his college coaching career as an assistant coach (1999-00) at North Park University in Chicago, Ill. He also helped coach at Maine East High School in the Chicago suburbs during the summer of 1999.

Kruppe, a native of Niles, Ill., earned two letters as a linebacker at Maine East High School. While at Maine East H.S., Kruppe earned All-Conference and Honorable Mention All-Area honors and was named the team's MVP and also was a starter in the Suburban Chicago All-Star Football Game. After high school, Kruppe played four seasons at Illinois Wesleyan University as a linebacker. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history from Illinois Wesleyan in 1999 and received his masters degree in special education in 2001 from Northeastern Illinois University. He married the former Julie Jones of St. Louis, Mo., in July of 2007.

Ryan Wallace
Assistant Football Coach (Receivers)

Contact Info:
Phone: 479-964-3203
E-Mail: rwallace@atu.edu

Education:
High School:
Searcy High School (Searcy, Ark.), 1996
College:
Henderson State University (Arkadelphia, Ark.), Bachelor of Science Education, 2001; Master of Science in Sports Administration, 2003.

About Wallace:
Ryan Wallace is entering his fourth season with the Arkansas Tech football program, working with the Wonder Boys' receivers this season after working with the running backs the previous two years. Prior to coming to Tech, Wallace, a native of Searcy, Ark., spent the previous year as an assistant football coach at Forrest City (Ark.) High School. He is a graduate of Searcy High School, where he earned two football letters as a fullback and linebacker.

He went on to play for three seasons at Henderson State University as a cornerback and then spent a couple of years on the Reddies' staff as a graduate assistant coach. Wallace received his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education in 2001 and the Master of Science in sports administration in 2003, both from Henderson State. He is married to the former Jenny Maland of Harrison, Ark.

Graduate Assistant Coaches



Graduate Assistants for 2007 are (from left): Brett Hobbs (linebackers), Garren Rockwell (defensive line),
Kyle Shipp (offensive line) and Antonio Whitfield (receivers).