Tyler Schovanec - Football Coach - Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Tyler Schovanec

Title:
Special Teams Coordinator

At Florida Atlantic

Joined Coach Kittley and the staff in December of 2024 as the special teams coordinator

MEET COACH SCHOVANEC

At Texas Tech (second stint)

Served three seasons with the Texas Tech coaching staff, most recently as the assistant special teams coordinator and specialist coach
The Red Raiders have ranked among the nation’s top special teams units during Schovanec’s three seasons on their sideline
In 2024, finished regular season regular season nationally in multiple special teams statistical categories, including third in individual field goal percentage, sixth in kickoff return defense, 27th in blocked kicks, and 29th in overall special teams efficiency according to ESPN.
For the 2023 season, ranked in the top 20 nationally in four special teams statistical categories, finishing second in punt return average, sixth in kick return average, 10th in blocked kicks, and 19th for net punting.
The Red Raiders previously ranked ninth in 2022 for kick return defense and inside the top 25 for both blocked kicks and kick return average.
Kicker Trey Wolff was among the most accurate kickers in college football in his lone season with the Red Raiders in 2022, connecting on 21-of-25 field goal attempts, which ranked second all-time in Texas Tech single-season history. An honorable mention All-Big 12 selection, Wolff was reliable in key situations throughout the 2022 season as he had nine field goals that came with under a minute remaining in the second or fourth quarters or in overtime. Wolff had two game-winning kicks during the season, sending the Red Raiders to memorable come-from-behind victories over both Texas and Oklahoma. He later signed a free agent agreement with the Tennessee Titans after an impressive showing at his Pro Day
Gino Garcia followed Wolff with honorable mention All-Big 12 accolades of his own in 2023 after connecting on 16-of-22 attempts, including an impressive 9-of-10 field goal tries during Big 12 play. Garcia, who played for Schovanec earlier in each of their respective careers at Houston Christian, used his strong leg to become the first Red Raider in program history to connect on three field goals of at least 50 yards or longer in a season. In 2024, Garcia broke Texas Tech’s all-time single season record for field goal percentage, connecting on 18-of-19 attempts in the regular season (94.7%). Garcia finished as a semifinalist for the Lou Groza award and was named Second Team All-Big 12. Long snapper Jackson Knotts also received Phil Steele Second Team All-Big 12 honors for his contributions
Austin McNamara, meanwhile, solidified his spot as the most successful punter in school history as he was tabbed the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year as a senior in 2023
McNamara, also a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award and an All-Big 12 first-team selection that same season, wrapped his career with a 45.9 career average, the highest in Texas Tech and Big 12 Conference history and the 10th-highest in the NCAA FBS record book. McNamara would go on to sign a free agent agreement with the Cincinnati Bengals

At Houston Christian

Received his first full-time coaching position at Houston Christian in 2018 where he was the special teams coordinator and running backs coach for four seasons
Began coaching relationship alongside current FAU Head Coach Zach Kittley for three of those seasons as Houston Christian that developed into one of the top offenses at the FCS level
On special teams, Gino Garcia set the program career records with 32 field goals and 84 extra points made over his three seasons as well as the single-season mark after finding the uprights 18 times during the 2019 campaign
Garcia was a first team All-Southland Conference honoree in 2021 as one of several Huskies who garnered all-conference accolades under Schovanec
Kick returner Gamar Girdy Brito, who, like Garcia, set the program's career marks for kick return yards and all-purpose yards, collected STATS FCS and Hero Sports All-America honors in 2019 to close his career as well as first-team All-Southland Conference accolades.
Punter Blake Patterson was a two-time honoree as a second-team selection in 2019 and a first-team honoree in 2020. In 2021, Punter Brady Buell was a semi-finalist for FCS punter of year in addition to being recognized as First Team All-Southland Conference.

At Texas Tech (first stint)

Served as the special teams quality control assistant from 2017-18, assisting Special Teams Coordinator with organization of special teams and specialist position groups
Assisted with production of kickoff returner and future NFL player Keke Coutee who was awarded Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week against Baylor for his 95-yard touchdown return in 2017

At Case Western

Was an offensive graduate assistant at Case Western University in 2016, where he served as running backs coach
During his lone season, running back Jacob Burke earned second-team All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference honors after rushing for more than 1,000 yards while also ranking 18th in Division III with 16 touchdowns
In 2016, was part of group of coaches that was awarded UAA Conference Coaching Staff of Year

As a Student-Athlete

Was a two-sport athlete (football and baseball) at both Carroll University in Wisconsin and Case Western

PERSONAL

Hometown: Lubbock, Texas
Education: Received his Bachelor of Science in business administration and management from Carroll in 2015 and a master’s in management and finance from Case Western in 2017.
Family: Married the former Sarah Gray in May 2024.

SCHOVANEC COACHING HISTORY

Year(s)	School	Position	Bowl	Result
2025	Florida Atlantic	Special Teams Coordinator
2024	Texas Tech	Assistant Special Teams Coordinator / Specialists Coach	Liberty Bowl	L, 39-26 did not coach
2023	Texas Tech	Special Teams Analyst	Independence Bowl (Cal)	W, 34-14
2022	Texas Tech	Special Teams Analyst	Texas Bowl (Ole Miss)	W, 42-25
2021	Houston Christian	Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs	Liberty Bowl (Mississippi State)	W, 34-7
2020	Houston Christian	Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs
2019	Houston Christian	Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs
2018	Houston Christian	Special Teams Coordinator/Running Backs
2017	Texas Tech	Special Teams Quality Control/Personnel Assistant	Birmingham Bowl (USF)	L, 38-24
2016	Case Western	Running Backs/Offensive Graduate Assistant