Dec. 6, 2002
A new era of football began at Texas A&M when Dennis Franchione was named Texas A&M's 26th head coach on Dec. 6, 2002. A 30-year coaching veteran, Franchione (pronounced Fran-CHO-nee) comes to Aggieland after serving as head coach at the University of Alabama the past two seasons.
Franchione, 51, who has been a head coach for 20 seasons, has also served head coaching stints at Texas Christian (1998-2000), New Mexico (1992-97), Southwest Texas State (1990-91), Pittsburg (Kan.) State (1985-89), and Southwestern (Kan.) College (1981-82). Franchione's career record of 155-73-2 (.678 percent) makes him the No. 8 winningest active head coach in terms of winning percentage (minimum -- five years). His 155 career victories stands No. 7 among active head coaches.
It took just two years at Alabama for Franchione to turn a three-win team into a 10-game winner. He inherited a Crimson Tide team that had posted a 3-8 record in 2000, but Franchione led his first Alabama squad to a 7-5 record and victory in the Independence Bowl. In 2002, Franchione guided the Crimson Tide to a 10-3 record to complete the remarkable turnaround. In two seasons in Tuscaloosa, Franchione compiled a 17-8 record. A 1973 graduate of Pittsburg State, Franchione went to Alabama after a three-year stint at TCU where he forged a 25-10 overall mark and a 16-7 record in Western Athletic Conference games. In the six seasons prior to his arrival, the Horned Frogs had won a combined 24 games. Under Franchione's tutelage, TCU won back-to-back WAC titles in 1999 and 2000. Following the 2000 season, the WAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year played for Franchione at TCU.
In 1998, Franchione led the Frogs to a win over Southern California in the Sun Bowl, marking the first bowl victory for TCU since the 1957 Cotton Bowl. In 1999, TCU beat East Carolina in the Mobile Alabama Bowl. He led the Frogs back to Mobile in 2000.
Starting his head coaching career at Southwestern (Kansas) College in 1981, Franchione finished with a 14-4-2 record before moving to his alma mater, Pittsburg (Kansas) State, in 1984. During his five years as head coach of the Gorillas, he was twice named NAIA "Coach of the Year" and compiled a 53-6-0 record. He led Pittsburg State to five straight conference titles, five consecutive playoff appearances and a regular-season winning streak of 45 consecutive games. He was also recognized as National "Coach of the Year" in 1986 and 1987.
Franchione then spent two seasons at Southwest Texas (1990-91) where he compiled a 13-9-0 record. He was named Region VI "Coach of the Year" in 1990.
Moving to New Mexico as head coach, Franchione took that program from a 3-8 mark in 1992 to a WAC Mountain Division title in 1997 with a 9-4 record.
New Mexico played in the 1997 Insight.com Bowl that year.
He moved to TCU in 1998 and promptly took a team that went 1-10 the year before to a 7-5 mark and a spot in the Sun Bowl. The Frogs beat Southern Cal, 28-19 in that game. The following season, Franchione led the Frogs to an 8-4 mark, a WAC co-championship and another bowl berth. Franchione currently serves on the AFCA Ethics Committee. Born in Girard, Kansas, Franchione and his wife Kim have two daughters, Ashley and Libby. He also has a son, Brad, who is a defensive coach at Tennessee-Martin.