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The Andy McCollum File |
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Hometown: Marietta, Ga. |
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Education: Austin Peay, B.S. '79; Middle Tennessee, M.S. '83 |
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Family: Debbie (Wife), Drew, Trey (Sons), Andrea, Samantha (Daughters), Emma (Granddaughter) |
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Coaching Background |
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2023-Pres. |
Sewanee, Head Coach |
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2021-22 |
Univ. of Buffalo, Chief of Staff/Senior Defensive Analyst |
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2020 |
Western Carolina, Defensive Coordinator |
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2009-19 |
Georgia Tech, Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator |
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2007-08 |
N.C. State, Linebackers Coach |
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2006 |
Tennessee Titans, Advance Scout/Defensive Assistant |
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1999-2005 |
Middle Tennessee State, Head Coach |
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1995-98 |
Baylor, Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator (Linebackers/Special Teams) |
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1995 |
Tennessee, Assistant Coach (Linebackers) |
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1994 |
Baylor, Assistant Coach (Linebackers/Special Teams) |
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1989-93 |
Texas-El Paso, Assistant Coach (Linebackers, Wide Receivers, Special Teams) |
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1981-88 |
Middle Tennessee State, Assistant Coach (Receivers, Tight Ends, Running Backs, Defensive Backs, Special Ends) |
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Career Records |
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All-Time (as Head Coach): |
34-45 (.430) |
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Sewanee Record: |
0-0 (First Season in 2023) |
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By The Numbers |
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8 - Bowl Appearances |
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2 - Winning seasons as a head coach |
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Championships/Honors |
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- 2022 Camellia Bowl Champions (Buffalo) |
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- 2018 Quick Lane Bowl Representative (Georgia Tech) |
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- 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl Champions (Georgia Tech) |
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- 2014-15 Orange Bowl Champions (Georgia Tech) |
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- 2014 ACC Coastal Division Champions (Georgia Tech) |
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- 2013 Music City Bowl Representative (Georgia Tech) |
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- 2012 Sun Bowl Champions (Georgia Tech) |
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- 2012 ACC Coastal Division Champions (Georgia Tech) |
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- 2011 Sun Bowl Representative (Georgia Tech) |
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- 2010 Inducted into Marietta High School Hall of Fame |
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- 2001 TSWA Coach of the Year (MTSU) |
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- 2001 Sun Belt Co-Champions (MTSU) |
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- 2001 TSWA Coach of the Year (MTSU) |
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- 1994 Alamo Bowl Representative (Baylor) |
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- 1985 NCAA I-AA Championships (Quarterfinalist) (MTSU, Assistant) |
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- 1984 NCAA I-AA Championships (Semifinalist) MTSU, Assistant) |
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- 1977 North Georgia Athlete of the Year (Marietta HS, Player) |
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- 1976 Cobb County Player of the Year (Marietta HS, Player) |
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Former Middle Tennessee head coach and Georgia Tech defensive coach Andy McCollum enters his third season as head coach at the University of the South, the program's 32nd head football coach.
McCollum has coached in seven bowl games and two appearances in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs, with more than a dozen former players moving on to play professionally in 40-plus years as a collegiate head coach and assistant.
The Tigers posted three wins in 2023, the program's highest win total since 2018. Sewanee started the year 3-1, its best start to the campaign since 2001, and the team ended a 23-game conference losing streak as well as winning its first league road game in five years.
Sewanee tied for 14th nationally in sacks, blocked four kicks and scored a pair of defensive touchdowns while finishing the season with 17 takeaways defensively. Jacorin Thomas earned Newcomer of the Year honors, rushing for the third-most yards among quarterbacks in the country, while Keegan Glaze earned First Team All-SAA accolades and Quinn Johnson was a Second Team selection.
In 2024 the Tigers registered two wins but also four close losses, reclaiming the Orgill Cup after a victory over Rhodes College for the first time since 2018. Dawson White was selected Newcomer of the Year while Dyer Barnes, Kason Holder and Jack Satterfield were voted First Team All-SAA and Glaze was a Second Team selection.
McCollum played and coached at Austin Peay and was an assistant coach and head coach at Middle Tennessee State before returning to middle Tennessee at Sewanee. He spent the previous two seasons as the chief of staff and senior defensive analyst at the University of Buffalo and worked one year at Western Carolina in 2020.
The Marietta, Ga., native worked 10 years at Georgia Tech, splitting time between the defensive line, linebackers and the secondary. Tech’s 2015 defense ranked sixth nationally in fewest first downs allowed and first in the nation in defensive improvement on third down, while the 2018 squad ranked fourth overall in total defense in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
During his tenure, the Ramblin’ Wreck made six bowl games and won two ACC Coastal Division Championships. Tech won the Sun Bowl in 2012 and the TaxSlayer Bowl in 2016 and the 2014 squad won a division title, registering an 11-3 record with an Orange Bowl victory over Misissippi State, finishing the season ranked No. 6 in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls. Three players earned All-ACC honors and two were selected in the NFL draft.
McCollum served as the program's recruiting coordinator from 2009-17, signing a pair of Top 10 classes in the conference and a national Top 25 ranking in 2018 according to Rivals. One of his top recruits is two-time Super Bowl champion Shaq Mason, a 2015 fourth round draft pick of the New England Patriots. While at Tech, Mason earned First Team All-ACC honors in 2013 and 2014 and was a First Team All-America selection in 2014.
Prior to his time in Atlanta, McCollum was a linebackers coach for North Carolina State for two seasons, where he coached four players who were later drafted into the NFL. He also worked one year as an advance scout and defensive assistant with the Tennessee Titans.
McCollum served as head coach at Middle Tennessee State from 1999-05, posting a 34-45 overall record. He took over as the Blue Raiders made the transition from an FCS (I-AA) program to a Football Bowl Division (I-A) program. Playing as an independent in 1999 and 2000, the 2001 squad registered an 8-3 record in its first season in the Sun Belt Conference and were co-champions of the league.
He collected four straight seasons of top recruiting classes in the Sun Belt and was named the Tennessee Sports Writers Association Coach of the Year in 2000 and 2001.
The first 18 years of his coaching career included serving assistant roles at Middle Tennessee State (1981-88), UTEP (1989-93) and Baylor University (1994-98). Amid that run was a three-month stint under Phillip Fulmer at the University of Tennessee in the spring of 1995.
While at Baylor, the Bears played in the Alamo Bowl in 1994. He eventually was named associate head coach and defensive and special teams coordinator in 1995 and 1996 while in Waco.
During his time as an assistant at MTSU, he worked under Boots Donnelly, with the Blue Raiders reaching the semifinals of the FCS playoffs in 1984 and the quarterfinals in 1985.
McCollum was a three-year starter under center at Marietta High School and was the Cobb County Player of the Year in 1976. He was named the North Georgia Athlete of the Year in 1977 and was inducted into the Marietta High School Hall of Fame in 2010.
He played collegiately at Austin Peay as an offensive guard as a freshman and switched to receiver and tight end as a sophomore, junior and senior. McCollum graduated from Austin Peay with a bachelor's in 1981 and earned a master's from Middle Tennessee State in 1983.
McCollum in the News
Andy McCollum's All-Time Collegiate Head-Coaching Record
| Middle Tennessee State (Tenn.), NCAA Division III (1999-2005) |
| Year |
Overall |
Conference |
Conf. Finish |
Season Notes |
| 1999 |
3-8 (.273) |
n/a |
n/a |
MTSU played as an Independent during 1999 season |
| 2000 |
6-5 (.545) |
n/a |
n/a |
MTSU played as an Independent during 2000 season; TSWA Football Coach of the Year
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| 2001 |
8-3 (.727) |
5-1 (.833) |
T-1st |
First Year at FBS Level; Sun Belt Co-Champions; TSWA Football Coach of the Year |
| 2002 |
4-8 (.333) |
2-4 (.333) |
T-4th |
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| 2003 |
4-8 (.333) |
4-3 (.571) |
T-2nd |
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| 2004 |
5-6 (.455) |
4-4 (.500) |
5th |
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| 2005 |
4-7 (.364) |
3-4 (.429) |
T-4th |
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| Total |
34-45 (.430) |
18-16 (.529) |
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| Sewanee, NCAA Division III (2023-Present) |
| Year |
Overall |
Conference |
Conf. Finish |
Season Notes |
| 2023 |
3-7 (.300) |
2-6 |
t7th |
Most wins since 2018, ended 23-game SAA losing streak |
| 2024 |
2-8 (.200) |
1-6 |
8th |
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| Total |
5-15 (.250) |
3-12 (.200) |
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Updated 8/20/25
