The Boone File

Personal Information
Birthday	May 2
Hometown	Laurel, Miss.
Education	Southern Miss '96 (Bachelor's)
Playing Career	Southern Miss, 1995 Jones County JC, 1993-94
Wife	Coco
Children	Cameron, Cassidee, Colton

Coaching History
2024-25	Troy - Outside Linebackers
2023	Samford - Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
2021	East Mississippi CC - Defensive Coordinator / Safeties
2018-20	Southern Miss Defensive Line
2015-17	Murray State - Defensive Coordinator / Secondary
2014	Samford - Defensive Line / Special Teams
2013	Northwestern State - Defensive Coordinator / Secondary
2011-12	Jacksonville State - Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
2006-10	UT-Martin - Defensive Coordinator / Secondary
2004-05	East Central CC - Defensive Coordinator / Secondary
2002-03	Nicholls State - Linebackers
2000-01	Arkansas-Monticello - Defensive Line
1999	UAB - Graduate Assistant
1998	Wayne County (Miss.) HS - Linebackers
1997	Pearl River CC - Linebackers
1996	Southern Miss - Graduate Assistant

Chris Boone begins his second season as Troy's outside linebackers coach in 2025 following a successful two-year run as defensive coordinator and safeties coach at Samford, where the Bulldogs won 17 games, the most by Samford in consecutive seasons since the 1991-92 campaigns.

Boone oversees both the Trojans’ bandits and spear positions, which produced at a high level in his first season, led by Devin Lafayette, who was rated as Troy’s top defender by Pro Football Focus. Lafayette earned All-Sun Belt honors in his first season with the program, while Phillip Lee and Jah-Mal Williams combined for 13 tackles for loss and six sacks from the bandit spot.

Lee, Williams and Lafayette all ranked among Troy’s top four in coverage rating on the team, as the Trojans won three of their final four games of the season and finished November as a top 25 defense nationally.

In 2023, Samford posted its lowest-scoring defense in seven seasons and ranked 20^th at the FCS level in explosive plays allowed. The Bulldogs led the Southern Conference and ranked sixth nationally in red zone defense. Additionally, linebacker Noah Martin earned multiple All-America honors after leading the SoCon with 109 tackles.

Boone's 2022 defense was a major part of leading the Bulldogs to a historic season, posting a record of 11-2 and reaching the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 1991. The Bulldogs posted a perfect 8-0 SoCon record, winning the program's first outright league title.

Samford improved across the board defensively in his first season, including a 14-point decrease in points allowed, which led to a 71-spot improvement in the national rankings from the previous season. Additionally, the Bulldogs had the top FCS rushing defense per Pro Football Focus and the 11th-best total defense. Samford ranked second nationally in red zone defense touchdown percentage.

Before Samford, Boone spent one season at East Mississippi Community College as the defensive coordinator and safeties coach. His 2021 defense led the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 12.8 points per game, and the unit ranked fourth nationally in total defense.

From 2018 to 2020, he coached the defensive line and safeties at Southern Miss. His 2018 defense finished third in the nation in total defense, first in first down defense, sixth in rushing defense, ninth in team pass efficiency defense and 10th in red zone defense.

From 2015 to 2018, Boone was the assistant head coach/defensive coordinator/secondary coach at Murray State. His 2016 Racers defense led the Ohio Valley Conference in turnovers and ranked 25th nationally in both red zone defense and turnovers forced.

Boone's first stint at Samford came in 2014 when he coached the Bulldogs' defensive line and special teams. That season, the Samford defense ranked second in the SoCon and 15th in the nation in total defense. The unit was also 16th nationally in scoring defense.

Boone came to Samford from Northwestern State, serving as associate head coach, defensive coordinator and secondary coach in 2013. Boone's defense finished second in the Southland Conference in total defense in 2013. The Demons also won six games for the first time in five years.

Prior to working at Northwestern State, Boone served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Jacksonville State in 2011 and 2012. In 2012, his Jacksonville State defensive unit led the Ohio Valley Conference in red zone defense in league play. In 2011, Jax State won the OVC and led the league with 17 interceptions.

From 2006 to 2010, Boone was assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and secondary coach at UT-Martin, reaching the FCS Playoffs in 2006. During his time at UT-Martin, Boone helped the Skyhawks post their best five-season record in school history, and he coached two All-America linebackers and a Buck Buchanan Award nominee.

Boone's 2010 defense led the OVC in total defense, ranking 12th nationally, while the 2006 UT-Martin team won the OVC and finished 9-3 with a No. 13 national ranking. Boone's defense led the OVC and finished sixth in the nation in total defense, scoring, rush, pass, and pass efficiency defense.

Boone was the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at East Central Community College from 2004 to 2005 and spent two seasons at Nicholls State prior to that. He has also coached collegiately at Arkansas-Monticello (2000-02), UAB (1999-2000), Pearl River Community College (1997-98) and Southern Miss (1996-97). He was a high school coach at Wayne County (Miss.) during the 1998 season.

A 1997 graduate of Southern Miss, Boone played for the Golden Eagles in 1995. Prior to that, he played at Jones County (Miss.) Junior College, where he was a two-year starter and voted team captain in 1991 and 1992.

Boone and his wife, Coco Colett, have three children: daughters Cameron and Casidee and son Colton.