Andy Townsend was hired in January 2026 and brings over 15 years of coaching experience to the program. He’s been part of a pair of national championship teams – Texas A&M Commerce in 2017 and Navarro College in 2010.
Townsend was recently on the staff at North Texas as the assistant offensive line coach in 2025. The Mean Green completed their best season in program history, finishing 12-2 and capping the campaign with a 49-47 shootout win against San Diego State in the New Mexico Bowl. UNT led the nation in total yards per game (512.4) and points per game (45.1). Quarterback Drew Mestemaker was named American Conference Offensive Player of the Year, while offensive lineman Gabe Blair was named All-AAC first team.
Before coaching in Denton, Townsend served as the assistant offensive line coach and run game coordinator at East Texas A&M in 2024.
Townsend spent time at the pro level, as he was an offensive line coach and running backs coach for the USFL’s Houston Gamblers in 2022-2023. Townsend was at Texas Wesleyan as the offensive line coach/director of football operations, and also coached in the XFL as an advanced scout, position analyst, and operations assistant for the Dallas Renegades in 2020.
Townsend’s first stint at East Texas A&M as an associate head coach and defensive ends coach from 2015-19 saw great success, culminating in two Lone Star Conference titles in 2015 and 2016 and a Division II National Championship in 2017.
He was an offensive intern at SMU in 2014, where he worked under June Jones. In 2013, he was the offensive line coach at West Texas A&M and helped lead it to the regional finals. He had two players earn first team all-region and all-conference honors, with one earning LSC offensive lineman of the year. Townsend served as the tight ends/offensive line coach at Navarro College from 2010 to 2012.
Townsend played collegiately at East Texas Baptist, where he began his career in coaching as the video coordinator and offensive line coach in 2004. He won a 2A state title as a player in 1998 at Pewitt High School in Omaha, Texas.
Townsend received his bachelor’s degree from East Texas Baptist University in Kinesiology and a Master’s degree from Greenville University in coaching.
Townsend is married to his wife, Meredith, and the couple shares three children, Tripp, Ian and Ellie.
