Paul Nichols
| Biographical details | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 25, 1981 Dunwoody, Georgia, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Davidson College (BA, 2003) |
| Playing career | |
| 1999–2002 | Davidson |
| Position | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2004–2005 | Ohio State (GA) |
| 2006 | Marshall (DB) |
| 2007–2008 | Marshall (CB) |
| 2009–2011 | Toledo (co-DC/S) |
| 2012 | Illinois (DPP) |
| 2013–2017 | Davidson |
| 2018–2019 | Georgia Tech (QC) |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 7–43 |
Paul Nichols (born January 25, 1981) is an American college football coach and former player. He was a quality control specialist for offense at the Georgia Institute of Technology from 2018 to 2019.[1] Nichols served as the head football coach at Davidson College from 2013 to 2017, compiling a record of 7–43.[1] He previously played quarterback at Davidson from 1999 to 2002 and, as a sophomore in 2000, helped lead the Wildcats to the only undefeated season in program history (10–0).[1]
Early life and education
Nichols was born in Dunwoody, Georgia, and attended Marist School in Atlanta, graduating in 1999.[1] He matriculated to Davidson College, where he earned bachelor's degrees in political science and history in 2003.[1]
Playing career
After limited action as a freshman in 1999, Nichols became Davidson's starting quarterback in 2000 and led the Wildcats to a 10–0 record, the program's first and only undefeated season.[1] He departed as the school's career leader in passing yards (5,822), completions (465) and touchdown passes (51), marks later surpassed by successors; he remains among the program leaders in each category.[2] His senior season in 2002 earned him first-team all-conference and academic all-conference honors, along with honorable mention All-America recognition.[1]
Coaching career
Assistant positions
Nichols began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Ohio State University from 2004 to 2005.[1] He joined Marshall University's staff in 2006 as defensive backs coach and coached cornerbacks from 2007 to 2008.[1] From 2009 to 2011 he was co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach at the University of Toledo.[1] In 2012, Nichols served as director of player personnel at the University of Illinois under head coach Tim Beckman.[1]
Davidson
Nichols was introduced as Davidson's 27th head football coach in 2013 at age 31, making him the youngest head coach in NCAA Division I at the time.[3] Over five seasons, his teams compiled an overall record of 7–43 (1–33 PFL).[4] Davidson did not renew Nichols' contract following the 2017 season.[5]
Georgia Tech
Nichols joined Georgia Tech in 2018 as an offensive quality control specialist, assisting with opponent scouting and game planning, and remained through the 2019 season.[1]
Head coaching record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davidson Wildcats (Pioneer Football League) (2013–2017) | |||||||||
| 2013 | Davidson | 0–11 | 0–8 | 11th | |||||
| 2014 | Davidson | 1–11 | 0–8 | 11th | |||||
| 2015 | Davidson | 2–9 | 1–7 | T–8th | |||||
| 2016 | Davidson | 2–9 | 0–8 | 11th | |||||
| 2017 | Davidson | 2–9 | 0–8 | 11th | |||||
| Davidson: | 7–43 | 1–33 | |||||||
| Total: | 7–43 | ||||||||
Impact and legacy
At Davidson, Nichols recruited portions of the roster that later achieved the program's first winning seasons in more than a decade under his successor, and he was credited by the school with mentoring quarterbacks and emphasizing academic performance and community engagement.[6] As a player, his role as starting quarterback on the 2000 undefeated team remains a notable milestone in Davidson football history.[1]
Personal life
Nichols and his wife, Lauran, have three sons.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Paul Nichols – Georgia Tech Football Staff". ramblinwreck.com. Georgia Tech Athletics. December 28, 2018. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ^ "Paul Nichols '03 - Football Coach (archived bio)". DavidsonWildcats.com. Davidson Athletics. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ^ Scott, David (November 27, 2017). "Davidson not renewing contract of football coach Paul Nichols". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ^ Scott, David (November 27, 2017). "Davidson not renewing contract of football coach Paul Nichols". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ^ Scott, David (November 27, 2017). "Davidson not renewing contract of football coach Paul Nichols". Charlotte Observer. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ^ "Paul Nichols '03 - Football Coach (archived bio)". DavidsonWildcats.com. Davidson Athletics. Retrieved November 2, 2025.