| Dave Christensen |
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2001-Present
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Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line, Missouri |
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1997-00
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Off. Coordinator/Offensive Line, Toledo |
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1992-96
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Offensive Line, Toledo |
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1990-91
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OL/TE/RB, Idaho State |
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1989-90
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Offensive Line, Washington |
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1988
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Spokane Falls CC |
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1986-87
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Offensive/Defensive Line, Eastern Washington |
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1985
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Offensive/Defensive Line, Everett (WA) H.S. |
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1984
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Offensive/Defensive Line, Sehome (WA) H.S. |
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1983
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Running Backs, Western Washington |
| Washington (1980-82) |
| Southern Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Arizona Junior Colleges |
- Aaron Crittendon, OL
- 2nd Team (2001)
- A.J. Ricker, OL
- 3rd Team (2001), 2nd Team (2002), 1st Team (2003)
- Justin Bland
- OL - Hon. Men. (2001)
- Mike Hayes
- OL - Hon. Men. (2001)
- Rob Droege
- OL - 1st Team (2002, 2003)
- Tony Palmer
- OL - Hon. Men. (2003), 2nd Team (2004), 1st Team (2005)
- Adam Spieker
- OL - Hon. Men. (2005), 3rd Team All-American (2007), Big 12 Off. Lineman of the Year (2007), 1st Team (2007)
- Joel Clinger
- OL - Hon. Men. (2005), 1st Team (2006)
- Colin Brown
- OL - Hon. Men. (2007)
- Kurtis Gregory
- OL - Hon. Men. (2007)
- Tyler Luellen
- OL - 2nd Team (2007)
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2007 National Offensive Coordinator of the Year (Rivals.com)
2007 Frank Broyles Award Finalist
Dave Christensen is one of the top offensive coaches in the nation, and has coached under Gary Pinkel since 1992. He has been Pinkel's offensive coordinator since 1997, and has coached the offensive line the past 16 seasons. Christensen is in his eighth season as Assistant Head Coach - the highest-ranking assistant on Pinkel's staff. This spring, Rivals.com ranked Christensen as the nation's #1 offensive coach.
Mizzou's unique no-huddle spread offense has drawn numerous accolades since Christensen conceived and installed it prior to the 2005 season. In 2007, the Tiger offense was undoubtedly one of the nations' most potent, as it scored a school record 558 points (smashing the old mark of 399), and ranking among the NCAA's top 10 in three major categories - total offense (5th - 490.29 ypg), scoring offense (8th - 39.86 ppg) and passing offense (9th - 314.07 ypg). His offense produced no fewer than three major national awards candidates, as junior quarterback Chase Daniel was a Heisman Trophy finalist (finishing fourth in final Heisman voting), while senior tight end Martin Rucker and freshman wide receiver Jeremy Maclin were both consensus 1st-Team All-Americans (the first time in MU history it has had two consensus first teamers in a single year).
Additionally, Christensen's star offensive lineman, senior Adam Spieker, was a finalist for the Rimington Award, which goes each year to the nation's top center. Spieker won 3rd-Team All-American honors from the Associated Press, while three other Tiger linemen won various All-Big 12 honors in 2007 for their play - Tyler Lullen (2nd-Team), Colin Brown (Hon. Men.) and Kurtis Gregory (Hon. Men.).
For all of his offenses' exploits, Christensen was a finalist for the Frank Broyles Assistant Coach of the Year Award, given annually to the nation's top assistant. Christensen finished as runner-up in final voting. His offense is drawing attention from all over the nation, as evidenced by the fact that the offensive coordinator from the University of Florida attended spring practice in 2008 to observe just how the Tigers do things.
Despite losing the most prolific quarterback in Mizzou history - Brad Smith - to graduation after 2005, Mizzou's offensive attack hardly missed a beat in 2006 with first-year starter Chase Daniel, who kept the offense humming, and set numerous school passing records himself. The Tigers finished the 2006 season with the nation's 8th-ranked offense, averaging 425.62 yards per game, and that included the nation's 10th-ranked passing attack, at 276.15 yards an outing. The Tiger offense set numerous team and individual records, including total offense (5,533 yards) and passing yards (3,590). Two of Christensen's linemen earned All-Big 12 honors, as senior tackle Joel Clinger earned 1st-Team honors by league coaches, while Clinger and center Adam Spieker both earned honorable-mention status from the Associated Press.
Christensen's offense, which underwent a big transformation to a spread, no-huddle attack in 2005, was very successful in 2005. His attack, executed by record-setting quarterback Brad Smith, ended the 2005 season ranked in the top four in the Big 12, and in the top-40 nationally in three major categories - rushing (205.25 ypg - 3rd in Big 12/17th in NCAA), total offense (429.75 ypg - 4th/24th) and scoring (30.75 ppg - 4th/34th).
Despite going to battle each week with a young offensive line that featured just one senior starter, the offense jelled right away, as the Tigers rolled to 657 yards in the 2005 season opener against Arkansas State. That was just three yards shy of the school record. Three of Christensen's linemen won all-Big 12 honors in 2005, led by senior left guard Tony Palmer, who earned 1st-Team league honors for the first time in his career. He was joined by sophomore center Adam Spieker and junior right tackle Joel Clinger, who both won honorable mention acclaim by league coaches. Palmer eventually became a 7th-round draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams.
In 2003, the Tiger rushing attack proved to be one of the most potent in the nation, as MU led the Big 12 Conference, and ranked 6th nationally with an average of 237.46 yards per game. That marked the first time since 1960 that MU won a conference rushing championship, when the Tigers led the old Big Eight with a mark of 249.3 yards per game. Its 3,087 rushing yards for the season ranked as second-best in school season history. Senior center A.J. Ricker and senior tackle Rob Droege each earned 1st-Team All-Big 12 honors for their play in 2003, while sophomore guard Tony Palmer earned Honorable Mention All-Big 12 status. Ricker and Droege both signed free agent contracts in the spring of 2004 with the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. Scott Paffrath signed a free agent deal with the Washington Redskins following the 2005 NFL Draft.
Under Christensen's guidance, Mizzou featured one of the most potent attacks in school history in 2002. The Tigers averaged 30.0 points per game, and the 360 points scored were the third-most in MU history at the time. Christensen's balanced run-pass attack turned redshirt freshman quarterback Brad Smith into one of the nation's most talked about players, as he became just the second player in NCAA Division I-A history to pass for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a season.
Mizzou's emphasis on a disciplined attack also produced an offense that led the nation in fewest turnovers, with just 11 offensive giveaways in 12 games.
In his final seven seasons at the University of Toledo, the Rockets' offense set or reset some 75 school records. During that period, the Rockets had an undefeated and MAC championship season (11-0 in 1995) and three MAC West titles (1997 and 1998).
In 1999, Toledo was 10th in the country in rushing (239.2) and led the nation in yards per attempt (5.35).
Christensen came to Toledo from Idaho State University where he coached the offensive line, tight ends and running backs for two years. Prior to his stint at Idaho State, he served two years as an assistant coach under Don James at the University of Washington. He also played football for the Huskies from 1980-82.
Christensen coached Andy McCollum, the center for the St. Louis Rams while at Toledo. Another lineman, Colin Westerich, made the Sporting News All-America Team in 1999.
Christensen earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Western Washington in 1985 and a Master of Science degree in college instruction/sports science from Eastern Washington University in 1988.
He and his wife Susie, are the parents of Katie, D.J. and Emily.
