SW Oklahoma News

East Central University's Head Football Coach Kris McCullough has announced his resignation, effective immediately. He will become the second head football coach at the University of Texas Permian Basin.  

"We are grateful to Coach McCullough for his many contributions to ECU and to our football program," said ECU President Wendell Godwin. "I am excited for him to have this opportunity and we hope the very best for him and his family."

McCullough joined the ECU football staff as the quarterback's coach for the 2018 season and added special teams coordinator in 2018. McCullough was then elevated to the Offensive Coordinator for the 2020 season and assistant head coach in 2021. When former head coach Al Johnson stepped down in March, McCullough was named interim head coach, and this past October the interim title was removed.

"This was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make," said ECU Head Football Coach Kris McCullough. "This was home for me and my wife for nearly 5 years. I will always love Ada and ECU. I am so appreciative of Matt Cole and Dr. Gibson and President Godwin for believing in me to be the Head Coach."

"We want to thank Coach McCullough for his services, he has been a leader on and off the field," said Athletic Director Matt Cole. "We are fortunate to have a great assistant coach, John Litrenta, who will serve as the interim head football coach. He has been a great leader at ECU since 2018, and he knows the sport and the current players well."

The Tigers are coming off an impressive 9-3 campaign which included a bowl-game victory over Texas A&M University - Kingsville. ECU went undefeated against Oklahoma schools, led the NCAA Division II in several categories, and produced 16 All-GAC selections, three All-Super Region 3 team members, and one All-American.

Litrenta came to the football staff for the 2018 season as outside linebackers coach. He was elevated to defensive coordinator for the 2020 season.

"I'm super excited to be named Head Coach of East Central University," states Interim Head Football Coach John Litrenta. "I appreciate Athletic Director Cole and President Godwin in believing and trusting in me. I look forward to keeping this program going in the right direction. We will continue to build off what has been done here. I'm honored to continue to get to work and lead these great young men!"

Before joining the ECU Tigers, Litrenta was an assistant coach for the University of South Dakota from March of 2016 through the end of the 2017 season as the defensive quality control coach. He assisted the defensive coordinator in safety meetings and on-field evaluations, work on the defensive side of the team's video editing system and recruited junior college players and scouted high school.

 

Prior to his stint at South Dakota, Litrenta was the defensive backs coach at the College of DuPage (Illinois) for the 2015 season. He helped lead the Chaparrals to an 8-2 record and a No. 9 national ranking. DuPage's secondary produced 18 interceptions, eighth-most in the nation.

Litrenta was a three-year starter at linebacker at Olivet Nazarene, where he recorded 212 tackles and three interceptions in his career.

 

A native of Orland Park, Ill., Litrenta earned a bachelor's degree in recreation and sport fitness at Olivet Nazarene in 2015 and earned his master's degree at South Dakota in sports management in the summer of 2017. 

Original source can be found here