Bennett Houston - Director of Football Operations - Football Support Staff

Bennett Houston

Title:
Director of Football Operations
Email:
houston_jb@mercer.edu
Phone:
(478) 301-4606

A 14-year coaching and administrative veteran with previous stops at two other collegiate institutions, Bennett Houston begins his fifth year at Mercer in 2024-25 as the director of football operations for the Bears. Houston originally joined the coaching staff in Macon in February 2020 as a member of former MU head coach Drew Cronic’s staff.

While in Middle Georgia, Houston has been instrumental in the success of several community-based and team-building initiatives, including the Build The Bear program that aids Mercer’s student-athletes in both life skills and personal development. He has also spearheaded a plethora of fundraising strategies such as MU’s annual Month of Giving which has averaged nearly $26,000 in contributions, as well as the program’s annual Mega Camps that regularly attracts more than 3,000 campers to Five Star Stadium across two days over each of the last three summers.

Houston enjoyed similar success while serving a dual role as both the wide receivers coach and director of football operations at Gardner-Webb for three seasons (2017-19). In his administrative role, he headed up fundraising efforts, including GWU’s annual “Calling All Dogs” phone-a-thon that averaged more than $14,000 in donations, as well as the program’s annual golf tournament and alumni outreach. On the field, he mentored a trio of all-conference selections, including Izaiah Gathings who hauled in 71 receptions for 1,046 yards and 11 touchdowns during Houston’s final season in Boiling Springs, N.C.

The energetic mentor got his start in collegiate coaching at his alma mater, helping North Greenville to 44 victories across six seasons (2011-16) in various roles on staff. While in Tigerville, S.C., he was a part of two of NGU’s best seasons including a postseason run in 2011 in which the Crusaders went 11-3 and made it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs, as well as another winning campaign in 2014 that culminated in the NCCAA Victory Bowl Championship.

A native of Easley, S.C., Houston earned a bachelor’s degree in sport management from North Greenville in 2015, and completed his MBA at NGU in December 2016. Bennett is the foster parent of two boys.