Southwestern Oklahoma State University Athletic Director Todd Helton has announced Andrew Rice has been hired to become the 25th head coach in SWOSU Football history.
Rice has spent the past two years as a successful Offensive Coordinator at Southern Arkansas University but has a decade of coaching experience throughout Oklahoma’s high school and collegiate landscapes as an Oklahoma native himself. He replaces Ruzell McCoy who served as SWOSU’s interim coach for the 2023 season.
Rice began his coaching career climbing through the high school ranks with positions at Bixby, Charles Page, and Bartlesville before earning a head coaching role at Miami (OK) High School. He then transitioned to the college game where he has remained for the past six years. Rice coached for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) before moving on to the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) and finally Southern Arkansas.
“After an extensive national search, it became evident that Coach Rice was the right man to lead our football program,” said Helton. “We had a very specific list of qualities we were looking for and Coach Rice checked all the boxes. His experience and success at multiple levels along with his vast knowledge of recruiting in the state of Oklahoma and region stood out.”
An introductory event for Rice will be held next Tuesday, December 19, at 10 a.m. in the Pioneer Cellular Event Center Skyview Suite. It will be open to the campus and area communities and those in attendance will have the opportunity to meet Coach Rice following the media portion.
“I am incredibly excited for the opportunity Dr. Lovell, Coach Helton, and the rest of the hiring committee have given to me to return home to Oklahoma and lead the SWOSU football program,” said Rice. “I cannot wait to meet our guys and start building lifelong relationships while enjoying success together on and off the field. There are a lot of people that have poured into me to get me to this point, and I cannot wait to share that with the SWOSU and Weatherford communities.”
Rice had the Mulerider offense operating on a national level while at Southern Arkansas. SAU was third in NCAA Division II in rushing and fifth in total offense in 2023 after ranking sixth nationally in both rushing and third down conversion percentage a year prior.
The Muleriders finished 10-2 this season, earning the first postseason win in the program’s D2 era with a 43-27 victory over Missouri Western in the Live United Bowl. It was SAU’s first double-digit win total in over 70 years, thanks in large part to an offense averaging over 38.5 points and 477 yards per game.
“I would like to thank the players, administrators, and coaching staff at SAU for their belief and investment in me during my time there.”
Prior to Southern Arkansas, Rice was at UCO as the Passing Game Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach where he headed the recruitment for the OKC/ Tulsa area.
He began his collegiate coaching career as the Offensive Coordinator at NEO. Rice guided a Norseman offense that finished third in the country in total offense and featured the conference’s offensive MVP. NEO finished 8-3, reaching the SWJCFC championship game while also making an appearance in the 2019 Midwest Classic Bowl.
“SWOSU is pleased to have Coach Andrew Rice leading our Bulldog Football Team and we look forward to welcoming him to the SWOSU Hilltop in the very near future,” said SWOSU President Dr. Lovell. “He has a proven record of success, and his motivational and team-building qualities are why our Search Committee, made up of several SWOSU football alumni and members of our Athletic Department, chose Coach Rice out of a pool of over 100 applications as part of a national search.”
Originally from Owasso, Oklahoma, Rice obtained a Bachelor of Science in Health & Physical Education from Northeastern State University in 2012 following a playing career with the RiverHawks where he was a member of NSU’s Lone Star Conference North Division Championship team.
“I would like to thank Dr. Lovell for her leadership during this process,” Helton added when reflecting on the hiring process. “I would also like to thank the search committee and Mammoth consultants for an outstanding job working through an impressive candidate pool. We want to welcome Coach Rice into the Bulldog family and are excited to see him implement his vision of success for SWOSU Football!”
The Rice File Coaching Career 2023-pres.: SWOSU: (Head Coach) 2022-23: Southern Arkansas (Offensive Coordinator / QBs) 2020-21: Central Oklahoma (Passing Game Coordinator / Wide Receivers) 2018-20: Northeastern A&M College (Offensive, Recruiting, Academic Coordinator) 2017-18: Miami HS (Head Coach) 2015-17: Bartlesville HS (Offensive Coordinator) 2013-15: Charles Page HS (Offensive Coordinator) 2012: Bixby HS (Offensive Assistant) Playing Career Northeastern State 2008-11 Education Northeastern State University Bachelor of Science Degree in Health & Physical Education, 2012
