Curtis Luper joined the Tigers football program in December 2019, and serves as an assistant coach, working primarily with the running backs.
Mizzou marks the second coaching stop where Luper has worked alongside head coach Eliah Drinkwitz, with the pair previously sharing time at Auburn (2010-11).
A veteran coach with over 30 years of experience and a four-time national top 25 recruiter, Luper has coached in 17 bowl games (2002 & 2003 Las Vegas, 2004 Emerald, 2006 Independence, 2007 Insight, 2008 Holiday, 2009 Outback, 2011 Chick-fil-A, 2014 Peach, 2015 & 2017 Alamo, 2016 Liberty, 2018 Cheez-It, 2021 Armed Forces, 2022 Gasparilla, 2023 Cotton, and 2024 Music City), a BCS National Championship (2010), and an FCS Semifinal (1995). Along the way, he’s developed seven NFL Draft picks, including Mizzou’s Larry Rountree III and Tyler Badie, selected by the Chargers and Ravens in 2021 and 2022, respectively. He has also coached under notable head coaches such as Gary Patterson (TCU), Gene Chizik (Auburn), and Mike Gundy (Oklahoma State).
In his five seasons at Mizzou, Luper has mentored six Tigers to 700-plus rushing yards in a season, including three 1,000-yard rushers: Rountree III (1,019 in 2020), Badie (program-record 1,669 in 2021), and Cody Schrader (new record 1,654 in 2023). Mizzou has posted 20-plus rushing touchdowns in each of Luper’s five seasons, highlighted by 26 rushing scores in 2024—the program’s most since 2018. Rountree III, Badie, and Schrader all earned All-SEC honors, with Schrader winning the prestigious Burlsworth Trophy in 2023. Rountree III finished his career ranked second all-time at Mizzou in both rushing yards (3,720) and rushing touchdowns (40).
Before Mizzou, Luper spent seven seasons at TCU (2013-19), where he served as co-offensive coordinator, running backs coach, and recruiting coordinator. Under his leadership, TCU produced multiple 1,000-yard rushers, set offensive records, and posted three top-10 finishes in the AP Poll, including a 12-1 Big 12 Championship season in 2014. He also signed two of the highest-rated recruiting classes in TCU history and was named a National Top 25 Recruiter by Rivals.com in 2016.
Three running backs (B.J. Catalon, Aaron Green and Trevorris Johnson) topped the 100-yard mark over the course of Luper’s first season working with the positional group, with Green earning Second Team All-Big 12 honors in 2014. The following season, Green became the Horned Frogs' first 1,000-yard rusher since 2010 before signing with the Los Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent. The 2016 campaign saw Kyle Hicks also top the 1,000-yard mark and receive All-Big 12 accolades. It marked the first time since 2002-03 that TCU had back-to-back seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher. Hicks also became the first Horned Frog since Basil Mitchell in 1996 to lead the team in both rushing (1,042) and receiving (47 receptions).
In 2018, Luper mentored Darius Anderson, who recorded a 93-yard touchdown run against Ohio State for the longest rushing play in TCU history and Sewo Olonilua, who closed the year with a TCU bowl record 194 yards rushing to earn Cheez-It Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player honors.
Luper joined TCU’s staff after a four-stint as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator at Auburn under Chizik. He was on staff for the Tigers’ 2010 national championship victory over Oregon in Glendale, Ariz.
During his time at Auburn, Luper consistently produced some of the nation’s highly-ranked recruiting classes. His efforts helped land Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 NFL Draft pick Cam Newton, as well as Michael Dyer, who broke Bo Jackson’s freshman rushing record (1,093) in 2010. For his efforts, Luper was named by Rivals.com to its list of the top 25 recruiters in the nation and one of the top 10 recruiters in the SEC by ESPN.com.
He also helped the Tigers register back-to-back seasons of record-breaking offensive production and a pair of 1,000-yard rushers. Auburn’s rushing attack led the Southeastern Conference and ranked fifth in the nation with an average of 284.8 yards per game during the Tigers’ 2010 national championship season. Auburn then set a school record with 3,987 rushing yards in 2011. The 2010 Tigers set team records for points (577) and total offense (6,989 yards) for the second consecutive year.
Luper transformed Ben Tate into a 1,300-yard rusher and a Doak Walker Award semifinalist in 2009 after he carded 1,362 rushing yards on 263 carries with 10 touchdowns. The following two seasons, Luper tutored Dyer to consecutive 1,000-yard rushing campaigns (2010 and 2011) with Freshman All-SEC recognition in 2010 and First Team All-SEC acknowledgement in 2011.
Before his time at Auburn, Luper served four years under Gundy as Oklahoma State’s running backs coach and special teams coordinator from 2005-08. He was also the assistant head coach during his last two seasons with the Cowboys.
Under Luper, the OSU running attack led the Big 12 in rushing each of his last three seasons on staff, including finishing sixth nationally in 2008. Luper coached running back Dantrell Savage to First Team All-Big 12 honors in 2006 before eventually signing with the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2008. During his first season in Stillwater, Luper mentored Mike Hamilton to a freshman program rushing record and Big 12 Newcomer of the Year honors after finishing with 961 yards on 193 carries in 2005.
From 2002-04, Luper served as an assistant coach working with the running backs and special teams unit at New Mexico. He coached the Mountain West’s career rushing leader in DonTrell Moore and had his rushing group ranked 16th nationally in 2003.
Luper started his coaching career at his alma mater Stephen F. Austin where he served as a graduate assistant working with the secondary (1995-96) and running backs and special teams coach (1997). During his time in Nacogdoches, Texas, Luper mentored Derrick Blaylock, Terrance Shaw and Jeremiah Trotter, who all went on to have successful NFL careers.
Luper also spent time on staff at McKinney High School in McKinney, Texas, for one season (1998) serving as their running backs coach, and at Texas A&M Commerce as the assistant head coach, secondary coach and special teams coordinator from 1999-2002.
A native of Sherman, Texas, Luper was a three-year letterwinner and two-year starter for Oklahoma State (1984-85-86-87) before lettering one season (1993) at Stephen F. Austin. Luper completed his eligibility at Stephen F. Austin as an All-Southland Conference running back in 1993 with a team high 1,054 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. He signed with the Houston Oilers following his senior season.
Luper graduated from Stephen F. Austin with a bachelor's degree in communications in 1996. He later added a master’s degree in education from the University in 1998. Luper also added a doctoral degree in secondary and higher education from Texas A&M Commerce in 2009.
From 1988-92, he served as an air traffic controller for the United States Army. During his tenure in the Army, Luper spent eight months combined at Fort McClellan in Anniston, Ala., and Fort Rucker near Enterprise, Ala.
He is married to the former Tanya Scroggins of North Richland Hills, Texas, and they are the parents of A’rielle, Cameron, Chance, Samara, Charity, Xavier, Cheyenne, and Ayden. Four of his children have played collegiate athletics. Chance was a wide receiver on Mizzou’s 2020 and 2021 teams. Cameron lettered two seasons as a wide receiver and return specialist at TCU (2013-14) and Arkansas State (2015-16) before concluding his career at Western Kentucky (2017). He also participated in track & field while at TCU and played professional football in the Canadian Football League. Charitie lettered two seasons in volleyball at UCLA (2021 and 2022) and Louisville (2023 and 2024) before turning pro and playing for the Vegas Thrill of the Pro Volleyball Federation. Cheyenne is a right side and middle blocker in volleyball at Western Illinois.
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THE CURTIS LUPER FILE
Hometown: Sherman, Texas
Education: Stephen F. Austin, 1996 (communications); Stephen F. Austin, 1998 (education); Texas A&M-Commerce, 2009 (secondary and higher education)
Wife: Tanya
Children: A'rielle, Cameron, Chance, Samara, Charity, Xavier, Cheyenne and Ayden
Birthday: Jan. 12, 1966
LUPER’S COACHING CAREER
- 2020-pres. – Missouri (Running Backs)
- 2017-19 – TCU (Co-Offensive Coordinator/Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 2014-16 – TCU (Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 2013 – TCU (Wide Receivers/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 2009-12 – Auburn (Running Backs/Recruiting Coordinator)
- 2007-08 – Oklahoma State (Running Backs/Assistant Head Coach)
- 2005-06 – Oklahoma State (Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator)
- 2002-04 – New Mexico (Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator)
- 1999-2001 – Texas A&M-Commerce (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs)
- 1998 – McKinney High School [Texas] (Running Back)
- 1997 – Stephen F. Austin (Analyst/Running Backs)
- 1995-96 – Stephen F. Austin (Graduate Assistant/Defensive Backs)
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