Bret Atkins, who has over 22 years of coaching experience at the high school and college levels, completed his third season as defensive secondary and special teams coach at SMSU in 2009.
In his first season on staff, SMSU has a second team All-NSIC placekicker, while the kickoff coverage team ranked third in the NSIC allowing just 15.6 yards per return. In 2009, senior Blake Wilson was named second team All-NSIC South as a return specialist.
Prior to SMSU, Atkins spent the seven years as an assistant coach at four schools in the state of Texas, most recently serving as head baseball coach and football assistant coach at Wall High School in Wall, Texas.
Atkins began his coaching career in 1987 as head football coach at Coleman High School in Coleman, S.D., before spending the next 12 years at the collegiate level.
His college coaching career began at the University of Northern Colorado in 1989 as a graduate assistant before moving to Western Oregon University in 1991 where he served as coverage and special teams coordinator for two years. In 1993 he moved to Ripon College (Wis.) to become the defensive and special teams coordinator before being hired at Augustana College (S.D.) in 1996. In 2000 he was named co-defensive coordinator and special teams coordinator at West Texas A&M before returning to high school coaching in 2001.
He has coached high school football at Smyer, New Deal and San Angelo High Schools in the state of Texas.
Atkins earned his bachelor’s degree from Augustana College in 1984, before earning his master’s degree from the University of Northern Colorado in 1990.
Bret and his wife Amy live in Marshall with their sons Konnor and Grady.
Atkins Coaching Experience
1987-89 Coleman High School (head coach)
1989-90 Northern Colorado (special teams)
1991-92 Western Oregon (special teams/coverage coordinator)
1993-95 Ripon (defensive coordinator/special teams)
1996-99 Augustana (assistant coach/special teams)
2000-01 West Texas A&M (co-defensive coordinator/special teams)
2002 Smyer High School (defensive coordinator)
2003 New Deal High School?(defensive coordinator)
2004-06 San Angelo High School (defensive coordinator)
2006-07 Wall High School (assistant coach)
2008-09 SMSU (defensive secondary/special teams)
Atkins Playing Experience
1979-82 Augustana (S.D.)
