Houston Franks, formerly of Mississippi State, was named the assistant coach for LSU track and field’s mid-distance and distance squads in addition to head coaching duties for the cross country team on July 23, 2019.

Franks comes to Baton Rouge with 20 years of coaching distance runners under his belt. He served as the head cross country coach at Mississippi State dating back to 2011 and he has been on staff in Starkville with the track and field program since 2004. Prior to his stint at Mississippi State, Franks’ coaching career began at Southwest Missouri State University (now known as Missouri State University); he spent five seasons in Missouri and led the Bears to three Missouri Valley Conference women’s titles on the cross country circuit.