A former four-year starter for the Vulcans and a veteran offensive coordinator at the FCS level, Gary Dunn enters his ninth season as head coach at California (PA) in 2024.
Dunn has enjoyed incredible success in his return to his alma mater as head coach. He has guided the program to a 56-21 overall record behind a 37-11 mark in PSAC West play. Dunn already ranks second in school history in wins after leading the Vulcans to at least seven victories six times.
Under Dunn, the Vulcans have placed five standouts on the AFCA All-America Teams while featuring a trio of regional candidates for the Harlon Hill Trophy. Cal has received seven major PSAC post-season awards since his arrival (PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Year, twice; PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year, twice; PSAC West Freshman of the Year, three times) and the program has totaled 74 All-PSAC West selections during that time with 43 honorees being chosen to the All-PSAC West First-Team.
Cal placed second in the PSAC West standings last year while posting its most divisional wins since winning the 2016 PSAC Championship. The Vulcans finished the year with a 7-3 overall record to mark its 19th-consecutive winning season, the longest active streak in the PSAC.
In 2021, the Vulcans opened the campaign with eight-consecutive victories before finishing the year with a 9-1 overall record and tied for first place in the PSAC West standings. The Vulcans reached as high as No. 3 in the AFCA Top 25 poll despite not debuting in the poll until Week 4. Defensive back Jermal Martin, Jr. received All-America recognition from five different organizations, plus was chosen the Super Region One Defensive Player of the Year and PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year, while quarterback Noah Mitchell was selected the PSAC West Offensive Athlete of the Year.
The Vulcans led NCAA Division II in rushing defense in 2019 by allowing only 56.5 yards per game and tied for third in the country with a plus-16 turnover margin. In 2018, Cal tied for second in the PSAC West standings, which included an upset victory over then-No. 2 IUP in the annual Coal Bowl. Cal featured both the PSAC West Freshman of the Year in Mitchell and PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Year in Lamont McPhatter II, a consensus First-Team All-American.
In 2017, Cal earned the sixth seed for the NCAA Playoffs after closing the regular season on a five-game winning streak. The Vulcans finished the year with a 9-3 overall record behind three fourth-quarter comeback victories. Offensive lineman Taylor Nikithser became the program’s second Division II recipient of the Rimington Award, which recognizes the most outstanding center, and was also named an AFCA All-American
The Vulcans registered an undefeated regular season in 2016 that was capped by the program’s first PSAC Championship since 2008. Cal also advanced to the third round of the NCAA Playoffs while making its first post-season appearance in five years. Dunn was selected the AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year after leading the program to an 11-1 overall record with four wins over top-25 opponents.
In 2016, the Vulcans boasted the highest scoring offense in NCAA Division II at 49.6 points per game. Cal featured a school-record 19 honorees on the All-PSAC West Teams and Garry Brown became only the second wide receiver in the last 25 years to be selected the PSAC West Offensive Player of the Year. Brown was a national finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy and was a consensus First-Team All-American as a senior while shattering multiple single-season and career school records.
In addition to success on the field, the Vulcans have earned recognition in the classroom under Dunn. Cal has featured eight players selected Academic All-Americans since 2016 and have featured six semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy, which is presented to the best football scholar-athlete in the nation. Additionally, the Vulcans have had a total of 26 players recognized by the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society.
Dunn previously spent six seasons as the offensive coordinator at nearby Duquesne following a 13-year stint at Morehead State (Ky.), where he spent the last 11 seasons as offensive coordinator. He played at Cal from 1991-94 before starting his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Vulcans.
In 2015, the Dukes finished with an 8-4 overall record and made the program’s first appearance in the FCS Playoffs. Dunn worked with the top-ranked offense in the Northeast Conference (NEC), as Duquesne led the league with 30.7 points, 416.5 yards of total offense, 171.8 rushing yards and 244.8 passing yards per game. The Dukes boasted seven All-NEC selections on offense, including three first-team honorees (two offensive lineman, wide receiver).
Dunn helped Duquesne post a winning season five times in his six years with the program, while earning at least a share of three NEC titles (2011, 2013, 2015). He mentored a total of 26 All-NEC selections with the Dukes, including three-time honoree Larry McCoy, who held the all-time school record with 4,549 rushing yards. Additionally, wide receiver Chris King earned All-NEC laurels in each of his last two years behind consecutive 1,000-yard seasons and a combined 22 receiving touchdowns.
In 2011, the Dukes registered their winningest season in nearly a decade with a 9-2 mark. Duquesne led the NEC with 212.8 rushing yards per game and ranked second in the league with 33.7 points and 415.3 yards of total offense per game. McCoy finished ninth in the country with 125.6 rushing yards per game, while wide receivers Isaac Spragg and Connor Dixon paced the league in receptions and receiving yards, respectively.
While at Morehead State, Dunn served as the offensive coordinator for 11 seasons after spending two seasons as the offensive line and tight ends coach. In 2000, the Eagles led the FCS with 41.6 points and 523.9 yards of total offense behind the play of quarterback David Dinkins, a native of Pittsburgh. MSU matched the winningest season in school history in 2002, finishing with a 9-3 overall record behind an offense that ranked ninth in the country with 425.7 yards of total offense per game.
Dunn was a four-year starter on the offensive line for the Vulcans from 1991-94 and played for head coaches Jeff Petrucci and Kevin Donley. He was a team captain and earned All-PSAC West First-Team honors at center as a senior before spending two seasons working with the offensive linemen and tight ends with the Vulcans under Donley.
A native of Pittsburgh, Dunn earned his bachelor’s degree from Cal in political science in 1995 and completed his master’s degree in geography and regional planning from Cal in 1997. He and his wife, Melissa, reside in Coal Center, Pennsylvania, with their daughter, Sydney.
