Coaches

Chris White enters his 5th season with the Vikings after spending 17 years coaching at the collegiate level. He will continue to assist special teams coordinator Mike Priefer in 2013, coming off one of the best special teams peformances in Vikings history in 2012.

The team exceeded outside expectations in 2012 by going 10-6 and earning a Wild Card playoff berth and setting a team record for the biggest turnaround in wins at +7, going from 3-13 to 10-6. The Vikings special teams helped the squad throughout the season by swinging field position and changing momentum. The Vikings were recognized with the #1 ranking in the well-respected Dallas Morning News season-ending special teams evaluations.

The Vikings special teams unit was headlined by rookie K Blair Walsh’s record-setting season, earning his All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. Walsh set an NFL record by hitting 10-of-10 FGs of 50+ yards and connecting on 35-of-38 FGs on the year, ending with 141 points. His 35 FGs tied the Vikings single-season record and led the NFL in 2012, while his 141 points were the 2nd-most by an NFL rookie and 2nd in club history. Walsh tied the Vikings record with a 56-yard FG at Houston (12/23) and booted a pair of game-winning kicks on the year- vs. Jacksonville (9/9) and vs. Green Bay (12/30).

Over the 2011-12 seasons the Vikings 26.8-yard KO return average leads the NFL. The Vikings led the NFL by allowing only 18 KO returns of 20+ yards and ranked 3rd in the NFL with an average starting field position at the 24.6 yard line following kickoffs and had 6 KO returns of 40+ yards. The return units earned a place in the Vikings record book by returning both a kick and punt return for a TD in a game at Detroit (9/30), the 3rd time in Vikings history accomplishing the feat.

The 2011 season consisted of many special teams highlights for the Vikings. Percy Harvin started the season with a 103-yard kick return touchdown on the opening kickoff in Week 1 at San Diego. Punter Chris Kluwe posted a 45.7 yard gross average and 38.0 yard net average. Of his 77 punts in 2011, only 3 were touchbacks.

The Vikings 2010 special teams units had several standouts. Kicker Ryan Longwell led the NFL in field goal percentage (94.4%), converting on 17-of-18 FG attempts. It was the highest mark of his career and the 2nd-consecutive season that he finished with a percentage over 90. Punter Chris Kluwe ranked 10th in the NFL in net punting and earned Special Teams MVP as voted by his teammates. Percy Harvin returned his 3rd kickoff return for a TD in 2010, extending his own team mark for career KO return TDs and matching David Palmer for career combined special teams return TDs with 3- Palmer scored twice via punt return and once on a KO.

After joining the Vikings in 2009, White helped oversee a special teams unit that sent a pair of members to the Pro Bowl and made an impact on the Vikings record book along the way. The Vikings special teams were instrumental in the team winning a 2nd consecutive NFC North title and winning 12 games in the regular season, tied for the 2nd-best total in Vikings history.

The 2009 special teams were represented at the Pro Bowl by cover man Heath Farwell and Harvin. That tandem led the unit all season and were joined by savvy vets and emerging playmakers to give the Vikings a strong foundation for the future. Longwell enjoyed one of his best seasons, scoring a career-high 132 points and hitting 26-of-28 FGs. Harvin set a Vikings record by returning a pair of kickoff returns for TDs during the season, including a 101-yarder that tied the 2nd-longest in Vikings history. The coverage units were led by Farwell and 1st-year LB Kenny Onatolu, a former CFL star.

White joined the Vikings after a 9-year stint at Syracuse University where, at different times throughout his tenure, he coached WRs, TEs, was the special teams’ coordinator and the recruiting coordinator. White’s 9 seasons at Syracuse were highlighted by a 2001 Insight Bowl victory, a share of the Big East championship in 2004, and a combined 7 units that ranked in the nation’s top 20 while working as the school’s special teams coordinator from 2000-2003.

White served as the Orange’s WRs coach as well as their recruiting coordinator, a post he moved to prior to the 2005 season. White worked to bring in young talent and rebuild Syracuse’s program.

White spent his opening 3 years at Syracuse working with the TEs and as the special teams’ coordinator. From the start of the 2000 season until he left his post as special teams coordinator in 2003, only 7 teams in the country blocked more kicks than the Orange (22), 5 coming from future NY Giants Super Bowl hero David Tyree. Syracuse also scored 8 TDs on special teams during the same time frame.

In 1999, White served a dual-role as Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo’s defensive and special teams’ coordinators, where he helped a number of his players into the school’s record books. White spent the 3 seasons prior to Cal Poly with UNLV as the LBs coach and special teams’ coordinator. The lone head coaching job of White’s career came as a 3-year stint with Bishop Manogue High School from 1994-1996, where he was named the Northern Nevada Coach of the Year in 1996.

White’s 1st full-time role in coaching came as the assistant QBs coach for the College of the Holy Cross (Mass.) from 1993-1994. In his 2 years at that post both of the Crusaders starters ended their respective seasons with QB efficiency ratings over 100.0. White paid his dues working for 5 seasons as a graduate assistant at Syracuse and Arkansas State.

In his 1st stint at Syracuse, White worked with former Vikings QB coach, Kevin Rogers, and Paul Pasqualoni. The team was 27-8 record in the three years and won the 1990 Aloha Bowl and 1991 Hall of Fame Bowl.

As a collegian, White was a 4-year starter at QB for Colby College and was named a captain his senior year. The Mules won consecutive CBB championships in his final 3 seasons.

White grew up in Haverhill, MA and graduated from Philips Exeter Academy in 1986. He majored in government while at Colby College. He and his wife, Angel, reside in the Minneapolis area with their daughters, Payton and Riley.