KALAMAZOO, Mich. ? Western Michigan football announced the hiring of Chris Tabor as the new running backs and special teams coach.  His appointment is effective immediately as Tabor and rest of the Bronco coaching staff gear up for spring football, which begins March 11.

“We are very excited to have Chris join our staff.  His proven success at different levels of college and high school football will a great asset to our program's continued progress and future success,” commented Head Coach Bill Cubit.

Tabor comes to Kalamazoo by way of Logan, Utah where he had been an assistant at Utah State since 2002.  He was the running backs and special teams coach this past season.  From 2002-04, Tabor patrolled the sidelines as the Aggies' assistant head coach and was primarily responsible for the wide receivers unit.

Prior to joining Utah State, Tabor was the head coach at Culver Stockton College in Canton, Mo.  CSC expericened one of its most successful seasons under Tabor's tutelage in 2001, finishing with the most wins and conference wins in school history, the most touchdowns, points, PATs and total yards in a season.  The team's total defense ranked 17th in the nation, while the passing defense was ranked 10th.  He coached the likes of Kevin Robinson (2004 Freshman All-America Sporting News) and Kevin Curtis (St. Louis Rams) during his time in Logan.

Tabor spent four seasons with the University of Missouri football program, beginning as an offensive graduate assistant (1997-99) and moving into the role of the running backs and special teams coach in 2000, while Cubit was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Missouri.  The Tigers appeared in two bowl games during Tabor's tenure ? the Insight.com Bowl in 1998 and the Holiday Bowl in 1997.  Missouri's rushing offense ranked in the top-10 nationally during both seasons and the 1997 team recorded the highest scoring offense in program history.

From 1993 to 1996 Tabor built experience at the community college and high school levels, coaching at Central Methodist College (1995-96) in Fayette, Mo., Hutchinson Community College (1994) in Hutchinson, Kansas, and Benton High School in St. Joseph, Mo. in 1993.  While at Benton HS, Tabor coached Mike Rucker (Carolina Panthers).

Tabor earned his bachelor's degree in physical education and a minor in education and Spanish in 1993 from Benedictine College in Atchinson, Kansas.  He earned his master's in education from Columbia College in Columbia, Mo. in 1999.  He is married to the former Nikki Graves.  The couple has a daughter, Paityn, and is expecting their second child in August.

Tabor replaces Brian Rock, WMU's long time assistant coach.  Rock took a position at Purdue two weeks ago as the wide receivers coach for the Boilermakers.

The Broncos open spring practice on March 11 at the Donald J. Seelye Center and conclude the 15-practice “season” with the Spring Game on April 8 at noon in Waldo Stadium.