Head Football Coach
Hendrix College – Arkansas
Conway, AR

The Hawaii Tiki Bowl is proud to announce the addition of Coach Buck Buchanan to our coaching staff. He is great football coach of high character and very respected in the coaching profession.

In 2017, Buchanan led Hendrix to a program-best 8-2 record that included a third-place finish in the SAA. Buchanan also coached the 2017 SAA Offensive Player of the Year in quarterback Miles Thompson. Thompson completed completed one of the most prolific seasons in college football after passing for 3,472 yards and 37 scores while running for 552 yards and 10 touchdowns as well.

Head Football Coach
St. Ambrose University – Iowa
Davenport, IA

Coach Vince Fillipp, a former All-American defensive lineman, was named the Head Football Coach for St. Ambrose University in 2022. Coach Fillipp has spent 13 seasons as part of the St. Ambrose football program, including four years as a player. He has served as the SAU Defensive Coordinator and Recruiting Coordinator since 2017, and added the title of Associate Head Coach in August 2021. Prior to his time at St. Ambrose. he spent the previous three seasons as the Defensive/Recruiting Coordinator at Kansas Wesleyan University.

Coach Fillipp brought his intensity and love for the game to the beaches of Hawaii.

Head Football Coach
Snow College
Ephraim, UT

Zac Erekson is the Head Football Coach at Snow College in Utah. Erekson is entering his seventh season at Snow, sixth as the head football coach and his 13th year overall in coaching. In Erekson’s first season as Head Football Coach he led the Badgers to an 8-0 regular season finish and a trip to the National Championship game. He has an impressive all time record of 47-15 with Snow College. Coach Erekson’s positive and upbeat coaching style is a great fit for the Hawaii Tiki Bowl. We look forward to seeing him at our event for years to come.

Assistant Head Coach & Defensive Coordinator
Howard Payne University
Brownwood, TX

Coach Will Snyder is the Defensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach wt Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas. Before HPU, coach Snyder McMurry University where his defense was ranked 9th nationally in total defense.

We are very excited to announce Coach Snyder will be coaching in the Hawaii Tiki Bowl for the third time this year.

Wide Receivers Coach
Snow College
Ephraim, UT

Coach Dixon is heading in to his second season with Snow College as the wide receivers coach. Before coaching at Snow College coach Dixon has coached at Hastings College (2024) and Doane University (2007-2024).

We are excited to have coach Dixon back for a second time with the Hawaii Tiki Bowl coaching staff.

Defensive Coordinator
Lackawanna College – Pennsylvania
Scranton, PA

Bill Reiss has been a member of the Lackawanna College football staff since the Spring of 2009. He is currently serving as the Defensive Coordinator. During the 2019 campaign, the Falcons Defensive led by Bill Reiss accumulated a top 10 finish in the NJCAA in most statistical categories. The defensive performance helped propel the Falcons to an 11-0 finish, an El Toro Bowl victory, and a #6 ranking in the NJCAA. During his career, he has helped multiple student athletes sign Division 1 Scholarships and has coached multiple NFL players, most recently coaching Kyzir White.

Offensive Coordinator & Quarterbacks Coach
Hendrix College – Arkansas
Conway, AR

Coach Phillips is headed in to his eighth season with Hendrix College. In 2023, Phillips offense led the SAA in passing with 345.9 yards per game. He brings an excitement to the field with his high energy and creates a fun playing environment for all of his players.

We are pleased to announce coach Phillips will be coming back to coach for the Hawaii Tiki Bowl for the second time with the class of 2027.

Head Football Coach
McMurry University
Abilene, TX

Coach Neal is in his seventh season with McMurry University. In 2024, McMurry was picked to win the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference in the preseason poll and indeed won a share of the SCAC title, going 7-3 on the season.

In six seasons under Neal’s direction, McMurry has had 82 all-conference selections and five D3football.com All-Region honorees. Neal has guided 13 ASC or SCAC Player of the Week honorees in his tenure, as well as eight D3football.com National Team of the Week players.

Coach Neal is going into his second year with the Hawaii Tiki Bowl coaching staff.

Head Football Coach
Albion College
Albion, MI

Coach Rundle’s second season at the helm of his alma mater will be in 2024, after a 7-3 season in his first year. From 2017-2022, Rundle was the head coach at Sewanee: The University of the South in Tennessee. While there, Rundle tied the school record for Southern Athletic Association wins in a season and helped develop six CoSIDA Academic All-District players and one CoSIDA Academic All-American. He also hired the school’s first female assistant football coach.

Prior to Sewanee, Rundle was the DC and linebacker coach at Illinois Wesleyan University and was the defensive quality coach at Penn State University from 2004-11, helping them to appearances in the Rose Bowl, Orange Bowl, the Outback Bowl, the Alamo Bowl and the Capital One Bowl.

Coach Rundle is going into his second year with the Hawaii Tiki Bowl coaching staff.