Houston Franks returned home to Mississippi State in 2004 as an assistant track and field coach. An accomplished distance runner for the Maroon and White from 1994-98, Franks assists in coaching and developing men’s distance runners.

The fifth-year coach is an integral part to the recent success of the MState men’s cross country program. This past cross country season, the Bulldogs finished fifth at the Southeastern Conference Cross Country Championship - the best placement by the men’s squad since the 1981 season and the best finish since the program was revived in 2003. Working alongside men’s head cross country coach Steve Dudley, Franks helped the squad to a season-opening meet win at the Sewanee Invite. The 2005 team also finished second at the Crimson Classic. The men finalized the 2005 slate with an eighth-place spot at the NCAA South Regional.

Prior to returning to Starkville, Franks spent five years at Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University). While at SMS, Franks served as head cross country coach for the Bears. While there, he won three Missouri Valley Conference women’s titles. His women’s teams finished in the top four at the NCAA Midwest Regional’s during his last three years and his men’s squads finished in the top half of the conference during all five seasons. During the track and field season, the Bears captured three indoor and outdoor league championships on the women’s side.

Franks was a three-time MVC Coach of the Year in women’s cross country. During the 2002-03 season, he was also a part of the first SMS squad since 1993-94 to win the league’s coveted Triple Crown championships in cross country and both indoor and outdoor track and field.

Franks was also a graduate assistant at MSU under Al Schmidt during the 1998-99 season. While an assistant, he developed training programs for distance runners and coordinated team travel, recruiting and meet administration.

While running for the Maroon and White, Franks was considered MSU’s top distance runner and was named to the Southeastern Conference’s Academic Honor Roll three times. He currently ranks second on MSU’s all-time list in the indoor 3000-meter run, fifth in the outdoor 10,000-meter run, and fifth in the 5000-meter run.

Franks is a 1998 MSU graduate with a teaching and coaching degree. He received his master’s degree in sports administration from MSU in August 1999.

The Tupelo, Miss., native was a four-year letter winner at Tupelo High School and was named an all-American in cross country his senior season. A state champion in both cross country and the two-mile run, he was also named an All-State selection three times during his track and field career at THS.

He and his wife, the former Meggan Hodge, were married in December 2007.