Yogi Gallegos serves as the Wide Receivers Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for the Lions. He has had a stellar start to a very successful coaching career.
Gallegos started his coaching career at A&M-Commerce in 2013 and began coaching wide receivers during the 2016 season, in addition to working with the kickoff return and punt teams.
During the Lions' 2017 National Championship season, Gallegos and his receivers were instrumental leading the nation as the best passing offense. Catching passes from Harlon Hill winner Luis Perez, the Lion receivers helped the Lions average the second most passing yards per game in Division II and had the third highest completion percentage. The Lions posted more than 5,200 receiving yards, by far the most in the nation. The receivers caught 38 of Perez's NCAA leading 46 touchdown passes. The Lions also ranked second in the LSC and 16th in the nation in passing efficiency.
Lions receiver, Buck Wilson, was second in the LSC and 20th in the nation with 11 touchdown catches and 950 yards receiving. D'Arthur Cowan and Darrion Landry had nine touchdown catches apiece. Wilson was named Second Team All-LSC as a receiver and First Team All-LSC as a kick returner, finishing second in the LSC in all-purpose yards. Landry was also named Second Team All-LSC while Cowan was an Honorable Mention All-LSC selection.
The Lion punt team was also one of the top units in the country in 2017, leading the Lone Star Conference in punt return average and in punt return touchdowns. Buck Wilson returned both a punt and a kickoff for a touchdown during the season.
During the 2016 season under Gallegos, the Lions wideouts helped to bolster the top passing offense in the Lone Star Conference, averaging nearly 300 yards per game. The Lions ranked 15th in the nation in passing yards and 13th in the nation in passing efficiency. Darby Smith and Lance Evans were both ranked in the top 10 in the LSC in yards per game and receiving touchdowns. Evans was named First Team All-LSC and Smith was named Second Team All-LSC.
In addition, receiver Shawn Hooks was highly decorated as a punt returner for the Lions. He led nation in punt return touchdowns and was sixth in the nation in punt return average. He garnered D2CCA Second Team All-American and Don Hansen Honorable Mention All-America honors as well as D2CCA First Team All-Region and Don Hansen Second Team All-Super Region recognition, in addition to being named First Team All-LSC. Wide receiver Buck Wilson also received Honorable Mention All-LSC honors as a kick returner, leading the conference in kick return yards.
In the 2015 playoff season, Gallegos worked with the running backs and tight ends, aiding in the development of running backs Richard Cooper and Theo Wofford, who each rushed for 1,000 yards and a 6.5 yards per carry average in the season. Cooper was named first team all-Lone Star Conference and the conference's offensive back of the year and D2Football.com All-American. He ran for 1,331 yards on 206 carries averaging 110.9 yards per game and 6.5 yards per carry and ranked sixth in school history in career rushing yards after his junior campaign. Wofford was named second team all-LSC and set a school record for yards per carry with 11.4 YPC in a single contest. Wofford ran for 1,000 yards on 148 carries, averaging 83.3 yards per game and 6.8 yards per carry
Tight end Chris Chumley also earned all-LSC honors with 15 receptions for 157 yards and 2 touchdowns. He was a physical presence for the Lions ground attack.
In 2014, Gallegos aided in the development of former Texas and A&M-Commerce back Joe Bergeron, who ran for 960 yards on 158 carries. He also scored 12 touchdowns. Richard Cooper added 766 yards on 131 carries. In the Lions opening game of 2014, three backs scampered for over 100 yards – Bergeron 137 yards, Cooper 118 yards and Theo Wofford 103 yards. Bergeron set the school record for yards carry with 10.3 in the game.
Gallegos tight ends, Taylor Peasha, 18 catches for 220 yards and three TDs and Jordan Jenkins, 14 catches for 211 yards and three scores, were both outstanding in blocking in the ground game and in catching passes.
Following the season Bergeron and Peasha were All-LSC selections. Bergeron went on to be selected to play in the NFLPA Bowl and spent time in the Chicago Bears preseason camp.
Gallegos played two seasons at A&M-Commerce, serving as the Lions' starting quarterback for the first four games of the 2011 season. He completed 54.7 percent of his passes, which ranks eighth all-time in program history for a single-season mark, throwing for 852 yards and six touchdowns before a shoulder injury ended his playing career.
As a collegiate player, Gallegos spent three seasons at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, seeing action in seven games for the Horned Frogs. He was a member of the 2011 Rose Bowl Championship team, as well as competing in both the 2010 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and the 2009 San Diego Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.
Gallegos graduated from Irving High School where he was a standout athlete in both football and baseball. On the gridiron, he was a two-time all-district selection while being named all-state as a senior in one of the toughest districts in the state. He was also an all-district and all-state pitcher on the baseball team, being designated as a projected draftee for Major League Baseball.
He also spent two seasons at Grace Prep, where he was a two year letter winner in football, baseball and basketball. He was the starting quarterback in helping lead Grace Prep to the 2005 TAAPS 5-A state championship after earning runner-up honors in 2004 as just a freshman earning a two-time all-district and all-state selections. Gallegos also was a two-time all-district selection in baseball, being named all-state in 2005, while earning one all-district honors in basketball as well.
Gallegos and his wife Devon reside in Commerce.
Seasonal History
2016-current: A&M -Commerce, Wide Receivers Coach and Recruiting Coordinator
2014-16: A&M-Commerce, Running Backs and Tight Ends
2013-14: A&M-Commerce, Running Backs
