southern utah university football coaches

Brunson played quarterback for the Bobcats in 2019, throwing for 2,067 yards and 18 touchdowns while adding three more touchdowns on the ground. Since then, Tapasa has transitioned into a role as assistant coach overseeing the linebackers for Southern Utah. Strand was named Mountain East Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, while Bemiy, who made the All-WAC preseason defensive team, has the tools to play in the NFL, according to Fitzgerald. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures. The team will also be led by new Head Coach DeLane Fitzgerald who made the jump to the FCS level from NCAA Division II powerhouse Frostburg State University. [7] The AWC folded after the 1995 season, and the Thunderbirds were 9231 (.288) overall in those three years. Thats because Fitzgerald is no stranger to turning programs around. Southern Utah quarterback Justin Miller throws a pass during game against Arizona State on Thursday, Sept. 2, 2021, in Tempe, Ariz. Miller was one of the few bright spots on a Thunderbird team that finished the 2021 season with a 1-10 record. Southern Utah Football @SUUFB_ Jan 11 Introducing your SUU football coaching staff Hit the link to see which new coaches will be leading our Thunderbirds in 2022 suutbirds.com/news/2022/1/11 # StormTheSky 3 replies 23 retweets 157 likes Tyler Smith Retweeted Nick Lober @LoberNick Jan 11 After his playing career, Brunson spent one season coaching the offensive line under Fitzgerald's leadership. Smith worked with a receiving corps which was a part of the 11th ranked passing offense in the FCS averaging 294.2 yards per game. The end of the 2021 season marked the conclusion of Warren's sixth year as head coach of the Thunderbirds, and 14th year with the program overall. CEDAR CITY, Utah Southern Utah University Director of Athletics Debbie Corum announced Monday that the university and head football coach Demario Warren have mutually agreed to part ways. The new faces for the Thunderbirds are Tye Hiatt, Ryan Payne, and Brandon Perkins. Southern Utah University Aug 31 // football Arizona State University Sep 09 // football Brigham Young University Sep 16 // football UC Davis Sep 23 // football Western Illinois University Sep 30 // football University of Central Arkansas Oct 07 // football Tarleton State University Oct 21 // football Austin Peay State University Oct 28 // football Sanderswas a First Team All-Region performer for the Wasps at wide receiver. The hiring of Fitzgerald has brought a mass exodus of many familiar faces from last years team, leaving Fitzgerald building through his incoming freshman class and transfer portal. Hes going to play safety and hes going to run around and make 40-60 tackles for us,Fitzgerald said. Before his brief stint at LHU, Kelling served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Frostburg State University under coach Fitzgerald. Fitzgeralds staff at Frostburg consistently led D-II in tackles for loss and sacks, which should only drive up Bemiys potential. Southern Utah University football spring game photo gallery. All Rights Reserved, In a new league with a new coach, SUU embracing fresh start. Anything we do, were going to finish what we start accountability, punctuality, discipline, all those things are really important to me.. Tye Hiatt will be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Ryan Payne will be the new offensive line coach, and Brandon Perkins is set to be the . [4], In 1993, Southern Utah moved up to Division I-AA and joined the American West Conference (AWC) as a charter member. More:Southern Utah University tabs DeLane Fitzgerald as next head football coach, We have some pieces, continued Fitzgerald. Can Weber State get back on top of the Big Sky? The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Were much than we were two and a half weeks ago,Fitzgerald said on Wednesday, during which the team held a spring practice on campus. Guys, well not be 1-10 again, OK, he said. Singleton transferred to Liberty following the departure of Demario Warren. Fairchild was a two-time First Team All-League football and basketball player, and holds multiple school records in track and field. All rights reserved. "These 23 young men are the foundation on which we are going to build a great FCS football program. Theyve got a chance to prove themselves to a new coaching staff.. Iglesiaswas named First Team All-Orange County after leading the state of California in sacks during the regular season. TicketSmarter: Official Ticket Resale Partner, George S. Eccles Sports Performance Center, Gerardi Earns Spot at Kansas City Chiefs Rookie Mini-Camp, ASUN-WAC Football Partnership Formally Rebrands As The United Athletic Conference, Southern Utah Football Spring Game Preview, Thunderbirds Football Signs Big '23 Class, Video Platform powered by CBS Sports Digital. Leausa will join his brother, Austin, as an offensive lineman for Southern Utah. Warren leaves SUU with an overall record of 21-42, and led the T-Birds to a Big Sky Conference championshipin2017 during his tenure as head coach. Joseph McWilliams. Fitzgerald has a knack for turning around struggling programs, and the Thunderbirds fit that bill. CEDAR CITY, Utah - Southern Utah University Director of Athletics Debbie Corum announced Monday that the university and head football coach Demario Warren have mutually agreed to part ways. Tosh Wright and Jordan Jefferson each could add to the revamped backfield. Miller has started 17 consecutive contests for SUU, giving Fitzgerald a seasoned quarterback. 351 W. University Blvd, Cedar City, Utah 84720 Warren was named head coach in 2016 after spending the two previous seasons as defensive coordinator. Fitzgeralds confidence doesnt stop with his defense and offense, however, believing he has a great group of specialists going into the season as well. The signees were: Elijah Burns / RB / 5-11 / 205 / William & Mary, Brandon Dillard / OL / 6-4 / 260 / Frostburg State, Micah Pettit / K / 6-1 / 175 / Lafayette College, Mitchell Price / DB / 6-0 / 195 / Brigham Young, Jackson Rigby / TE / 6-4 / 230 / Utah State, Grady Robison / QB / 6-1 / 195 / Western Kentucky, Zach Strand / DL / 5-10 / 250 / Frostburg State. Spring practices have been without the top two receiving targets, Ethan Bolingbroke and Brandon Schenks, who are both recovering from injuries. CEDAR CITY - Southern Utah University and head football coach Demario Warren announced recently that they have mutually agreed to part . I know you guys are coming off a 1-10 season. Starting with the 2022-23 school year, SUU will be exiting the Big Sky Conference and joining the Western Athletic Conference. All rights reserved. Moore had four touchdowns on 48 carries, while Duckett had 179 yards on 54 touches. Ahead of the 2016 season Tapasa was brought to Cedar City to serve as SUU's Co-Defensive Coordinator and coach the linebacking unit. Focus and consistency, if he can get those two down, hes going to be fine.. The Thunderbird football program got longer, stronger and faster today.". Fernandez joined the staff as an undergraduate assistant in 2009 following a stellar career as a Thunderbird player. In 2017, Southern Utah won their second Big Sky title, finishing the regular season at 92, with wins over four ranked (FCS) teams: Northern Iowa, Weber State, Eastern Washington, and NAU. What Utah college football players have entered the transfer portal this spring? "Coach Warren has been a cherished member of this institution and community for the last 14 years," Corumsaid. Were going to show up on time. He also said he plans to actively recruit top athletes from Arizona, Nevada and Southern California. CEDAR CITY, Utah - The Southern Utah Thunderbirds have announced three new additions to Coach DeLane Fitzgerald's coaching staff for the upcoming year.. In addition to his degree from MSU Mankato, he holds a master's degree in recreation and sports science from Ohio University. They had an 83 regular season, with losses to Utah State, South Dakota State, and Portland State; their eight wins were by mostly large margins. And this man did.. He left the school as the winningest coach in program history. 4 Year Degree. In Wednesday's practice, redshirt senior cornerback JT Thomas made a nice play on a deflected pass for an interception in 11 on 11 drills. CEDAR CITY Southern Utah Universitys newly hired football coach received a warm welcome from players, fans and university officials on Thursday afternoon. All rights reserved. Robison, listed at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, flashed his ability to extend plays and make good reads in the RPO game. 11/15/2021 9:23:00 AM. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. UNLV wide receiver Steve Jenkins runs after a catch during game against San Diego State, Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, in Las Vegas. Davis led the pack with 71 carries and 313 yards. Jones was a 2x All-Big Sky First Team Selection and was an Associated Press FCS First Team All-American. Bates joins Southern Utah after serving one season as the strength and conditioning coach for Hampton University. "He has elevated the football program in many ways and has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of young men. His best season came in 2021 when he led the team with 694 yards. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. Redshirt sophomore Aubrey Nellems notched 48 tackles as well and looks to see an increased role as the most experienced returning linebacker. Gardner, a redshirt freshman, was Fitzgeralds biggest surprise along the offensive line. Bemiy, alongside Frostburg State transfer Zach Strand, should be two difference-makers along the defensive line. SUU is a caring campus community where students come to explore their interests and prepare for meaningful careers and life experiences . The T-Birds also signed a number of players as transfers, including a number of former Utah high schoolers and in-state transfers from BYU and elsewhere. Theyve been winners in college and now theyre graduate transfers, so they bring some much-needed leadership.. Hatitio will look to help bolster the SUU offensive line after a successful high school career at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper. His impact on Frostburg State was unprecedented. Sean Ellertson is a sports reporter for the St. George Spectrum & Daily News. The Thunderbirds, however, get a fresh start in 2022 when a new era begins under recently hired head coach DeLane Fitzgerald in the schools first season in the Western Athletic Conference. Everything you see on me right now was first purchased at Christensens about 30 minutes ago, he said of his new suit. 13 talking about this. 2023 Football Roster - Southern Utah University Athletics. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania / Penn Treaty HS. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing all aspects of an NCAA Division III athletic program. Magginson spent four years as a coach on the FSU staff, working with the entirety of the defensive line. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. The Pac-12 and SEC commissioners will be bringing NIL issues to lawmakers, High school girls golf: 3A region recaps, Richfield, Morgan, Union and Judge Memorial claim region titles, High school boys soccer: 3A/2A second round recap from Wednesdays games, It reportedly wont be long until the Mountain West Conference eliminates divisions, Change may be on the way for the transfer portal and college football recruiting. He was named First Team All-District on both offense and special teams during high school. Robison was graded as a three-star quarterback in the 2020 cycle, and the 73rd best dual-threat quarterback in the class. USACollegiate football commissioner Mark Brady, far left, and co-founder Dave Arslanian, far right, at a press conference, St. George, Utah, April 18, 2023 | Photo by E. George Goold, St. George News The Thunderbirds are one of five new teams being added to the WAC, which will have 13 teams after the expansion. Southern Utah University coaches and sports staff members surround new SUU athletic director Doug Knuth after news conference announcing his hiring, Cedar City, Utah, Dec. 14, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards . Athletic Director: Football Coaching Staff Will Brunson Tight Ends Aaron Fernandez Offensive Line DeLane Fitzgerald Head Coach Ryan Hunt Interior Defensive Line John Kelling Defensive Coordinator/Safeties Shawn Magginson Defensive Ends Shay McClure Linebackers Brady Measom Wide Receivers Blair Peterson Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Rancho Cucamonga, California / Alta Loma HS. Ashby projects to play wide receiver for the Thunderbirds. It is important to me that everybody in this program gets a clean slate, said Fitzgerald. We go into games trying to block a punt and trying to return a punt for a touchdown, he said, calling such plays the quickest way to win a football game., We will be exciting, he added. They also have three young grandsons. Theres a lot of players in this room. Starting under center for the Thunderbirds is Justin Miller, whose 2,416 passing yards were one of the few bright spots in a tough 2021 season. All rights reserved. Acord also played wide receiver during high school and was a First Team All-Region performer. 2 UCLA, High school boys soccer: 4A/3A/2A state tournament scores and schedules, Utah States Logan Bonner has 2 tryout chances to earn himself an NFL contract. The defense is undergoing a lot of change as well with redshirt junior Francis Bemiy being the most productive returning player. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Tapasa will start his seventh season at SUU in 2022. A 62-0 loss at the hands of Weber State was the final blow for head coach Demario Warren. Offensively, starting quarterback Justin Miller is returning alongside his leading receivers Ethan Bolingbroke and Brandon Schenks. Fitzgerald is also high on the groundwork he and his staff have laid with the incoming freshmen. Speaking to players, students, alumni and members of the press and public during a half-hour introductory news conference inside SUUs student center, Fitzgerald promised to bring a culture of competitiveness to SUUs football program. 2023 Southern Utah Thunderbirds football team, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, "Branding & Creative - Marketing Communication", "NCAA Sports Sponsorship: Southern Utah University", "DeLane Fitzgerald Named Head Football Coach at Southern Utah", "Southern Utah now part of American West", "Great West football conference announces formation", "SUU football: T-Birds earn program's first Big Sky championship", "WAC Announces Expansion, Plans to Reinstate Football", "ASUN And WAC Unveil 2023 Football Schedule", "ASUN-WAC Football Partnership Formally Rebrands as the United Athletic Conference", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Southern_Utah_Thunderbirds_football&oldid=1150979373, American football teams established in 1963, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 21 April 2023, at 05:17. CEDAR CITY, Utah Southern Utah University head football coach DeLane Fitzgerald has announced his coaching staff for the upcoming season. High school girls golf: Week 8 region recap from some 6A, 5A, 4A and 3A regions. Outside of my wife and kids, my three beautiful daughters I dont think about anything else but football, he said. After playing on the varsity squad for four seasons, Lynch was honored as both the Offensive MVP and Team MVP. Aaron Brown. On the other side of the defensive line, Strand was a 2x First Team Mountain East selection and Mountain East Defensive Player of the Year under Fitzgerald at Frostburg State. Copyright 2023 Southern Utah University. Rosser played his college football at James Madison from 2000-01 and earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from JMU in 2003. DeLane Fitzgerald announced his first signing class as head football coach at Southern Utah University on Wednesday, as the Thunderbirds inked 23 recruits to national letters of intent. aaronmicha700@gmail.com. The Thunderbirds new coach is confident that he and his staff can make thenecessary changes to turn things around. "We have a coaching staff that can coach and recruit with anyone in the country. For all the latest on Southern Utah football, follow @SUUFB_ on Twitter, @SUUFB on Instagram, and like the Southern Utah Football Facebook page. In fact, the 2022 roster is slated to have about 40 freshmen. [10], The Thunderbirds won their first Big Sky championship in 2015, defeating Northern Arizona 4941 in the regular season finale at Cedar City. SUU is hopeful Fitzgerald can produce similar results in Cedar City. In the classroom, he was an AP Scholar and Commended Scholar for the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program. Halewas named Second Team All-Trinity League for his work on the field and Scholar Athlete of the Year in the classroom with a 4.29 GPA. The intersquad scrimmage is set for Saturday, April 16, at 1 p.m and is free to the public. Assistant Wide Receivers Coach. Our players have a better understanding of the offense, defense, and special teams (schemes). The Thunderbirds play their home games on campus at Eccles Coliseum in Cedar City, Utah, and have been led by head coach DeLane Fitzgerald since 2021. After working with the defense for his first four years coach Fernandez made the jump to the offensive side of the ball in 2013 where he coached the Tight Ends and Coordinated the Special Teams for two years. The coaches from last year's staff staying in Cedar City include offensive line coach Aaron Fernandez, wide receivers coach Brady Measom, linebackers coach Solomona Tapasa and defensive line coach Ryan Hunt. The now-redshirt junior threw for 2,416 yards and nine touchdowns to go along with 13 interceptions. Before the regular season rolls around in late summer, Southern Utah University football will host its Spring Game to culminate the spring training season. Southern Utah University 0:03 0:24 DeLane Fitzgerald announced his first signing class as head football coach at Southern Utah University on Wednesday, as the Thunderbirds inked 23. From there, he took over at Frostburg State, where he guided the Bobcats from 18 wins during the eight years before his arrival to 62 over the next eight, including four seasons with 10 or more wins. His first head coaching job was at Southern Virginia from 2009-13, after which he became the head coach of Frostburg State. One of those positives is UNLV transfer Steve Jenkins at wide receiver. The Thunderbirds have appeared in the FCS playoffs three times with an overall record of 03. Information on each signee, along with a link to the announcement of their signing, can be viewed below. [12] After the 2022 season, the WAC fully merged its football league with that of the ASUN Conference, creating what eventually became the United Athletic Conference, and SUU accordingly moved its football team to the new league.[13][14]. He was named First Team All-State by the Deseret News as well as First Team All-Region. Miller is now joined in the quarterback room by redshirt freshmen Jackson Berry and Rand Jensen, and Western Kentucky transfer Grady Robison. (The offensive line) will have as big an impact, or bigger, than anybody else, just nobody will know that theyre doing it because theyre playing offensive line.. For all the latest on Southern Utah football, follow @SUUFB_ on Twitter, @SUUFB on Instagram, and like the Southern Utah Football Facebook page. April 16, 2022 - by Chevy Blackburn. Another Utah native, Kelley was the 6A Co-Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-State selection as a defensive end. Coach Fitzgerald even admitted that players sticking around on the roster may not have the same roles that they did in the fall last year. Francis Bemiy is on every teams radar for the 2023 draft, said Fitzgerald. The thing with him and Zach Strand is theyve always won. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. The win-loss record doesnt matter to me right now, he said. Bemiy totaled 48 total tackles in 2021 and paced SUU in sacks (4) and TFLs (12.5). Tapasa and his wife, Joanna, reside in St. George and have five daughters. But if youre trying to break it down, were going to be 45% run, 45% pass, and then the jet sweep stuff and option will be about 10%, he said. SUU had just five wins in Warrens final three seasons. He graduated from SUU with a master's of accountancy in 2018. Fitzgerald is less focused on the outcomes of games than he is on his team competing. A nationwide search for Southern Utah's new head football coach will begin immediately. [3], Southern Utah fielded its inaugural team in 1963 with Bruce Osborne as head coach,[4] remained an NAIA independent through 1968, then became a charter member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). In their absence, junior Dallin Brown provided one of the highlights with a one-handed grab during 11-on-11 drills. The program will enter the WAC next season. "Coach Warren has been a cherished. Fitzgerald believes Dunn might be the most talented player on his defense. Weve revamped our roster, he said. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here.

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