In addition to his degree from MSU Mankato, he holds a master's degree in recreation and sports science from Ohio University. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We still have a long way to go but were better. 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. The WAC already includes two other Utah teams, namely Dixie State University and Utah Valley University. Coach Hunt has worked with both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. Our recruiting class is the sleeper group in the country, he said. Williams added another four scores on just 32 attempts for 206 yards. Were going to show up on time. The 2022 staff includes four coaches retained from the previous staff, and six new additions to SUU. April 16, 2022 - by Chevy Blackburn. Magginson was a four-year player for the Bobcat football team and appeared in all 13 games and made two starts as a senior. We have to find the other half and then we have to find some depth., More:Southern Utah announces first signing class under coach DeLane Fitzgerald. BYU transfer Mitchell Price should have a big impact on the secondary for Fitzgerald. [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). SUU football enters the 2022 season coming off a disappointing year that saw the Thunderbirds finish 1-10 in 2021. Bemiy, alongside Frostburg State transfer Zach Strand, should be two difference-makers along the defensive line. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. Ashby projects to play wide receiver for the Thunderbirds. A native of Erda, Utah, he is a graduate of Tooele High School, where he was an all-state and all-region performer. In fact, the 2022 roster is slated to have about 40 freshmen. Now what weve got to do is find the other five or six pieces on each side of the football. After one season with the Lobos, he transferred to Towson where he played quarterback from 2008-09. What Utah college football players have entered the transfer portal this spring? Outside of my wife and kids, my three beautiful daughters I dont think about anything else but football, he said. The Spring Game will start with a practice first at 1 p.m. and the intersquad game will start after an hour at the Eccles Coliseum and is free to attend. Before the regular season rolls around in late summer, Southern Utah University football will host its Spring Game to culminate the spring training season. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. SUU football to kick off 2022 season with Spring Game Us older guys just have to make sure we set the standard high and consistently do the right things everyday, said redshirt sophomore Lyle Santos. Fernandez joined the staff as an undergraduate assistant in 2009 following a stellar career as a Thunderbird player. The T-birds lost to rival Weber State last Saturday 62-0 to conclude their 2021 campaign. What a move to the WAC means for Southern Utah athletics The school announced Monday that SUU and Demario Warren have mutually agreed to part ways after six seasons. 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. Being competitive 11 straight games will be successful for me.. [7] The AWC folded after the 1995 season, and the Thunderbirds were 9231 (.288) overall in those three years. The next time Southern Utah football takes the field at Eccles Coliseum, it will do so as a member of the Western Athletic Conference with the school set to join the new league in July of 2022. Football Coaches - University of Utah Athletics Before working with the Pirates, Bates was the head strength and conditioning coach at Jacksonville University for nine and a half years. His best season came in 2021 when he led the team with 694 yards. Jeff is a longtime journalist and secondary school teacher. In his time at WKU, Robison was on the practice squad and learned under record-setting quarterback Bailey Zappe. Football - Southern Utah University Athletics Our right guard and right tackle can play with the best of em, Fitzgerald said. Newly hired Southern Utah University football coach DeLane Fitzgerald is flanked by SUU Athletic Director Debbie Corum, SUU Interim President Mindy Benson and SUU cheerleaders, Cedar. He was a two-time letter winner playing college football at both Grand Rapids Community College and Wayne State University. Price was out of Wednesdays practice due to his wedding on Thursday. A native of Virginia, Fitzgerald played college football for James Madison University then started working as an assistant coach in 2000. Before the regular season rolls around in late summer, Southern Utah University football will host its Spring Game to culminate the spring training season. Williams led the Thunderbirds averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Bates went to Jacksonville after a two-year stint at Marshall University. Corum, along with SUU Interim President Mindy Benson, Senior Associate Athletic Director Jeff Tukuafu and the rest of the hiring committee, and said hes looking forward to getting started right away on the process of building his staff by hiring coordinators and assistant coaches. Prior to that, he had been a coach in various capacities in the program since 2007. Corum said the other members of the hiring committee also expressed similar sentiments, stating that they agreed he was the right person for the job. Fitzgerald spoke of the multiplicity of offensive tactics he likes to employ, which he said will typically evolve depending on the players. 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. Prior to his time at Wise, Rosser was a defensive quality control coach at James Madison, where he helped the Dukes to a CAA Championship and FCS playoff appearance. As this goes on, getting these young men to buy in and we start running like a well-oiled machine, we will get more and more exciting.. 2023 www.thespectrum.com. 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 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 . "He has elevated the football program in many ways and has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of young men. Well, about halfway through his presentation, all I can think of is, I would give anything in the world right now if I could become an 18-year-old man and come play for him. And thats when I knew we had the right person that we were interviewing.. The 45-year-old Fitzgerald also talked about how important football has been to him throughout his life, starting at about the age of 7. Sanderswas a First Team All-Region performer for the Wasps at wide receiver. The win-loss record doesnt matter to me right now, he said. Jones was a 2x All-Big Sky First Team Selection and was an Associated Press FCS First Team All-American. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The intersquad scrimmage is set for Saturday, April 16, at 1 p.m and is free to the public. Tyler Smith (@coach_tsmith17) | Twitter It marked the fourth-straight losing season for the school and the second time in as many seasons that it finished with just one win. [10], The Thunderbirds won their first Big Sky championship in 2015, defeating Northern Arizona 4941 in the regular season finale at Cedar City. In his three years with the Cougars, Price only tallied five total tackles, but the Pleasant Grove native will be a key fixture with plenty of young faces in the Thunderbird secondary. All Rights Reserved, In a new league with a new coach, SUU embracing fresh start. He was also a dedicated student in the classroom, earning Academic All-Region honors. DConti@huntsman.utah.edu: Jeff Rudy: Associate A.D. for Football Administration 801-581-8563 801-581-8563: jrudy@huntsman.utah.edu: Adam Fry: Director of Football Operations afry@huntsman.utah.edu: Doug Elisaia: Director of Strength and Conditioning for Football 801-581-4548 801-581-4548: delisaia@huntsman.utah.edu: Robert Blechen And then after we show up, were going to work our rear ends off to be really, really good while were there., He said he promised SUU, Cedar City and Southern Utah that everything they do is going to be done at an extremely high rate., Were going to finish what we start. He finished fourth on the team with 46 tackles, including four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Forty percent of Utah's high school football coaches are from SUU; that's twice as much as the University of Utah and BYU combined. 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. Southern Utah Football | Cedar City UT - Facebook [4], In 1993, Southern Utah moved up to Division I-AA and joined the American West Conference (AWC) as a charter member. Though a newcomer at the school, he comes to Cedar City with plenty of coaching experience and high expectations. sports@suunews.net TicketSmarter: Official Ticket Resale Partner, George S. Eccles Sports Performance Center, Video Platform powered by CBS Sports Digital, Deputy Athletic Director for External Relations/COO, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Facilities and Events, Deputy Athletic Director for Finance & Administration, Senior Associate AD for Revenue Generation, Associate Athletic Director for Sports Medicine, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance, Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Information and Communications (FB, GYM, SB), Director of Athletic Academic Performance, Orthopedic Surgery- Intermountain Healthcare, Assistant Director of Communications (SOC, MBB, M/WGOLF), General Manager-Van Wagner College-Southern Utah University Athletics, Offensive Coordinator/ Quarterbacks Coach, Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, Linebackers Coach and Special Teams Coordinator, Interior Defensive Line Coach/Director of Football Operations, Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning, Assistant Coach (Multis, Hurdles, Pole Vault). We are aiming to build a solid foundation.. In their absence, junior Dallin Brown provided one of the highlights with a one-handed grab during 11-on-11 drills. The Thunderbirds feature a first-time Division I head coach in DeLane Fitzgerald, who moved across the country from D-II Frostburg State (Md.) SUU football: New league, new coach T-birds look get to back on track Fitzgerald joked that part of Price's recruitment was that Price would hold off his honeymoon until after the spring season. "Coach Warren has been a cherished member of this institution and community for the last 14 years," Corumsaid. If you see me yell or make funny faces, its because the pins in these pants have stuck me.. Copyright 2023 Southern Utah University. 225-771-3171. ricky.jackson@subr.edu. SUU is hopeful Fitzgerald can produce similar results in Cedar City. In his eight seasons at the helm of Frostburg State, Fitzgeralds teams had a combined record of 62-19, including 10-1 this year, when the Bobcats tied for first place in the Mountain East Conference. The defensive end led the team with four sacks and added 48 tackles last season. 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. Before Fitzgeralds remarks, SUU Athletic Director Debbie Corum talked about the hiring process and said Fitzgerald had been chosen from a nationwide field of more than 100 applicants. Gardner, a redshirt freshman, was Fitzgeralds biggest surprise along the offensive line. Ed Lamb - Wikipedia The seven football members include Dixie State and Tarleton State, who both moved up to the Division I level last summer, Southern Utah and the other four schools joining the league Texas schools Abilene Christian, Lamar, Sam Houston State and Stephen F. Austin, which are all moving over from the Southland Conference. All rights reserved. During his prep career, Purcell was an All-State Honorable Mention and two-time First Team All-Region selection. [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]. I know you guys are coming off a 1-10 season. 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. The move comes as SUU is just 1-10 this season, including 0-8 in Big Sky Conference play. After his remarks, Fitzgerald also fielded several questions from the media and football players. Main Phone (435) 865-8355 Fax (435) 865-8078. The Southern Utah University football team is a team in transition. Top 5 stories on St. George News for Labor Day weekend. However, Millers subpar 2,416 yards, nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions on 61% completion means his job might not necessarily be a lock. Tapasa will start his seventh season at SUU in 2022. Davis led. Also showing flashes at left guard is redshirt junior Artese Gregory. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. All rights reserved. Following a successful career as a member of the Thunderbird football team, Measom joined the coaching staff at SUU in January of 2017 as a graduate assistant and worked his way into the position of director of operations before being named wide receivers coach. The Southern Utah Thunderbirds football (also referred to as the SUU Thunderbirds) program is a college football team that represents Southern Utah University (SUU). He graduated from SUU with a master's of accountancy in 2018. Southern Utah Announces Football Coaching Change Hes going to play safety and hes going to run around and make 40-60 tackles for us,Fitzgerald said. Aaron Brown. Brunson played quarterback for the Bobcats in 2019, throwing for 2,067 yards and 18 touchdowns while adding three more touchdowns on the ground. Kelling coached the defensive backs in his first two seasons before becoming the team's co-defensive coordinator in 2006. 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. Before BYU, Peterson was an offensive quality control assistant at Rice for two seasons. 0:24 Southern Utah University football has announced the hiring of former Dixie State head coach Shay McClure as the team's linebackers coach. Warren was named head coach in 2016 after spending the two previous seasons as defensive coordinator. Southern Utah football spring practices: Thunderbirds rebuilding on the 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 will see how its crop of newcomers and returning players will mesh during their spring game on April 15. Ahead of the 2016 season Tapasa was brought to Cedar City to serve as SUU's Co-Defensive Coordinator and coach the linebacking unit. As NFL Draft hopeful Braxton Jones continues to prepare for his professional career, Southern Utah must find a new blindside protector for whoever takes snaps under center. Southern Utah University and head football coach Demario Warren have mutually agreed to part ways, per a press release from the school on Monday. Hunt will be in his 18th season when the T-Birds kickoff the 2022 schedule. Bolingbroke and Schenks are slated to come back in the fall but both will miss the Spring Game due to injuries. With a history dating back to 1963, SUU currently competes in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision [2] as a member of the United Athletic Conference . Griffiths was named the 4A Defensive Player of the Year as a linebacker and earned First Team All-State honors. Copyright 2023 Southern Utah University. UNLV wide receiver Steve Jenkins runs after a catch during game against San Diego State, Friday, Nov. 19, 2021, in Las Vegas. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. 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. McClure coached the Trailblazers from. Theres a lot of players in this room. Kelling was named Football Gazette's Division II National Defensive Player of the Year in 1991 during his playing days. Theyre going to be very, very good in four or five years.. The OFFICIAL YouTube account for Southern Utah University. All rights reserved. Copyright 2010 - 2023 StGeorgeUtah.com LLC, all rights reserved. Fairchild was a two-time First Team All-League football and basketball player, and holds multiple school records in track and field. High school girls golf: Week 8 region recap from some 6A, 5A, 4A and 3A regions. Spring practices have been without the top two receiving targets, Ethan Bolingbroke and Brandon Schenks, who are both recovering from injuries. Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? 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. . Acord also played wide receiver during high school and was a First Team All-Region performer. Kenan Smith - Wide Receivers Coach - Football Coaches Acord comes to Cedar City by way of Northridge High School in North Salt Lake, Utah. A 2003 graduate of SUU, Coach Hunt was a three-year starter at offensive tackle for the Thunderbirds before joining the staff. As for the rest of the roster, very few notable players are returning. The Thunderbird football program got longer, stronger and faster today.". Tapasa and his wife, Joanna, reside in St. George and have five daughters. Coach Tapasa played college football at Portland State and graduated with a bachelor's degree in pre-law before going on to receive his master's degree in health education from Western Oregon in 2006. Southern Utah University football spring game photo gallery. We have four or five good players on each side of the ball. In the 2000-2001 school year, SUU's Coaching Factory Hall of Fame was established and will be erected on a wall within the new building. Hunt's responsibilities in 2022 will be changed to coaching the interior of the defensive line in addition to serving as the program's director of football operations. Ryan Hunt- Interior Defensive Line Coach/Director of Football Operations. New faces on the staff for the upcoming season include offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Blair Peterson, defensive coordinator and safeties coach John Kelling, defensive ends coach Shawn Magginson, tight ends coach Will Brunson, cornerbacks coach Nick Rosser and Andrew Bates, who will serve as the football team's strength and conditioning coach. More:Demario Warren out as Southern Utah head football coach after six seasons. [9], In November 2010, Southern Utah announced its admission to the Big Sky Conference, effective in 2012. Fitzgerald has a knack for turning around struggling programs, and the Thunderbirds fit that bill.
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