The Thunderbirds feature a first-time Division I head coach in DeLane Fitzgerald, who moved across the country from D-II Frostburg State (Md.) Our recruiting class is the sleeper group in the country, he said. The 2021 running back position was a revolving door for Southern Utah. Before BYU, Peterson was an offensive quality control assistant at Rice for two seasons. 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 . The program will enter the WAC next season. "That's our deepest group right there in terms of talent, Fitzgerald said. Demario Warren out as Southern Utah head football coach after six seasons, Southern Utah University tabs DeLane Fitzgerald as next head football coach, Southern Utah announces first signing class under coach DeLane Fitzgerald, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The Thunderbirds new coach is confident that he and his staff can make thenecessary changes to turn things around. All Rights Reserved, In a new league with a new coach, SUU embracing fresh start. All rights reserved. Fitzgeralds confidence doesnt stop with his defense and offense, however, believing he has a great group of specialists going into the season as well. Before working with the Pirates, Bates was the head strength and conditioning coach at Jacksonville University for nine and a half years. 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. Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Football [5] The Thunderbirds were members of the RMAC from 1969 to 1985, with an overall record of 86733 (.540) during that time. All rights reserved. 2023 www.thespectrum.com. Williams added another four scores on just 32 attempts for 206 yards. One of those positives is UNLV transfer Steve Jenkins at wide receiver. Can Weber State get back on top of the Big Sky? Who is new Runnin Ute Keba Keita and how is Utahs 2022-23 roster shaping up? Fitzgerald has a knack for turning around struggling programs, and the Thunderbirds fit that bill. 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. Information on each signee, along with a link to the announcement of their signing, can be viewed below. The defensive end led the team with four sacks and added 48 tackles last season. The Dolphins won 10 conference championships across multiple sports during Bates' tenure. The intersquad scrimmage is set for Saturday, April 16, at 1 p.m and is free to the public. Jeff Richards, a native of Salt Lake City with family roots in Panguitch, lived in Moab for 20 years before joining St. George News in 2017. Fitzgerald feels he has a strong offensive line, with top talent in redshirt sophomore Lyle Santos at right guard and Frostburg State transfer Brandon Dillard at right tackle. Demario has laid a strong foundation, Corum said in her statement, and we will begin work immediately to find the right person to continue building a successful program as we enter the Western Athletic Conference.. CEDAR CITY, Utah - Southern Utah University head football coach DeLane Fitzgerald has announced his coaching staff for the upcoming season. Copyright 2023 Southern Utah University. Tapasa will start his seventh season at SUU in 2022. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. 225-771-3171. ricky.jackson@subr.edu. In their absence, junior Dallin Brown provided one of the highlights with a one-handed grab during 11-on-11 drills. Francis Bemiy is on every teams radar for the 2023 draft, said Fitzgerald. Hunt will be in his 18th season when the T-Birds kickoff the 2022 schedule. Leausa will join his brother, Austin, as an offensive lineman for Southern Utah. Fitzgerald believes that this team will be just the beginning of something great at SUU. The thing with him and Zach Strand is theyve always won. We completely revamped the safety position, the wide receiver position, the running back position and got some things going there that are pretty positive.. SOCCER SOFTBALL MEN'S TENNIS WOMEN'S TENNIS MEN'S/WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD VOLLEYBALL 351 W. University Blvd, Cedar City, Utah 84720 Main Phone (435) 865-8355 Fax (435) 865-8078 Staff Directory Members By Category/Department Copyright 2023 Southern Utah University. All rights reserved. McClure coached the Trailblazers from. Southern Utah. 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. With the success, head coach Ed Lamb joined the staff at Brigham Young in Provo and defensive coordinator Demario Warren was promoted.[11]. Smith comes to TSU after two seasons as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Southern Utah. He and his wife Penny are the parents of five daughters. Bemiy totaled 48 total tackles in 2021 and paced SUU in sacks (4) and TFLs (12.5). 4 Year Degree. SUU averaged just 2.9 yards per carry on the ground. Its what I do.. A native of Erda, Utah, he is a graduate of Tooele High School, where he was an all-state and all-region performer. 2023 www.thespectrum.com. Sanders' work in the classroom was also recognized during high school with an Academic All-Region selection. Iglesias was a three-year starter for Orange. The Sammamish, Washington native led Eastlake High School to a 9-2 record as a senior under center. The school announced Monday that SUU and Demario Warren have mutually agreed to part ways after six seasons. 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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. The OFFICIAL YouTube account for Southern Utah University. SUU parting ways with head football coach Demario Warren, Southern Utah University, return of football included in Western Athletic Conference expansion, SUU football conference schedule moved to spring 2021 after Big Sky announcement, Men's advocacy group, others put on high heels for sexual assault awareness walk in St. George, Getting to know your chakras: A guide for health and well-being. He has a chance to be as good as he wants to be. Copyright 2010 - 2023 StGeorgeUtah.com LLC, all rights reserved. The team began spring practices on Monday, March 21, and the Spring Game allows a preview into what can be expected for next 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. Southern Utah head coach Demario Warren shouts to his team during game against Utah Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Salt Lake City. He finished fourth on the team with 46 tackles, including four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. The now-redshirt junior threw for 2,416 yards and nine touchdowns to go along with 13 interceptions. Main Phone (435) 865-8355 Fax (435) 865-8078. Kelling started his coaching career at his alma mater, Minnesota State Mankato, from 1992-95, and spent the following two seasons at Augustana College in South Dakota. Gardner, a redshirt freshman, was Fitzgeralds biggest surprise along the offensive line. The intersquad scrimmage is set for Saturday, April 16, at 1 p.m and is free to the public. All rights reserved. He led the Knights to the state championship game where they defeated Utah powerhouse Corner Canyon, 49-42. Our right guard and right tackle can play with the best of em, Fitzgerald said. From 2004-11, Kelling coached at the University of North Dakota where he faced the Thunderbirds on multiple occasions. Fairchild was a two-time First Team All-League football and basketball player, and holds multiple school records in track and field. Sean Ellertson is a sports reporter for the St. George Spectrum & Daily News. Offensively, starting quarterback Justin Miller is returning alongside his leading receivers Ethan Bolingbroke and Brandon Schenks. And not promising national titles and not promising conference titles and stuff here today, but were going to be extremely competitive. The Southern Utah University Thunderbirds will be looking for a new head football coach. SUU will see how its crop of newcomers and returning players will mesh during their spring game on April 15. SUU is hopeful Fitzgerald can produce similar results in Cedar City. A 2003 graduate of SUU, Coach Hunt was a three-year starter at offensive tackle for the Thunderbirds before joining the staff. [7] The AWC folded after the 1995 season, and the Thunderbirds were 9231 (.288) overall in those three years. He was named First Team All-District on both offense and special teams during high school. SUU is a caring campus community where students come to explore their interests and prepare for meaningful careers and life experiences . 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 T-Birds went 1-10 and 0-8 in Big Sky play in 2021. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing all aspects of an NCAA Division III athletic program. The Thunderbirds earned the eighth seed in the FCS playoffs; Warren was the conference coach of the year and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. Fitzgerald is also high on the groundwork he and his staff have laid with the incoming freshmen. He also added one interception, one forced fumble and one recovered fumble. Theyre going to be very, very good in four or five years.. 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 Measom was a team captain for the Thunderbirds during his tenure and served on the leadership committee, along with putting up impressive stats in the wide receiver position. Coming off a 1-10 season and led by an overhauled coaching staff, foundational pieces for the rebuild may be starting to take shape. Before his brief stint at LHU, Kelling served as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Frostburg State University under coach Fitzgerald. That number was good for fifth on the team. 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. We have four or five good players on each side of the ball. SUU football enters the 2022 season coming off a disappointing year that saw the Thunderbirds finish 1-10 in 2021. 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. 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 use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. Theres a lot of players in this room. He runs around at safety and outside linebacker and hes 6-212 and can run like a deer.. He was also an Academic All-Region honoree. 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. Hatitio will look to help bolster the SUU offensive line after a successful high school career at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper. SUU had just five wins in Warrens final three seasons. 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. 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. Fitzgerald is less focused on the outcomes of games than he is on his team competing. The secondary will see the most change, returning practically none of the major contributors from 2021. Each one of today's signees brings a physical skill set and a mentality that our coaching staff is looking for. Davis led the pack with 71 carries and 313 yards. 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. TicketSmarter: Official Ticket Resale Partner, George S. Eccles Sports Performance Center, Video Platform powered by CBS Sports Digital, 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. He led a Southern Virginia team to its second-ever winning season in 2013 with an 8-2 record. The defense is undergoing a lot of change as well with redshirt junior Francis Bemiy being the most productive returning player. 1/11/2022 4:36:00 PM. We asked each of our five candidates to take 90 minutes and tell us what they would do with the program, Corum said, referring to the final group of applicants. [6] While in the WFC from 1986 to 1992, the Thunderbirds' overall record was 41341 (.546). 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. Magginson was a four-year player for the Bobcat football team and appeared in all 13 games and made two starts as a senior. Director of Football Operations / Player Personnel. 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 . Before transferring to FSU, Brunson played quarterback at the University of Albany where he threw for 2,334 yards with 10 touchdowns in three seasons. Not just out at practice and in the weight room, but with everything. The new T-Birds are made up of 15 signees straight from high school and eight transferring from previous colleges. Photo courtesy of SUU Athletics, SUU students protest HB0011 in support of transgender athletes, SPB ends Sunfest week with Most Fun Friday, Art Challis: The voice of the Thunderbirds, Raising the bar: The legacy of SUU Gymnastics, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnR7Qpa9dTk&ab_channel=SUTV-9News. All rights reserved. Lynch was a First Team All-CIF Southern selection in 2021, and First Team All-Palomares League in 2019, 20 and 21. Guys, well not be 1-10 again, OK, he said. CEDAR CITY, Utah Southern Utah University head football coach DeLane Fitzgerald has announced his coaching staff for the upcoming season. DeLane Fitzgerald comes to SUU with 22 years of college football coaching experience, including 13 as head coach, most recently at Frostburg State University, an NCAA Division II school in Maryland. Sanderswas a First Team All-Region performer for the Wasps at wide receiver. aaronmicha700@gmail.com. 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. Thunderbirds. Well have a football program thats based on a culture of competitiveness and competitive greatness.. 2022 will mark Fernandez's 14th season at Southern Utah, and 11th as a full-time assistant. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. Like other coaches on the staff, Rosser follows Fitzgerald from Frostburg State to Southern Utah after serving as the Bobcats' cornerbacks coach for two seasons. Jeff and his family enjoy swimming, camping, sightseeing, reading, and taking pictures. 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. Tapasa and his wife, Joanna, reside in St. George and have five daughters. Joseph McWilliams. [10], The Thunderbirds won their first Big Sky championship in 2015, defeating Northern Arizona 4941 in the regular season finale at Cedar City. Southern Utah University football helmet, Cedar City, Utah, Dec. 14, 2022 | Photo by Jeff Richards, St. George News / Cedar City News . 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. He also spent 2016 as the tight ends coach at Florida International, where he mentored NFL tight end Jonu Smith. Ryan Hunt- Interior Defensive Line Coach/Director of Football Operations. "Coach Warren has been a cherished member of this institution and community for the last 14 years," Corumsaid. After one season with the Lobos, he transferred to Towson where he played quarterback from 2008-09. All Rights Reserved, This Utah college football team is now looking for a new head coach. 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. 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. Southern Utah University College Football Sports In a new league with a new coach, SUU embracing fresh start After successful run as Frostburg State, coach DeLane Fitzgerald arrives in Cedar City with high expectations and with a number of his former players By Tom Ripplinger Sept 1, 2022, 9:00am PDT SHARE 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. 11/15/2021 9:23:00 AM. A big part of spring ball is the learning and getting a feel for what we want. 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. Jones was a 2x All-Big Sky First Team Selection and was an Associated Press FCS First Team All-American. The Southern Utah Thunderbirds football (also referred to as the SUU Thunderbirds) program is a college football team that represents Southern Utah University (SUU). Along with its game against Utah, SUU will play two other in-state games, both against fellow WAC foe Utah Tech with the initial matchup coming at home and a second on the road. The Southern Utah University Thunderbirds will be looking for a new head football coach. 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. Were going to show up on time. Additionally, Fitzgerald said the teams hes coached have been among the top leaders in sacks and making other big plays. Like Magginson, Brunson comes to Southern Utah by way of Frostburg State as both a player and coach. The Southern Utah University football team is a team in transition. Miller has started 17 consecutive contests for SUU, giving Fitzgerald a seasoned quarterback. We are aiming to build a solid foundation.. 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. Corum said that throughout the hiring process, because we had such great candidates, I just kept hoping that somebody would separate themselves. Spring practices have been without the top two receiving targets, Ethan Bolingbroke and Brandon Schenks, who are both recovering from injuries. 351 W. University Blvd, Cedar City, Utah 84720 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. Weve revamped our roster, he said. Kelling was named Football Gazette's Division II National Defensive Player of the Year in 1991 during his playing days. Robison was graded as a three-star quarterback in the 2020 cycle, and the 73rd best dual-threat quarterback in the class. Outside of my wife and kids, my three beautiful daughters I dont think about anything else but football, he said.
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