In 2004, Hatcher led the Blazers to their second national championship appearance with and a 3631 win over Pittsburg State University for the National title. "This is special," Jackson said. It was the Mavericks first victory over a top 5 opponent since they became an NCAA Division II school in 1994. Reinhard was smitten. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Valdosta might be a 24-time state football champ, but lately its program has been rocked by a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by a former coach, the hiring of controversial coach Rush Propst . Herb Reinhard drove in on a January day in 1992 to interview for the newly vacant job of athletic director at Valdosta State. Wilson joined The Spectator staff two years ago. He then served as offensive coordinator, wide . Jessica Pope He is the head football coach at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, a role he assumed in December 2021. The work of journalism, including that of student journalists, is essential to a functioning democracy and well-informed public. Category:Valdosta State Blazers football coaches - Wikipedia 15 in the American Football Coaches Association Top 25 in 2018. As a player, Jackson began his college career at Louisiana-Monroe before transferring to Texas Southern for his final junior and senior seasons. There was only one problem: The money wasnt in this small schools small budget to contract out for it. I was humbled by the job, Smart said. Follow Seth on Twitter @SethWEmerson, Mike Leach served as Valdosta States offensive coordinator for five seasons from 1992-96. Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week, Director of Internal Operations and Compliance, Director of Ticketing and Game Operations, Executive Assistant to the Director of Athletics, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications (Football, Women's Basketball, Men's Golf, M&W Tennis), Graduate Assistant (Athletic Communications), Assistant Athletic Trainer (Volleyball, Men's Basketball, Cheer & Dance), Assistant Athletic Trainer (Women's Basketball & Men's and Women's Cross Country ), Assistant Athletic Trainer (Football and Baseball), Assistant Athletic Trainer (Soccer and Men's Golf), Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer (Football, Men's and Women's Tennis), Sports Performance and Emotional Wellness Counselor, Graduate Assistant (Speed, Strength & Conditioning), Assistant Head Coach / Linebackers / Special Teams / Strength & Conditioning Liaison, Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks / Academics, Graduate Assistant Tight Ends / Recruiting Coordinator, Assistant Offensive Line Coach / Study Hall / Equipment, Wide Receivers Coach / Community Service / Financial Aid Liaison, Defensive Line Coach / Film Coordinator / Assistant NFL Liaison, Running Backs / Athletic Training Liaison / Travel Coordinator. Seth Emerson is a senior writer for The Athletic covering Georgia and the SEC. So maintaining continuity was difficult, and Reinhard decided to look outside the program for Valdosta States next coach: Mike Kelly, who had been the offensive coordinator for the CFLs Winnipeg Blue Bombers. I wanted to experience that. In both 1994 and 1996 he led the team to the NCAA Division II playoff quarterfinals; Valdosta State had never made the playoffs previously. Kemp signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL in April. 2023 Football Roster - Valdosta State University Athletics Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. He led his 2021 Valdosta team the NCAA Division II Football Championship Game, where they lost to Ferris State. I was very surprised, he said. In 1994 the Blazer won a school-record 11 victories, and with quarterback Chris Hatcher, played in the program's first national football tournament. Luke Hayes Assistant Coach J. Norwood Assistant Coach S. McCurdy Assistant Coach Latest Updates Zack Poff Apr 26, 2023 Big out-of-state football games for 2023 A look at over 60 matchups sure to have an impact on the MaxPreps Top 25 next fall. Copyright 2021 WALB. "What's been impressive is the text messages that they've sent me wanting to finish the mission. Gary Goff is an American football coach. Two notable alumni are Jessie Tuggle, National Football League linebacker from 19872000 playing his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons, and Chris Hatcher was quarterback in the programs first national football tournament in 1994 and was that year's Harlon Hill Trophy winner. Paul Leavy | Special to the TimesNew Valdosta State head football coach Tremaine Jackson embraces VSU Director of Athletics Herb Reinhard during an introductory press conference Thursday. Published: Jan. 3, 2022 at 11:45 AM PST. The 2018 season saw the Blazers go the campaign unbeaten at 140, earning the seventh GSC championship in program history and a fourth national championship by defeating Ferris State University 4947 in the national championship game in McKinney, Texas. David Dean is the only football coach in Valdosta State history to win two national championships. My new pullover was in the back of that trunk! Leach said, as Doscher tells the story. 2 Blazers beat Argos in South Regional, POLING: Standers to the front of me, sitters in, By Shane Thomas [email protected]. Mumme brought with him Leach, who had worked with him since 1989. 1991-94: Valdosta State COACHING EXPERIENCE 2010-14: Murray State, Head Coach 2007-09: Georgia Southern, Head Coach 2000-06: Valdosta State, Head Coach 1999: Kentucky, Assistant Coach Quarterbacks/Wide Receivers 1997-98: Kentucky, Graduate Assistant Quarterbacks 1996: Central Florida, Assistant Coach Quarterbacks/Tight Ends He amassed a 22-3 record, one national championship appearance, and one conference title. 1 in the nation in Division II for part of the 1996 season when they won their first Gulf South Conference championship. The previous staff did an excellent job with this team, which is full with talent and potential. My hope is that it also proves to VSU that we are here, and we mean business.. Powell Hall West, Suite 1120. For me to get that honor bestowed upon me, it just makes me very emotional. VSU head football coach Gary Goff . He had one of the top offenses in country in 2016 averaging 434.5 yards per game, while his quarterback Antonio Pipkin was a Harlon Hill nominee and was named GLIAC Player of the Year. The majority of VSU students voted for the team and an increase in student fees. Valdosta State announces new head football coach - WALB He is credited with being a part of the team that laid the foundation for the schools great history of winning. He was named the new head coach after last season. I started each meeting with a huge Big Gulp full of ice water, Mike Leach recalled. Damn! I was sitting in my office, talking on the phone, going through countless e-mails, looking at countless resumes, going through who in the world are we going to bring here to keep this thing going.". To recognize the 25th anniversary of the VSU football program, the Blazers wore silver helmets and pants in 2006. The Blazer defense held teams to 124.4 yards per game on the ground for 44th nationally. There will be an official introductory press conference for Jackson on Thursday at 2 p.m. in the arena of The Complex. He hasnt changed a lick.. The two high school powers didnt produce an eye-popping number of household names Jay Ratliff, Randall Godfrey and Kenny Moore are among the recent pros but nearly everyone played football, and did so very, very seriously. With classes still out for the winter break, Jackson has not been able to meet the team he inherited Thursday outside of Zoom meetings. That's been awesome.". Goff will be introduced to the Lake Charles public . Shawn Glosek. Number one, here are individuals that I respect. On April 27, 2023, at approximately 1237 am., a Valdosta Police Officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle traveling in the 1500 block of North Ashley Street, for not having working taillights. The Spectator also finished second in the Layout and Design Excellence (Division A) category. [13] Bell was formerly the head coach for the Jacksonville Dolphins, prior to joining Valdosta State. Copyright 2022 WALB. All rights reserved. Carpentry, connections and Chick-fil-A: How D-II Valdosta State became Leach, who moved to the town in his early 30s, found it to have a lot in common with his native Wyoming. "Two weeks ago, I had never heard of Tremaine Jackson. Once that project was completed there was still more work to do. Tiffin was ranked as high as No. The team is division two of the Gulf South Conference. A graduate of rival DeLand High, Roberts played quarterback at Valdosta State. 2004 Plaque on Bazemore-Hyder Stadium 2004 Renovations [ edit] This news comes just after the Blazers fell in the Division II national championship game. Bailey directed each to quickly move toward fielding a varsity team. And over the next few years at Valdosta State the two brought an offensive revolution to the Division II level, their version of basketball on grass. They enjoyed their time together, breaking from football stuff to play lunchtime basketball games. Good news came within a few minutes: The car was found on the other side of the mall, still running. I've really appreciated that. What you see with them as far as where theyve gone and the intensity that they bring, it was very evident early on.. There was the gym without air conditioning, less than ideal in south Georgia. They love football down there, and Friday nights are a very special thing.. Valdosta State wraps up spring practice with annual spring game Friday Sanders, Publisher. Mostly sunny skies. High school football: Roberts replaces Kells as University head coach The official Baseball Coach List for the Valdosta State University Blazers Skip To Main . He didnt have many connections to Valdosta State or Mumme. I absolutely can not think of a better coach than I couldve had hereto deal with what we dealt with over the last three years. Graduate Assistant Quarterback's Coach / Equipment. FHSAA prep football: Lester Davis named Seabreeze head coach The Blazers then capped off the season with an eight-game winning streak and their second national championship title win against Northwest Missouri State University, 2520. Jackson becomes VSU's first Black head football coach, BUSH: Staying on top of 401K can pay dividends, Carvalho, No. The Georgia College Press Association is comprised of 12 member newspapers The Stallion at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, The Bell Ringer at Augusta University, Campus Carrier at Berry College, Six Mile Post at Georgia Highlands College, The George-Anne Statesboro at Georgia Southern University, The George-Anne Inkwell Edition at Georgia Southern Universitys Armstrong Campus, Technique at Georgia Institute of Technology, The Cluster at Mercer University, The Roar at Piedmont University, The Red & Black at University of Georgia, The West Georgian at University of West Georgia, and The Spectator at Valdosta State University. They had to help with the laundry, lead study hall or hand out Chick-fil-A sandwiches to players at lunch. During Goff's playing days he led the Blazers to their first ever championship in 1996. Leach becomes third former VSU asst. to be named HC in SEC | State I am honored and humbled to be named the Head Football Coach at Valdosta State University, Jackson said. But everything was fun when they were winning. He wanted Valdosta State football to build its own identity. He amassed a 22-3 record, one national championship appearance, and one conference title. VALDOSTA For the first time in 40 years of Valdosta State football, the Blazers will have a Black head coach. Gruber, an English major (focus in journalism) from Baxley, Georgia, joined The Spectator about 18 months ago, starting as a reporter and working her way to campus life assistant, entertainment editor, and now editor-in-chief. Winds WSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Clear skies. I look forward to the work he will do with our young men., Tremaine Jackson Named Head Football Coach at Valdosta State https://t.co/br9kNeDPqg. Pages in category "Valdosta State Blazers football coaches" The following 33 pages are in this category, out of 33 total. His Colorado Mesa team put lots of points on the board and was very stingy on defense. (229) 333-5897 or 5477. Paul Leavy | Special to the TimesNew Valdosta State head football coach Tremaine Jackson speaks during his introductory press conference Thursday. Running Backs / Athletic Training Liaison / Travel Coordinator. Valdosta State Football (@valdostastatefb) / Twitter Twenty-one Mavericks were All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) performers under Jackson, including RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year Karst Hunter. Those are a couple things that you guys can expect to see us do.". It is fantastic to know that the Blazer football program will be led by Gary and I look forward to watching him build on VSUs incredible tradition of success.. I think if we do well in the moment, that may open some doors for them.". "It's for the culture and we take a lot of pride in that. Jessica Ballow. Austin Bruce, a mass media major from Quitman, Georgia, finished second in the Best Column (Group II) category. VALDOSTA -- Former Valdosta State football assistant coach Mike Leach was named head coach at Mississippi State, becoming the third former Blazer football staffer to be named a . He guided Washington State to a 55-47 record and took the Cougars to a . Coaches Wright Bazemore (1941-1942,1946-1971) and Nick Hyder (1974-1995) combined for fifty years of service to our youth and community. "I told them I love them. The record had them finishing 5th in conference, a unusually bad finish for them. Valdosta Athletics Football Blazer Game Day Schedule Statistics Roster Tremaine Jackson Show Choose a Staff Member: Gary Goff Title Head Football Coach Email [email protected] Phone (229) 333-5970 Head Coach Gary Goff begins his third season at the helm of the VSU Blazers. During one game in that 2000 season, he broke his headset one can imagine how and taped it around his head and waist so that he looked, as Reinhard put it, like a Revolutionary War character. It stayed that way the rest of the game. You dont get ready for that. The team was ranked nationally for the first time and broke 12 offensive school records. But it took a while for this mindset to spread to the local university. Coach Goff spent the last three seasons as the Blazers head football coach. I think the individual awards gave the winners a lot of motivation by proving that they can do anything they set their minds to. They didnt a few years earlier when Hal Mumme, Guy Morriss, Dana Holgorsen and a certain mad scientist offensive coordinator were around. Goff is a native of Picayune, Miss., and he and his wife Tiffanie have two children, Tyler and Audrey. There was onlyone problem: Smart had written 12 defenders on the board. I said, 'I don't even know you yet, but I love you. Our goal will be to do it as fast as we can but my goal more so is to make sure we do it right. 3 Blazers Claim Fourth National Title with 49-47 Thriller over No. The Aggies broke 21 offensive school records, while ranking 15th nationally in scoring offense. The first two seasons the offensive line coach was Guy Morriss, the future Kentucky and Baylor head coach. He didnt think he was ready. Madison Gruber, editor-in-chief of The Spectator, said this was the first time VSUs college newspaper earned General Excellence recognition. Wells earned American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America honors, was a finalist for the prestigious Harlon Hill Trophy and recently named the GSC Offensive Player of the Decade. I have for years kind of snickered when people talk about Miami of Ohio as the cradle of coaches. Bell was also the starting quarterback for the Florida Gators from 1984 through 1987. It was that way with laundry, too: At the bigger school, everything would be handled by equipment managers or janitorial staff.