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. When he was introduced to the schools football coach, Mike Cavan stuck out his hand and smiled. While the team never saw the field in 2020 due to the pandemic, Reinhard said it was one of Goffs most successful years. Gosh, they worked hard, Reinhard said. When practice would end during camp at a big school, even Kentucky in the 1990s, players would go to the cafeteria and food would be waiting for them. At quarterback, Hatcher led the Blazers to their first-ever playoff appearance in 1994 and won the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II version of the Heisman. However, former Seabreeze coach Pat Brown, who departed on Feb. 8 to become the wide receivers coach at NCAA Division II powerhouse Valdosta State, righted a once wayward ship. Valdosta Daily Times. That season, Goff also had the programs first Academic All-American as 74 players finished the 2016 fall semester with a 3.0 grade point average or higher. Running Backs / Athletic Training Liaison / Travel Coordinator. I think the individual awards gave the winners a lot of motivation by proving that they can do anything they set their minds to. The Blazers play in BazemoreHyder Stadium in Valdosta, Georgia, which has a capacity of 11,249. There are three main things that attracted me to Valdosta State, (1) the history, tradition and brand of VSU football, (2) the chance to compete on the national stage every year, (3) the chance to be coached by a seasoned Athletic Director like Mr. Reinhard.. As the team flew back to Valdosta empty-handed and disappointed, Reinhard made a promise to the players. Bailey Wilson of Glennville, Georgia, finished third in the Best Photo Essay (Group I) category for her coverage of VSU Housing and Residence Lifes annual Hallaballoo event on the Front Lawn. A composer named James Lord Pierpont also lived for a time in Valdosta in the 19thcentury, after he wrote a song called Jingle Bells. The comedian Bill Hicks was born there, as was country singer Rhett Akins and actor Demond Wilson, the son in Sanford and Son.. Fourteen practices . Bonner paused a moment. Then, out of nowhere, Reinhard received some intel on Jackson from former VSU assistant coaches Dana Holgorsen and Doug Belk. Copyright 2021 WALB. [3] In 2007, the Blazers defeated Northwest Missouri State University 2520 for their second national championship title. Low 51F. Now Reinhard looks to hire his seventh head football coach. 1 in the nation in Division II for part of the 1996 season when they won their first Gulf South Conference championship. In addition to his on-field football success, I am very impressed with what Gary has done with his teams off the field, particularly in the area of leadership development.. We'll have a special teams unit that will attack in all phases and win the field position battle. In 2012 the Blazers posted a 122 record for the year and beat Winston-Salem State University 357 in the NCAA Division II National Football Championship in Florence, Alabama. The team was consistently ranked in the Division II top 20 and was ranked No. Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer (Football, Men's and Women's Tennis) jballow@valdosta.edu. He played for former Blazer head coach Hal Mumme and former offensive coordinator Mike Leach at Valdosta State and graduated in 1996. David Dean was named head coach of the Blazers in 2007 after Chris Hatcher took the head coaching job at Georgia Southern University. In 2003, the Blazers finished the season with a 102 record and an NCAA playoff berth. The football program didnt debut until 1982 and had some modest success in Division II over the next few decades. I'm just honored to be the coach here and the reception I've gotten on social media, in person it's all been positive in the same. Bailey directed each to quickly move toward fielding a varsity team. Pages in category "Valdosta State Blazers football coaches" The following 33 pages are in this category, out of 33 total. The student-journalists made campus history when they finished second in the General Excellence category. [13] Bell was formerly the head coach for the Jacksonville Dolphins, prior to joining Valdosta State. College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Harley Langdale, Jr. College of Business Administration, James L. and Dorothy H. Dewar College of Education and Human Services, University Advising & Student Transitions, VSUs Spectator Wins Big at Collegiate Better Newspaper Contest, https://gapress.org/georgia-college-press-association/, 2023 Valdosta State University A Comprehensive University of the University System of Georgia, Office of Communications 2022 Valdosta State Blazers football team, List of Valdosta State Blazers football seasons, NCAA Division II National Football Championship, "The Official Site of Valdosta State Blazers Athletics", "Wins, losses in Winnersville in '06 Valdosta Daily Times: Sports", "Valdosta State Blazers Athletics CHAMPIONS AGAIN", http://vdtvarsity.ourvarsity.com/schools/school-article-profile.php?Article_ID=2017, "Gulf South Conference Official Site 201011 GSC Championships", "Few Changes in AFCA Division II Coaches' Poll", "Gulf South Conference Official Site Valdosta State Wins 2012 NCAA Football Title", Georgia Southern fires offensive coordinators Dean, Gillespie, Kerwin Bell Named Valdosta State Head Football Coach, No. Shane Thomas is the sports editor at the Valdosta Daily Times. There was onlyone problem: Smart had written 12 defenders on the board. Earle Solomonson accomplished this at North Dakota State University in 1985.[7]. He is the head football coach at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, a role he assumed in December 2021. And it was. Journalists do their job every day because they help to ensure that the public is informed and that those in power are held accountable for their actions.. Classes resume Jan. 10 and Jackson has already made considerable efforts to connect with the team. The annual Press Institute offers collegiate journalists from across the Peach State a day of learning and discussion with instructors and professional journalists, with a focus on helping the student journalists improve their craft and make connections. The Spectator, the unfiltered, uncensored voice of the students at Valdosta State University, recently earned seven 2023 Georgia College Press Association Better Newspaper Contest awards, including five staff and two individual recognitions. I beat Kirby more than he beat me, Muschamp said. In 2007, the "Dean Machine" started the season with five straight wins. VSU head football coach Gary Goff . VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) One month ago, the Valdosta State football team kicked off spring practice. The official Football Coach List for the Valdosta State University Blazers Skip To Main . Try a week on us. The Spectator finished second in the Layout and Design Excellence (Division A) category. Posted at 12:07 AM, Apr 22, 2023. and last updated 9:07 PM, Apr 21, 2023. Which, again, means football. He was named the new head coach after last season. He guided Washington State to a 55-47 record and took the Cougars to a . 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. A graduate of rival DeLand High, Roberts played quarterback at Valdosta State. Other coaches include Mike Cavan, Hal Mumme, and Mike Kelly. How he handled the COVID year with our football team is something I am most appreciative of, said Reinhard. The work was tough. But Reinhard wanted something different. The things you had to do with the players because they didnt have as much. Smart was hired anyway. We did a lot of other jobs that a lot of these guys that were Division I coaches their whole lives, they have no idea what all we did.. Cavan and Lee are two of the most important advisers now to Smart. "About three weeks ago, I stood before a group of young men in the aisle on a plane and told them that they had my word and the word of the university that we would go and aggressively and boldly look for the finest head coach to come lead the program and build on the foundation that Valdosta State University Blazer football has," Reinhard said. I was humbled by the job, Smart said. First of all, hes a genius. Fresh off a Division II national championship appearance, Valdosta State's Gary Goff is the 18th head coach in McNeese State football history. I came here because of Mr. Reinhard. I was very surprised, he said. The 2021 fall edition of the Mavericks finished 13th nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 15.6 points per game, while the team was 34th nationally in scoring offense at 33.7 points per game. Jackson is coming to Titletown from Colorado Mesa University where he was the head coach the past two seasons. There was broken glass on the ground where the car had been parked. Follow Seth on Twitter @SethWEmerson, Mike Leach served as Valdosta States offensive coordinator for five seasons from 1992-96. During his time in Titletown, Goff helped lead the Blazers to their first Gulf South Conference title in 1996 and the first two NCAA playoff seasons in program history in 1994 and 1996. You might find that weird, but I truly, truly love you. Valdosta would prove to be a great experience for the young staff, especially someone like Smart, who had played at a big-time school. VALDOSTA - Valdosta State football coach Gary Goff announced Sunday that he has taken the head coaching job at Division I and Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) member McNeese. Before the season even starts, everybody knows the Blazers are going to be somewhere in the mix. Goff began as a walk-on for the Blazers in the spring of 1993 after transferring to VSU from the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. Valdosta and Lowndes developed a famously fierce rivalry over the years, one that one alum compared to the Hatfields and McCoys. They looked good! Bonner said. Well, open the trunk, is my pullover still in there? Leach asked. The Sandcrabs won . In Coach Bell's first season, 2016, the Blazers finished the season 83. It focused on encouraging students to exercise their right to vote. Valdosta posted an 83 record in 2010 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. The opposition scored just 18.5 points per game on the Blazers for 23rd nationally and tops in the conference. 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 had (to oversee) discipline runs on Saturday mornings, and I had study hall for academics because you didnt have an academic staff. 2008 and 2010 were the only years VSU has made it to the NCAA Division II playoffs since the 2007 National Championship season. Shane Thomas | The Valdosta Daily TimesNew Valdosta State head football coach Tremaine Jackson speaks during his introductory press conference Thursday. The work of journalism, including that of student journalists, is essential to a functioning democracy and well-informed public. Were gonna be pretty good if we play with 12!, The room laughed. [12] David Dean is the only football coach in Valdosta State history to win two national championships. Tremaine also has an impressive track record of his teams excelling in the classroom and playing a prominent role in the community. So you had to sit in there and had to run the study hall and make sure they behaved and had their stuff in there.. He also served as co-offensive coordinator and receivers coach at New Mexico State for four seasons as he helped lead the team to second nationally in passing offense and total offense. I am very excited to have Tremaine join our Blazer family, Reinhard said. The 2005 season saw the first time the Blazers started the season ranked No. Pipkin tallied seven Tiffin career records and four GLIAC records, ranking 13thall-time in career total offense, 19thin total offense per game, 27thin career passing yards, and is only the third quarterback at the Division II level to ever accumulate at least 2,000 rushing yards and throw for 10,000 passing yards in a career. VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - On Monday, Valdosta State University (VSU) Athletics Department announced a new head coach to lead the Blazers in the upcoming . [5] That year the Blazers missed the playoffs for the first time in the Chris Hatcher Era, despite an 82 record and a top-ten ranking. VSU finished the season ranked No. And when I say they I mean Kirby, Muschamp, Hatcher, all those guys walking up the hallway passing out Whoppers or Chick-fil-A sandwiches or whatever, Bonner said. The only way you get ready is you take the job, and you sink or swim.. I cannot wait to get to Titletown USA to meet the local community and begin our work on the 2022 season! Among those countless resumes was Jackson's, which Reinhard said he put in the "good stack" with the other top candidates. Which I did at various times.. Oh, and the meeting rooms didnt have enough chairs. I was trying to learn some new things and develop., After one season, Muschamp moved on to LSU, where Nick Saban hired him to be the linebackers coach. Jackson also served as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Sioux Falls from 2013-16. Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week, Assistant Head Coach / Linebackers / Special Teams / Strength & Conditioning Liaison, Offensive Coordinator / Quarterbacks / Academics, Wide Receivers Coach / Community Service / Financial Aid Liaison, Graduate Assistant Tight Ends / Recruiting Coordinator, Graduate Assistant Quarterback's Coach / Equipment, Assistant Offensive Line Coach / Study Hall / Equipment, Defensive Line Coach / Film Coordinator / Assistant NFL Liaison, Running Backs / Athletic Training Liaison / Travel Coordinator, Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer (Football, Men's and Women's Tennis). GBI investigating body found in Cook County lake, Valdosta man faces drug, firearms charges, Court advocacy group opens new headquarters. I said, 'I don't even know you yet, but I love you. The majority of VSU students voted for the team and an increase in student fees. Tiffin was ranked as high as No. Entering his eighth season at Samford in 2022, Hatcher boasts a career record of 161-93 in 22 years as a college head coach, having previously coached at Murray State, Georgia Southern and Valdosta State. VSU was 11th nationally in rushing offense at 260.2 yards on the ground per game, while it was 12th nationally in passing efficiency at 162.12. Sure enough, Cavan left soon after Reinhards introductory news conference. Copyright 2022 WALB. And others are working their way through the system. During Goff's playing days he led the Blazers to their first ever championship in 1996. What should WTXL be covering in this community. Damn! Seth also covered South Carolina for The State from 2005-10. VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - Valdosta States Athletic Director Herb Reinhard said, You probably couldve knocked me over with a feather. Rounding out the top three were The Red & Black at University of Georgia in first place and Technique at Georgia institute of Technology in third place. Not just Blazer football, but Valdosta State University. In his first year Dean's Valdosta State team won the 2007 Division II National Championship. We physically did it, he said. Goff was hired as the tenth head coach in Blazer football history announced Jan. 25, 2019, by VSU Athletic Director Herb Reinhard. VSU finished third nationally in total offense at 522.1 yards per game, while finishing 20th nationally in scoring offense at 38.9 points per game. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images), Chris Hatcher went 76-12 and won the 2004 D-II National Championship in seven seasons as Valdosta States head coach from 2000-06. Every one of us, we were all in there hammering away with the hammers and nails.. She is an English major (focus in journalism) and a political science minor. Jackson coached two Academic All-America players this season and one AFCA Second Team All-America honoree, along with 21 All-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) performers, including RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year in Karst Hunter. In 2002, the Blazers went to their first national championship game against Grand Valley State, losing 3124. Like he did with Mumme in 1992, Reinhard went out of the box again, this time by reaching back to the Mumme-Leach tree. He didnt have many connections to Valdosta State or Mumme. Valdosta State University has had a football team since 1981. The official Baseball Coach List for the Valdosta State University Blazers Skip To Main . And if anyone fell asleep it was understood that I was going to go over and dump it on their heads. "We took a lot of criticism, but our coaches just kept fighting and kept going and getting great kids, great academic kids and good people. The Blazers have won a total of four Division II National Championship titles (2004, 2007, 2012 and 2018).[2]. He rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns during the 2012 season for the four-time NCAA Division II national . Powell Hall West, Suite 1120. There was the gym without air conditioning, less than ideal in south Georgia. One was with players: Hatcher had been Mummes quarterback coach at Kentucky, where Dusty Bonner had lost his starting quarterback job to Jared Lorenzen, so Bonner was willing to return home to Valdosta and be Hatchers quarterback in 2000. He's picked four guys to go and compete for national championships and I thought to myself, if he picks me, I must have a chance.". Goff was named Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year in 2021, and Co-Coach of the Year in 2019. But it took a while for this mindset to spread to the local university. Bell was also the starting quarterback for the Florida Gators from 1984 through 1987. Herb Reinhard drove in on a January day in 1992 to interview for the newly vacant job of athletic director at Valdosta State. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 3 Blazers Claim Fourth National Title with 49-47 Thriller over No. Hatcher was also Valdosta State's head football coach from 20002006 and amassed a 6810 record with one national championship and four conference crowns during his six-year tenure at Valdosta State.[4]. At least they had air conditioning. is coming off a 12-2 season and a trip to the Division II state semifinals. VALDOSTA, Ga. - Valdosta State Director of Athletics Herb Reinhard announced Monday Tremaine Jackson as the 11 th head football coach in Blazer history. Tremaine Jackson - Head Football Coach - Staff Directory - Valdosta State University Athletics Tremaine Jackson Title Head Football Coach Email football@valdosta.edu Phone (229) 333-5970 Discipline.

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