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. Category:Valdosta State Blazers football coaches - Wikipedia Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Tremaine also has an impressive track record of his teams excelling in the classroom and playing a prominent role in the community. 2 Blazers beat Argos in South Regional, POLING: Standers to the front of me, sitters in, By Shane Thomas shane.thomas@gaflnews.com. VALDOSTA, Ga. (WALB) - On Monday, Valdosta State University (VSU) Athletics Department announced a new head coach to lead the Blazers in the upcoming season. Reinhard said he did not know prior to Saturday that Goff was leaving. Under Dean the Blazers also won the 2012 national title. Goff was hired as the tenth head coach in Blazer football history announced Jan. 25, 2019, by VSU Athletic Director Herb Reinhard. There, he helped guide the team to a massive turnaround as it was 2-8 in 2009 and went 9-2 in 2010, tying for the most wins in school history. Earle Solomonson accomplished this at North Dakota State University in 1985.[7]. 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. The work of journalism, including that of student journalists, is essential to a functioning democracy and well-informed public. They soon learned that it had been stolen to be used as the getaway car for a jewelry robbery. What should WTXL be covering in this community. Number one, here are individuals that I respect. Id like to thank Athletic Director Mr. Reinhard and President Carvajal for the opportunity to lead the Blazer football program. Tucked in the lowest, central part of Georgia within miles of the Florida line Valdosta is only the 14th-largest city in the state. Then theres the short answer: Didnt winning those four national championships feel good? 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. The opposition scored just 18.5 points per game on the Blazers for 23rd nationally and tops in the conference. In 2021, Jackson coached two Academic All-Americans as well as one AFCA Second Team All-American. The first athlete from the VSC football team to play professional football was Jesse Tuggle. Looking back, yeah, we were at the cutting edge of the Air Raid offense and throwing it all over the place. Obedience. Throughout his long and storied high school coaching career, Coach Propst has been involved in various scandals. Goff had 16 Dragons named to G-MAC All-Conference teams in 2018. A graduate of rival DeLand High, Roberts played quarterback at Valdosta State. The team is division two of the Gulf South Conference. "This is special," Jackson said. Former Samford coaches include Bobby Bowden (later head coach at West Virginia and Florida State), Wayne Grubb (who led Samford to the NCAA College Division West Region II Championship in 1971), and Terry Bowden (later head coach at Auburn, North Alabama and Akron). (229) 333-5897 or 5477. This category is for college football coaches at Valdosta State University.. I started each meeting with a huge Big Gulp full of ice water, Mike Leach recalled. You dont get ready for that. Other coaches include Mike Cavan, Hal Mumme, and Mike Kelly. First of all, hes a genius. Not just football: What were the people like? Reinhard gets asked all the time: Why not move Valdosta State up a level? The Blazers have won a total of four Division II National Championship titles (2004, 2007, 2012 and 2018).[2]. The high school, which is home to the Wildcats, has garnered national attention for its football team . You might find that weird, but I truly, truly love you. 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. While at VSU, Goff and his teammates helped lay the foundation for where the VSU football program is today. I was single, young, I was probably three years difference from the players. Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. 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.". 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. The official Football Coach List for the Valdosta State University Blazers Skip To Main . Sure enough, Cavan left soon after Reinhards introductory news conference. The two seasons were a part of a GSC record 35 straight regular season victories. I had the linemen. . If they really wanted to do it, they would have to do it themselves. Damn! During our search process, I had numerous Blazer football alums reach out in support of Coach Goff. 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.. 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. Then there were the coaching connections: Will Muschamp was friends with Hatcher through several personal relationships. The Blazers are a member of the Gulf South Conference (GSC) in NCAA Division II. On January 10, 2019, Bell left Valdosta State to accept the offensive coordinator position at South Florida.[15]. Mumme's record at Valdosta State was 40171. They had just left happy hour at a Ruby Tuesday at the mall when they discovered that Doschers wifes car was gone. Chris Hatcher (American football) - Wikipedia David Dean was named head coach of the Blazers in 2007 after Chris Hatcher took the head coaching job at Georgia Southern University. Published: Jan. 3, 2022 at 11:45 AM PST. He is the driest, funniest individual I think Ive ever met. "I also wanted to be here because you have a chance to compete for national championships year in and year out. We had to make sure the fields were lined, remembered Will Muschamp, Valdosta States defensive coordinator in 2000 and now head coach at South Carolina. Those guys busted their humps. Communications and Media Relations Coordinator. He was kind of a wild guy, blitz all the time, Smart said. Last season, Jackson's Mavericks allowed only 15.6 points per game, good for 13th in the nation. Grit. The record had them finishing 5th in conference, a unusually bad finish for them. 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. (Valdosta State Athletics), Kirby Smart served as Valdosta States DB coach in 2000 and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2001. I am very excited about working with these young men in pursuit of another championship.. Valdosta State is a relatively new school: It was founded as a womens college in 1906, began accepting men in 1950 and then became a university in 1993. 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. Its hard to say that because you enjoy what you do, and Ive enjoyed every stop Ive had on the coaching carousel, and Ive been in a lot of places. In 2018, Goff had his best season at Tiffin as he guided the Dragons to a 9-2 campaign and a 6-2 record in the Great Midwest Conference as the team began the season 9-0. 2004 Plaque on Bazemore-Hyder Stadium 2004 Renovations [ edit] He also had coaching stints at Woodstock (Ga.) High School and Cherokee (Ga.) High School. David Dean is only the second head coach to lead his team to a national championship in his first season. Fourteen practices . 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. Well, open the trunk, is my pullover still in there? Leach asked. Try a week on us. Head Football Coach - Valdosta State University Athletics They enjoyed their time together, breaking from football stuff to play lunchtime basketball games. 'For the culture': Jackson becomes VSU's first Black head football coach The Valdosta State football team will turn to Ivory Durham to lead the Blazers at quarterback this fall, as longtime quarterback Rogan Wells has transferred. Kemp signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL in April. Absoooooluuuuuuutely, Smart said, drawing out the word for emphasis. Reinhard drove back to his home in Tallahassee, Fla., and his home phone rang from a prospective candidate, the defensive coordinator at Army, who had tracked him down. But Reinhard wanted something different. #DOG #RLW Quote Tweet His first season got his era off to a great start with them starting off ranked No. Sitting now in his spacious office at Georgia, Smart makes clear that the story is not a myth that grew over these 19 years. Junior long snapper Pippin Davis was named Second Team Academic All-America by CoSIDA. Zack Poff Apr 26, 2023 Big out-of-state football games for 2023 Ehhhh, it may have at one time.. There could be others coming down the pike: Hatcher, still only 46, is now at Samford, an FCS school. If Penn State manages to finally break through and topple Ohio State and Michigan, Singleton, who ran for 1,061 yards and averaged 6.8 yards per carry as a freshman, will likely be a focal point. He then earned a scholarship culminating in being named a team captain in 1996. 1 for four weeks but finished with a 93 record and their fifth straight playoff berth. Oh, and the meeting rooms didnt have enough chairs. The award-winning design, a front-page cover, was created by Gavin Ponder, an art major from Augusta, Georgia, who serves as graphics editor for the newspaper. I have for years kind of snickered when people talk about Miami of Ohio as the cradle of coaches. *Co-champions with the University of West Florida. VSU head football coach Gary Goff . The official Baseball Coach List for the Valdosta State University Blazers Skip To Main . On Sunday, Valdosta State University (VSU) head football coach Gary Goff announced he has taken the head coaching position at McNeese State in Lake Charles, La., according to VSU Athletics. VPD arrests Brooks Co. man for narcotics during traffic stop The Blazers open their 2023 slate at home against Point on September the 2nd. Once that project was completed there was still more work to do. He hasnt changed a lick.. Valdosta and Lowndes developed a famously fierce rivalry over the years, one that one alum compared to the Hatfields and McCoys. He wanted Valdosta State football to build its own identity. Were gonna be pretty good if we play with 12!, The room laughed. Reinhard was smitten. 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. Those are a couple things that you guys can expect to see us do.". Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Which I did at various times.. Because it was such a big step up, Mumme was able to lure most of his top assistants north, including Leach. Where Is Coach Rush Propst From Valdosta High Now? (EXCLUSIVE) 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. It was a great leap of faith by Reinhard, but he found a lot to like about Hatcher, including his connections. All rights reserved. 1 in the polls. Jacksons team went 2-1 in the spring of 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. They had more responsibilities. The Blazers started the season ranked No. In 2019 he led the Blazers to a season of 10-1 and 8-0 in Gulf South Conference play, earning Gulf South Conference Co-Coach of the Year honors. Follow Seth on Twitter @SethWEmerson, Mike Leach served as Valdosta States offensive coordinator for five seasons from 1992-96. The Spectator also finished second in the Layout and Design Excellence (Division A) category. Head Football Coach football@valdosta.edu (229) 333-5970 (229) 333-5970: Trent Earley: Assistant Head Coach / Linebackers / Special Teams / Strength & Conditioning Liaison During his time at Hoover High School in Alabama, he was accused of changing students' grades in order to allow them to remain eligible to play football. Valdosta State begins its search for their next head football coach, Teens arrested after 11 injured in South Carolina park shooting, Turner Co. Sheriffs Office to reward $1K for information on fireworks incident. 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. Paul Leavy | Special to the TimesNew Valdosta State head football coach Tremaine Jackson speaks during his introductory press conference Thursday. Jackson also served as assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Sioux Falls from 2013-16. Before the season even starts, everybody knows the Blazers are going to be somewhere in the mix. Under Goffs guidance, the Blazers continued their outstanding offensive play as the team finished second nationally in third down conversion percentage at a .528 clip. They get jobs that are 0-for the year before and get told to fix it. is coming off a 12-2 season and a trip to the Division II state semifinals. My hope is that it also proves to VSU that we are here, and we mean business.. (229) 333-5897 or 5477. Jackson becomes VSU's first Black head football coach, BUSH: Staying on top of 401K can pay dividends, Carvalho, No. Tremaine Jackson was named as the 11th head football coach in Blazer history. Goff came to Tiffin after a highly successful 2010 season at West Virginia Wesleyan where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterback coach. "That meant something. 'For the culture': Jackson becomes VSU's first Black head football coach. 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. Those lockers the coaches built, incidentally? You're accepting me. In his first year Dean's Valdosta State team won the 2007 Division II National Championship. (Football & Baseball) bcostello@valdosta.edu (229) 333-5897 or 5477 (229) 333-5897 or 5477: Footer This news comes just after the Blazers fell in the Division II national championship game. Pickups. To show this fan base how much better they are. Fresh off a Division II national championship appearance, Valdosta State's Gary Goff is the 18th head coach in McNeese State football history. Feb 15 No surprise here @phillipstarks25 ! Bazemore-Hyder Stadium Weekly Previews FloSports FAQ Tremaine Jackson Title Head Football Coach Email football@valdosta.edu Phone (229) 333-5970 Discipline. Valdosta Main Street hosts Brown Bag Lunch Concert Series 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). 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. This Blazer team looks a lot different, but in looking to build on last year's five win season, coach believes they're on the right path to doing just that. They didnt a few years earlier when Hal Mumme, Guy Morriss, Dana Holgorsen and a certain mad scientist offensive coordinator were around. There will be an official introductory press conference for Jackson on Thursday at 2 p.m. in the arena of The Complex. The Blazers play in BazemoreHyder Stadium in Valdosta, Georgia, which has a capacity of 11,249. Mumme wanted the ball back.. 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.. It is my intent to continue and enhance the storied tradition of Blazer football for many years to come. Naturally friendly people, Leach said. Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. We'll have a special teams unit that will attack in all phases and win the field position battle. But it was still a third wheel locally to the high school teams, a sleepy college football program that befitted the sleepy Spanish moss trees that dot the campus. After beginning the year unranked, the Blazers rose as high as No. 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. Gary Goff - Wikipedia But above all, Valdosta has been defined by football. Gary Goff is an American football coach. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Smart was hired anyway. He amassed a 22-3 record, one national championship appearance, and one conference title. 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. We physically did it, he said. (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. 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 Getting an opportunity at a place like this with the tradition we have here, it's just not normal. But now hes entering his 28thyear in the job. I hope I never work for you, said Cavan, who was in the mix for a better job, at East Tennessee State. And secondly, when he was here, if you were having a bad day, you could go over and sit in Leachs office and laugh for two or three hours. Chris Hatcher would prove to be the connective tissue between the two unique Valdosta State coaching trees. Gosh, they worked hard, Reinhard said. He is the head football coach at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana, a role he assumed in December 2021. Herb Reinhard, Valdosta State athletic director, 1992-present. But in time he would still end up in Valdosta. They love football down there, and Friday nights are a very special thing.. "I said, 'Well, I'd walk backwards from Houston to Valdosta, Georgia if (they'd have me)," Jackson said. Reinhard said theres no timeline on the coaching search, but revealed hes already received tons of interest in the position. Carpentry, connections and Chick-fil-A: How D-II Valdosta State became The same way we coach players and take a lot of pride in their development and their growth is the same responsibility I feel like I have with that. Posted at 12:07 AM, Apr 22, 2023. and last updated 9:07 PM, Apr 21, 2023. Leach reclaimed his brand-new Valdosta State pullover. I am honored and humbled to be named the Head Football Coach at Valdosta State University, Jackson said. Smart did very well, and a year later he was on the move himself, taking a graduate assistant job under Bobby Bowden at Florida State, before rejoining Muschamp at LSU in 2004. "Tremaine told me very early in the interview that the reason he coaches is to change lives. As fate would have it, as the Cougars were preparing for the Birmingham Bowl against Auburn, Jackson happened to be in Houston watching the Cougars practice when Belk asked Jackson if he would be interested in the Blazers' head coaching job. They learned things they wouldnt have if they had started at a larger school. None of us saw this coming. following his conversation with now-former head football coach Gary Goff when he told him he was leaving for McNeese State. 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. Red versus black, and the red squad, won 28-24. 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. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. "I stand before you today very confident that we have found that gentleman. Nice to meet you. VSU's Spectator Wins Big at Collegiate Better Newspaper Contest Delta State University defeated the Blazers 3531, despite being down 28 points at the beginning of the second half. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. And if anyone fell asleep it was understood that I was going to go over and dump it on their heads. As a player, Jackson began his college career at Louisiana-Monroe before transferring to Texas Southern for his final junior and senior seasons. During his second season in 2017 the Blazers finished 5-4 overall and 53 in conference. Jan 10, 2020. "The column was a sports column about the football team, with the focus being on Coach Tremaine . The relationships. Bigger schools eventually offered Smart, who ended up at Georgia. VSU Mourns the Loss of Former Blazer Football Assistant Coach Mike Classes resume Jan. 10 and Jackson has already made considerable efforts to connect with the team. Graduate Assistant Quarterback's Coach / Equipment.