The other day at Georgia football practice, Cavan, now a Bulldogs staffer, was speaking with Josh Lee, another former Valdosta State coach: He was the quarterback coach on the 2004 championship team. We don't take that lightly at all, and I told them we're going to do it step-by-step together. [11] Dean left the Blazers to coach a single, unsuccessful year as co-offensive coordinator at FBS program Georgia Southern; both co-coordinators were fired after one year. VSU has always been a special place to my wife and I, and we look forward to joining the community. The Blazers also were outstanding on defense as the team was 32nd nationally in total defense, allowing 311.5 yards per game and held teams to a 111.71 passing efficiency for 33rd nationally out of 166 NCAA Division II programs. Delta State University defeated the Blazers 3531, despite being down 28 points at the beginning of the second half. Once that project was completed there was still more work to do. Bazemore-Hyder Stadium - Wikipedia Smart was elevated to defensive coordinator, thrust into a job running a defense just three years out of college. It is my intent to continue and enhance the storied tradition of Blazer football for many years to come. Giovanni Spadaro. That's been awesome.". 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. One night, Leach was out with a group of people including Michael Doscher, the teams strength and conditioning coach. [13] Bell was formerly the head coach for the Jacksonville Dolphins, prior to joining Valdosta State. Volunteer Football Operations. The Spectator finished second in the General Excellence (Division A) category. And if anyone fell asleep it was understood that I was going to go over and dump it on their heads. And earlier this summer, Leach called Goff at midnight eastern time, because Leach is now at Washington State. The Mavericks finished 10th in total defense at 258.2 yards per game and 16th in total offense at 452.0 yards per game. There could be others coming down the pike: Hatcher, still only 46, is now at Samford, an FCS school. "I said, 'Well, I'd walk backwards from Houston to Valdosta, Georgia if (they'd have me)," Jackson said. And off the field, Leach brought his wit and wisdom to anyone who wanted it. He hasnt changed a lick.. He wanted Valdosta State football to build its own identity. Where Is Coach Rush Propst From Valdosta High Now? (EXCLUSIVE) VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) One month ago, the Valdosta State football team kicked off spring practice. He is the driest, funniest individual I think Ive ever met. 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. "Grid Times" Valdosta State University Football Preview 2006. 4 in the AFCA poll[10] in the first weeks of the 2011 season. Getting an opportunity at a place like this with the tradition we have here, it's just not normal. 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. 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.. Tiffin was ranked as high as No. The football program didnt debut until 1982 and had some modest success in Division II over the next few decades. You're accepting me. Follow Seth on Twitter @SethWEmerson, Mike Leach served as Valdosta States offensive coordinator for five seasons from 1992-96. He was named the new head coach after last season. "We'll have a defense that loves to run around and hit people and knock people completely out. They get jobs that are 0-for the year before and get told to fix it. Paul Leavy | Special to the TimesNew Valdosta State head football coach Tremaine Jackson speaks during his introductory press conference Thursday. Hatcher was only 26 years old. In 2009 VSU finished in 3rd in the Gulf South Conference and 4th in 2011. The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. [16] Goff, a former Blazer captain and 1996 graduate of VSU, had gone 23-10 the prior three seasons at Tiffin. Damn! VSU head football coach Gary Goff . 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. I beat Kirby more than he beat me, Muschamp said. And I'm talking about what he brings to the table, he brings to the table with passion sincere passion," Reinhard said. Holgorsen currently serves as the head coach at the University of Houston, while Belk serves as Holgorsen's defensive coordinator. 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 I hope I never work for you, said Cavan, who was in the mix for a better job, at East Tennessee State. Goff, who was a receiver for Mumme, Leach and Holgorsen in the 1990s, is also back. We're going to try to do an excellent job because I'm not the best one. The high school, which is home to the Wildcats, has garnered national attention for its football team . They didnt a few years earlier when Hal Mumme, Guy Morriss, Dana Holgorsen and a certain mad scientist offensive coordinator were around. The work of journalism, including that of student journalists, is essential to a functioning democracy and well-informed public. David Dean was named head coach of the Blazers in 2007 after Chris Hatcher took the head coaching job at Georgia Southern University. Kay Harris, Editor.2006. He rushed for 106 yards and two touchdowns during the 2012 season for the four-time NCAA Division II national . Its just a great town. Gosh, they worked hard, Reinhard said. is coming off a 12-2 season and a trip to the Division II state semifinals. It was the most important time in my career.. Bailey directed each to quickly move toward fielding a varsity team. "I stand before you today very confident that we have found that gentleman. While at VSU, Goff and his teammates helped lay the foundation for where the VSU football program is today. Even during a national championship run last year, Valdosta States average attendance was about 6,100. Mumme took over as head coach at Valdosta State University in 1992. #DOG #RLW Quote Tweet Dean was previously the offense coordinator for the Blazers. Hatcher left VSU after the 2006 season to be the head football coach at Georgia Southern University, he left Valdosta State with a 7612 overall record, a .864 winning percentage, and was the winningest coach in Blazer history. Mostly sunny skies. What should WTXL be covering in this community. Under Dean the Blazers also won the 2012 national title. "I also wanted to be here because you have a chance to compete for national championships year in and year out. 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. Valdosta and Lowndes developed a famously fierce rivalry over the years, one that one alum compared to the Hatfields and McCoys. They helped lay the groundwork for what was to come at Valdosta State: In 2002, the year after Smart left, the Blazers reached the Division II championship game, where they fell to Grand Valley State, whose head coach was now-Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly. Tremaine Jackson - Head Football Coach - Football Coaches - Valdosta The offense had been the dominant feature in the 1990s, and Hatcher was a key part of it. They enjoyed their time together, breaking from football stuff to play lunchtime basketball games. I am so glad that the staff was able to make Spectator history and rightfully earn the General Excellence award. They lost in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs to UNC-Pembroke 2421. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Fresh off a Division II national championship appearance, Valdosta State's Gary Goff is the 18th head coach in McNeese State football history. What you see with them as far as where theyve gone and the intensity that they bring, it was very evident early on.. 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 use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. When he was introduced to the schools football coach, Mike Cavan stuck out his hand and smiled. Then there were the coaching connections: Will Muschamp was friends with Hatcher through several personal relationships. Jackson becomes VSU's first Black head football coach, BUSH: Staying on top of 401K can pay dividends, Carvalho, No. You dont get ready for that. Kemp signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans of the NFL in April. 1 in the polls. 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. UA 16 2 1 - Valdosta State University The pay was low. Baseball Coaches - Valdosta State University Athletics Copyright 2021 WALB. Which, again, means football. David Dean is the only football coach in Valdosta State history to win two national championships. 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. 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. Valdosta is a South Georgia city located in Lowndes County, where football is everything. 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. Head Football Coach - Valdosta State University Athletics All rights reserved. Offensively, the Mavericks put up 33.7 points per game, placing them among the top 35 best offenses in Division II. Seven different Valdosta coaches have gone on to become head coaches at an FBS school: Smart, Muschamp, Leach, Holgorsen, Morris, Mumme and Cavan. The Spectator was honored at the 2023 Georgia College Press Association Press Institute in early April. [12] David Dean is the only football coach in Valdosta State history to win two national championships. 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. 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. After three years, he was gone. Using figures from the NFL's Play Football website, Valdosta's win total stands at 941 entering 2023. . Goff had 16 Dragons named to G-MAC All-Conference teams in 2018. Valdosta State begins its search for their next head football coach - WALB David Dean is only the second head coach to lead his team to a national championship in his first season. Head coaches Records are through the end of the 2012 Season Hal Mumme Era: 1992-1996 Valdosta State Blazers football - American Football Database 2 Ferris State, Blazer Head Coach Kerwin Bell Accepts Offensive Coordinator Position at South Florida, Former Blazer Gary Goff Named Valdosta State Head Football Coach, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Valdosta_State_Blazers_football&oldid=1150310740, American football teams established in 1982, 1982 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state), Articles with dead external links from March 2023, Articles with dead external links from February 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2010, 2018, 2019, 2021, NCAA Division II Team Playoff Participants, 1994, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, This page was last edited on 17 April 2023, at 11:56. But in time he would still end up in Valdosta. Goff's first season saw the Blazers record an undefeated regular season, a second consecutive GSC championship and extend their winning streak to 25 consecutive games before being upset in the second round of the playoffs by West Florida, 3835. Two years later the Blazers won the national championship, and they have won three more since then, including last year. He didnt have many connections to Valdosta State or Mumme. I think if we do well in the moment, that may open some doors 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. Head Coach Gary Goff begins his third season at the helm of the VSU Blazers. "The people here are very genuine. [1] [2] Goff served as the head football coach at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio from 2011 to 2018 and Valdosta State University in Valdosta, Georgia from 2019 to 2021. In 2004, the Blazers returned to the National Championship, this time defeating Pittsburg State University 3631. 1 in the country in Division II and were the Gulf South Conference champions for the first time in school history. During his second season in 2017 the Blazers finished 5-4 overall and 53 in conference. Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. The team was ranked nationally for the first time and broke 12 offensive school records. On January 10, 2019, Bell left Valdosta State to accept the offensive coordinator position at South Florida.[15]. I am very excited to have Tremaine join our Blazer family, Reinhard said. Years before the existence of offseason workouts and football generally becoming a year-round game, they were doing that in Valdosta. And I really enjoyed it., (Top photo of the 2000 Valdosta State coaching staff courtesy of Valdosta State Athletics). 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. Valdosta State Football (@valdostastatefb) / Twitter Goff coached a league-best 13 All-GSC selections in 2019 and GSC Offensive Player of the Year Rogan Wells.