Spartans Add Tons of Experience to Football Staff

 

 

SAN JOSE, Calif. - San José State has added cornerbacks coach Greg Burns, offensive line coach John Estes, inside linebackers coach/run game coordinator Bojay Filimoeatu, outside linebackers coach Josh Irvin, tight ends coach/run game coordinator Mike Judge, defensive line coach Al Lapuaho, Director of Player Personnel Beca Perez, offensive analyst Billy Ray Stutzmann, running backs coach Marcus Thomas, Head Coach of Athletic Performance - Football Nu'u Tafisi and Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Antonio Leonard to the football staff, plus Joe Palcic will return as special teams analyst, announced by head coach Ken Niumatalolo on Friday.

"First and foremost, I wanted to get coaches that were teachers and mentors," said Niumatalolo. "Obviously they are going to teach the game of football, but I want them to be able to teach the game of life. I was looking for good people and got a lot of good X's and O's guys, but it was more than that to me. I'm just super grateful for those who decided to come. They are really good football coaches, but even greater people."

Previously, the Spartans announced the return of defensive coordinator Derrick Odum and the addition of offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann, plus the return of Kevin McGiven who is now the wide receivers coach and passing game coordinator.

Cornerbacks Coach Greg Burns

• Over 20 years as a defensive backs coach.
• Recently on the UCLA coaching staff as a defensive analyst (2021-24).
• Previous stops include Arizona (2020), USC (2002-05, 19), Oregon State (2018), Cal (2014-16), UMass (2013), Purdue (2012), Arizona State (2008-11), Kansas State (2007), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (NFL, 2006), Louisville (1998-01), Idaho (1997).
• Burns was a four-year letterman (1991-93, 95) and two-year starter as a defensive back at Washington State, earning All-Pac-10 honorable mention honors.
• Brother, Dexter, played football for the Spartans in the 1990's.

Offensive Line Coach John Estes

• Played in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Arizona Cardinals (2010-12, 14) and the CFL for the Calgary Stampeders (2015).
• Houston Roughnecks Running Backs Coach (XFL, 2022-23), Tyler Junior College Offensive Line Coach (2021), The Spring League on FOX Offensive Line Coach (2020-21), Houston Roughnecks Offensive Line Coach (XFL, 2019-20), Hawai’i Offensive Line Coach and Graduate Assistant (2016-17).
• Started 54 games consecutively for Hawai‘i (school record) and was the schools only Rimington finalist.
• Played in 2007 Sugar Bowl.
  
• Grandfather Pat Hiram and uncle Roy Hiram both played at SJSU and were All-American running backs. Pat led the Spartans in rushing yards, punt return yards and kickoff return yards in 1954.

Inside Linebackers Coach/Run Game Coordinator Bojay Filimoeatu

• Played in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders (2014) and had eight tackles in eight games.
• Just finished his first season as defensive line coach at San Diego State (2023) as their defensive linemen had 48 total tackles for loss including 18 sacks. 
• Also a coach at UNLV (2022), Weber State (2021), Utah State (2019-20), San José State (2017-18) and Oregon State (2016) and was a former Broyles Award nominee for the best assistant coach in college football.
• Two-year starting linebacker at Utah State in 2011 and 2012, where he helped lead the Aggies to a pair of bowl games and the 2012 WAC title.

Outside Linebackers Coach Josh Irvin

• Former defensive graduate assistant and quality control coach at SJSU (2015-18).
• Coming from UCLA where he was a recruiting analyst (2022-24).
• Was a defensive ends coach and recruiting coordinator at Nortern Arizona University (2019), receivers coach and passing game coordinator at Humboldt State (2018).
• Played football at Chapman University from 2011 to 2013, also was a team captain and then joined the staff as a defensive backs coach.

Tight Ends Coach/Run Game Coordinator Mike Judge

• Comes from the Miami Dolphins (NFL) where he was an offensive assistant since 2019.  At the Dolphins he was a quality control coach from 2019-20, assistant tight ends coach in 2021 and assisted the personnel department in 2022. He was also a part of the New England Patriots’ (NFL) coaching staff as a defensive assistant in 2005 and an offensive assistant in 2006.
• Prior to Miami, Judge spent 11 seasons (2008-18) at the Naval Academy, where he coached fullbacks. During his tenure, the Midshipmen went 87-57 (.604), beat Army eight times, earned nine bowl bids, won five bowl games and won five Commander-In-Chief’s Trophies. In 2017, Navy set a school record averaging 351.4 rushing yards per game, which ranked second in FBS.
• Judge spent one season (2007) at Harvard coaching wide receivers.
• Judge was an option quarterback at Springfield College, where he was a four-year letterwinner (2001-04) in football and baseball. 

Defensive Line Coach Al Lapuaho

• Defensive line and assistant coach at Nevada (2022-23), Utah State assistant coach/graduate assistant (2018-22), defensive graduate assistant at Oregon State (2016-17).
• In 2021, helped Utah State win the MW title while going 11-3 and finishing No. 24 in the final AP Top 25.
• In 2021, the Aggies ranked sixth in the nation in tackles for loss per game (7.9) and 60th in sacks per game (2.29). Utah State allowed 161.9 rushing yards per game, 84th in the country.
• Played at Utah State (2011-12).

Special Teams Analyst Joe Palcic

• Returns to the Spartans as special teams analyst for a second season
• The Spartans special teams in 2023 had two blocked punts including one for a touchdown, had a punt return touchdown and recovered three onside kicks, plus had three fumble recoveries on kickoffs.
• According to ESPN, the Spartans had the number two special teams unit in the country in 2023 at 70.9 efficiency.
• Assistant special teams coordinator at Western Michigan (2019-22), Miami of Ohio assistant coach (1999-2004, 14-18), Alabama defensive analyst (2013), defensive backs coach at Ashland University (2012), co-defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at Indiana (2005-10), graduate assistant at Eastern Michigan (1998)
• Was an outside linebacker at Miami (1994-97) 

Director of Player Personnel Beca Perez

• 2020 graduate of SJSU
• Graduate assistant/recruiting assistant at SJSU (2018-20)
• Stanford Assistant Director of Recruiting (2023), Army Director of Recruiting (2022)
• Recipient of the Women's Sports Foundation Scott Pioli & Family Fund for Women Football Coaches and Scouts (2021).

Offensive Analyst Billy Ray Stutzmann

• Assistant coach at Utah Tech (2022-23), assistant coach at Navy (2019-21), offensive analyst at Hawai‘i (2018), assistant coach at Emory & Henry College (2015-18), assistant coach at Western New Mexico College (2014).
• Played four years as a wide receiver at Hawai‘i catching 148 passes for 1,845 yards and nine touchdowns.
• Played alongside Marcus Mariota at Saint Louis School.
• Brother is SJSU offensive coordinator Craig Stutzmann.

Running Backs Coach Marcus Thomas

• Director of Player Personnel and assistant coach at Navy (2022-23), UCLA offensive analyst/Director of Strategic Intelligence (2019-21).
• Played running back at Navy (2010-13) and played in three bowl games including winning the 2013 Bell Helicopter Bowl.
• Thomas is Navy’s all-time leader in kickoff return yardage with 2,338 yards.
• Thomas spent five years in the United States Marine Corps, including serving as the Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 36 Detachment Officer in charge of 55 Marines for the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, a forward deployed contingency-response unit in the Pacific theatre and an Aviation Supply Officer in Okinawa, Japan where he led a team of 42 Marines, providing logistics and supply support to more than 2,000 Marines with Marine Aircraft Group 36 consisting of 58 aircraft.

Head Coach of Athletic Performance - Football Nu'u Tafisi

• Played in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks (2007-09).
• Assistant Performance Coach at UCLA (2023), Football Director of Strength and Conditioning at BYU (2016-22), strength and conditioning assistant at USC (2015-16), strength and conditioning assistant at Utah (2012-14), strength and conditioning graduate assistant at Boise State (2011), strength and conditioning intern at Cal (2010).
• Played two seasons at Cal as a defensive end (2005-06).
• Started 24 of 25 games at Cal with nine sacks.

Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Antonio Leonard

• Director of Sports Performance at Grambling State University (2022-23), Assistant Director of Sports Performance at University of Buffalo (2021-22), Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Prairie View A&M University (2018-21), Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Western Kentucky University (2017-18), Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at North Carolina A&T State University (2015-17), sports performance internship at University of Houston (2014), strength and conditioning graduate assistant at Grambling State University (2012-13).
• Played defensive line at Southern Mississippi (2007) and Grambling State University (2008-11).
• Best Defensive Lineman Award (Grambling State University) and Iron Man Award (Grambling State University) both in 2011.
• Were the Southwestern Athletic Conference Champions at Grambling State University (2011).