BYU has hired Steve Clark as its new tight ends coach.
BYU's football coaching staff has been under renovation ever since Bronco Mendenhall and eight of his assistants left for Virginia in December. After much anticipation, some of the finishing touches of new head coach Kalani Sitake's staff came to light.
The most recent announcement was made public Monday with news that Weber State offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Steve Clark is coming to BYU as tight ends coach.
To take a personal moment, as editor of The Universe, I'd like to say: Welcome to BYU, Dad.
As a sports writer, I've been eager for the opportunity to break this bit of BYU's coaching news. Stepping back into news-writing mode, Cougar fans are going to want to know about this new member of the coaching staff.
Clark has been an offensive coordinator at the FCS level for the past eight years and brings 15 total seasons of college football coaching experiencing to Sitake's new staff. He has experience coaching alongside multiple notable head coaches, including Urban Meyer, Bronco Mendenhall, Ed Lamb and Jay Hill.
Clark joined Jay Hill's staff at Weber State in 2014 following six years as offensive coordinator at SUU. In 2015, Clark oversaw a Wildcat offense rushed for over 2,000 yards in 11 games, helping the program to its first winning season in five years.
In addition to his play calling duties, Clark has spent his last four seasons as quarterbacks coach for Weber State and SUU, respectively. His work includes helping to transform BYU-transfer quarterback Brad Sorensen into SUU's all-time leader in pass completions, passing yards, total yards, and passing touchdowns. Sorensen went on to be selected in the 7th round of the 2013 NFL Draft, becoming the school's first-ever NFL draft selection.
In addition to Sorensen, Thunderbird wide receiver Tysson Poots also achieved historic success under Clark, becoming SUU's all-time leading receiver in 2010. Poots racked up 3,124 of his 3,547 career receiving yards and 40 of his 43 career touchdowns in the three years he played in Clark's offensive system.
Along with newly hired BYU special teams coordinator Ed Lamb, Clark helped to turn around a Thunderbird program that was on an 18-game losing streak when they first took over in 2008. The Thunderbirds became Great West Conference Champions in 2010 and later earned the team's first-ever FCS playoff berth in 2013, Clark's final season before joining Hill at Weber State.
Prior to his time as an offensive coordinator, Clark was a graduate assistant during Bronco Mendenhall's first three seasons at BYU. There he worked with coaches Brent Grimes (2005-2006 seasons) and Mark Weber (2007 season) in coaching the Cougars' offensive line. Clark additionally oversaw BYU's kick return unit from 2006-2007.
Clark's first coaching stint at BYU came after working as a defensive-line assistant on Urban Meyer's Utah staff in 2004, a season that saw the Utes make an unprecedented 12-0 Fiesta Bowl run. He worked as quarterbacks coach and run-game coordinator at Saint Mary's College for one season in 2003 before the school dropped the football program the following year.
Clark received his college start as a coaching intern on Ron McBride's Utah staff in 2001, transitioning into the Utes' director of football operations in 2002.
Clark was offensive coordinator for Provo High football for six seasons prior to making the jump to the college game.