Coach Tedford announces first group of 2017 Bulldog hires
FRESNO, Calif. -- Fresno State head football coach Jeff Tedford announced his first group of hires for the 2017 football season on Tuesday.
They include assistant coaches Jamie Christian (RB/ST), Kirby Moore (WR), Scott Thompson (TE) and J.D. Williams (DB). They also hired Spencer Harris as Director of Player Personnel and Brian Wilkinson as Director of Football Operations.
Here is an introduction of each staff member, provided by Fresno State:
Jamie Christian
Position: running backs coach and special team coordinator
Last stop: UNLV (running backs coach)
Alma Mater: Central Washington (1999)
Coaching Experience:
2015-16: UNLV - running backs
2012-14: Houston - special teams coordinator/tight ends/inside receivers
2007-11: Arizona State - special teams coordinator/inside receivers
2006: Idaho - special teams coordinator/running backs
2005: Sacramento State - running backs
2003-04: San Francisco 49ers - defensive quality control
2002: Northern Arizona - cornerbacks
2000-01: Oregon State - defensive graduate assistant
Notes: Christian was a fullback at Fresno State (1991-93) before transferring to Central Washington to finish out his collegiate career as a running back. In Christian's sophomore season in 1992, Tedford arrived to Fresno State has a first-year assistant coach. Most recently, Christian spent the past two seasons as the running backs coach at UNLV, in his time there the Rebels rushing offense has dramatically improved from ranking 102nd (129.2 yards/game) in the FBS before he arrived, to 36th (193.7 yards/game) in his first year, and 15th (241.5 yards/game) this season. Christian's uncle is Dennis Erickson, long-time head coach and current assistant head coach at Utah.
Kirby Moore
Position: wide receivers coach
Last stop: Washington (offensive graduate assistant)
Alma Mater: Boise State (2012)
Coaching Experience:
2016: Washington - offensive graduate assistant
2015: College of Idaho - wide receivers coach
Notes: Moore reunited with college coach Chris Petersen this past season at Washington. The Boise State grad earned four varsity letters as a Bronco (2009, 2011-13), lettering on a 14-0 team as a true freshman in 2009. After redshirting the 2010 season, he helped Boise State compile a record of 31-8 over his final three seasons. As a freshman, united with older brother and current NFL quarterback, Kellen Moore, the two were a part of the Broncos' 2010 Fiesta Bowl win over TCU. As a G.A. who works with the wide receivers unit, the Huskies' wide receivers John Ross and Dante Pettis currently lead the nation in touchdown receptions as a duo with 31. Ross was named a first-team All-Pac-12 selection on Nov. 29.
Scott Thompson
Position: tight ends coach
Last stop: USC (tight ends/special teams assistant)
Alma Mater: Fresno State (2010)
Coaching Experience:
2016: USC - offensive assistant (tight ends/special teams)
2015: USC - director of scouting/high school relations
2010-14: USC - director of player personnel
2009: Tennessee - offensive assistant (tight ends/running backs)
Notes: Thompson is a former Fresno State tight end, who lettered from 1995-98, and was coached by then-offensive coordinator Jeff Tedford during his freshman, sophomore and junior seasons. As a senior, Fresno State quarterback Billy Volek connected with Thompson for 31 receptions and 375 yards and a touchdown. His older brother, Marty Thompson, played three seasons in the NFL after a standout Fresno State career from 1989-92.
J.D. Williams
Position: defensive backs coach
Last stop: UNLV (cornerbacks coach)
Alma Mater: Fresno State (1997)
Coaching Experience:
2015-16: UNLV - cornerbacks
2013-14: Georgia State - defensive backs/special teams
2012-13: UNLV - defensive coordinator/defensive backs
2010-11: UNLV - asst. HC/pass def. coordinator/defensive backs
2009: Utah - cornerbacks
2006-08: Washington - defensive backs
2002-05: California - defensive backs
2000-01: Fresno State - secondary
1999: San Jose State - defensive backs
1998: Cal Poly - defensive backs
1997: Fresno State - graduate assistant
Notes: A wide receiver turned cornerback at Fresno State from 1986-89, is set for his third coaching tenure at Fresno State. As a player, Williams is one of five Bulldogs to have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft (16th overall by the Buffalo Bills, 1990) in school history. Williams was an AP honorable mention All-American in 1988, and a second-team Sporting News All-American and a third-team AP All-American in 1989. During his seven-year professional career, he was a member of all four Bills' teams that advanced to the Super Bowl from 1991-94. Williams was a G.A. one season under Pat Hill (1997) - Tedford was on that staff as the offensive coordinator.
Brian Wilkinson
Position: director of football operations
Last stop: USA Football (operations director)
Alma Mater: California Coast College (2016)
Experience:
2016: USA Football - operations director
2014-15: Boise State - director of football operations
2013: Arkansas State - director of football operations
2011-12: Wyoming - director of football operations
2010: California - volunteer assistant, football operations
Notes: Prior to accepting his first position in collegiate athletics as an assistant equipment manager at Cal (2003-05), Wilkinson was a minor league clubhouse manager and equipment manager for the Oakland Athletics. He served in the United States Air Force from 1991-94.
Spencer Harris
Position: director of player personnel
Last stop: Washington
Alma Mater: Washington (2015)
Experience:
2016: Washington - assistant director of player personnel
2015: Washington - head football recruiting specialist
2014: Washington - football recruiting specialist, student
2012-13: Washington - equipment manager
Notes: Graduated with a degree in finance from Washington in March 2015. Joined UW staff in April 2012 and grew under the guidance of Aaron Knotts (current director of player personnel at UW) and Marshall Malchow (current director of player personnel at Georgia). Played High School football at Rio Americano in Sacramento, Calif. from 2007-10.
