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PROVO — New BYU football coach Kalani Sitake added Weber State's Steve Clark as an assistant coach over tight ends Monday, along with two other announcements to his new staff less than two weeks before National Signing Day.
In addition, Sitake announced the hiring of former BYU defensive lineman Russell Tialavea as director of football operations and AJ Middleton as assistant strength and conditioning coach.
"Steve is authentic, extremely organized and a tireless worker who will coach our tight ends," Sitake said in a statement. "AJ adds great experience to our strength and conditioning staff, and Russell has kept the overall program running smoothly amidst the recent changes, and I'm excited to have him serve as the director of football operations."
Clark comes to BYU most recently from Weber State, where he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the past two seasons. A BYU graduate, Clark also has coaching experience at Southern Utah, Utah, BYU, Saint Mary's and Provo High School. He was part of coach Jay Hill's staff this past season that assembled the Wildcats' first winning season in five years at 6-5, while coaching All-Big Sky honorees.
"I'm thrilled to be joining coach Sitake's staff in this new exciting time of BYU football," Clark said in a statement. "I've been blessed to work with some great coaches and players over the years and can't wait to begin working with this team."
Prior to his time in Ogden, Clark was the offensive coordinator at SUU from 2008-13 under former head coach Ed Lamb, who is currently BYU's assistant head coach. He spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at BYU, one season at Utah when he helped then-head coach Urban Meyer to a 12-0 season and Fiesta Bowl win in 2004, and spent 2003 as the passing game coordinator at Saint Mary's — just one year before the Division II Gaels disbanded their football program.
Previously, Lamb was announced as the tight ends coach, in addition to his role as assistant head coach and special teams coordinator. The addition of Clark will likely leave the former SUU colleague to focus on special teams, in addition to assisting Sitake on a day-to-day basis.
Clark earned a degree in communications from BYU in 1992. He and his wife Suzanne are the parents of four children.
Tialavea has been described as a "BYU lifer" by many who know him, a former player for the Cougars from 2005-09, and again in 2012 follow a mission for the LDS Church. He previously served as the assistant director of football operations before the most recent promotion.
"I'm very humbled and grateful for the opportunity," Tialavea said. "I know and love all of our players, and I'm excited to get to know all of our new coaches. I expect great things from this group."
The Oceanside, California, native graduated from BYU in 2012 with a degree in sociology and took a position in the school's student-athlete academic center in 2014. Tialavea's responsibilities include day-to-day operations, student-athlete academic and career development, alumni relations and managing additional team programs.
Middleton comes to BYU after spending the 2015 season at UNLV, where he served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach under new coach Tony Sanchez's football staff.
Prior to UNLV, Middleton also coached at USC and University of Redlands in Southern California, and was an assistant track and field coach at his alma mater, Puget Sound, in 2013.
Middleton played football and competed in track and field at Puget Sound, graduating with a degree in biology in 2009. A former first-team All-Northwest Conference honoree at nose tackle, Middleton was also a two-time NWC shot put champion in 2006 and 2007.
In addition to his degree from Puget Sound, Middleton also received a master's degree from Redlands in 2015.
