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*Press Release*LOGAN, Utah - Two additional offensive assistant coaches have been added to the Utah State football staff, USU head coach Gary Andersen announced Wednesday, with the hiring of Dave Baldwin as the offensive coordinator and Ilaisa Tuiaki (pronounced E-lye-sa Too-ee-ah-kee) as the running backs coach.
"Dave has been a Division I offensive coordinator for eight and has 11 years of head coaching experience. He always finds a way to get the best out of his offensive personnel. Coaching against him for the last two years, while I was defensive coordinator at Utah was a major task. His running of the spread offense is one of the best in the country. Dave's extensive coaching background, especially his head coaching experiences, will be a tremendous asset to me as a head coach."
Baldwin comes to Utah State from New Mexico, where he spent two seasons as offensive coodinator for the Lobos.
"I'm extremely excited for the opportunity to coach along side Gary Andersen," Baldwin said. "I've coached against him for two years, and I have tremendous respect and appreciation for him as a coach and as a person. I'm excited about the magnificent facilities that Utah State has to offer and am anxious to continue and build on their success. This is a wonderful opportunity to regain Utah State's national exposure."
Tuiaki follows Andersen to Utah State from Utah, where he was a graduate assistant for the Utes' defense, coaching the strong side linebackers. Tuiaki played running back at Southern Utah and at Utah State; he'll shift back to the offensive side of the ball, coaching USU's running backs as well as assisting with special teams.
"Ilaisa played for me at Southern Utah, and I've been impressed with him as a player and a coach ever since," Andersen said. "He's a young, passionate coach that puts the players first, and I know he'll do great things with our young, talented running backs here at Utah State, as well working on special teams. His recruiting skills will also be a big asset for us. While at Utah, he did a great job recruiting Polynesian players, and he will help us tremendously as we work toward expanding on the number of Utah and Polynesian players our program."
Tuiaki played for Andersen at Southern Utah and is excited to continue to be part of his staff.
"I'm really excited to be part of Gary Andersen's staff. I'm extremely honored that he has the faith in me, but know what's expected of me," Tuiaki said. "I'm flattered that Coach Andersen selected me to be Utah State's running backs coach. I'm excited to meet and work with the players. Utah State has a lot of talent at running back. I'm also anxious to help recruit Polynesian players to Cache Valley and Utah State. The area and campus are great places."
Baldwin and Tuiaki become the third Aggies' offensive coaches on staff, joining quarterbacks coach Kevin McGiven, who came to Utah State from Weber State. Baldwin comes to USU after two seasons as the offensive coordinator at New Mexico while Tuiaki was a graduate assistant at Utah for one season.
Andersen completed his defensive staff last week with the additions of linebackers coach Kevin Clune and defensive line coach Chad Kauha'aha'a, who were also Weber State assistants. The other two defensive coaches are new defensive coordinator Bill Busch, while retaining John Rushing as USU's cornerbacks coach.
Baldwin was offensive coordinator at New Mexico for two seasons, after spending four years (2003-06) as offensive coordinator and tight ends coach at Michigan State. His coaching resumé includes 11 years of head coaching experience at San Jose State (1997-2000) and Cal State Northridge (1995-96) plus five years as a head coach at the junior college level.
The 2008 Baldwin-directed New Mexico offense was third in the Mountain West Conference and 16th in the NCAA in rushing at 208.3 yards per game.
Baldwin's offense produced two all-Mountain West Conference performers in second-team honorees senior running back Rodney Ferguson and junior center Erik Cook, both of whom are NFL caliber players. Ferguson was second in the MWC and 24th in the NCAA in rushing with 100.5 yards per game, including a league-high 13 rushing touchdowns, ranking third in the conference in TD scoring (7.1 ppg) as well as sixth in overall scoring.
In 2007, New Mexico was one of just three Football Bowl Subdivision schools to produce a 3,000-yard passer (Donovan Porterie 3,006), a 1,000-yard rusher (Rodney Ferguson 1,177) and two 1,000-yard receivers (Marcus Smith 1,125 and Travis Brown 1,031). Smith led the MWC in receiving (seven per game) and yards (86 per game), while setting a school record with 91 receptions.
Baldwin coached seven all-Mountain West Conference selections as Ferguson, Smith and Brown, as well as center Vince Natali and offensive tackle Devin Clark, were all named first team all-MWC in 2007.
In his first season as the Lobos' offensive coordinator, he increased their numbers in rushing, passing, scoring and total offense from 2006. Porterie finished third in the MWC in passing yards (231.2 ypg) and total offense (228.6 ypg) and was named the MVP of the New Mexico Bowl after throwing for a career-high 354 yards and 2 TDs to lead UNM to a 23-0 victory over Nevada in the 2007 New Mexico Bowl, marking the Lobos' first bowl win since the 1961 Aviation Bowl.
At Michigan State, Baldwin mentored Spartan QB Drew Stanton, who in 2006, was one of five finalists for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented annually since 1987 to the nation's top senior quarterback. Stanton finished his MSU career setting a school record for completion percentage (.642), and second in pass completions (543), pass attempts (846), passing yards (6,524) and total offense (8,036).
Additionally, Baldwin coached wide receiver Kerry Reed, who ranked second in the Big Ten in 2006 in receptions per game (5.33) and was fifth in receiving yards per game (64.58). Wide receiver Matt Trannon set a single-game school record with 14 catches against Eastern Michigan, and left MSU as the program's all-time receptions leader with 148 career catches.
In 2005, Michigan State ranked among the NCAA leaders in four offensive categories: No. 20 in rushing (201.8 yards per game), No. 11 in passing (school-record 295.5 ypg.), No. 5 in total offense (school-record 497.3 ypg.) and No. 18 in scoring (33.8 ppg).
In 2004, Stanton became the first QB in Michigan State history to throw for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in the same game.
Stanton completed 67 percent of his attempts for 3,077 yards and a school-record 22 touchdowns in 2003, becoming just the second quarterback in Spartan history to reach the 3,000-yard passing milestone in a season, joining Jeff Smoker who threw for 3,395 yards in 2003. Stanton completed 67 percent of his attempts for 3,077 yards and a school-record 22 touchdowns. He ranked second in the Big Ten and No. 10 in the NCAA in passing efficiency with a 153.4 rating.
Five Spartans had at least 28 receptions and two TDs in 2005 as Michigan State was the only NCAA I-A team to have five players with at least 400 receiving yards.
Prior to Michigan State, Baldwin spent one season at Baylor where he served as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Kevin Steele. In 2002, senior wide receiver Reggie Newhouse earned second-team all-Big 12 honors and set Baylor single-season records for receptions (75) and receiving yards (1,140).
Baldwin spent the 2001 season as offensive coordinator at Cincinnati under Rick Minter, helping the Bearcats to a 7-5 record and a trip to the Motor City Bowl. Cincinnati ranked among the Conference USA leaders in every offensive category, finishing second in passing offense, third in total offense, third in scoring offense and fourth in rushing offense. Baldwin coached Gino Guidugli, who finished second in the league in passing and third in passing efficiency, earning 2001 C-USA Freshman of the Year accolades. The Bearcat offense also produced C-USA's leading receiver in LaDaris Vann, who caught 6.64 passes per game.
Baldwin previously served as head coach and offensive play-caller at San Jose State for four years (1997-2000), where he compiled an 18-27 record, including three straight wins over Stanford (1998-2000).
In 2000, San Jose State beat Stanford as well as ninth-ranked TCU to end the nation's longest winning streak at 12 games. The Spartans featured the nation's fourth-leading rusher in Deonce Whitaker, who averaged 157.7 yards.
Baldwin's 1999 San Jose State team knocked off Rose Bowl-bound Stanford, 44-39. The Spartans again finished among the national leaders in passing offense, ranking No. 30 at 249.0 yards per game. San Jose State opened the 1998 season with a 35-23 victory at Stanford - its first win over a Pac-10 opponent in eight years.
In 1997, San Jose State posted its first win over a ranked opponent since 1990, upsetting No. 24 Air Force, 25-22.
Prior to taking over the head coaching duties at San Jose State, Baldwin posted a 9-12 record in two seasons at Cal State Northridge (1995-96). In 1996, he guided Northridge to a 7-4 mark - the school's first winning season in four years.
Baldwin produced a 31-21 record in five years as a head coach at the junior college level. In 1994, he led Santa Rosa (Calif.) Junior College to an 8-3 ledger, including a trip to the Lions Bowl. He went 23-18 in four seasons at Santa Barbara City College (1990-93). In 1991, Baldwin earned California Community College Region III Coach of the Year honors after a 9-2 record and a berth in the Potato Bowl.
He spent 10 years as an assistant coach under Jack Elway, first as a graduate assistant at Cal State Northridge in 1979 and then as receivers coach at San Jose State for four years (1981-84) and Stanford for four seasons (1985-88). While coaching at San Jose State, he also worked alongside offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dennis Erickson. In 1988, Baldwin became the Cardinal passing game coordinator.
The 1986 Stanford team finished 8-4 and earned a trip to the Gator Bowl. It marked the only postseason appearance for the Cardinal in the 1980's.
During his four-year stint as an assistant at San Jose State, the Spartans produced three winning seasons, including the 1981 Pacific Coast Athletic Association championship and a berth in the California Raisin Bowl. Baldwin also tutored four Spartan receivers that went on to play in the National Football League: Mark Nichols, Stacey Bailey, Mervyn Fernandez and Tim Kearse.
Baldwin began his coaching career in 1978 as an assistant coach at Granada Hills (Calif.) High School.
In 1978, Baldwin earned his bachelor's degree in physical education, health and recreation from Cal State Northridge. He was a three-year letterman for the Matadors at wide receiver from 1976-79. Baldwin received a master's degree in physical education administration from St. Mary's College (Calif.) in 1986.
Baldwin is married to the former Kathleen Keiley, and they have three children, Sean, Ryan and Keiley.
Tuiaki spent one year as graduate assistant coach at Utah, where he worked with the strong side linebackers on defense, assisting defensive coordinator Andersen.
This past season at Utah, Tuiaki coached second-team all-Mountain West honoree junior linebacker Stevenson Sylvester, as well as honorable mention selection junior linebacker Mike Wright, helping the Utes to a 12-0 record this season. Utah is No. 7 in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) and will face No. 4 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, Utah's second BCS bowl in five years. Both Andersen and Tuiaki will complete their duties at Utah by coaching in the Sugar Bowl, with Andersen leading the defensive line, while Tuiaki will coach the linebackers.
This season, Utah ranks in the top 25 in the nation in seven defensive categories including 13th in scoring defense (13.2 points per game), 14th in rushing defense (104.8 yards per game) and 18th in total defense (295.9 ypg). The Utes' defense is also ranked 11th nationally in opponent third-down conversions (30.3 percent, 50-of-165), tied for 15th in turnover margin (+.92), and tied for 16th in opponent first downs (16.2 per game).
Tuiaki also played for Andersen at Southern Utah in 2003, as he was a running back for the Thunderbirds for two seasons, joining SUU after two years at Snow College. While at Southern Utah, Tuiaki scored two rushing TD's, as well as three receiving TD's in addition to serving as team captain. One of his TD catches was the game-winner in Southern Utah's 19-15 upset of No. 25 UC Davis for SUU's first Great West Football Conference win. Off the field, Tuiaki was an academic all-conference selection as well as a two-time winner of a Utah Coalition for the Advancement of Minorities in Higher Education (UCAHME) scholarship. Additionally, Tuiaki played rugby at SUU and was his club team's captain.
Tuiaki began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Kearns High School, where he coached the wide receivers and outside linebackers in 2006 and was the offensive coordinator in 2007. He also taught sophomore English at Kearns for those two years.
A 2006 graduate of Southern Utah, Tuiaki earned a double-major degree in English and physical education. Tuiaki currently is finishing a master's degree in education policy and leadership at Utah.
A native of Provo, Utah, Tuiaki is married to the former Viola Wolfgramm and they have four children, son Laveatu'u, and daughters Uini, Leisinia and Heilala.
Utah State finished the 2007 season with a 3-9 overall and 3-5 WAC record, marking the first time since 2005 that the Aggies have three wins in a season. USU won three WAC games in a season for the first time in the Aggies' four seasons in the league. It is also the first time since 2003 that USU won three conference games and just the third time in the 2000's.
The Aggies return 47 letterwinners (24 offense, 20 defense and three special teams) after losing 12 lettermen (five offense, seven defense) among the 17 seniors from this season's roster.
(Courtesy Utah State University)
