Staff Changes for 2015

[VULB#62]

While checking the Football site for Spring Practice dates I noticed that we have had two, not as of yet announced, staff changes for next season.  So I thought I'd scoop the SID 

We've lost Justin Stovall, LBs and ST Coordinator,  to Columbia University of the Ivy League.  Definitely a step up the coaching ladder for him.  We'll miss his enthusiasm and hope we can replace his coaching skills.  Taking his place is a 1999 Valpo grad.

KURT MATTIX
[From the U of M Athletic site]

Kurt Mattix is in his second season as a staff intern with the Michigan football program. He joined the Wolverines after spending the previous two seasons (2009-10) as the tight end coach at Ball State University under former U-M assistant coach Stan Parrish.

He brings 13 years of coaching experience to Ann Arbor. Mattix was the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator at St. Joseph's in 2008 and spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator at Wayne State (2004-07) before joining Parrish's staff in Muncie.

Mattix began his coaching career as an assistant at Portage High School (1998-99). He moved to the collegiate ranks as an assistant coach at Trine University (2000) and Anderson University (2001) before accepting a graduate assistant position at Ball State during the 2002 and 2003 seasons.  Mattix earned his bachelor's degree from Valparaiso in 1999.

We also lost 4 year coach Steve Donovan, who was the tight ends coach last year, to Wisconsin Lutheran where he is now the DC.  It's D-III but a step up in responsibility for him.  Replacing him is:

SAMI CAYGOZ
[From the Kings College FB site]

Assistant Football Coach / Tight Ends.  Entering his second season at King's in 2014 is assistant coach Sami Caygoz who coaches the Monarch tight ends.

Caygoz came to King's after concluding a fine career at Franklin & Marshall College where he was a three-year starter for the Diplomats, changing position three times for the betterment of the team.  He started all 32 games at F&M, including a pair of post-season appearances. Caygoz was an All-Centennial Conference selection at center in his final season in 2012 where he was responsible for all offensive line calls and led a unit that allowed the least number of quarterback sacks in the Centennial Conference

He began his collegiate playing career at Division II University of New Haven (CT) where he started five games as a true freshman before transferring to F&M. Caygoz earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Franklin & Marshall in May of 2013.

Caygoz is a 2009 graduate of Jefferson Township High School where he was captain of the 2008 North 1 Group 2 State Sectional Championship Team. He was also named to the New Jersey Super 100 All-State Team

[VU2624]

Second coach to intern at UM on the staff (Coach Rouse as well).

Caygoz is from the same general area of NJ as Ryan Clarke just across the lake.

[VULB#62]

I came across this article in the Torch from May 1st:  It's about Dave and Tammy Cecchini -- both coaching at Valpo.

http://www.valpotorch.com/sports/article_22e974ee-eaa6-11e4-99c9-cbe6cc16c7de.html

I zeroed in on the following at the end of the article:  And though they are still adjusting to life in Valparaiso (they've yet to lay sod at the home they moved into last October), the Cecchinis say they are looking forward to becoming entrenched in the community for years to come.  "One of the big reasons we took the jobs here was to establish roots," Dave said. "I feel like we're in a place where we're going to enjoy ourselves and our kids are going to enjoy growing up and we're going to enjoy our coaching experiences."

Of course, things change and the coaching community is a very transient one, but at least for the short term we've got a HFBC (and an assistant tennis coach).

[valpotx]

Always a plus to have both the husband and wife working for VU!  I think that we have the right people in head coaching spots in order to keep advancing the Valpo athletic program.