Football announces coaching additions
Bryant University Athletics Announces New Football Staff Additions
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University football coach Marty Fine is pleased to announce the addition of Rocky Hager, Darryl Jackson and Michael Engle to the coaching staff for 2012. The announcement was made today by Fine and Director of Athletics Bill Smith.
Under the director of Fine, who begins his ninth season on the Bryant sideline, the Bulldogs begin their first official Division I season (Football Championship Subdivision) as members of the Northeast Conference this fall. Hager will be responsible for the defensvie line, Jackson the defensive backs and Engle the wide receivers.
Hager and Jackson will become two of the most experienced coaches on the staff as far as longevity goes. A college football coach since 1979, Hager brings an impressive resume to Smithfield. The Harvey, N. D., native won four national championships at North Dakota State during the 1980s. After winning two as an assistant coach in 1985 and 1986, Hager led his Bison team to a pair of undefeated seasons and Division II titles in 1988 and 1990. In 10 years at North Dakota State, Hager compiled a 91-25-1 record, winning five North Central Conference championships and advanced to the NCAA tournament seven years.
After the 1996 season, Hager was hired as an assistant coach at Temple University. He spent the next seven seasons with the Owls, coaching the quarterbacks, linebackers, tight ends and slot receivers.
Following the seven-year stint in Philadelphia, Hager was hired as the head coach at Northeastern University in Boston, Mass. Hager guided the Huskies for the next six seasons before the program was dropped after the 2009 campaign. In his six years on Huntington Ave., Hager posted a 20-47 overall record and a 16-32 record in the very tough Colonial Athletic Association.
A coaching assistant with Fine at Indiana St. in 1995, Jackson brings 20 years of experience to the sidelines at Bulldog Stadium. He his coaching resume includes stops at Arizona State, Boise State, Indiana State, University of Redlands, University of San Diego, and most recently at Florida Atlantic.
Jackson has spent the last five seasons on the FAU sidelines, working as the offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach and quarterbacks coach. During his tenure with FAU, Jackson helped guide the Owls to back-to-back bowl victories in 2007 and 2008. FAU won the New Orleans Bowl in 2007 and the Motor City Bowl in 2008.
Prior to FAU, Jackson spent six seasons at Arizona St. handling the wide receivers. He helped architect one of the most high-powered offenses in the country during the 2004-05 seasons. Under his tutelage, two-time Biletnikoff Semifinalist Derek Hagan thrived, setting ASU career records in receptions (258), receiving yards (3,939), touchdown receptions (27) and 100-yard receiving games (18).
A 1992 graduate of the University of San Diego, Jackson was a four-year starter in the defensive backfield. As a senior, he was named the team's defensive player of the year.
Bryant's third offseason acquisition is Engle. Just two years removed from his playing days, Engle will take over wide receiver coaching duties after serving as the running backs coach last season at his alma mater, DePauw. Under his guidance, DePauw averaged 100 yards per game on the ground and featured five different players that rushed for over 100 yards on the season. As a player, Engle earned the starting quarterback job as a senior and led the Tigers to a Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship and the NCAA tournament in 2010. He completed 282 passes for 3,180 yards and 30 touchdowns in his final season. Engle averaged 289 yards per game, completing 65 percent of his passes on the year.
The Bulldogs open spring practice on March 28 culminating with the annual Black & Gold Spring Football game that will take place on Saturday, April 21 at Bulldog Stadium.
COLLEGE TRANSACTIONS:
BRYANT – Rocky Hager, Darrell Jackson and Michael Engle assistant football coaches.