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04/16/2012
Lots of events for fans in spring finale
03/14/2012
Utes will hold 15 practices, spring game is Apr. 21
02/02/2012
Sitake, Roderick promoted, Finn, Shah Hired.
11/21/2011
Tight Ends
Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator
8th Year
| Coaching Experience | |
| 2005 | Utah |
| 2012 | Running Backs |
| Special Teams Coordinator | |
| 2010-11 | Cornerbacks |
| Special Teams Coord. | |
| 2007-09 | Tight Ends |
| Special Teams Coord. | |
| 2005-06 | Cornerbacks |
| Co-Special Teams Coord. | |
| 2001-04 | Utah |
| 2004 | Administrative Assistant |
| 2003 | Graduate Assistant |
| Defense | |
| 2002 | Graduate Assistant |
| Defense | |
| 2001 | Graduate Assistant |
| Offense | |
| Bowl Experience | |
| 2001 | Las Vegas Bowl |
| 2003 | Liberty Bowl |
| 2004 (2005) | Fiesta Bowl |
| 2005 | Emerald Bowl |
| 2006 | Armed Forces Bowl |
| 2007 | Poinsettia Bowl |
| 2008 (2009) | Sugar Bowl |
| 2009 | Poinsettia Bowl |
| 2010 | Las Vegas Bowl |
As Utah's new running backs coach, Jay Hill has an opportunity to add to his growing portfolio of all-star players. Hill, Utah's special teams coordinator since 2005, has also spent four years coaching the cornerbacks (2005-06; 2010-11) and three years overseeing the tight ends (2007-09). He is in his 12th year overall on the Utah staff, having spent three years (2001-03) as a graduate assistant and a year (2004) as an administrative assistant.
Hill has coached three All-Americans, two Mountain West Conference players of the year and four first-team all-MWC players. Last season, he had two cornerbacks and a kicker earn honorable mention all-Pac-12 honors.
Hill's first-team All-Americans include defensive back Eric Weddle in 2006, Louie Sakoda as a punter in 2007 and a place kicker in 2008, and punt returner Shaky Smithson in 2010. Weddle and Sakoda were both consensus All-Americans (Sakoda in 2008).
Sakoda, the only unanimous consensus All-American in Utah football history, was a Lou Groza and Ray Guy finalist in 2008, while Smithson led the nation in punt returns yards and average in 2010. Weddle was drafted in the second round by San Diego and is a Pro Bowl safety for the Chargers.
Weddle and Sakoda combined to win five MWC Player of the Year awards--Weddle winning defensive MVP in 2005 and 2006, and Sakoda earning the special teams award from 2006-08. Both were two-time first-team all-MWC selections: Weddle in 2005 and 2006, Sakoda in 2007 as a punter and Sakoda in 2008 as a punter and kicker.
Other first-team all-MWC players under Hill were place kickers Dan Beardall in 2005 and Joe Phillips in 2010.
Hill, a Ute defensive back from 1998-99, coached the corners in 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2011. Sean Smith, Brice McCain, R.J. Stanford and Brandon Burton are NFL draft picks he mentored during their playing days at Utah. Conroy Black signed a free agent contract with Oakland in 2012. Hill worked with the tight ends from 2007-09.
He has overseen the special teams since joining Kyle Whittingham's staff in 2005--as the co-coordinator his first year and the coordinator since 2006. Hill was a finalist for the 2008 FootballScoop Special Teams Coordinator of the Year.
Along with exceptional kickers, Utah's coverage teams have also excelled. The 2006 Utes led the nation in net punting. Utah led the Pac-12 in kickoff coverage in its first Pac-12 season last fall and the Utes led the Mountain West Conference in kickoff coverage the four previous seasons.
Hill has also earned acclaim from Rivals.com for his recruiting abilities. Rivals named him to its "Class of 2009 Top 25 Recruiters" and as one of the Top 10 Recruiters in the Pac-12 in 2012.
Recruiting Area
Utah, Nevada, Sacramento area
Playing Career
Hill started at corner for the Utes from 1998-99 after transferring from Ricks College, where he was a 1997 junior college All-American and the team's defensive MVP. His senior year at Utah, he led the MWC in interceptions and was named Utah's Defensive MVP and second-team all-MWC. The two-time academic all-conference selection won a National Football Foundation Unsung Hero Award in 1999. He later played briefly in the XFL for the Orlando Rage. He signed a free agent contract with the Buffalo Bills in 2000.
Education
Utah, 2000
Bachelor's in Spanish
Utah, 2005
Master's in ESS/Sport Psychology
Personal Data
Birthdate: Mar. 16, 1975
Hometown: Lehi, Utah
Family: Family: Married to the former Sara Kern. Daughters, Ashtyn, Alayna and Allie; son, Jacob.
