The Dixie State University football team admitted two new coaches to the staff to continue to build the team to the wins they “deserve.”
DSU head coach Paul Peterson announced the new additions for co-defensive coordinator and wide-recievers coaching positions on March 2.
Shane Hunter was announced as the new co-defensive coordinator and Billy Ray Stutzmann was announced as the new wide receiver coach for the 2022 football season.
Paul Peterson: Head coach
Peterson said both coaches are great fits to what they want to change this season.
“They fit into what we are trying to build, and they have both had success in the places they have been,” Peterson said. “They have credibility, they are smart, they have energy and they are going to help our players continue to develop.”
Shane Hunter: Co-defensive coordinator
Hunter spent the last six seasons as the defensive assistant coach for the Virginia Cavaliers football team at the University of Virginia. Hunter coached linebackers and eventually moved to coaching safeties as well. For DSU, Hunter will continue to coach safeties.
Hunter said his main goal for this next season is continuing to build on what the team is good at.
“I plan on helping the team build on the simple successes they have had and take them to the next level,” Hunter said.
Hunter’s short-term and long-term goals for the team are to stop the runs and passes to put the team in a successful situation.
“This starts with getting the points per game down, and giving our offense a chance to get the ball back and be in a position where they can score,” Hunter said.
Billy Ray Stutzmann: Wide receivers coach
Stutzmann, was previously working as an offensive assistant coach at the school he previously attended, St. Louis High School, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Stutzmann plans on focusing on technique with running and making sure they are catching the ball with good hand placement, as well as focusing on the little details on the offense.
“It’s also having the guys realize that everybody is tied in together with this offense,” Stutzmann said. “It’s not gonna be a one-man show or a two-man show, everyone is going to be working together to make this offense go.”
Stutzmann said the team needs to keep doing what they have been doing and he’s there to help them get to the next level.
“For playing at a higher division, the team showed a lot of grit by keeping the fight and battling back,” Stutzmann said. “I didn’t see a lot of receivers give up which in a 1-10 season is easy to do.”
Stutzmann wants to see this team win championships, games and set their goals high. Especially in a higher division it might be intimidating but setting goals high is a big factor.
“I want to see them set their sets higher than just winning games, and aim for the stars out here,” Stutzmann said. “I want to see the team excel to where they deserve to be.”
The new coaches will be able to coach the first DSU game with the season opening game against Sacramento State University on Sept. 3.
