Jay Hill - Football Coach - University of Utah Athletics

Jay Hill

Title:
Running Backs, Special Teams Coordinator

Tight Ends
Running Backs/Special Teams Coordinator
9th Year

Coaching Experience
2005	Utah
2013	Tight Ends Special Teams Coordinator
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
2011	Sun Bowl

Jay Hill, a member of Kyle Whittingham's original 2005 staff, has made significant contributions to Utah's offense, defense and special teams. Now in his ninth year as the special teams coordinator, he has also coached the cornerbacks (2005-06; 2010-11), the running backs (2012), and is in his second go around with the tight ends, having also coached them from 2007-09.

Including four years as a graduate assistant (2001-03) and administrative assistant (2004), Hill's 12 total years makes him the staff's longest tenured member other than Whittingham.

Hill has served as the position coach for five All-Americans: defensive back Eric Weddle in 2006, punter Louie Sakoda in 2007, place kicker Sakoda in 2008, punt returner Shaky Smithson in 2010 and kick returner Reggie Dunn in 2012. Weddle and Sakoda were both consensus All-Americans (Sakoda in 2008).

Weddle was drafted in the second round by San Diego and is a Pro Bowl safety for the Chargers. Sakoda, the only unanimous consensus All-American in Utah football history, was a Lou Groza and Ray Guy finalist in 2008. Smithson led the nation in punt returns yards and average in 2010. Dunn set five NCAA records, including most 100-yard kickoff returns for a touchdown in a game (2), season (4) and career (5).

On a conference level, Weddle and Sakoda combined to win five Mountain West Conference Player of the Year awards--Weddle as the 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 in 2008 as a punter and kicker.

Hill has coached three other first-team all-conference players: all-MWC kickers Dan Beardall (2005) and Joe Phillips (2010), and all-Pac-12 kick returner Dunn (2012).

Hill, a Ute defensive back from 1998-99, coached the corners in 2005, 2006, 2010 and 2011, mentoring the likes of NFL draft picks Weddle, Sean Smith, Brice McCain, R.J. Stanford and Brandon Burton. Last year, he coached a 1,000-yard rusher in John White (1,041 net yards).

He has overseen the special teams since his first year--acting as the co-coordinator in 2005 and 2006 and the coordinator for the past six seasons. In 2008, he 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 2011 after leading the MWC in the same category the four previous seasons. The Utes ranked sixth in the nation in kick return average (25.9) in 2012.

Hill has also earned acclaim as a recruiter. Rivals.com 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.