MOSCOW, Idaho – Head Football Coach Jason Eck today announced the hire of Tight Ends Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Tyler Sutton.
 
"I am fired up to be on Coach Eck's staff," Sutton said. "Coming from an FCS program I have seen what he has done on the national level for the last few seasons, and it is exciting to be able to work with him and learn from him. We are going to work tirelessly to put together a team that will win championships and represents Vandal Nation proudly."
 
Sutton comes to Idaho from San Diego where he was the Offensive Coordinator and Running Backs Coach for the last two seasons. In his time with USD, Sutton has been a part of six consecutive seasons of nine or more wins, eight conference championships, five FCS Playoffs appearances, and two FCS playoff wins.
 
"San Diego has always been a high-output program. They don't have scholarship players but have upset teams in the FCS playoffs so, I know that they know how to do more with less," Eck said. "Tyler and I have been in close communication over the last few years through coaching connections. He is an achiever. He played DIII football and then started as a volunteer coach at San Diego. He went from volunteer coach to position coach and position coach to Special Teams Coordinator before finally the Offensive Coordinator. That impresses me when guys continue to get promoted."
 
He rose through the ranks at USD where he started as a volunteer assistant in 2013. Sutton was named the running backs coach in 2014 and served in that capacity through his tenure. Helping guide an explosive offense with a proven running game, Sutton has shown that player development is one of his greatest strengths. He has mentored at least one all-conference running back in each season, including three seasons with multiple Torero running back selections, as well as the 2016 conference player of the year recipient and FCS All-American, Jonah Hodges.
 
Sutton has contributed to the success of an explosive Torero offense, which ranked top-10 nationally in scoring offense in back-to-back seasons (2018, 2019).
 
He added the Special Teams Coordinator role in 2018. Under his direction, the Toreros were one of the most dominant units at the FCS level, producing back-to-back conference Special Teams Player of the Year recognitions (Michael Armstead, 2018; Tanner Kuljian, 2019). In 2019, the Toreros ranked highly nationally in several categories, including second in punt returns and fifth in punt return yards allowed.
 
On top of his proven coaching credentials, Sutton brings experience recruiting the West Coast, especially in his home state of California.
 
"I am so grateful for my time at San Diego and for the chance to work and learn under Coach Lindsey," Sutton said. "I grew immensely as a coach and built countless connections around the West Coast that will put our Vandal staff in a position to recruit impact student-athletes immediately."
 
"It is very important to have guys with ties to the West Coast on our staff with me coming from the Midwest," said Eck. "I am very excited to get him and his tremendous family to Moscow. I feel he is going to be key to unlocking recruiting in California which is important on the West Coast and in the Big Sky Conference. He has been at a school where he had to recruit guys to pay $60,000 a year to go to school now, he gets to give scholarships and I think that puts him in a great spot. He will be a great contributor on special teams with his background and will help a lot with Coach (Luke) Schleusner on the offensive side as well."
 
Sutton played at the University of Redlands and began his coaching career at Redlands as a graduate assistant from 2006-09 before a stint as a high school coach. He returned to Redlands as a Defensive Line Coach in 2011 and as the Special Teams Coordinator in 2012.
 
Sutton will be joined in Moscow by his wife Erin and his son, Brooks.