Northern Arizona hires rising Division II head coach, former FBS coordinator
Pitt State head coach Brian Wright has taken the same position at Northern Arizona, NAU announced Sunday.
"Brian Wright was a targeted candidate who quickly became our top choice as NAU's head football coach. His track record of success as both a head coach and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach is impressive, and we are eager for his experience to translate to success at NAU," said AD Mike Marlow. "Family, student-athletes, program supporters, former athletes and staff are cherished relationships for Coach Wright. Those qualities are important to us as well in offering Brian Wright the opportunity to be the next head football coach at NAU."
After a 2-2 debut in a shortened 2020 season, Wright led the Gorillas to an 8-3 mark in 2021, an undefeated regular season and a second-round playoff berth in 2022 (where Pitt State lost to eventual champion Ferris State) and then to an 11-2 mark this season. The Gorillas again reached the second round of the Division II playoffs, where they again fell by just three points.
Overall, Wright posted a 33-8 mark in his four seasons on the job.
The Pitt State job was Wright's first head coaching position. He spent the four previous seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Toledo, and the four seasons prior to that in the same position at Florida Atlantic. Wright spent a 4-game stint as the interim head coach at FAU, going 4-0. The College of Wooster graduate has been in coaching since 1995.
He was a GA on Jim Tressel's 1997 Youngstown State team that won the FCS national championship.
"My family and I are extremely excited to join the Northern Arizona football family and Lumberjack community. We can't wait to begin connecting with the team and starting the process towards building a proud championship football program at NAU," said Wright. "I want to thank NAU Athletic Director, Mike Marlow, and President José Luis Cruz Rivera for their belief in us and for the opportunity to lead this program to new heights. This would not have happened without the help of so many others, especially all those that make up an extremely proud Pitt State Gorilla football program. Thank you to all the players, coaches, supporters, and administrators that worked so hard to make Gorilla football so successful during our time there together. We can't wait to get to Flagstaff and get to work!"
Northern Arizona completed a 5-6 season on Nov. 18. Head coach Chris Ball's contract was not renewed after compiling a 20-30 mark in five seasons.
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