2012 Information Guide - Weber State University Athletics

WILDCAT
COACHING STAFF
MATT HAMMER
Assistant Coach
Offensive Coordinator /
Running backs • 7th season
JASON BELFORD
Assistant Coach
Defensive Line
1st season
Matt Hammer enters his
seventh season with the Wildcats coaching
staff. The 2012 season will mark his fourth season as Offensive
Coordinator with the Wildcats. He will also coach the running
backs this season.
Hammer came to Weber State in the spring of 2006. During the
2006 season he assisted Kevin Clune, working with the linebackers
as a graduate assistant before being elevated to full-time status
in 2007. Hammer was the WSU Recruiting Coordinator for three
seasons with the Wildcats.
Since joining the staff he coached several Wildcats to prominence.
He was instrumental in the development of running back
Trevyn Smith, who became the fi rst player in WSU history to rush
for 1,000 yards or more for four straight seasons. Smith led the
Big Sky in rushing three seasons and became just the third player
in Big Sky Conference history to earn First Team All-Conference
honors four times.
Hammer also coached fullback Marcus Mailei who was a twotime
All-Big Sky First Team member and won a Super Bowl ring
with the New Orleans Saints in 2010.
Jason Belford joined Weber State in the spring of 2012 and is in
his fi rst season as an assistant with the Wildcats. Belford coaches
the defensive line at Weber State.
Belford has roots in the Big Sky Conference. He played football
at Eastern Washington where he started in 36 of 38 career games.
He fi nished his career with the Eagles with 17 sacks, ranking 11th
in school history. As a senior in 2008 he earned Second Team Big
Sky All-Conference honors and served as the team’s defensive cocaptain.
He earned honorable mention All-Conference honors as a
junior in 2007, starting all 13 games at defensive end.
Belford comes to Weber State from Washington State where he
spent the past two seasons as a Graduate Assistant with the Cougars
working with Jody Sears, who was the defensive coordinator
for the Cougars. At Washington State he handled a variety of duties
on the defensive side of the ball, including running the scout
team, fi lm breakdown, and practice sessions.
He is a native of Tacoma, Washington where he graduated from
Lincoln High School. Belford was born in American Samoa.
In 2010 Hammer coached the wide receiving group that included
Joe Collins and Mike Phillips. Collins earned All-American honors
in 2010.
In 2011 he was Assistant Head Coach and Offensive Coordinator
and also coached the wide receivers.
Hammer graduated from Southern Utah in 2006, where he
earned a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education with a minor in
Criminal Justice. He played both receiver and defensive back at
Southern Utah under coaches Ray Gregory, current Utah State
head coach Gary Anderson, and Wes Meier in his four seasons
with the Thunderbirds.
He was a standout prep star at Clearfi eld High School where he
earned two varsity letters in football and three in baseball.
Hammer and his wife Sheena are the parents of two children,
Jagger and Skylee.
2011 WEBER STATE FOOTBALL
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