GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. – Colorado Mesa head football coach Tremaine Jackson has announced the five additions to the 2020 coaching staff including the three coordinator positions.
 
Nick Fulton was named the offensive coordinator after spending last season at Division I FCS Northern Colorado. At UNC, he improved the Bears total yards per game by an average of 47 yards and their passing yards per game by over 51 yards.
 
Prior to his time at Northern Colorado, he served four years as the offensive coordinator at RMAC rival Colorado School of Mines. There he led the Orediggers to the No. 1 offense in NCAA Division II by averaging 556.8 yards per game and the No. 2 passing yards per game and total first downs offense. In 2016, he coached Oredigger quarterback Justin Dvorak to the Harlon Hill Trophy, the Division II equivalent to the Heisman Trophy.
 
Fulton played collegiately at the University of Sioux Falls, earning his degree in communications in 2003. He was an honorable mention All-America offensive lineman and played on three conference championship teams including an NAIA National Runner-up in 2001.
 
"When I thought about what I wanted to do on offense, I knew Nick was a guy I wanted to talk to about the job, " Jackson said. "When I found out what kind of family man he was and how he built relationships with his players, I knew he was the guy I needed to offer the job to."
 
Jackson tabbed former Lindenwood linebackers coach Brandon Andersen as his defensive coordinator. Andersen spent three seasons with the Lions but prior to that he worked with Jackson at the University of Sioux Falls. The duo helped Sioux Falls achieve a 32-5 record and three postseason appearances during their tenure.
 
Andersen was a four-year linebacker at Sioux Falls from 2008-2011 and started two of those seasons. He had a 34-1 record during his time and advanced to three NAIA National Championship games including a pair of NAIA National Championships.
 
"I've always know that it would be only one guy that I wanted to run the '212 Defense' and Brandon is that guy. The way he prepares, relates, and directs his players will really turn that unit around quickly," Jackson said about Andersen.
 
Trent Earley will take over as the defensive line coach after spending the last three years at the University of South Florida under Charlie Strong and Jeff Scott as a Quality Control Analyst on defense. Earley worked with Bruce Hector and Deadrin Senat with Senat being drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round. Earley also made stops at Texas, North Texas, Northwestern State and Oklahoma Baptist.
 
Earley played collegiately at Texas Southern (2008-09) and helped the Tigers boast a top-10 nationally ranked defense. Following his time at Texas Southern, he played two seasons at Division II Southern Arkansas (2010-2011) where he earned his degree in sport management. He received his master's degree from the University of Texas at Austin in physical education.

"I've watched Trent grow from being a player to becoming a coach. During that process, I have admired the way he recruits, relates and commands his guys on the field. He understands what it takes to play in our defense and be in our culture," Jackson added.
 
Two coaches were retained from the previous staff in Riley Newcomer and Brian Blechen.
 
Newcomer will coach the wide receivers and move back into the role as special teams coordinator, a position he shared prior to becoming the offensive coordinator last season.
 
During his first season in 2015 with the Mavericks, Newcomer led a rushing attack that averaged 223 yards per game and scored 21 touchdowns on the ground. Prior to his time at Colorado Mesa, he spent three seasons at his alma mater, Nebraska-Kearney, coaching running backs.
 
Newcomer played for the Lopers as a running back and garnered All-RMAC honors in 2008 as the team's leading rusher. During his career, he helped UNK to three RMAC Championships and two appearances in the NCAA Tournament. He earned a degree in business and his masters in sports administration.
 
"When I got to Colorado Mesa, I thought Riley was very organized and had a lot of intel about our current roster. After working with him for some time now, I'm excited about the value he can add to our staff in recruiting the state and relating to our players," Jackson said about Newcomer.
 
Brian Blechen will coach the linebackers for the Mavericks and will be in his third season on staff. Prior to Colorado Mesa, Blechen spent a season and a half as a defensive assistant at his alma mater, the University of Utah, working with safeties and linebackers.
 
Blechen was a four-year starter at Utah and earned All-America honors as a safety. He earned his degree in sociology from Utah and went on to play three seasons in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers before he retired in June of 2017.
 
"Brian is a very bright, young coach that instantly caught my attention as a dynamic recruiter. With his NFL background, he will have instant credibility with our current players, as well as, future players coming into the program," Jackson said. "Seeing how players relate to him has been very exciting."
 
Two other coaching announcements will be made in the coming weeks.
 
Colorado Mesa will host the annual spring football game on Saturday April 25 at 6pm at Stocker Stadium following the baseball team's doubleheader with MSU Denver.