BYU football hires Steve Clark, Russell Tialavea and AJ Middleton to staff

PROVO, Utah – BYU head football coach Kalani Sitake today announced three hires to the football staff—assistant coach Steve Clark, director of football operations Russell Tialavea and assistant football strength and conditioning coach AJ Middleton.

“I’m happy to announce the hiring of Steve, Russell and AJ,” Sitake said. “Steve is authentic, extremely organized and a tireless worker who will coach our tight ends. AJ adds great experience to our strength and conditioning staff, and Russell has kept the overall program running smoothly amidst the recent changes and I'm excited to have him serve as the director of football operations.”

Clark, who will coach the tight ends, brings two decades of coaching experience from Weber State, Southern Utah, Utah, BYU, Saint Mary’s College and Provo High School.

Most recently, the BYU graduate has been the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Weber State for the past two seasons. In 2015 he helped the Wildcats to a 6-5 season, Weber State’s first winning season in five years. Clark has had 10 players earn Big Sky All-Conference honors during his two years, including first-team Walter Camp All-America offensive line selection Joe Hawkins.

“I’m thrilled to be joining Coach Sitake’s staff in this new exciting time of BYU football,” Clark said. “I’ve been blessed to work with some great coaches and players over the years and can’t wait to begin working with this team.”

Clark was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Southern Utah for six seasons from 2008-13, working under Ed Lamb, current BYU assistant head coach. Clark’s offenses helped lead the Thunderbirds to their first FCS playoff berth in school history in 2013 and a Great West Conference championship in 2010. Southern Utah’s top four single-season receiving yards and five of the top six completions and passing yards efforts were set during the six seasons under Clark. Quarterback Brad Sorensen and wide receiver Tysson Poots each earned Great West Conference Offensive MVP honors at SUU with Clark. Sorensen finished his career with several SUU passing records and was drafted in the 2012 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers while Poots was a two-time All-American and the school’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns.

Prior to going to SUU, Clark was at BYU from 2005-07, working with the offensive line and special teams as a graduate assistant. He helped the Cougars to back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2006 and 2007 and three consecutive bowl games.

He spent the 2004 season as a defensive assistant under Urban Meyer at Utah, helping the Utes to a 12-0 season and Fiesta Bowl championship. In 2003, Clark worked at Saint Mary’s College as the passing game coordinator and was the director of football operations at Utah in 2002. He also spent time at Provo High School from 1994-2000, including three seasons as the offensive coordinator before joining the college ranks.

A native of Provo, Clark graduated from BYU in 1992 with a degree in communications. He and his wife Suzanne have four children.

Tialavea, a former BYU defensive lineman (05-09, 12), moves into the director of football operations position after serving as the assistant director for the 2015 season.

“I’m very humbled and grateful for the opportunity,” Tialavea said. “I know and love all of our players, and I’m excited to get to know all of our new coaches. I expect great things from this group.”

Tialavea played in 47 games, including 31 starts, as a significant contributor each season on the field for the Cougars. He totaled 74 tackles, eight tackles for loss, two sacks, five fumble recoveries, five pass breakups and six blocked kicks.

Tialavea worked as an academic specialist in the BYU Student Athlete Academic Center in 2014, where he served as an academic liaison with the football program. Before working in the SAAC at BYU, Tialavea served as a human resource specialist and paraprofessional academic representative at Heritage Schools in Provo and worked as a student affairs intern with BYU Multicultural Student Services and as a student services intern with BYUSA.

An Oceanside, California native, Tialavea graduated from BYU in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. He was named the BYU Service Athlete of the Year following his senior season in 2012.

As the director of operations, Tialavea’s responsibilities include managing day-to-day operations, student-athlete academic and career development, alumni relations and additional team programs. He is married to Jessa Jeppesen.

Middleton joins new head football strength and conditioning coach Nu‘u Tafisi after working at UNLV as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the 2015 season.

“I’m looking forward to helping develop our players and being part of a program that has such a great winning tradition,” Middleton said. “It’s exciting to be part of an organization with such an emphasis on integrity."

Prior to UNLV, Middleton spent time with the USC and the University of Redlands strength and conditioning programs over the past two years. He also worked as an assistant track and field coach at the University of Puget Sound for the 2013 season.

Middleton played football and was a track and field athlete at Puget Sound, graduating in 2009 with the bachelor’s in biology. He was a first-team All-Northwest Conference honoree at nose tackle in 2008 and a two-time NWC champion in the shot put in 2006 and 2007.

Following his bachelor’s at Puget Sound, Middleton earned a master's degree from Redlands in 2015.