Page 58 - Toledo Football Media Guide - 2012

58 THE COACHES

sistant Coaches

Bryce Saia (pronounced CY-uh)

Age: 40 (born Dec. 3, 1971)

Hometown: Joplin, MO

Alma Mater: Fort Hays State ‘96

Coaching Experience:

2012 Toledo Safeties

2011 Emporia State Defensive Coordinator/Linebackers 2009-10 Emporia State Defensive Backs

2007-08 Arizona Rattlers (AFL) Defensive LIne/Special Teams Coordinator 2004-07 Southern Illinois Defensive Line

1998-2003 Cofeyville (KS) C.C. Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs 1997 Butler County (KS) C.C. Linebackers 1994-96 Fort Hays State Defensive Assistant

Bryce Saia

Safeties

Bryce Saia comes to To-ledowith experience atmany levels of collegiate football, as well as at the professional ranks. He will coach the safe-ties.

“Bryce brings a wealth of knowledge to our program,” said UT Head Coach Matt Campbell. “He’s had success at just about every level of football. He possesses a great teaching style, and he will have instant respect from our players due to his back-ground. Bryce gives us a great opportunity to improve as a football team.”

Saia coached at Empo-ria State for the past three seasons, the frst two as the defensive backs coach before adding defensive coordina-tor to his duties in 2011. Prior

to joining the Hornets in 2009, Saia spent two seasons in the Arena Football League with the Arizona Rattlers. He served as the defensive line coach and special teams coordinator as the Rattlers advanced to the AFL playofs in 2008.

Before joining the Rattlers, Saia spent four years coaching the defensive line at Southern Illinois under current University of Minnesota head coach Jerry Kill. The Salukis were ranked either frst or second in sacks and against the rush in the Missouri Valley Conference during his tenure and in 2004 had the top-ranked scoring defense in the Football Championship Sub-Division.

From 1998-2003, Saia served as the defensive coordinator and defen-sive back coach at Cof-feyville Community Col-lege. The Red Ravens led the Jayhawk Conference in total defense in 2003 and were consistently ranked in the top 10 na-tionally in defense. Prior to his stint at CCC, Saia coached the linebackers at Butler County Com-munity College in 1997. Throughout his years at Cofeyville and Butler County, Saia coached nu-merous Division I andNFL players, including Bran-don Jacobs (NY Giants), Jonathan Joseph (Cincin-nati Bengals), Reggie Nel-son (Jacksonville Jaguars), Travis Fisher (Detroit Lions) and DeShawn Goldston (San Francisco 49ers).

Saia’s frst coaching position was as a defensive assis-tant at Fort Hays State from1994-96where he also received his bachelor of science degree. He later earned hismaster’s degree from Emporia State. Saia played linebacker for his father Tom Saia, a member of the Junior College Football Hall of Fame, at Butler County (KS) C.C. from 1990-91. Saia was a two-time high school all-state linebacker in Kansas, frst as a junior at Buhler High School and again as a senior at El Dorado High School. He has a son, Nicholas Cole.