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Tom Minnick
Football - Head Coach
Email: Tom Minnick
While many Matador Football fans congratulated Tom Minnick for getting the on-the-field fortunes turned in the right direction in 2008, Minnick himself wasn’t satisfied with a 5-5 record. That may be due to the impressive winning resume’ that he brought with him when he became AWC’s Head Football Coach in June of 2008. Before coming to Yuma, Minnick spent 10 years of his life helping the Joliet Junior College Wolves in Illinois become one of the most successful community college football programs around. Tom’s first coaching stint was as an assistant under NJCAA Hall of Fame coach Bob McDougall at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Minnick learned what winning was all about for the next 7 years with McDougall as the Chaparrals compiled a 62-9 record and 7 straight bowl appearances (4 of them wins). In 1998, Minnick took what he learned from the legendary McDougall and headed 35 miles south to Joliet JC as an assistant, but their working relationship wouldn’t end there. McDougall made the same trip 2 years later as Joliet’s head coach, making Minnick his top assistant, and once again, their magic made the program take off. The Wolves lost their first game of the 2001 season, then didn’t lose again for two years, defeating Iowa Area Community College in the Pepsi-Cola/Siglet Printing Bowl to become NJCAA Non-Scholarship Champions in 2001; then running the table for a perfect 11-0 record in 2002, capping the season with a 24-14 upset of perennial football power Georgia Military to win the 2002 NJCAA National Championship. McDougall’s retirement 3 years ago finally gave Minnick his first chance to be a head coach, and he promptly led the ‘06 Wolves to a 7-4 record, a Midwest Football Conference East Division title, a trip to the Graphic Edge Printing Bowl, and a #19 national ranking. Minnick led the Wolves back to the NJCAA’s football elite in 2007, winning the last 9 games of the 2007 season to finish with a 10-2 record, earning their 2nd straight MFC East Division crown, winning the Graphic Edge Printing Bowl over North Iowa Area CC in November, and locking up a #10 ranking in the final NJCAA Football Poll-their highest national ranking in 5 years. Tom also earned him the honors of MFC East Division Coach of the Year and Region IV Coach of the Year in 2007. Tom and his wife, Tiffany (who is AWC’s Spirit Team Coach), will celebrate their 17th wedding anniversary this September, and have two daughters, 11-year-old Payton and 6-year-old Morgan.
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Jerry Dominguez
Football - Defensive Coordinator/Associate Head Coach
Email: Jerry Dominguez
Jerry Dominguez has done a little bit of everything for the Matador Football program as he heads into his 5th season on the staff and his 13th year of coaching football. During his first 3 years at AWC, Dominguez was the team’s defensive coordinator, leading a relentless Matadors’ defense that led the WSFL in sacks in two of those years (and holding four opponents scoreless). 18 of Dominguez’s defenders at AWC went on to play at NCAA Division I schools over that three-year period, including NJCAA All-American Luis Vasquez, who went on to start for 2 years on Arizona State’s defensive line and was signed this summer by the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens. Last year, Dominguez focused on defensive backs, and coached Marcus Benjamin to an NJCAA All-American selection and a top scholarship to the University of Arizona. This season, Dominguez moves back into the D-Coordinator chair. On the academic side, Dominguez is also the Athletic Academic Service Coordinator for the Matador Athletic Department, and during his time in that capacity, the Matador Athletic department has achieved a 2.91 combined cumulative team grade point average. Before coming to AWC, Dominguez spent 6 years at NCAA Division II Northern State University. Under Dominguez, who was the Wolves’ defensive coordinator for 5 years, the defense led the team to a conference and their first-ever bowl appearance while setting school single-game records for fewest rushing yards allowed (-29) and fewest total yards allowed (52). Dominguez got his college coaching start at NAIA power Bethany College in Kansas, where he was Secondary Coach & Special Teams Coordinator for two years. As a player, Dominguez led Bethany to two undefeated seasons, two conference titles, and two playoff appearances as an All-Conference linebacker and Team MVP. Dominguez completed his Master’s degree in Science in Education. Jerry-a native of Watsonville, California-and his wife Merissa have three children: two daughters, 11-year-old Maisey Joi & 5-year-old Melaya Evelia, and one son, 8-year-old son Jazz Antonio.
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Michael Orthmann
Football - Offensive Coordinator
Email: Michael Orthmann
Michael Orthmann joined the coaching staff this past April just in time to oversee the offense for spring drills and get them ready for 2009… and beyond. While this will be his first coaching foray into the NJCAA ranks, Orthmann brings nearly two decades of coaching experience to AWC-most of it at the NCAA level. Since 1996, Orthmann has been everything from a graduate assistant to an associate head coach at five different NCAA schools and one NAIA program. Orthmann spent the last two seasons as both the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Idaho State University. Under Orthmann’s tutelage, the Bengals increased their offensive output each season, including having the 9th-best passing offense in the nation last season. Orthmann’s prize pupil at ISU, Evan Dietrich-Smith, is now a member of the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line. Prior to that, Orthmann spent 2006 coaching Sacramento State’s tight ends during the spring and offensive line during the ’06 season. In 2005, as an assistant coach at Baylor University, Orthmann’s work with the Bears’ tight ends (including the 2nd overall pick in this past April’s NFL Draft, Jason Smith) helped lead them to their best season in 10 years. 2004 was spent closer to home as Orthmann-a native of Kennewick, Washington, was the running backs & tight ends coach at NAIA Southern Oregon University. His longest coaching stint was spent right here in the Grand Canyon State at Northern Arizona University. Michael joined the staff in 2000 as the running back and tight ends coach, and helped not only lead the Lumberjacks to the 2001 playoffs, but also coached the man who is still NAU’s all-time leading rusher, Marcus King. In 2002, Orthmann was promoted to Associate Head Coach, and one year later led them to their 2nd postseason berth in the span of 3 years as well as the 2003 Big Sky Conference title. Orthmann has also been an assistant at Montana State University for four years, and in four seasons as an assistant at Eastern Washington coached 3 future NFL lineman: Tom Ackerman (Saints and Titans), Trent Pollard (Bengals) and Kevin Sargent (Bengals). His high school coaching experience is as an assistant at Lake City High School in Idaho as well as Kennewick High School in his hometown.
Orthmann entered the coaching ranks after having his playing career cut short by a knee injury after starting on the offensive line for two seasons at the University of Idaho. Orthmann earned Bachelor’s Degrees in both history and education from Eastern Washington University, and later earned his Master’s Degree in business administration from EWU.
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Aaron Cheatwood
Football - Offensive Line Coach/Tight Ends
Email: Aaron Cheatwood
It’s been a whirlwind 18 months for Aaron Cheatwood, who begins his 3rd season as a member of the Matadors’ coaching staff. On the professional side, Cheatwood’s coaching repertoire grew when he found out last summer that then-new Matadors’ Head Coach Tom Minnick was switching him from defense to offense. After coaching the Matadors’ defensive line and special teams in 2007, Cheatwood oversaw the team’s offensive line and tight ends in 2008, and his O-line (including 1st Team All-WSFL selection Jessie Mitchell) paved the way for Terry Cotton to rush for nearly 100 rushing yards per game last year. Cheatwood has been very familiar with each side of the football lines, since as a player, he was a star lineman just up Highway 95 at Parker High School, then was both an offensive and defensive line star for the Vikings of Dana College in Blair, Nebraska. On the personal side, Aaron and his wife, Breanne, celebrated their two-year wedding anniversary this past May by welcoming their first child, Carson, into the world on March 23rd. Cheatwood is also balancing coaching and being a new dad with pursuing his degree in secondary education as a full-time student through Grand Canyon University.
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Tony Mitchell, Jr.
Football - Defensive Line Coach
Email: Tony Mitchell
He arrived in Yuma for the first time as a new face on campus right before training camp started last August, but over the past year, Tony Mitchell has become one of the more well-known faces among students and student-athletes on campus as a coach and the head resident in the AWC dormitories. Mitchell’s trek to the AWC campus last year took him from Illinois, where he coached alongside Tom Minnick at Joliet Junior College and helped lead them to their 2nd second bowl appearance; to Hamburg, Germany, where he spent the spring and summer months of 2008 coaching for the Blue Devils German Football League. Mitchell’s coaching versatility was on display at JJC as his four years on the staff was divided equally between coaching the defensive line and the linebacking corps. Like Minnick, Mitchell learned from NJCAA Hall of Fame Coach Bob MacDougall first as a star player, then a valued assistant coach. Mitchell was a star linebacker for two of MacDougall’s bowl-bound teams at the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, Illinois before becoming a two-year starter at linebacker for the Kentucky State Thoroughbreds in 1993 and 1994. Mitchell then reunited with MacDougall and Minnick on Joliet’s coaching staff in 2004. During his high school days, Mitchell was an all-conference selection and a two-year varsity starter at linebacker for the Cardinals of Blue Island Eisenhower High School in Illinois. Mitchell earned his Bachelor’s degree from Governor’s State University in Illinois after earning his Associate’s degree while at the College of DuPage. |
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Josh Brewer
Football - Defensive Backs Coach/Strength & Conditioning Coach
Email: Josh Brewer
Josh Brewer is one of the newest additions to the AWC Football coaching staff, having joined the program during spring drills in April. Brewer brings an extensive coaching resume’ to the table as he begins his 10th year of coaching-all of them as a high school assistant. Brewer’s first coaching stint came at Northridge High School in northern Colorado, where he helped take a brand-new program and turn them into an 8-win team just 3 seasons later, reaching the 2nd round of the Colorado 3A State Playoffs overseeing both the defensive backs (who had 17 interceptions in that playoff season) and quarterbacks for the Grizzlies. From there, after a two-year stint away from coaching, Brewer got back into it as the quarterbacks coach at Greeley Central High School in Colorado. After four years at GCHS, Brewer got his first opportunity to coach at the college level, and jumped at the chance with the Matadors. Brewer’s playing days are quite recent, since after playing defensive back for 2 years at Bethany College, an NAIA school in Kansas, Josh transferred to the University of Northern Colorado, where he not only played defensive back for 2 years, he earned both his Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and his Master’s Degree in Sport & Exercise Science. Brewer has stayed active in the playing ranks, spending 4 of the last 5 years playing for arena football for both the Colorado Venom and the Colorado Ice. Brewer comes to AWC to oversee the defensive backfield and head up the Matador strength program. He just celebrated his 7-year anniversary this summer with his wife, Nicole.
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Nate Hardwick
Football - Wide Receivers Coach
E-Mail:
Nate Hardwick will try to show his mentor, Tom Minnick, what he learned as a player under Minnick as he joins Tom’s staff as the Matadors’ Wide Receivers Coach. It was by chance that Hardwick’s and Minnick’s paths crossed in Yuma, since the last time they saw each other, Nate was a two-time 1st Team All-Region IV wide receiver for Joliet Junior College-taking commands from then-JCC offensive coordinator Minnick. Hardwick had his own talents and Minnick’s offensive scheme to thank as he led the conference in receiving as a sophomore. After finishing his two-year stint at Joliet, Hardwick took a big gamble and turned pro, signing with the Green Bay Blizzard of the Arena Football League 2. Many young players could’ve folded against more experienced players, but Hardwick fit right in immediately, finding the end zone 20 times in just 12 games while reeling over 1000 receiving yards. Because of his efforts, Hardwick was nominated for AFL2 Rookie of the Year. Hardwick decided to end his pro career when he and his wife, Tiffany, found out that her next military service would be at Marine Corps Air Station-Yuma, and they moved to the desert southwest in early 2009. Shortly thereafter, Minnick and Hardwick crossed paths again, and Nate accepted Tom’s invitation to get his first coaching experience as a member of Tom’s staff. A native of Harvey, Illinois, Hardwick was also a star 3-sport athlete at Wheaton High School, earning the Male Athlete of the Year Award as a high school senior. The Hardwicks are excited to say that they celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary this past May in Yuma.
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Eric Pittman
Football - Running Backs Coach
E-Mail:
Eric Pittman is officially the newest member of the AWC Football coaching staff, having joined the program right before training camp this August. Pittman will focus on getting the Matador running backs to get the most out of their speed and quickness, since that’s what Pittman understands very well. Pittman has spent the last _ years bringing plenty of speed in two different sports at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Eric came there on a track scholarship, but he also was a wide receiver for one season for the Texans’ football team. While he was finishing his playing career, Pittman worked behind the scenes, learning the ropes of strength and conditioning under Big 12 Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year Rod Cole. Pittman worked with athletes in all 8 TSU sports, including football. His dedication to his studies earned him a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise and Sport Studies this past May. A native of La Grange, Texas, Pittman was also a two-sport star at La Grange High School, earning All-District honors as a defensive back in football while also being selected to the Texas Elite Track Team for his work in the 400 meter dash on the track.
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Cedric Collins
Football - Assistant Defensive Line Coach
E-Mail:
Cedric Collins is the newest member of the AWC Football coaching staff, having arrived just as preseason drills began in August of 2009, but he’s certainly no stranger to Yuma-area football. Collins comes to AWC deciding to focus on just football and his first taste of college coaching after having spent the last two years wearing the hats of Athletic Director, Head Football Coach and Head Boys & Girls’ Basketball Coach at Harvest Preparatory Academy in Yuma. Before arriving in Yuma in 2005 to be closer to his brother and his brother’s family, Collins completed a very successful playing career on the gridiron at both the community college and four-year college levels. A native of Houston, Texas, Collins was a 3-sport star at Houston’s Booker T. Washington High School before heading west to play both football and basketball at San Bernardino Valley College in southern California. Collins’ versatility was on display for the Wolverines as he played tight end, defensive lineman and on special teams, accumulating a lot of football knowledge that start the ball rolling towards a coaching future. After earning an Associate of Arts degree from SBVC, Collins moved on to Chapman University, where he played on the defensive line until knee injuries ended his playing days. Collins continued to focus on education, though, earning his Bachelor’s Degree in English with a minor in Teacher Preparation from Chapman University. In the off-season, Collins continues to shape the abilities of Yuma’s youth, helping to coach the Yuma Air Raid, an AAU 12-17 boys’ basketball team founded by Steve Mitchell. Collins hopes to eventually coach at an HBCU (Historically Black College and University).
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