We want to build sustained success. Calvin students engage in intensive internships, community-based service learning, and significant research that results in publishing and presenting alongside world-class faculty. Id like to think that weve identified the right men who are going to stay here. About Us The first varsity game will take place in either August or September 2024. "Calvin provost Dr. Noah Toly who co-chaired the Calvin football search committee with Timmer offered his words of congratulations on the appointment of Figg. Diversity & inclusion resources. A press conference to introduce Figg to the Calvin and West Michigan community is scheduled for the week of January 16-20. Where will the stadium be located? 3201 Burton SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546 (616) 526-6000|1-800-688-0122 [email protected] July 31, . As the 2024 class then comes in, a standard will be set, and we will build on that year-after-year. Sack lunch order form. Earlier this fall, the university announced football as an addition to its offerings of 23 varsity intercollegiate sports.Interested in playing for the Knights? The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. Trent Figg - an offensive analyst with the University of Oregon football program - has been hired as the first head coach in Calvin . Food service/dining menus and hours. Ching Chak "Calvin" " Calvin " Lee is a League of Legends esports personality, currently head coach for Team Bliss. A native of Chillicothe, Missouri, Figg is a 2008 graduate of William Jewell College (Mo.). Staying current is easy with CGR's news delivered straight to your inbox, free of charge. Calvin University is betting a football program can help boost its overall business prospects. Figg says this will allow for the team to have full practices right away come August. "I feel extremely blessed and honored to receive this position and I do not take it lightly. But thats not our brand. Check the left side of the screen for similar opportunities. This follows the universitys board of trustees voting to approve the addition of football as part of the universitys athletics strategic plan during their October meetings. Crain's Grand Rapids Jobs, ADVERTISE Im telling you; weve got the right guy for the job. He also needed student athletes who would be willing to wait one year before playing in competitive games. He will create an environment ready for success with his leadership and relentless work ethic. But he sounded like someone entrenched in the Calvin University community Wednesday during his introductory press conference as the Knights first head football coach. GRAND RAPIDS, MI Trent Figgs football career has taken him from a small town in Missouri to the Southeast, the West Coast and even Hawaii. Figg comes to Calvin from the University of Oregon. Players from Illinois, Texas, and the state of Washington are also among the 2023 recruiting class. We wouldnt want to add football if the only reason is to drive tuition revenue. Calvin University's football program has officially launched. Its an investment in something we believe in, Timmer said. Staff We want to stretch the field on offense and put pressure on opponents with our defense. Coach (Peter) Stuursma and the guys at Hope, they do a tremendous job there. We cant wait to get to Calvin and get to work.. And you can see it across the board on all of our teams, on all of our athletes, real changes in their body composition, their ability to move and change directions.. The inaugural football coach will be the architect of the universitys football program, responsible for designing, leading, and directing the program, including managing assistant coaches and for recruiting, training, and mentoring student-athletes. The universitys 400-acre campus is in the vibrant city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. For context, the stadium will be constructed just to the north of the current soccer field and the field will run east-west. Tori is a former womens volleyball player at William Jewell with the couple meeting during their time with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as William Jewell students. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Acquiring footballs, helmets, pads and equipment, along with construction of an on-campus stadium is on the agenda for Calvins athletic department. He is a great coach and an even better person. SE #201 All rights reserved (About Us). Tori is a former womens volleyball player at William Jewell with the couple meeting during their time with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as William Jewell students. Click below to see everything we have to offer. Last year Figg joined the Oregon football program where he served under Lanning. He later earned a masters degree in educational leadership from Northwest Missouri State in 2013. "We are excited to welcome Trent as our first head football coach. The Trent Figg - Head Coach - Staff Directory - Calvin University All rights reserved. "A native of Chillicothe, Missouri, Figg is a 2008 graduate of William Jewell College (Mo.). Were going to establish the run first. 2 unit in the Great American Conference. Figg is excited for the time when he can interact with his team on the field, a team which is quite balanced, at least two-deep at every position on both sides of the ball. When will the first varsity game happen? The athletics strategic plan calls for significant upgrades and additions to the outdoor fields at Calvin. GRAND RAPIDS - The Calvin University football program has hired Michael Stephan as its new offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator. 5 Tournament Results. In 2022, Figg served at the University of Oregon as the football programs senior offensive analyst under current head coach Dan Lanning. You can see those 11 guys on campus, theyre buying into the expectation that we show up on time, were dressed correctly, this is our culture, we do things the right way. Expenses for Division III football ranged from $1.3 million to $18.5 million. How should prospective students express an interest in being recruited for football? Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. TRENT FIGG COACH ENDORSEMENTS*Oregon Coach Dan Lanning: "Trent will make a phenomenal Head Coach at Calvin. Now, Figg is set to build out his first roster, which will practice throughout the 2023 season for its first campaign in 2024. Earlier this month, the program hired Trent Figg as its first head coach. Calvin is adding football to come and join its successful athletics community, not be its own entity, said Figg. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Figgs goal was to hit west Michigan and the state of Michigan hard in his first year. If thats your only goal, youre doomed to fail, Timmer said. He later became the defensive coordinator at William Jewell College from 2015-2016 where his defense led its conference in quarterback sacks and tackles for loss.He returned to Southern Arkansas as defensive coordinator in 2017. First, Figg must capture a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association title, which means going through programs like reigning league champ Alma, perennial power Albion and, of course, Hope. Athletic facilities. And now recruiting for Calvin's inaugural football team is underway. Included in the investment for football is a football stadium, which will be located on the northwest corner of campus, just to the north of the soccer field. The official Football Coach List for the Calvin University . Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 7/1/2023). The investment in him has paid off ten-fold.. They are going to be leaders right away, not walking into a locker room with 21 and 22-year-olds, we are going to spend quality time with them over the next year, because we have about 60 guys on the roster [this year], not 100. I would first like to thank God for putting me in this situation. Im excited about the quality of student-athlete weve been able to attract, said Figg. We have really good business folks, and they look at it can provide big returns.. Still, it might be one of the largest investments in recent years for the school. Calvin University kicks off football program with first head coach, Calder Capital assists GR buyer in Pro Mold and Die acquisition, Inside Track: Kraley has stories to share. I also want to give thanks to provost Dr. Noah Toly and to head athletics director Dr. Jim Timmer and associate athletics director Dr. Amber Warners as well as the rest of the search committee for giving me this opportunity and for taking the time to get to know me and for letting me get to know them," said Figg. Media Kit See the full job description on Calvin Universitys football webpage. What we have to do is identify kids that fit at Calvin. The goal is to open the stadium by 2025. He graduated with degrees in secondary education and physical education. I also want to give thanks to provost Dr. Noah Toly and to head athletics director Dr. Jim Timmer and associate athletics director Dr. Amber Warners as well as the rest of the search committee for giving me this opportunity and for taking the time to get to know me and for letting me get to know them, said Figg. Recruitment for the 2023 Calvin Knights football team is also underway. Trent Figg was hired as Calvin University's first head football coach in early January 2023. Figg comes to Calvin from the University of Oregon, where he served as senior offensive analyst on Coach Dan Lanning's staff. We were recruiting against every school in our conference, and we were able to win that recruiting battle. Calvin has a track record of excellence on the field, and now after 146 years it is finally time for our students to have the opportunity to showcase their talents on the gridiron. We want to do things the right way. We will be looking for dynamic playmakers on both sides of the ball. We want their Calvin experience to be something that sets the foundation for the rest of their lives., We want Christian young men who are tough. At Hawaii, he began as chief of staff of the football program. By browsing this site, we may share your information with our social media partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy. Box Score | Video. Our first season in the fall of 2023, we will not play against another team, so weve got to identify kids that are tough, kids that are competitive and kids that love Calvin and want to be at Calvin. They have a true advantage in their training and development.. We want their Calvin experience to be something that sets the foundation for the rest of their lives., We want Christian young men who are tough. Staff Directory Members By Category/Department. There are currently zero kids on the roster at Calvin, which is really exciting because typically when you go in as a new head coach, you inherit the roster thats there, so right now, we have zero problems on our roster, he said. The coach will be responsible for designing leading, and directing the Football program, including management of assistant coaches and recruitment, training, and mentoring of student-athletes. Name. Calvin University football is in good hands!". YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The selection of Figg follows a national search that commenced in early November. Tori is a former women's volleyball player at William Jewell with the couple meeting during their time with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as William Jewell students.Figg is looking forward to joining a Calvin athletics department that has annually finished in the top 30 of the Learfield Directors' Cup standings with its teams competing regularly for conference championships and national tournament berths. We want to run systems that our players will enjoy and thrive playing in., Figg is grateful for the coaches that have shaped and molded him during his coaching tenure. Men's Soccer. This class and the next one will truly lay the groundwork for this program.. Though Figg says perhaps thats not to be seen as a detriment, but rather as an asset. I love to base out of an odd front, and well be able to play out of an odd and even front, but I want to be a multiple coverage defense that brings pressure. "*Former Azuza-Pacifichead coach and current J. Serra Catholic High School Head Coach Victor Santa Cruz: "Coach Figg is an outstanding coach and even better human being! Updated: 11:51 PM EST January 6, 2023. Calvin's student-athletes have received CoSIDA Academic All-American honors 122 timesthe most for any school of our size. Its going to be fun; its going to be exciting; its going to be dynamic.. He has coached at multiple competition levels, including at very large schools and very small ones. A native of Chillicothe, Missouri, Figg is a 2008 graduate of William Jewell College (Mo.). Most of the men that we have committed had multiple offers, said Figg. Figg comes to Calvin from the University of Oregon. NCAA Guidelines for Calvin Student-Athletes, Social Media Guidelines for Calvin Athletes, We want to recruit great young men who want to grow as Christians, be at Calvin, love Calvin and love to compete., We want our players to graduate and grow to be the best Christian men they can possibly be. Pat Evans was a Grand Rapids Business Journal staff reporter who covered real estate, restaurants, retail, economic development, agriculture, food and drink, sports business and cannabis. Contact Us, RESOURCES 0:10. Its a heavy lift, make no mistake, but I think a lot of people are energized by the challenge. Figg started recruiting fast, both coaches and players. You could also do football super cheap and be horrible. The Head Football coach must possess a vibrant Christian faith, understand and embrace of the mission of Calvin University, and commit to building a healthy and God-honoring team culture, and pursue athletic excellence alongside the development of staff and students for a life of Christian service. After all, it was two weeks before signing day. [GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan]A national search for Calvins inaugural football coach is officially underway. He has experience coaching in all three phases of the game. As of this morning, we have 54 men reporting to fall camp, said Figg. While the numbers are impressive early on, and so too the on-field talent, Figg knows it goes much deeper than that at a place like Calvin. His first full-time football coaching position came at Division II Southern Arkansas University where he served as special teams coordinator and defensive backs coach. We will win by recruiting great student athletes that understand Calvin.. He also served as defensive coordinator at his alma mater, William Jewell College, and later coordinated special teams and coached running backs at Missouri State, giving him a wealth of experience in all three phases of the game, which is something that appealed to the 12-member search committee that received nearly 150 applications for Calvins head coaching position. Subscribe:Get the most local sports coverage with this special offer. Its a large investment, but there are big returns. November 22, 2022 | Matt Kucinski Tweet Email [GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan]A national search for Calvin's inaugural football coach is officially underway. This position requires the ability and willingness to wor. I have worked for seven different head coaches and with many other assistant coaches and I am thankful for everyone of them, said Figg. If I had to put an ideal number on the roster for next fall, Id love to have a two-deep on each side of the roster, so 40-45 players for the fall, so we can practice with each other all fall, and we will simulate (games), so we can all stay sharp with our skills. The returns start even with the uptick in tuition from the players. But, when you go to an established football program, juniors and seniors take the majority of the coaches attention. Oregon recently completed a 10-3 season that included a 28-27 win over the University of North Carolina in the Holiday Bowl. There is a lot to accomplish for the Knights fledgling football program, which wont play its first game until the fall of 2024, but the calendars have been marked and Figgs feet are hitting the ground running. The increase can also be expanded to include friends and family of the players, Timmer said. I would first like to thank God for putting me in this situation. When will the stadium be completed? By no means do we think its snap the fingers and get it done. We want them to be great husbands, fathers and servant-leaders who will be ready to enter the real world and give back to society. Be a part of history and join the first-ever Calvin Knights football team. The official staff directory for the Calvin University Skip To Main . If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. While the initial investment to build a football program is massive, Director of Athletics Jim Timmer said the university is confident the program can be an overall boon to the school. 3 Biography. |, Calvin University announces first head football coach. The stadium is included among the priorities of the plan. He is co-chairing with Provost Noah Toly a 13-person search committee that represents administration, faculty, and staff. He hired well-respected coordinators on both sides of the ball, as well as supporting staff. And he did. This is a new hire for Calvin, but Timmer says the expectations of the football coach are consistent with Calvins other head coaches. We are excited to welcome Trent as our first head football coach. It has been very clear to me that on Nov. 9, 2024, were going to play Hope, and were going to be ready for that game, said Figg, who received a rousing ovation from the attendees at Calvins Van Noord Arena upon mention of the Hope-Calvin rivalry. Figg and his staff are also already utilizing their connections across the country to attract students from outside of Michigan. Two of his defensive backs Eugene Ford and Cortez Davis later signed NFL free-agent contracts. Reprints Additional coaching staff will be hired during spring 2023. As a team, the coaching staff then started recruiting players. 2023 www.hollandsentinel.com. So, this is similar to what a redshirt year would be like at the Division I or II level for these guys, said Figg. The selection of Figg follows a national search that commenced in early November. 2 unit in the Great American Conference. Lawson comes to Calvin with two decades of coaching experience across every level of college football, most recently serving as the defensive coordinator at NCAA Division II Arkansas Tech University from 2019-22. This is one of the top rivalries in the country, and Im so excited to be a part of it.. The search committee that selected Figg from a national pool of candidates included representation from faculty, staff, administrators, and coaches. A press conference to introduce Figg to the Calvin and West Michigan community is scheduled for the week of January 16-20. So, right now, hes made the biggest impression on our players, more than anyone else at the university. He graduated with degrees in secondary education and physical education. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 4 Trivia. "I would first like to thank God for putting me in this situation. Of course, there will be challenges at Calvin, particularly those that come with starting a football program from scratch. The official Football Coach List for the Calvin University Skip To Main .