Florida Atlantic Football has officially come to agreements with a majority of 1st year Head Coach Zach Kittley’s inaugural staff. Most if not all of these hires have been hard at work recruiting for weeks now, however now the ink is officially dry on their respective contracts.
It is a fairly diverse staff for Kittley, as although he tapped into his Texas Tech roots for many of the roles, he also added coaches with Florida ties which were necessary additions as the Owls look to continue their Tri-County takeover recruiting mantra. There is also diversity in experience with a fair balance of young up-and coming coaches and a few experienced veterans.
The staff is not finalized as there are multiple analyst and staffer roles which will be announced at a later date, while FAU will also need to fill an edge rushers/OLB coach with Roc Bellantoni departing and potentially either promote or add an Associate Head Coach. It is still unknown whether FAU will add an offensive coordinator, as Zach Kittley has announced he will call plays while on the defensive side of the ball FAU will also need to fill a CBs coach and it is still TBD whether Brett Dewhurst will coach safeties, something he has typically done in the past.
Below will be a brief description of each member of the staff.
Coordinators
Defensive Coordinator: Brett Dewhurst
Dewhurst comes to the Owls after 1 season at Coastal Carolina where he served as a defensive analyst. Prior to Coastal Carolina, Dewhurst was on staff at Mississippi State for 2 seasons, first in 2022 as a well respected analyst for first year head coach Zach Arnett and in 2023 he was promoted to safeties coach.
The most lengthy stop of his career was from 2019-2022 where he served as defensive backs coach for Texas State, developing former FAU safety Jarron Morris who was a starting safety all 3 seasons of Dewhurst’s tenure. Dewhurst also served as a DBs coach at Texas Tech in 2018, Southeast Louisiana in 2017, also working in quality control at Texas Tech from 2015-2016 and Houston from 2103-2014, getting a start as a GA at Midwestern State in 2012 after playing safety for Texas Tech from 2008-2011.
This will be the first time Dewhurst has served as a defensive play-caller and at only 36 he will combine with Kittley to bring a young minded approach on both sides of the ball. With young leaders in charge on both offense and defense, FAU will look to rejuvenate this program with coaches who may be able connect with the players on a closer level.
Special Teams Coordinator: Tyler Schovanec
Another young leader, Schovanec comes to FAU to lead the Special teams unit following 3 seasons at Texas Tech where he worked his way up from an analyst role in 2022 & 2023 to assistant Special Teams Coordinator this past season. This will be Schovanec’s 3rd stop with Kittley, having served at Texas Tech, but also Houston Baptist, where he served as Special Teams Coordinator and Running Backs Coach from 2018-2022.
Schovanec has a diverse background which has helped him serve as a key recruiter early on in his tenure at FAU, having served as a running backs coach at both Case Western University in 2016 and Houston Baptist, along with multiple stints as a special teams coordinator. His versatility as a coach has made him a key addition early on in the Kittley era and he is someone who could be a fast riser, both on this FAU coaching staff and beyond.
Offensive Coaches
Assistant Quarterbacks Coach: Trent Vasey
Vasey heads to FAU after 3 seasons at Texas Tech, serving as a GA from 2022-2023 and an Assistant Running Backs Coach last season. Vasey was one of the first additions to Kittley’s staff, as he and Schovanec were the only coaches in attendance for Kittley’s opening presser.
Prior to his time at Texas Tech, Vasey served as an assistant wide receivers coach at Kansas in 2021 on Lance Leipold’s inaugural staff and before that he was at Stonehill where he served as Tight End’s coach and Recruiting Coordinator, getting his coaching start prior to that, serving as a GA at Alfred University from 2017-2018. Vasey brings heavy northeast ties to this staff having played his college football at Western New England University, where he played tight end from 2013-2016.
Vasey is someone who Kittley holds in high regard and if FAU opts not to hire a traditional offensive coordinator it is quite possible Vasey and Kittley work closely together on the Owls offense.
Running Backs Coach: Chris Perkins
The only returner from Tom Herman’s staff, Perkins led one of FAU’s most productive units over the past 2 seasons and has been a part of the FAU coaching staff since 2017, working his way up from a player development assistant to RB Coach, a position he has held since 2019. Over the past 2 seasons FAU has rushed for a combined 3651 yards and with 2 returners set to lead the way in Gemari Sands and Xavier Terrell, it is a big addition for this staff to have the coach who has led this unit to success over the past few years.
Outside of his on the field coaching ability, Perkins is an invaluable Florida recruiter, having served as the offensive coordinator at Miami Central and Miami Northwestern HS from 2003-2010. Kittley has been seen on the recruiting trail with Perkins and with the departures in the recruiting department his role as a recruiter has been crucial for this FAU staff and that combined with his ability to develop running backs makes this a solid re-addition to the staff.
Wide Receivers Coach: DJ McCarthy
One of the most important additions to the Coaching staff, McCarthy brings immense Florida ties, having served as a wide receiver at 5 different Florida Colleges, also working at Boca Raton High School in the 1990s. This is McCarthy’s 3rd stint at FAU, having previously been on staff in 2017 and 2019 and he comes to FAU after serving as the Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator at Bethune Cookman from 2023-2024.
Outside of working at FAU, FIU, BCU, UCF and FAMU, McCarthy has also served as a Wide Receivers Coach at Nevada, UCLA and LSU and while in the Bayou he developed Pro wide receivers Terrance Tolliver and Brandon LaFell. McCarthy’s recruiting experience in the state of Florida along with his proven ability to develop pro wide receivers makes him a critical addition to this staff.
Tight Ends Coach: Jajuan Dulaney
Dulaney joins the FAU coaching staff after one season with UTEP under up and coming Head Coach Scotty Walden, where he served as tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator this past season. Walden raved about Dulaney’s abilities both as an on the field coach, but specifically as a recruiter, mentioning a strong ability to develop interpersonal relationships.
Prior to UTEP, Dulaney was on staff with Walden at Austin Peay in 2023 where he served as Tight ends coach and he came there from Houston where he spent 4 seasons, working his way up from assistant offensive line coach in 2019 to Interim Head OL Coach in 2022. Dulaney got his Coaching start prior to Houston, serving as an OL and TE assistant for Texas Tech in 2018 after wrapping his playing career up spending 4 seasons as an Offensive lineman for the University of Maryland from 2013-2016.
Dulaney’s ability as a recruiter is huge for an FAU staff which had numerous departures in the recruiting department this offseason and he has served a multi-faceted role early on in his FAU tenure.
Offensive Line Coach: Stephen Hamby
Hamby heads to FAU after one season at Texas Tech, serving as the Head Offensive line coach for the Red Raiders in Joey McGuire’s inaugural season in 2023. Hamby came over to Texas Tech along with Zach Kittley, having previously spent 4 years at WKU, where he worked his way up from Quality Control Assistant in 2019 and 2020 to Head OL coach in 2021 and 2022 and in 2022 he worked hands on with Kittley who was the Hilltoppers OC.
Prior to his time at WKU, Hamby was on staff at Bowling Green from 2016 to 2018 where he served as the Head Offensive line coach and prior to that he got his start as a coach, working at Texas Tech from 2013-2015 as an assistant offensive line coach. Hamby played for Texas Tech from 2005-2008 and received training camp invites from the Saints and Commanders before opting to start his coaching career.
Hamby brings familiarity with Kittley to the table and as a former player he should be able to connect with the players on a personal level.
Defensive Coaches
Defensive Tackles Coach: Devin Santana
Former FAU Defensive Lineman Devin Santana returns to Paradise to serve as Defensive Tackles Coach, heading to Boca after serving as a defensive analyst for Miami this past season. Santana has bounced around during the early part of his coaching career, starting working at his Alma Mater, Alabama State as a GA in 2019, Wake Forest as Quality Control in 2020, App State as an analyst in 2021, Auburn in 2022 and UT Martin in 2023, also briefly working with IMG Academy in 2021 as a defensive coordinator.
Santana’s fast rise as a coach is credited to his ability to work hands on with athletes and having experience at the G5, P4 and HS level makes him a perfect fit for both on field coaching and recruiting South Florida Talent.
Interior Linebackers: Aaron Schwanz
Schwanz comes to FAU after 2 seasons at Louisiana, where he served as a Special Teams assistant and he brings a ton of coaching experience to the table. Prior to his time at ULL, Schwanz spent a season at Georgia Southern in 2022 where he coached ILB’s and prior to that he was a coveted defensive analyst for Washington in 2021 and LSU from 2018-2020.
Prior to his time as a P4 defensive analyst, Schwanz spent 4 seasons at SELA from 2014-2017, where he coached special teams and linebackers, working with DC Brett Dewhurst in 2017. Across his stops, Schwanz has worked hands on developing NFL level Linebackers, having sent 7 linebackers to the NFL under his tutelage including, Michael Divinity, Joe Schobert, Vince Biegel and K’Lavon Chaisson.
Schwanz’s ability to develop pro level talent is a huge addition to this FAU staff and his familiarity with Dewhurst should also allow for the two to work well together.
TBA/TBD: Edge Rushers, Cornerbacks, Safeties
Off the field Coaching additions
Strength Coach: Brandon Lee
Lee takes over the FAU Strength and Conditioning department after 4 seasons as an associate ST&C Coach at Texas Tech, working hands on with the lineman on both sides of the ball. Lee has been a fast riser in the Strength and Conditioning world, serving as the Strength Coach for Georgia Southern Basketball prior to returning to Texas Tech in 2020-2021 and before that was the assistant ST&C Coach at ECU in 2019-2020 for Softball and Football, getting his coaching career started prior to that at North Carolina Central, serving as the Head Strength Coach from 2016-2018.
Lee has previous experience with Kittley and will be familiar with what he expects out of his players and that combined with his young energy makes him a solid fit to lead the Strength and Conditioning Program.
Chief of Staff: Harrison Hanna
Hanna comes to FAU with Kittley from Texas Tech, having served as the assistant director for team operations and recruiting from 2022-2024. Prior to Texas Tech, Hanna spent 8 seasons at Baylor, working his way up from Student Equipment Manager to Head Equipment Manager.
Serving as Kittley’s right-hand man, Hanna will handle all of the off the field things that go into being a head coach and will be familiar with Kittley after spending the past 2 seasons with him at Texas Tech.
Going Forward
It is expected Kittley plans to make multiple more additions to his inaugural staff before it is all said and done. As it stands now it is a diverse staff with many strengths, including the young energy many of the coaches will be able to bring, however with the recent departure of Roc Bellantoni there is a need for a veteran coach with Florida ties and it will be something to watch how Kittley goes about filling the positions formerly occupied by Bellantoni.
Future coaching staff additions will be announced here and at @FAU_Owls_Nest on X, as well as this article, so be sure to stay tuned.