LOGAN, Utah – Utah State football interim head coach and defensive coordinator Nate Dreiling announced on Wednesday three additions and three changes in responsibilities to his staff heading into the 2024 season.
 
New additions to the staff include Troy Morrell, who will serve as the associate head coach and senior offensive analyst, Dave Wiemers (We-mers), who will be a senior defensive analyst and Rachel Phillips, who joins the program as the chief of staff.
 
As for changes among the current staff, fourth-year wide receivers coach Kyle Cefalo will serve as the offensive coordinator and play-caller this fall after serving as the co-offensive coordinator last season and the passing game coordinator his first two years with the program. Second-year offensive line coach Cooper Bassett will be the co-offensive coordinator. And Hayden Kingston, who is in his fourth year with USU, will be the quarterbacks coach after filling the role of offensive analyst in 2023 and offensive graduate assistant in 2021 and 2022. 
 
Bobby McMillen, who joined the program this past February, will be the co-defensive coordinator and coach the inside linebackers.
 
Troy Morrell – Associate Head Coach/Senior Offensive Analyst
Morrell will be entering his 20th season as a collegiate coach this fall for Utah State.
 
He was most recently the head coach at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas, from 2000-14, winning three National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Championships and compiling a record of 154-22. His career winning percentage of .875 was the highest in NJCAA history at the time of his retirement, while his 154 wins ranked 18th all-time among NJCAA coaches. A total of 215 players during Morrell's tenure moved on to Division-I programs, with 19 of his players moving on to play in the NFL.
 
Dave Wiemers – Senior Defensive Analyst
Wiemers brings 25 years of collegiate coaching experience with him to Utah State, including six years as a head coach, 14 years as a defensive coordinator and five years as an offensive coordinator.
 
Most recently, Wiemers has served as the offensive coordinator at Carthage (Missouri) High School since 2021, helping the team to Central Ozark Conference Championships in 2021 and 2022, plus a Class 5 District 6 Championship in 2022.
 
Prior to Carthage, Wiemers served as a coordinator at Pittsburg State from 2008 through 2019, including 10 seasons as defensive coordinator and two seasons as offensive coordinator, while also serving as an assistant head coach from 2011-19. Wiemers helped the team to the NCAA Division-II national title in 2011. He also served as the offensive coordinator at Tarleton State for the 2007 season.
 
Wiemers served as head coach at Emporia State from 2001 through 2006, compiling a 35-32 record and claiming the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) conference title in 2003. He was also named the Coach of the Year the same season and led the team to their first-ever appearance in the Division-II playoffs.
 
Rachel Phillips – Chief of Staff
Phillips is in her first year as the chief of staff for Utah State's football program and will oversee all off-field staff and the day-to-day operations of the program.
 
Phillips came to Utah State after spending three months as the football development and cause marketing manager for the Tennessee Titans.
 
Prior to her time in the NFL, Phillips spent over three years as the assistant athletic director, chief of staff and director of football operations at New Mexico State. There, Phillips helped lead the team to back-to-back bowl appearances helping head coaches Jerry Kill and Tony Sanchez oversee the daily operations of the program.
 
Phillips also oversaw TCU's football recruiting operations for five years (2017-21). In that role, she coordinated official visits, unofficial visits, numerous clinics and all aspects of the game day recruiting program.
 
Fall Schedule
Utah State opens the 2024 season on Saturday, Aug. 31, as it hosts Robert Morris and begins Mountain West play at Boise State on Saturday, Oct. 5.
 
Ticket Information
Season tickets and mini-plans for the 2024 season are on sale now. Purchase your tickets today to guarantee your seat for the return of the 'Battle of the Brothers' on Saturday, September 14th. To purchase visit utahstateaggies.com or call the ticket office at 435-797-0305.
 
Follow
Fans can follow the Aggie football program at twitter.com/USUFootball or on Facebook at Utah State Football, as well as on Instagram at instagram.com/USUFootball. Aggie fans can also follow the Utah State athletic program at twitter.com/USUAthletics or on Facebook at Utah State University Athletics.
 
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