Zac Erekson, new Snow head football coach, replaces

Andrew Mitchell

 

By Rhett Wilkinson

Staff writer

11-25-2020

 

EPHRAIM—When Zac Erekson heard the news that he was going to be the new head football coach at Snow College, as he sat in bed with his wife, they “couldn’t stop smiling at each other,” Erekson said.

Needless to say, Erekson is thrilled about his new opportunity. He is replacing Andrew Mitchell, who resigned after being the head man at Snow for one season.

Mitchell did not return a request for comment. Snow Athletic Director Robert Nielson said that Mitchell stepped down to “pursue other opportunities.”

Erekson is entering his second season at Snow after being an associate head coach and after his 12th year overall of coaching. He said he is going to maintain the coaching staff for the coming season, which begins in March. A priority for Erekson is making sure the team and staff are united as they prepare for a COVID-19 delayed season.

“Some kids handle it positively and other kids not so much,” Erekson said of the pandemic. “We need to get everybody going in the same direction, and when we do that, which we will do, I think we will have a special season.”

Erekson received many texts, phone calls and emails Tuesday—the first full day after the promotion—some which he did not expect.

Many of the communications were inquiries about jobs. Erekson has coaches reaching out to him from all over Utah to Texas to Louisiana, he said.

“It really enforces the power of the brand here,” Erekson said. “It’s a testament to the program I am being fortunate enough to inherit, which makes me excited. It’s exciting if people want to be part of what you are doing.”

When asked about coaching in his home state [Erekson is from Springville], Erekson said “This is an opportunity that not every person will get.”

Erekson’s parents and sisters and their families in Utah County will be to every home game.

“I’m overwhelmed with gratitude,” Erekson said.

When talking about inheriting a roster primed for a special season, Erekson pointed to one of his offensive linemen being the number one offensive lineman in the country, with offers from Oregon to Florida. And “he’s surrounded by offensive skill guys,” Erekson said, adding that Snow’s linebacker corps is deep. He also noted that the Badgers return 65 to 70 percent of their starters from last year.

“Having great football players has made our job as football coaches easy,” Erekson said.

            Erekson first joined Snow as a defensive backs coach, helping defensive coordinator Jan Jorgensen. But he was able to recruit offensive players as well.

Prior to coming to Snow, Erekson was the athletics director and head coach at the esteemed Skyline High School football program. Before that, he coached high school football throughout Texas for eight years. Erekson said that being in many different places has allowed him the opportunity to coach a lot of different kids.

“Lubbock, Texas to the east side of Salt Lake City … couldn’t be farther apart from each other,” Erekson said. “

            Erekson said he is “overwhelmed” by the support that he gets from the Ephraim-Manti community and that he looks forward to be “a more integral part” of it. He said he wants to represent the community in the best way possible and asks that the community returns the favor by supporting the program.

Mitchell took over the head coaching position in Dec. 2018. He led Snow College to a 5-3 record in 2019.

“We appreciate Coach Mitchell for his service to Snow College as both an alumnus and football coach,” Nielsen said. “We wish him and his family all the best.”

“Coach Erekson brings a lot of energy and football coaching experience to the program,” Nielson said. “He has shown a great deal of leadership among coaches and student-athletes as we continue to navigate through the unprecedented times. We look for Coach Erekson to continue the great tradition of Snow College football.”

Erekson played receiver on BYU’s 2006 Mountain West Conference championship team and graduated with a degree in communications. He later earned his master’s degree in athletic administration from American Public University. He and his wife Juli have a nine-year-old daughter and two sons (six and five) and are expecting their fourth child in May.