Zach Lujan
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks |
| Team | Northwestern |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Playing career | |
| 2013 | Chabot College |
| 2014–2016 | South Dakota State |
| Position(s) | Quarterback |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2017 | South Dakota State (OQC) |
| 2018 | South Dakota State (RB) |
| 2019–2021 | South Dakota State (QB) |
| 2022–2023 | South Dakota State (OC/QB) |
| 2024–present | Northwestern (OC/QB) |
Zach Lujan is an American football coach and former player who is currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Northwestern Wildcats football team.
Playing career
[edit]Lujan grew up in Anchorage, Alaska and attended South Anchorage High School.[1] He was a three-time All-State selection at quarterback and passed 1,368 yards during his senior season as South Anchorage won the Alaskan state championship.[2] Lujan began his college football career at Chabot College in Hayward, California. He was named the Golden Gate Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman after completing 139-of-235 pass attempts for 1,820 yards and 15 touchdowns with four interceptions. After the season, Lujan transferred to South Dakota State.[3]
Lujan began his first season with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits as the backup to starter Austin Sumner and filled in after Sumner suffered an injury in the season opener.[4] He played in nine total games with seven starts and completed 147-of-241 pass attempts for 1,943 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and was named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) All-Newcomer Team.[5] Lujan entered his junior season as the Jackrabbits starting quarterback before suffering an injury and ultimately losing the job to Taryn Christion.[6] He finished the season with 1,861 passing yards and 14 touchdown passes with six interceptions.[7] Lujan spent his senior season as the backup to Christion and served as a team captain.[8]
Coaching career
[edit]South Dakota State
[edit]Lujan was hired to SDSU's coaching staff as an offensive quality control assistant after graduating in 2017. He was promoted to running backs coach the following season.[9] Lujan served as running backs coach for one year before being made the Jackrabbits' quarterbacks coach before the start of the 2019 season.[10] He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022, while maintaining his position as quarterbacks coach, after previous coordinator Jason Eck was hired as the head coach at University of Idaho.[11][12] The Jackrabbits advanced to the 2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game in Lujan's first season as coordinator and beat North Dakota State 45-21 for the school's first national championship.[13][14] SDSU averaged averaged 34.2 points per game and 348.6 yards per game on the season.[15] In 2023, the Jackrabbits scored 37.3 points per game and repeated as national champions while quarterback Mark Gronowski won the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player in FCS.[16]
Northwestern
[edit]After the 2023 season, Lujan was hired to be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northwestern.[17]
References
[edit]- ^ "Anchorage quarterback helps Jackrabbits take down Kansas". Anchorage Daily News. September 5, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "Chabot College quarterback Zach Lujan is sharp in debut". Mercury News. September 11, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^ "SDSU sophomore quarterback ready for his chance". Argus Leader. September 5, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^ "Sumner injury forces Lujan into action". Columbia Daily Tribune. August 31, 2014. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ Zimmer, Matt (August 7, 2015). "Lujan embracing QB competition as SDSU camp begins". Argus Leader. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^ Zimmer, Matt (August 25, 2016). "Zimmer: It's Taryn's time, but Jacks still need Lujan". Argus Leader. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ Zimmer, Matt (July 25, 2016). "SDSU football outlook: Quarterbacks". Argus Leader. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "Former SDSU starting QB Zach Lujan embracing role of backup, mentor". Argus Leader. December 1, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "SDSU running backs: Ex-QB Zach Lujan to lead talented backfield group". Argus Leader. July 24, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^ "SDSU football staff changes announced". Brookings Register. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^ "South Dakota State offense making steady progress under Zach Lujan". Argus Leader. September 30, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
- ^ "Jackrabbits ready for Lujan to take over as OC". Brookings Register. August 24, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
- ^ "Bleeding blue: Former Anchorage football standout Zach Lujan's journey has taken him to a national stage". Anchorage Daily News. January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
- ^ "South Dakota State football celebrates national championship with fans". Argus Leader. January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ^ "South Dakota State coordinators selected for AFCA Institute". The Brookings Register. December 6, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
- ^ Reed, Josh (January 25, 2024). "Anchorage's Zach Lujan continues to ascend through college football's coaching ranks". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
- ^ Thamel, Pete (January 7, 2024). "Sources: Northwestern set to name Tim McGarigle DC, Zach Lujan OC". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
External links
[edit]- Living people
- American football quarterbacks
- Players of American football from Anchorage, Alaska
- Coaches of American football from Alaska
- Chabot Gladiators football players
- Northwestern Wildcats football coaches
- South Dakota State Jackrabbits football players
- South Dakota State Jackrabbits football coaches