Huskies fill out coaching staff, promote Paopao to TE coach, move Nansen to RBs, Sirmon to recruiting coordinator

Lots of news today as UW has just announced it has filled out its assistant coaching staff, doing so by making a few moves internally.

The details are here.

As the release states, Jordan Paopao, who has spent the last two seasons coaching Husky tight ends as a graduate assistant, has been promoted to a full-time position. That fills the last opening on the nine-man assistant coaching staff overseen by head coach Steve Sarkisian.

To fill the vacant running back spot, created when Joel Thomas left for Arkansas, Johnny Nansen will move to running backs coach while retaining his role as special teams coordinator, and Peter Sirmon will take over as recruiting coordinator while retaining his job as linebackers coach.

UW earlier hired Marques Tuiasosopo as quarterbacks coach, moving Eric Kiesau to receivers, to fill an opening on the staff recreated when Jimmie Dougherty left for San Jose State.

Salaries and contract details for the new coaches will be revealed later.

As the release further states:

“I’m excited,” Paopao said. “Our tight ends have a bright, bright future and I’m thankful to Coach Sark for the opportunity to keep working with them.”

“Jordan is an extremely bright, young coach,” Sarkisian said. “He’s done a terrific job with our tight ends as a G.A. and I think he’ll make a terrific addition to our full-time staff.”

In his two years at Washington, Paopao has mentored, among others, UW tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who has broken nearly every UW single-season and career-record for the position his two-year career. Seferian-Jenkins now holds the school mark for season (69) and career (110) receptions; season (850) and career (1,388) yards; and career (13) touchdowns by a tight end.

Paopao came to the UW from Stanford, where he served as a recruiting assistant under Jim Harbaugh, who coached him during his playing career at the University of San Diego. At USD, Paopao was a three-time, first-team All-Pioneer Football League selection and three-time Mid-Major All-American. He was a four-year starter at center and twice helped the Toreros to a pair of 11-1 seasons.

Between his time at Stanford and the UW, Paopao spent a season as recruiting coordinator, offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Azusa Pacific.

Paopao, who prepped at El Camino High in Oceanside, Calif., is the son of former UCLA football player Tony Paopao and the nephew of former standout BC Lions quarterback Joe Paopao. Jordan earned a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from USD in 2008.