SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento State head football coach Andy Thompson completed his coaching staff with the hiring of running backs coach Aaron Prier and linebackers coach AJ Cooper, it was announced today.

A Northern California native and Big Sky Conference veteran, Prier has spent the past two seasons as the running backs coach and community relations coordinator at Eastern Washington. In 2021, Dennis Merritt ranked sixth in the FCS and led the Big Sky with 15 rushing touchdowns under Prier's tutelage. That season, Merritt averaged 71.8 yards per game and finished the year with 933 rushing yards to earn second team all-Big Sky honors. In 2022, two Eagles rushed for over 400 yards and five players scored rushing touchdowns.

"I'm excited to work with Aaron who's one of the top recruiters on the West Coast," Thompson said. "He will bring relatable knowledge to the running backs as he played in the Big Sky himself. He has an infectious personality and will bring great energy to our entire program."

Prier coached at Idaho State from 2016-20. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant in 2016 and then was elevated to the tight ends coach from 2017-19. In 2020, he coached the Bengals' inside receivers and tight ends and also served as the team's recruiting coordinator.

The Richmond, Calif., native prepped at Salesian HS before attending Idaho State. He played cornerback at ISU in 2011 and then moved to running back and kick return for his remaining three seasons.

"This is a great opportunity for me to come back close to home," Prier said. "I've been a fan of what Sacramento State has accomplished the last few seasons. I look forward to the opportunity to work with Coach Thompson as he begins his time time as a head coach."

Prier graduated from Idaho State in 2015 with a degree in business administration. He added a master's degree in athletic administration in the summer of 2017.

He has wife, Christal, were married in 2019 and have one son, Aaron Jr., who was born in 2022.

Cooper spent the 2022 season as a defensive graduate assistant at Oregon State. That year, the Beavers went 10-3, including a dominant 30-3 win over Florida in the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl. The OSU defense limited opponents to just 108.2 yards per game which led the Pac-12 and ranked 15th in the FBS. Linebacker Omar Speights, Jr., was named to the all-Pac-12 first team while Jaydon Grant was a second team selection as a defensive back.

"This is a great opportunity to join a program that already has a winning culture," Cooper said. "Having the chance to work with a defensive-minded head coach is exciting and I am ready for my opportunity to contribute to the team's success."

Cooper was a graduate assistant at Central Washington from 2019-21 where he coached cornerback Tyren Sams who was named Div. II All-American , all-region and all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Marcus Schimmelfennig also earned honorable mention all-league accolades.

The Las Vegas native played at Southern Oregon where he was a four-year starter from 2015-18. Cooper finished his career with 198 total tackles and had nine interceptions. He was part of two NAIA national championship teams, as a redshirt in 2014 and a starter in 2015.

"AJ brings a winning pedigree to the program having won a national championship as a player," Thompson said. "He's a rising star for his ability to understand defenses from all three levels. With his football background and the way he connects with student-athletes, he will be able to help us achieve our goals."

Thompson previously retained seven full-time coaches and also hired Tyson Prince as wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator. The complete 2023 coaching staff is listed below.

Kris Richardson - Associate Head Coach/Offensive Line
Bobby Fresques - Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Jeremy LaPan - Special Teams Coordinator/Tight Ends
AJ Cooper - Linebackers
Kraig Paulson - Defensive Line
Tyson Prince - Wide Receivers/Passing Game Coordinator
Aaron Prior - Running Backs
Cherokee Valeria - Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/Cornerbacks/Pro Liason
Kodi Whitfield - Safeties/Assistant Special Teams Coordinator/Player Development
Chris Parry - Director of Recruiting & Player Personnel/Defensive Assistant