New Offensive Coordinator Introduced

Football Lions welcome Frank Tristan

Target is utilizing playmakers

WAXAHACHIE, Texas  --  When it comes to great ideas, the excitement they cause in people is often a trusted gauge. The testimony of the witness is a powerful case.

A recent inspiration has been a great example of a well-received concept.

Gabby Douglass on the front of Wheaties? The 3-day weekend? Guess again.

The acquisition of new Offensive Coordinator Frank Tristan has been the talk of SAGU since word spread of his return to Southwestern Assemblies of God University. Players have been hooked on the notion since the spring.

His grasp of the offense is clear, and his personable nature builds a strong connection with athletes. Now comes the challenge of getting players to execute the plays.

Godding, who has had the added weight of Athletic Director since 2011, trusted the innovative Tristan (pronounced like Kristin) to fortify the Lions offense.

The addition of Tristan, who had a brief stint on the SAGU staff a few years ago, has infused both a renovated offense and Godding’s visionary leadership.

Early appraisals on the move, the season-opener notwithstanding, have been terrific.

The 31-year old Nutmegger felt the call to coaching for more than just athletics. “In my mind,” said the Connecticut native, “coaching football is the greatest platform to disciple and reach young men for Christ.”

His connection to SAGU came as a result of graduating from an Assembly of God university; Evangel Univ., in Springfield, Missouri. It is the same alma mater as Southwestern’s Defensive Coordinator, John Allen.

“The A/G connection background helped me to connect with Coach Allen and then, Coach Godding,” he explained. “Both of these men are so consistent in their lives. Plus, they coach football with the intent of impacting young men for the kingdom.”

“I don’t know of better individuals to work with.”

At the start of this new school year Coach Tristan sat down his whistle and clipboard and took off his visor long enough to answer a Top Ten of Questions.

TOP TEN Q’s

1) Coach Godding has been both the Head Coach and the Offensive Coordinator. How does that knowledge affect you taking the reins of the offense?
FT: Coach Godding and I worked together on the offensive side of the ball in 2007, so we are familiar with each other and we work well together to make sure that our offensive players are in a position to be successful.

2) SAGU has operated a version of the spread-option offense. Will that change?
FT: The concepts of our offense will stay very similar with a little more emphasis on a power running game. We want our offensive line to move people. The terminology change would spread out of a “pistol” look.

3) When this offense is working well, what will fans see?
FT: When the offense is looking good you will see multiple people carrying the football and you will see ball carriers in open space with the football.

4) In recent years the Lions have utilized two quarterbacks. Is that likelihood this season?
FT: It is a long season and you never know what is going to happen. But my initial intent is to allow one QB to be the leader of the offense.

5) Many teams have inserted the Wildcat offense at strategic times. Is there a chance we could see that this fall?
FT: All of our QB’s have the ability to run the ball very well, so I’m not sure that a wildcat set would be necessary with the amount of athletic ability that we already have at the QB position.

6) The team has to replace a few WR’s, including David Howard, the school’s all-time leader in catches, yards and TD’s. How are we looking at that position so far?
FT: David Howard was an outstanding young man on and off the field. Obviously we will not be able to replace him. However, we have an extremely talented group of WR’s and TE’s that will pick up where David left off.

7) We return 3-of-our-top-4 ground gainers from last year in QB Reid Golson and running backs Sean Haynes and Cade Lueschner. SAGU rushed for about 160 yds per game in 2011. How strong does the running game look early in camp?
FT: I anticipate our ground game will continue to improve. With those three athletes returning as well as solid additions to our O-Line and RB core, we should be able to run the ball with effectiveness.

8) The offensive line is critical to every team. How many returning starters? Who are they?
FT: We return Peter Akorikin, R.J. Adame, and Mitchell Grimes. Those three men are still young players. All of them are sophomores. With a year of college football experience together, I expecting great effort and leadership from them.

9) Who are players our fans should watch out for on the offensive side? Players who could bust out?                          FT: We have had great efforts from all of our guys this fall, and I am anticipating an outstanding group effort on offense. Obviously, the guys who have had experience are going to guys to watch out for in Golson, Haynes, and Lueschner. But Trevor McKinley and Jeremy McDonald have explosiveness and big play capabilities.

10) Who are the four most likely teams to play for the NCAA college football championship?
FT: Florida State, USC, Oklahoma, and LSU.

Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.

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