This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As expected, new BYU offensive coordinator Robert Anae will bring a few fresh faces to his offensive staff in 2013.
Anae was hired for the second time as BYU's offensive coordinator on Jan. 4, replacing Brandon Doman, who had replaced him in 2011.
His first hires are a pair of former Cougars, Mark Atuaia and Garett Tujague.
Atuaia joined the athletic department staff last June as an assistant athletic dircector for student services, and prior to that worked for the Dean of Student Life at BYU.
Tujague comes to BYU after spending the last 15 seasons at College of the Canyons (Calif.), including the past six years as the head coach. Under his direction, the COC Cougars earned a 43-25 record and received five bowl invitations in his six seasons.
It is unclear what offensive areas the two new assistants will be coaching. However, BYU assistant coach Joe DuPaix, who was hired two years ago, acknowledged on his Twitter account Tuesday that he has been relieved of his duties as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator. DuPaix also indicated that receivers coach Ben Cahoon, who was also added to the offensive staff in early 2011 when Doman was promoted to offensive coordinator, has been released.
DuPaix and Cahoon were told by coach Bronco Mendenhall on Monday that their contracts would not be renewed.
Meanwhile, Doman's status with the program is uncertain and the possibility remains that the former BYU quarterback will continue to work for the football program, or the school, in some capacity.
When Anae, who was the offensive coordinator from 2005-10, was hired a few weeks ago, The Salt Lake Tribune reported that he would add former BYU running back Mark Atuaia to his staff, quite likely as the running backs coach. Atuaia was an assistant to the dean of Student Life at BYU before joining the athletic department last June as an assistant to athletic director for student services.
Anae and Mendenhall have also interviewed Paul Peterson of Sacramento State and Steve Clark of Southern Utah University in recent days, along with former BYU quarterback Max Hall.
Peterson, a former Snow College and Boston College quarterback, just finished his first season as Sac State's offensive coordinator, after a four-year run as SUU's quarterbacks coach. Clark has been SUU's offensive coordinator the past six seasons. Both men are former graduate assistants at BYU.
A 15-year coaching veteran who played quarterback at Salt Lake City's Skyline High and Cedar City's Southern Utah University, DuPaix came to BYU from Navy, where he was slotbacks coach for three seasons.
Cahoon played for the Cougars in 1996-97, then enjoyed a record-setting career in the Canadian Football League as a wide receiver for 13 seasons.
Another opening on the offensive staff was created when longtime coach Lance Reynolds stepped down after BYU's 23-6 win over San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl last December.
Twitter: @drewjay