Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford hires running backs coach; staff is full, for now

Fresno State coach Jeff Tedford moved quickly after losing his running backs coach, hiring Aaron Prier to replace James Montgomery just two days after he accepted a job at Mountain West Conference rival Boise State.

It is the second move this offseason for Prier, who went from FCS Eastern Washington to Sacramento State in January and now is joining a Bulldogs program that is deep and competitive at the running backs position.

Fresno State lost Jordan Mims, who led Mountain West running backs with 18 rushing touchdowns last season and was second with 1,370 rushing yards. But Malik Sherrod and Elijah Gilliam, the Bulldogs’ No. 2 and No. 3 running backs a year ago, return in 2023 and they recruited three with Cal transfer Damien Moore, Charles Greer from Concord De La Salle High and Devon Rivers from Brentwood Heritage.

Rivers is the son of former Fresno State running back Ron Rivers and younger brother of Ronnie Rivers, who set the Bulldogs’ all-time record for touchdowns scored.

Prier at Eastern Washington in 2021 worked with Pat McCann, who on Tuesday was promoted to offensive coordinator from wide receivers coach. One of the Eagles running backs that season, Dennis Merritt, led the Big Sky and was sixth in the FCS with 15 rushing touchdowns and earned second-team all-conference.

Tedford this offseason also hired offensive line coach Brian Armstrong from FCS Montana State to replace Saga Tuitele, who left for Arizona State before the Bulldogs’ LA Bowl victory over Washington State. Matt Wade, an offensive quality control assistant last season, was promoted to coach quarterbacks.