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Provo • Another former Cougar is returning to BYU to be a part of new offensive coordinator Robert Anae's staff, and this coach is coming from BYU's biggest rival.
Utah receivers coach and passing game coordinator Aaron Roderick, a BYU receiver in 1997-98, has left the Utes and joined BYU's staff.
The Salt Lake Tribune reported the move Wednesday afternoon, and not long afterward, BYU confirmed the hiring in a school news release.
"Aaron has excellent coaching experience and is a man of character and faith," BYU coach Bronco Mendenhall said in the release. "He is a great recruiter, outstanding position coach, fantastic teacher, master strategist and tireless worker. It is great to have Aaron back at BYU."
The BYU release did not specify what Roderick's coaching assignment will be, and noted that position assignments will be announced once the entire coaching staff is finalized. It also did not mention the status of former offensive coordinator Brandon Doman, who presumably will not be returning, although Anae still has one offensive coaching position yet to fill.
Former BYU running back Mark Atuaia and former BYU offensive lineman Garett Tujague were added to the staff on Tuesday, a day after running backs coach Joe DuPaix and receivers coach Ben Cahoon were told their contracts would not be renewed.
Roderick was an offensive graduate assistant at BYU from 1999-2001 and has coached at Snow College (2002) and Southern Utah (2003-04). He joined Utah's staff in 2005 when coach Kyle Whittingham was promoted to head coach and was the co-offensive coordinator in 2010.
Roderick briefly left the Utes in January 2009 to join Washington's staff, but had a change of heart a few weeks later and rejoined Utah's staff.
"I am looking forward to the chance to work at BYU and return to my alma mater," Roderick said. "I am excited to work with Robert Anae, whom I played for when I was at Ricks College. I've always had great respect for Robert."
That Roderick would leave Utah is not that surprising, considering that he was passed over in favor of the younger, less-experienced Brian Johnson for Utah's offensive coodinator position a year ago. That he would join BYU is somewhat surprising because he made a base salary of $200,000 at Utah, which the independent Cougars seemingly would have trouble matching for a position coach.
Roderick is married to former BYU soccer player Laurel Simpson.
Prior to the departures of DuPaix and Cahoon, openings were created when tight ends coach Lance Reynolds stepped down after the Poinsettia Bowl and offensive line coach Mark Weber left to take a similar position at Utah State.
It would appear that the fifth offensive hire will be a quarterbacks coach, and The Tribune has reported that former BYU quarterbacks Max Hall and Jason Beck have been interviewed for an offensive position, along with Southern Utah offensive coordinator Steve Clark and Sacramento State offensive coordinator Paul Peterson.
Twitter: @drewjay
Reporter Lya Wodraska contributed to this report.