Donnie Yantis has been named an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Sun Devil Football, pending Office of Human Resources paperwork from Arizona State. Yantis will contribute to the team's offensive coaching staff while also retaining his role within football recruiting, as announced by Head Coach Herm Edwards. Yantis spent the previous two seasons at Arizona State as the Assistant Athletics Director for Football Recruiting.
"I have gotten to know Coach Yantis very well in my early days on the job and have seen the dedication and passion he has put into his role with recruiting," Edwards said. "He has plenty to add on the coaching spectrum as well and know what it takes to build a program. I am excited to move Donnie into this position."
"I am humbled, blessed, and extremely excited for the opportunity to join this tremendous football staff that Coach Edwards as put together. Having the opportunity to get back on the field and impact these young men has been a goal of mine, in addition to continue to lead our efforts in recruiting," Yantis said. "I look forward to working with Coach Likens and the offensive staff. Being a former Arizona high school football coach, it will be an honor to get back into the schools in Arizona to develop genuine relationships and recruit the best in Arizona and get them to Arizona State. I would like to thank Coach Edwards and Coach Likens for giving me this opportunity. Go Devils!"
Yantis spent the previous two seasons as the head football coach at Arizona Christian University, where he developed the program in its first season as a NAIA college football program. He was responsible for hiring an entire coaching staff, along with recruiting an entire football team in his first year.
Yantis' 14 seasons as the head coach at Paradise Valley High School in Phoenix also assisted him in building relationships with Arizona high school football coaches, helping with the recruitment process.
In 2015, Yantis was named Central States Football League (CSFL) Coach of the Year as he led ACU to a CSFL Conference Championship, going undefeated in the conference. In his first season as a college coach, he was named the NAIA Independent Conference Coach of the Year.
Yantis started coaching at his alma mater Paradise Valley High shortly after concluding his playing career and earning his bachelor's degree from Southern Utah University. After serving as recruiting coordinator at Glendale Community College, he earned a Master's Degree from NAU and took his first high school head coaching job at age 28 at Glendale High. The next year he moved to Paradise Valley High, where he compiled a record of 94-70 and was the winningest coach in school history with nine playoff appearances in 13 seasons.
Under Yantis' direction at Paradise Valley, the offense broke every school record in both passing and rushing yards, first downs, and points scored. As a high school coach, Yantis produced 16 Division I athletes, 21 junior college athletes, and five Division II athletes.
As an athlete, Yantis played for Paradise Valley as a quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back, linebacker, and a punter, and then moved on to play for Glendale Community College and Southern Utah University.
"I have gotten to know Coach Yantis very well in my early days on the job and have seen the dedication and passion he has put into his role with recruiting," Edwards said. "He has plenty to add on the coaching spectrum as well and know what it takes to build a program. I am excited to move Donnie into this position."
"I am humbled, blessed, and extremely excited for the opportunity to join this tremendous football staff that Coach Edwards as put together. Having the opportunity to get back on the field and impact these young men has been a goal of mine, in addition to continue to lead our efforts in recruiting," Yantis said. "I look forward to working with Coach Likens and the offensive staff. Being a former Arizona high school football coach, it will be an honor to get back into the schools in Arizona to develop genuine relationships and recruit the best in Arizona and get them to Arizona State. I would like to thank Coach Edwards and Coach Likens for giving me this opportunity. Go Devils!"
Yantis spent the previous two seasons as the head football coach at Arizona Christian University, where he developed the program in its first season as a NAIA college football program. He was responsible for hiring an entire coaching staff, along with recruiting an entire football team in his first year.
Yantis' 14 seasons as the head coach at Paradise Valley High School in Phoenix also assisted him in building relationships with Arizona high school football coaches, helping with the recruitment process.
In 2015, Yantis was named Central States Football League (CSFL) Coach of the Year as he led ACU to a CSFL Conference Championship, going undefeated in the conference. In his first season as a college coach, he was named the NAIA Independent Conference Coach of the Year.
Yantis started coaching at his alma mater Paradise Valley High shortly after concluding his playing career and earning his bachelor's degree from Southern Utah University. After serving as recruiting coordinator at Glendale Community College, he earned a Master's Degree from NAU and took his first high school head coaching job at age 28 at Glendale High. The next year he moved to Paradise Valley High, where he compiled a record of 94-70 and was the winningest coach in school history with nine playoff appearances in 13 seasons.
Under Yantis' direction at Paradise Valley, the offense broke every school record in both passing and rushing yards, first downs, and points scored. As a high school coach, Yantis produced 16 Division I athletes, 21 junior college athletes, and five Division II athletes.
As an athlete, Yantis played for Paradise Valley as a quarterback, wide receiver, defensive back, linebacker, and a punter, and then moved on to play for Glendale Community College and Southern Utah University.