Donnie Yantis

Donnie Yantis enters his second season as assistant coach (tight ends) for Sun Devil Football after spending the prior two years as the program’s 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,” ASU head coach Herm Edwards said after announcing Yantis expanded role. “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.” 
 
Yantis has a long history of involvement as a football student-athlete, coach and advocate in the state of Arizona. In 2019 Yantis was presented with the Frank Kush "Lifetime Achievement" Coaching Award for his dedication and service to the game and its student athletes.
 
Prior to joining Sun Devil Football, Yantis spent 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.  In 2014 Yantis was named the NAIA Independent Conference Coach of the Year. The following season Yantis was named Central States Football League (CSFL) Coach of the Year after leading ACU to a CSFL Conference Championship, going undefeated in the conference. He also received NAIA Region 5 Coach of the Year honors for his efforts. 
 
Yantis 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. His teams earned the 5A Desert Valley Region Champion title on two occasions. During his tenure, Yantis twice received the Arizona Cardinals Coach of the Week, and was twice named Republic North Phoenix Coach of the Year. As a high school coach Yantis produced 16 Division I athletes, 21 junior college athletes, and five Division II athletes. 
 
Yantis was an active member of the Arizona Football Coaches Association, serving as a Board Member from 2000-09, where he played an integral role in maintaining the integrity of the sport of football across the state. 

 As an athlete, Yantis played for Paradise Valley High 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. He earned his bachelor’s degree in sports and exercise from Southern Utah University and his master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from NAU.