Calvin University hires Trent Figg to be first football coach

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Trent Figg – an offensive analyst with the University of Oregon football program - has been hired as the first head coach in Calvin University football history.

A press conference to introduce Figg to the Calvin and West Michigan community is scheduled for the week of January 16-20.

The 36-year old Figg will lead a Calvin football program that is in the process of bringing in its first recruiting class for the fall of 2023 and slated for its first varsity competition in the fall of 2024.

Earlier this fall, the university announced football as an addition to its offerings of 23 varsity intercollegiate sports.

Figg comes to Calvin from the University of Oregon. In 2022, he has served as the football program's senior offensive analyst under current head coach Dan Lanning. Oregon recently completed a 10-3 season that included a 28-27 win over the University of North Carolina in the Holiday Bowl.

"We are thrilled to announce Trent Figg as our first head football coach and we are excited to welcome him and his family to the Calvin community," said Calvin head director of athletics Dr. Jim Timmer. "During the search process, it became very apparent that Trent was a great fit to be our first head football coach. I am confident he will do a tremendous job in building our football program and fostering strong relationships in the Calvin community and beyond."

Calvin provost Dr. Noah Toly who co-chaired the Calvin football search committee with Timmer offered his words of congratulations on the appointment of Figg. "We are excited to welcome Trent as our first head football coach. In starting a new program, we know how important it is to have a coach who is first and foremost committed to creating a culture focused on developing the character of student athletes and to helping them holistically thrive here," said Toly. "Those who recommended Trent to us originally and those who have given references to his character, skills, and abilities throughout this process have confirmed Trent to be the ideal candidate to lead the Calvin football team."

A native of Chillicothe, Missouri, Figg is a 2008 graduate of William Jewell College (Mo.). He was a four-year member of the William Jewell football team as a defensive back.

His first full-time football coaching position came at Division II Southern Arkansas University. He later became the defensive coordinator at William Jewell College from 2015-2016 where his defense led its conference in quarterback sacks and tackles for loss.

He returned to Southern Arkansas as defensive coordinator in 2017. His Southern Arkansas defense was ranked as the No. 2 unit in the Great American Conference.

His first Division I job came in 2018 when he took over as special teams coordinator and running backs coach at Missouri State. He later spent two years (2019-2021) at the University of Hawai'i. At Hawai'i, he began as chief of staff of the football program. After nine months he was named associate head coach of the defense and defensive backs coach. While at Hawai'i, Figg coached a Jim Thorpe national defensive player of the week and had a first time all conference safety who was tied for 2nd in the country in interceptions. Two of his defensive backs – Eugene Ford and Cortez Davis – later signed NFL free-agent contracts.

"I would first like to thank God for putting me in this situation. I also want to give thanks to provost Dr. Noah Toly and to head athletics director Dr. Jim Timmer and associate athletics director Dr. Amber Warners as well as the rest of the search committee for giving me this opportunity and for taking the time to get to know me and for letting me get to know them," said Figg. "I feel extremely blessed and honored to receive this position and I do not take it lightly. Adding football to its athletics offerings is a significant step for Calvin University. It's an opportunity that my family and I are extremely excited about. We can't wait to get to Calvin and get started."

Figg and his wife Tori are parents to three sons, Titus (8), Thomas (5) and Tobias (3). Tori is a former women's volleyball player at William Jewell with the couple meeting during their time with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as William Jewell students.

Figg is looking forward to joining a Calvin athletics department that has annually finished in the top 30 of the Learfield Directors' Cup standings with its teams competing regularly for conference championships and national tournament berths.

"Calvin is adding football to come and join its successful athletics community, not be its own entity," said Figg. "That truly excites me and is one of the reasons Calvin is so special."
 
 TRENT FIGG COACH ENDORSEMENTS

*Oregon Coach Dan Lanning: "Trent will make a phenomenal Head Coach at Calvin. I am excited about the future for him, his wife Tori and their boys. He is a great coach and an even better person. He will create an environment ready for success with his leadership and relentless work ethic."

*Former Azuza-Pacific head coach and current J. Serra Catholic High School Head Coach Victor Santa Cruz: "Coach Figg is an outstanding coach and even better human being! Calvin University football is in good hands!"