MARSHALL, Texas - East Texas Baptist University head football coach Mark Sartain announced Thursday that Mike Papas has been named the Tigers' new offensive coordinator.

Papas, who came on staff last season as quarterbacks coach after a 12-year run as head coach at North Crowley High School, replaces Zac Bryant, who resigned to accept a coaching position at Van High School. Bryant had served as the Tigers' offensive coordinator last season and had been on staff as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator since 2007.

Papas' promotion to offensive coordinator gives ETBU two new coordinators this fall. Former Trinity Valley Community College head coach Randy Pippin was named the team's new defensive coordinator back in the spring, replacing Corey Chancellor.

"Mike Papas has been the offensive coordinator and head coach on a state champion at North Crowley, so there couldn't have been a better fit for us to take this position," Sartain said. "It was kind of an automatic thing really, a perfect fit."

Papas will also coach the offensive line, as did Bryant, after having coached quarterbacks last season. Bryant, who was the lone remaining holdover from Sartain's first staff at ETBU in 2007, resigned earlier this summer to accept the position at Van, from where he had been commuting to Marshall since 2007.

"Zac and his wife Holli are expecting their second child, and it was time for him to be able to spend more time with his family," Sartain said. "They have sacrificed a great deal over the last four-plus years with the hour or so commute every day, and this was the right move for him at this time. I am grateful to Zac for the work he did for us as we worked to get our program established here at ETBU."

Papas joined the ETBU staff in June of 2010 after serving as head coach at North Crowley High. Papas was named the first head football coach at North Crowley in 1998, when the school opened. The Panthers evolved through the Class 3A, 4A and 5A ranks under Papas' direction, which included a run to the 2003 Class 4A Division I state title.

In his career at North Crowley, Papas was recognized as Coach of the Year twice in district play, and by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fox Sports Southwest, Texas PrepXtra, High School Xtra and the Texas Sportswriters Association. He was also selected as the Riddell Southwest Regional Coach of the Year.

Prior to coaching at North Crowley, Papas was offensive line coach and offensive coordinator at Corsicana High School from 1986-98. He also served as the Tigers' scouting coordinator and was the head powerlifting coach. Papas was offensive coordinator at Crowley High School from 1983-85, and he was freshman and junior varsity coach at Sherman High School from 1981-82.

"I'm thankful for the opportunity and we expect to continue to improve on what we accomplished last season," Papas said, referring to an offensive unit that returns nine starters - including senior quarterback and returning American Southwest Conference rushing leader Sed Harris. "It's an exciting time for our team as we move forward into next season."

Pippin joined the ETBU staff this past spring and was on staff in time to lead the defense through spring practice. Sartain is very familiar with his new defensive coordinator, having served as offensive coordinator at Trinity Valley when Pippin was head coach there during the Cardinals' run to the 1994 junior college national championship. In three seasons as head coach at Trinity Valley, from 1993-95, Pippin's teams went 24-8-2 with him also serving as defensive coordinator.

"Randy is obviously a big addition to our staff," Sartain said. "As a head coach and defensive coordinator he ran a national championship defense at Trinity Valley and has a wealth of experience and knowledge at the college level. He is a real big asset to have on staff."

Pippin has spent 14 years of his 23-year coaching career as a head coach, most recently at The Classical Academy in Colorado Springs, Col., and finishing 12th in the state despite being the smallest school in its classification. Pippin also joins the ETBU staff after serving as national director of the Glazier/Mega Football Coaching Clinics.

"This appears to be God's perfect will and timing because I am getting a chance to work for Coach Sartain, who I have a lifelong respect and admiration for," said Pippin. "That, and in a role coaching his team that I knew was a good fit for with my experience and skill set, at a university that has a heart for God and could educate my daughters in a way I know to be right...it was a perfect fit at this time in the life of my family."

Prior to taking on his role with Glazier, Pippin was head coach at Northwest Mississippi, where he led the Rangers to the MACJC North Division championship in 2006. As head coach at the University of West Alabama from 2001-2003, Pippin was recognized as the Small College Coach of the Year in Alabama in 2002 after leading the team to its most wins in 10 years.

Before taking the job at West Alabama, Pippin was athletic director and head football coach at Middle Georgia College from 1998-2000 where he produced two 10-win seasons and two bowl champions. One of his players at Middle Georgia, Kendrell Bell, went on to become the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Pippin was offensive coordinator at Tennessee Tech in 1996-97, where he coached the school's all-time leader in total offense at the time.

Following his spring running the defense, Pippin is excited about the possibilities with the Tiger defense, which returns seven starters this fall.

"We expect to be the best in every area," he said. "It's very encouraging with the combination of character and talent that Coach Sartain and the staff have developed here."

In other staff moves, Sartain said that former Tiger quarterback Thad Fortune, who returned to the program last season as wide receivers coach, will take over as quarterbacks coach this fall. Former NFL safety and an NFLPA coaching intern last season at ETBU, Sam Brandon, has been added to the staff full-time as secondary coach, and coaching veteran Dan Burk will be back as linebackers coach.

Colby Jackson, another former Tiger himself, will return as running backs coach. There is an opening for receivers coach with Fortune's move to quarterbacks, but the search is already underway and Sartain said he hopes to have a replacement there shortly.

"I feel very good about our staff," Sartain said. "A lot of times when you lose your offensive coordinator at this point of the summer it can create some problems, but our ability to promote and move guys around indicates to me that we had a very strong staff already in place. This has been a very easy, natural transition and we are looking forward to welcoming our players back and going back to work."

OTHER FOOTBALL NOTES: Construction on the Tigers' new weight room/locker room facility, the Tiger Football Strength Training Center (S.T.C.), located on the southwest corner of Ornelas Stadium is progressing. The building shell is currently being installed, and Sartain expects the project to still be completed in time to be used when players report for preseason camp in August...The 1981 national championship team at Austin College, Sartain's alma mater, will be inducted into the Austin College Hall of Fame during ceremonies in Sherman on July 17-18. Sartain was the starting nose tackle on that 1981 team that won the NAIA national title...Players are scheduled to report for the 2011 season on Aug. 10, as the Tigers will begin preseason workouts in preparation for the season opener on Sept. 3 against 2010 national semifinalist Wesley College in Dover, Del.