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Zach Lujan

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Zach Lujan
Current position
TitleOffensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
TeamNorthwestern
ConferenceBig Ten
Playing career
2013Chabot College
2014–2016South Dakota State
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2017South Dakota State (OQC)
2018South Dakota State (RB)
2019–2021South Dakota State (QB)
2022–2023South Dakota State (OC/QB)
2024–presentNorthwestern (OC/QB)

Zach Lujan is an American football coach and former player who is currently the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for Northwestern Wildcats football team.

Playing career

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Lujan grew up in Anchorage, Alaska and attended South Anchorage High School.[1] He was a three-time All-State selection at quarterback and passed 1,368 yards during his senior season as South Anchorage won the Alaskan state championship.[2] Lujan began his college football career at Chabot College in Hayward, California. He was named the Golden Gate Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a freshman after completing 139-of-235 pass attempts for 1,820 yards and 15 touchdowns with four interceptions. After the season, Lujan transferred to South Dakota State.[3]

Lujan began his first season with the South Dakota State Jackrabbits as the backup to starter Austin Sumner and filled in after Sumner suffered an injury in the season opener.[4] He played in nine total games with seven starts and completed 147-of-241 pass attempts for 1,943 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions and was named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC) All-Newcomer Team.[5] Lujan entered his junior season as the Jackrabbits starting quarterback before suffering an injury and ultimately losing the job to Taryn Christion.[6] He finished the season with 1,861 passing yards and 14 touchdown passes with six interceptions.[7] Lujan spent his senior season as the backup to Christion and served as a team captain.[8]

Coaching career

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South Dakota State

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Lujan was hired to SDSU's coaching staff as an offensive quality control assistant after graduating in 2017. He was promoted to running backs coach the following season.[9] Lujan served as running backs coach for one year before being made the Jackrabbits' quarterbacks coach before the start of the 2019 season.[10] He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2022, while maintaining his position as quarterbacks coach, after previous coordinator Jason Eck was hired as the head coach at University of Idaho.[11][12] The Jackrabbits advanced to the 2023 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game in Lujan's first season as coordinator and beat North Dakota State 45-21 for the school's first national championship.[13][14] SDSU averaged averaged 34.2 points per game and 348.6 yards per game on the season.[15] In 2023, the Jackrabbits scored 37.3 points per game and repeated as national champions while quarterback Mark Gronowski won the Walter Payton Award as the best offensive player in FCS.[16]

Northwestern

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After the 2023 season, Lujan was hired to be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Northwestern.[17]

References

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  1. ^ "Anchorage quarterback helps Jackrabbits take down Kansas". Anchorage Daily News. September 5, 2015. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  2. ^ "Chabot College quarterback Zach Lujan is sharp in debut". Mercury News. September 11, 2013. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  3. ^ "SDSU sophomore quarterback ready for his chance". Argus Leader. September 5, 2014. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  4. ^ "Sumner injury forces Lujan into action". Columbia Daily Tribune. August 31, 2014. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  5. ^ Zimmer, Matt (August 7, 2015). "Lujan embracing QB competition as SDSU camp begins". Argus Leader. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  6. ^ Zimmer, Matt (August 25, 2016). "Zimmer: It's Taryn's time, but Jacks still need Lujan". Argus Leader. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  7. ^ Zimmer, Matt (July 25, 2016). "SDSU football outlook: Quarterbacks". Argus Leader. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  8. ^ "Former SDSU starting QB Zach Lujan embracing role of backup, mentor". Argus Leader. December 1, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  9. ^ "SDSU running backs: Ex-QB Zach Lujan to lead talented backfield group". Argus Leader. July 24, 2018. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  10. ^ "SDSU football staff changes announced". Brookings Register. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  11. ^ "South Dakota State offense making steady progress under Zach Lujan". Argus Leader. September 30, 2022. Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  12. ^ "Jackrabbits ready for Lujan to take over as OC". Brookings Register. August 24, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
  13. ^ "Bleeding blue: Former Anchorage football standout Zach Lujan's journey has taken him to a national stage". Anchorage Daily News. January 7, 2022. Retrieved January 9, 2022.
  14. ^ "South Dakota State football celebrates national championship with fans". Argus Leader. January 11, 2023. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  15. ^ "South Dakota State coordinators selected for AFCA Institute". The Brookings Register. December 6, 2023. Retrieved January 8, 2023.
  16. ^ Reed, Josh (January 25, 2024). "Anchorage's Zach Lujan continues to ascend through college football's coaching ranks". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  17. ^ Thamel, Pete (January 7, 2024). "Sources: Northwestern set to name Tim McGarigle DC, Zach Lujan OC". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
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