McGiven returns to USU as offensive coordinator

<strong>LOGAN–</strong> Kevin McGiven, who helped Montana State to an 11-2 record and its third-straight Big Sky Conference Championship in 2012, has been named Utah State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach it was announced Friday by Aggie head coach Matt Wells.

This will be McGiven’s second coaching stint at Utah State as he spent the 2009 season as an assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach for the Aggies under Gary Andersen.

“Kevin brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Utah State and we are excited to have the McGiven family join our Aggie football family,” said Wells. “Kevin’s offense at Montana State was very successful and nationally ranked in several categories, and we will work closely to put together an exciting and productive Aggie offense for many seasons to come.”

Prior to serving as Montana State’s offensive coordinator during the 2012 season, McGiven spent two years as the assistant head coach of offense and quarterbacks coach at Memphis (2010-11) and one year as an assistant head coach working with the quarterbacks at Utah State (2009). McGiven also spent three years as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Weber State (2006-08) and one year in the same capacity at Southern Utah (2005). McGiven began his collegiate coaching career as an offensive graduate assistant at BYU (2002-04).

“I’m very grateful to Coach Wells for giving me the opportunity to come back to Utah State,” said McGiven. “In the dealings that I have had with him I think he is the right head coach to lead Utah State into the future and I thank him for trusting me to help transition the Aggies into a new conference and hopefully continue the offensive success they have had.”

“The coaching profession doesn’t always allow you to stay home and it’s a unique experience for me and my family to come back to the state we call home and a place we are comfortable with. I strongly believe that Utah State is a special place with outstanding support and an unbelievable fan base and I’m excited to be a part of it and get to work,” added McGiven.

During this past season at Montana State, the Bobcats finished 20th in the nation at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level in scoring offense (33.46 ppg), 28th in passing efficiency (140.52), 29th in total offense (415.38 ypg), 29th in passing offense (246.23 ypg), and 41st in rushing offense (169.15 ypg).

Highlighting Montana State’s offense in 2012 under McGiven’s guidance was junior quarterback DeNarius McGhee who earned Big Sky Conference Most Valuable Player honors for the second time and was named to the American Football Coaches Association FCS All-America Team after ranking 18th nationally in total offense (271.85 ypg), 25th in passing (242.62 ypg) and 28th in passing efficiency (140.63).

Under McGiven, Montana State had six offensive players earn various all-Big Sky Conference honors in 2012, including two first-team selections.

Prior to his stint at Montana State, McGiven spent two years at Memphis (2010-11) helping true freshman quarterback Ryan Williams became the ninth Tiger in school history to throw for more than 2,000 yards in a single season.

As assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach at Utah State in 2009, McGiven helped guide an Aggie offense that ranked 35th nationally and fourth in the Western Athletic Conference in passing with an average of 246.8 yards per game. Utah State also improved from 89th nationally in total offense in 2008 to 14th in 2009, averaging 439.3 yards per game. McGiven was instrumental in quarterback Diondre Borel’s success as he led the WAC and ranked 16th nationally in total offense (278.58 ypg). Borel, an All-WAC honoree, also ranked 35th nationally in pass efficiency (137.83) and logged five games of 300 or more yards passing in 2009 en route to setting the then single-season school record for total offense with 3,343 yards.

Prior to the 2009 campaign, McGiven was Weber State’s offensive coordinator for three seasons, helping the Wildcats to a share of the Big Sky Conference title and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs in 2008, where they lost at No. 5 Montana. Weber State finished the season with a 10-4 record, marking only the second time in school history that WSU had won 10 games in a single season.

Weber State improved from fifth in the Big Sky in 2007 in total offense to leading the league and ranking seventh in the FCS in 2008 with 455.4 yards per game. The McGiven-led Wildcat offense also led the conference and ranked 12th in the FCS in scoring offense at 35.1 points per game in 2008. McGiven’s offense was also second in the conference and fifth in the FCS in passing offense (324.3 ypg), and fifth in the league and 70th in the nation in rushing offense (131.0 ypg).

Under McGiven, Weber State had seven players earn first team All-Big Sky Conference honors in 2008, part of a Big Sky Conference record 12 players on the first team overall. Quarterback Cameron Higgins was not only a first team selection but also the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Higgins was a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the top offensive player in FCS. Higgins led the Big Sky and ranked third in FCS in passing efficiency (166.26), as well as leading the league and ranking fourth in FCS in total offense (314.3 ypg).

In 2007, McGiven mentored Higgins into a season of accolades, including the 2007 Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year along with being an honorable mention All-Big Sky selection. Higgins ranked second in the league with a 143.20 passing efficiency rating.

McGiven joined the Weber State coaching staff in 2006 after one season at Southern Utah, where he was the Thunderbirds’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. In 2005, Southern Utah ranked second in the Great West Conference in passing offense.

McGiven began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at BYU, coaching the wide receivers for the 2002 and 2003 seasons before moving to quarterbacks in 2004.

McGiven grew up in Orem, Utah, and graduated from Mountain View High School in 1995. He played one season at Eastern Arizona Junior College and later played wide receiver at Louisiana Tech, before finishing his bachelor’s degree in business from Utah Valley University in 2001.

He and his wife Lindsay have four children: sons Peyton (13), K.J. (11) and Beau (9); and daughter, Ireland (7).

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