Utah's football team said goodbye to one coach and said hello to another Monday.
The Utes announced offensive line coach Charlie Dickey will join offensive coordinator Andy Ludwig on Kansas State's staff and announced John Pease, a 19-year NFL assistant and 1964 alumnus of Utah, has been hired to coach the defensive line.
Pease, who will also serve as an assistant head coach, was the defensive line coach for the New Orleans Saints from 1986-1994 and from 2004-05. He also coached the Jacksonville Jaguars' defensive line from 1995-2002 in addition to serving as the defensive coordinator the last two seasons.
Utah's defensive line was coached by coordinator Gary Andersen, who left the program to become Utah State's head coach. Kalani Sitake, who previously coached the linebackers, is Utah's new defensive coordinator.
Pease, a frequent visitor to Utah's practices, said he had no plans to change anything in Utah's defensive plans.
"I don't want to do anything different," he said. "It's already outstanding. I just want to add some bits and pieces and help where I can."
This is Pease's third stint at Utah. He was a graduate assistant from 1968-69 and coached the linebackers in 1977.
Pease, who was Utah's Most Inspirational Player from 1963-64, is a native of Pittsburgh. He and his wife, Chris, have homes in Salt Lake City and Jacksonville, Fla., although now they will live in Salt Lake City full time, he said.
"I am so excited to get out there," Pease said. "My wife told me I've been happier in the last two days than I have been for the last year and a half."
Dickey has been with the Utes since 2005. He coached at Washington and Arizona before joining the Utes.
On the recruiting front, the Utes picked up two more commitments in Highland's Latu Heimuli, a 6-foot-2, 290-pound defensive tackle who chose the Utes over several out-of-state schools, including Nebraska and Colorado, and Antoine Smithson, a 6-foot, 210-pound receiver from East Los Angeles College who chose the Utes over Kentucky, Colorado and Oregon State.
Smithson's commitment could be more of an immediate impact since Utah graduates receivers Bradon Godfrey, Freddie Brown and Brent Casteel.
In addition to Smithson, the Utes have commitments from C.J. Porter, a 6-1, 185-pound receiver out of Concord, Calif., and Jamal Smith, a 6-2, 185-pound receiver out of Oxnard, Calif.
Smithson said he expects to be in Utah in time for spring ball. He missed Utah's Sugar Bowl win because he was taking a class, but admits it was hard to keep his mind on his studies.
"I had a lot of people calling and texting me saying I was making the right decision," he said. "Someone taped the game for me so I got to watch it. It was a great win for them."
