MINOT, N.D. – Minot State University head football coach Tyler Hughes has added Cole Popovich as an assistant coach, the university announced Monday. Popovich will serve as the team's offensive line coach.

Popovich is originally from Oakhurst, Calif., where he starred for Yosemite (Calif.) High School. He played collegiately at Fresno State and coached two seasons at Fresno City College and one season at LA Valley College. He comes to Minot State after two seasons as an assistant at Utah State, coaching mainly the offensive line.

"I'm excited to have Cole join our staff," Hughes said. "Cole demonstrated a clear philosophy in the development and teaching progression for Minot State's offensive lineman. He has a real passion for that position group and football as a whole. He will provide a great influence on and off of the field for our players."

He had an outstanding collegiate career at Fresno State, earning Unanimous All American by the Sports News, Football Writers, College Football News and ESPN.com in 2004. He was a four-year starter on the offensive line, going to bowl games all four seasons. In 2007, he earned the Paul Schechter Courage Award, given to the one athlete on who has overcome obstacles to return to the playing field.

"Being at Fresno State was an important step for me going into coaching because of the way coach Hill (former Fresno State head coach Pat Hill) ran the program. We received a good football education – he didn't dumb stuff down because it was college," Popovich said. "I felt like I was ahead of the curve because of it. It was a part of his plan, to teach football and prepare players for either coaching or for the NFL if that was going to be in their future."

Popovich started his coaching career at LA Valley College in Van Nuys, Calif., working as the team's strength and conditioning coordinator and offensive line coach. He was the offensive line coach and academic center supervisor at Fresno City College from 2011-2013.

He had his first contact with Minot State football during his time coaching in California as the MISU coaching staff recruited a player off Fresno City College team.

"I actually have had some contact with the university before this," he said. "But I really didn't know the coaching staff now or coach Hughes. I heard (Hughes) was looking for an offensive line coach and he had a connection at Utah that helped in the process."

While coaching at Utah State over the past two seasons, Popovich helped the Aggies to a 9-4 record, winning the Mountain Division of the Mountain West Conference and a Poinsettia Bowl win.

He was the team's offensive graduate assistant, helping with scouting reports, film and reviewing personnel. He was served as a monitor for the team's academics and assisted in recruiting in California.

"I have a real passing for coaching, it is a close to playing the game as you can come," said Popovich. "When you come to games this year and actually pay attention to the offensive line, you will see tremendous effort. That will be a trademark and that goes back to my playing days at Fresno. We played against teams that were better than us, but we played so hard. That left a mark on me and that will be my coaching style. We will also be great technicians of the game and know football and know technique. We will be a tactical line."

Popovich is married and has two sons.