New Head Coach Carl Hargrave brings a bevy of experience to a program one year removed from a Valley of the Sun Bowl Title.
Hargrave's 11 years of NFL coaching expertise and 15 more years coaching at the college level, have Thunderbird nation excited about a return to glory.
Hargrave began his coaching career at Waterloo, Iowa in 1979 as an Assistant Coach at Central High School.
From 1981-1985, Hargrave coached alongside Dennis Green at the University of Northwestern. He coached the offensive line, running backs, and tight ends.
After spending 1986 at the University of Pittsburgh as an offensive line coach, Coach Jack Pardee called and brought Hargrave on board at the University of Houston. In five years at Houston, Hargrave coached Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Andre Ware.
Hargrave's next stop was a homecoming of sorts. The University of Iowa and Head Coach Hayden Frye hired Hargrave to coach the tight ends (1992-1993). Hargrave is originally from Iowa City.
Perhaps his most decorated tenure occurred with the Minnesota Vikings under Head Coach Dennis Green from 1994-2001. Hargrave coached running backs and tight ends for one of the league's most feared offenses. The 1998 Vikings set a league record, scoring 556 points on the season, a 35-points-per-game average. That record stood until 2007 when the New England Patriots scored 589.
Hargrave was the Defensive Coordinator at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri. He spent two seasons (2002-2003) with the Lions. The Lindenwood defense went from last to first in the Heart of America Athletic Conference on Coach Hargrave's watch.
Dennis Green came calling again after accepting the Head Coaching job in Arizona with the Cardinals. Hargrave was Green's first choice for Tight Ends Coach. Hargrave also served as an offensive consultant for three seasons with the Cardinals (2004-2006).
Most recently, Hargrave has spent time as an assistant at South Mountain High School as he and his family are settling into the valley and desert life.
Hargrave has been married to Suzanne for 16 years and the couple enjoys two beautiful daughters, Alaysha, and Autumn.
Hargrave expects to win a National Championships at Mesa and he has the connections to accomplish his goals. As he assembles his staff, a long-time coaching associate and friend, Richard Solomon, will be Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator.
carl.hargrave@mcmail.maricopa.edu
480-461-7629
