Gregorak named Montana's defensive coordinator
2/11/2012 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 11, 2012
Long-time University of Montana assistant football coach Ty Gregorak has been elevated to the position of defensive coordinator for the Grizzlies, announced third-year head coach Robin Pflugrad today.
Gregorak, who just wrapped up his eighth season as an assistant coach at Montana in 2011, re-joined the Grizzly football program last spring, and once again worked with the linebackers.
"I think Ty brings a lot of experience to our program, both on the field, and in Missoula and the state of Montana," Pflugrad said. "He has done an outstanding job for us in recruiting during his time here, including Eastern Washington and Western Montana, and I had him over in Seattle this past season. He brings a lot of experience to the table for someone his age, and I think that's what is important when you elevate an employee.
"I have the utmost faith in him that he will get the job done as our defensive coordinator," Pflugrad said. "We lost a very experienced coordinator in Mike Breske (who left UM to become the D-coordinator at Washington State). As we went out and searched, a lot of our focus just kept coming back to Coach Gregorak. That's a compliment to him and the job he has done here at Montana for eight of the past nine seasons."
Gregorak, 33, returned to UM last season after a one-year hiatus at Central Washington. In 2010 he worked with the tight ends for the 8-3 CWU Wildcats. In his one season in Ellensburg, Wash., the CWU Wildcats were the Great Northern Athletic Conference champion.
Prior to his one-year stint at CWU, he had a seven-year tenure at Montana under the tutelage of former mentor Bobby Hauck. In six of those seven he worked with the Griz linebackers he coached some of the most prolific in school history, including Tyler Corwin, Brandon Fisher, Shawn Lebsock, Tyler Joyce (ranked second in UM history with 356 career tackles), Shane MacIntyre, Kyle Ryan, and Loren Utterback - Big Sky Conference picks. In his eight seasons with the Griz they have won eight league championships, and advanced to three (2004, 2008, 2009) FCS title games.
In his eight-year tenure at UM he has coached 15 all-conference players. Last season Griz senior Caleb McSurdy was the Big Sky defensive MVP and named to several All-American teams. McSurdy finished 10th in school history with 293 career tackles. Also a year ago, sophomore linebacker John Kanonagta'a was a second team all-league pick, while senior Alex Shaw was an honorable mention selection.
Gregorak coached the secondary at UM in his first season (2003) at Montana. In 2009 coached the linebackers and also served as the recruiting coordinator. Before coming to Montana, Ty served as a graduate assistant coach at the University of Washington in 2001 and 2002.
"I think Ty learned a lot from Mike Breske and from Kraig Paulson when Kraig was the D-coordinator here, and also back when he was a GA at the University of Washington and worked with some outstanding coaches there who I am very familiar with," Pflugrad said. "He has matured and progressed and he's excited about the opportunity and excited to be a Montana Grizzly.
"At the end of the day that's really what you want in a coach - someone who really wants to he here and is committed to being here," Pflugrad continued. "There is no question that he is very passionate about his job, and some people show its differently than others. He is very out-going, and we are in a physical, competitive environment, and he brings that passion each and every day."
He was a three-year letterman at linebacker for the University of Colorado, from 1997-2000. He was the recipient of the Lee Willard Award (outstanding freshman) for the Buffaloes in 1997. In 1998, CU played in the Aloha Bowl, while the 1999 squad played in the Insight.Com Bowl. He was a 2000 Academic All-Big XII selection, and a finalist for the National Academic-Athletic Achievement Award that year.
He was a standout prep athlete at West Valley High School in Spokane, Wash. He was a first-team all-state selection in high school in 1995 and 1996. In 1996, he was chosen the state of Washington's Defensive Player of the Year and voted Super Prep magazine's West Coast Defensive Player of the Year.
In 1997, Gregorak was named West Valley High School's Student-Athlete of the Year. He was named to several All-American teams that year, including USA Today. He was named team captain of the East squad in the Washington State All-Star game in 1997. He was team captain for the West in the 1997 High School All-American Game in Orlando, Florida.
He earned a B.A. degree at Colorado in communication in 2001. Ty has a son, Gage, who will be three on Feb. 13th.
