CHADRON, Neb. -- November 18, 2020 -- Clint Sasse, a full-time assistant for the Chadron State College football team this past year and a half, was elevated on Wednesday to fill the defensive coordinator role for the team, starting immediately, according to CSC Head Football Coach Jay Long.

"I've known Clint going back to 2003," said Long, "and to be able to hire him as a defensive coordinator now is incredible. He's done a great job with our defense, stepping up and having to install a new scheme on the fly. I'm very excited to continue to work with him."

In Sasse's first season full-time at CSC, he coached linebacker Tyler Lewis to All-RMAC Second Team honors, and another linebacker, Travis Wilson, led the conference in total tackles. This past season, linebackers Jeremiah Makahununiu, Noah Kerchal, and Wilson were 3 of the top 10 tacklers on a per-game basis, and three of the top five overall. Sasse temporarily filled in as coordinator for the Eagles in 2020 following the resignation of Craig Jersild.

In addition to his past two seasons of work at CSC, Sasse's qualifications include a brief stop as a defensive line coach and special teams assistant at Montana Tech.

Prior to Tech, he was at Lee Williams High in Kingman, Arizona, where he was head coach for two years and defensive coordinator for one. There he coached Eagles current starting defensive lineman Kael Juelfs, now a sophomore, to First Team All-State and a college football scholarship.

Sasse played linebacker and special teams at CSC from 2009 to 2013, and coached two seasons as a graduate assistant at CSC before heading off to Arizona.

Sasse is a native of Martin, South Dakota, and is married to the former Kelsy Wood, also a CSC alum. The pair have one son, Kal.