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The due date was in a week, and Craig Stutzmann still had not come up with a name for his “baby.” Through his football-playing days at Saint Louis School and the University of Hawaii, Stutzmann was steeped in the knowledge of the run-and-shoot offense, a read-and-attack passing scheme rooted in four-receiver formations. But in his growing coaching career, he picked up complementary concepts. In August 2014, a week ahead of his debut as Emory & Henry’s offensive coordinator, Stutzmann was set to debut his baby: a custom-created offense that attached a running game — featuring a tight end in place of a slotback — to the run-and-shoot. Sometimes there would be quick tosses from the shotgun; sometimes run-pass options would be employed. The scheme was set to different tempos — fast, super fast and moderate. “We’re sitting around a week before our first game,” said Stutzmann, recalling a discussion with his wife, Briana, “and she’s like, ‘What do you think about the offense?’ It was super different back then. I thought it was cutting edge. She said, ‘Craig, how do you think it’s going to be?’ I said it’s going to be either really bad or really good.” He also recalled telling his wife: “We spread the field, we attack. We try to take the defense apart and shred ’em. She said, ‘Craig, it’s spread-and-shred. That’s the offensive name.’ I said, ‘Wow, that’s really good. She named the offense.” With tips from Emory & Henry head coach Curt Newsome, Stutzmann expanded the run game. On Nick Rolovich’s staff at UH and Washington State, O-line coach Mark Weber introduced Stutzmann to more zone and gap blocking to complement the traps on rushes. Stutzmann also picked up concepts from an internship with the Green Bay Packers, where he sat in on meetings with coach Matt LaFleur and quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Now as offensive coordinator with San Jose State, Stutzmann works with Mike Judge, who was the Miami Dolphins’ tight ends coach for five years. The collection of ideas has produced a San Jose State offense that is prolific and, to run-and-shoot purists such as Rolovich and former UH coach June Jones, mostly unrecognizable. Stutzmann has enjoyed his career’s path. “Where I am today as a football coach,” Stutzmann said, “is attributed to being at different places.” But Stutzmann concedes it will be emotional when the Spartans play host to the Rainbow Warriors this Saturday at CEFCU Stadium. Stutzmann and his brother Billy Ray Stutzmann, the Spartans’ receivers coach, grew up in Varsity Circle, neighboring UH’s lower campus. “My childhood heroes were all University of Hawaii guys,” Stutzmann recalled. “Not just football players, but also baseball players, like Johnny Matias and Billy Blanchette.” He also revered quarterbacks Garrett Gabriel and Kenny Niumatalolo, who’s now the Spartans’ head coach, and slotback Jeff Sydner. As a UH slotback, Stutzmann caught passes from Dan Robinson, Timmy Chang and Rolovich. It was Rolovich, who was UH’s head coach at the time, who hired Stutzmann as pass-game coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2016. It was Stutzmann’s second stint as a UH coach. Stutzmann, in turn, recommended Chang as his replacement at Emory & Henry. In January 2020, Stutzmann followed Rolovich, who was hired as Washington State’s head coach, to Pullman, Wash. Stutzmann was an applicant for the vacated UH job, a position that eventually went to Todd Graham. “Would I have loved to be the University of Hawaii head coach?” Stutzmann said. “Absolutely. No doubt. But at the same time, I’m also happy and excited about where I am today.” In January 2022, Graham resigned, ending a tumultuous two-year tenure as the Warriors’ leader. By then, Stutzmann, Rolovich and three other assistants had left Washington State for failing to comply with the state’s COVID-19 vaccination mandate. Stutzmann joined Utah Tech, while Chang was hired as Graham’s successor as UH head coach. “When the head coaching job in Hawaii is open, who’s not going to want this job?” Chang said. “Craig has a passion, just like I do, for the University of Hawaii and the state. We share that passion. God willing, I was blessed to get it. But that hasn’t stopped Craig from being a great coach. Oh, my gosh, he’s unbelievable. He understands people. He understands football and he understands how to get his guys to play their best. That’s what’s great about him.” Stutzmann said: “I’m happy a Saint Louis guy is the (UH) head coach right now. And Timmy’s doing great things. They’re running the run-and-shoot. There’s a lot of pride. And there’s a lot of the culture of Hawaii. What Timmy is doing there is what I think they needed after we left (in 2020). When Rolo left, some of that left, too.” Stutzmann added: “You’ve seen the time spent from Timmy building the culture and bringing the Hawaii boys back. It’s really showing in the way they play. And it’s also showing with the guys from the mainland, the way they play and how they’ve bought into the Hawaii culture. They’ve bought into the toughness and playing for the state. I’m really excited and happy for Timmy. I couldn’t be happier for anybody else.” Stutzmann, who was hired by Niumatalolo in 2024, enjoys working with one of his mentors. The SJSU staff also includes former Warrior John Estes as O-line coach and, of course, Billy Ray Stutzmann. The Stutzmann brothers and their wives, both of whom are Kamehameha alumnae, have weekly dinners together. “I couldn’t ask for a better situation,” Craig Stutzmann said. “When you talk about coaching at a school where your brother is coaching with you. We see each other every day. After wins, we give each other big hugs. After losses, we hug and say, ‘On to the next one.’ Our head coach (Niumatalolo) is from Hawaii and one of the greatest coaches. I don’t get to read about his coaching, I get to live it and learn from it. And John Estes is here. There are a lot of Polynesians out here. It’s really special. I’m blessed.”
