Southeastern University has hired Cesar Rivas-Sandoval as
its new head football coach. He becomes just the second head coach in the
history of the program.
Rivas-Sandoval, 42, comes to Southeastern with 20 years of coaching experience
on both sides of the ball as well as on special teams, and includes time at
NCAA Divisions I, II, and III institutions, and some experience at the
professional level.
“My wife, Jennifer, and our three daughters are beyond blessed to be
representing Southeastern University as its new head football coach,” said
Rivas-Sandoval. “My family is extremely excited to get started here at SEU
with our new Fire family.”
Most recently, Coach Rivas spent six seasons at NCAA Division II Azusa Pacific
University, where he worked as the assistant head coach and defensive
coordinator. In three of the last five seasons, the Cougars were the Great
Northwest Athletic Conference champions, made two playoff appearances, and
posted a 40-16 overall record.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Coach Rivas to the Fire
family,” said Southeastern University President, Dr. Kent Ingle. “His
energy is contagious, and I know he will continue to build out our program and
take us to a national championship level.”
On defense, Rivas-Sandoval coached three Cliff Harris Award finalists over the
last five seasons. The Cliff Harris Award is given annually to the nation’s top
small college defensive player.
“We are excited about beginning a new chapter in Fire football,” said
Southeastern University Executive Vice President, Dr. Chris Owen. “We are
confident that Coach Rivas will continue our winning tradition.”
During the summer of 2018, Rivas-Sandoval was a guest coach of the Canadian
Football League’s Hamilton Tiger-Cats, working with the defense. The San Diego
native has also been a part of the Bill Walsh Minority Fellowship working with
the Green Bay Packers and Miami Dolphins during two separate summers.
Rivas-Sandoval spent three seasons as a head coach and offensive coordinator at
Division II Fort Lewis College in Colorado. At Fort Lewis, he coached
quarterback Tim Jenkins who passed for nearly 9,000 yards and went on to play
for the St. Louis Rams and the Calgary Stampeders professionally. On the
defensive side, he coached the program’s all-time leader in tackles in Phil
O’Dell.
“As I spent time getting to know Cesar, it quickly became clear to me that
he would be a perfect fit for Southeastern University football,” said
Director of Athletics Drew
Watson. “His experience is impressive, but what sets him apart is his
desire for him and his staff to build life-changing relationships with
student-athletes. On the field, I am looking forward to watching our program
flourish into a perennial national championship contender under his
leadership.”
As a special teams coordinator at the University of Tennessee at Martin,
Rivas-Sandoval coached a punt returner and punter that both ranked in the top
20 at their position in average yardage during the 2008 season. At Nebraska
Kearney, the kick return unit ranked fifth nationally and the kick return
defense was 14th nationally.
In all, five players that Rivas-Sandoval has directly coached have gone on to
play professionally in either the NFL or CFL. Five players he has coached have
been named conference player of the year, and six have earned All-American
status.
“A special thank you goes to Southeastern University’s President Dr. Kent
Ingle, Executive Vice President Dr. Chris Owen and Director of Athletics Drew Watson for their
belief and trust in me to lead what I know is an amazing group of young men
representing Fire football, Southeastern University, and the Lakeland
community,” said Rivas-Sandoval. “I would also like to thank Azusa
Pacific University, Head Coach Victor Santa Cruz, Athletic Director Gary Pine,
and our entire APU Football community for their love and support over these
past six years.”
Rivas-Sandoval takes over a program that has won four conference championships
in its first six seasons of competition and has made two NAIA Football
Championship Series appearances. The Fire went 8-1 during the 2019 season and
had 16 All-Mid-South Sun Division players.
“Coach Keith Barefield and the rest of the Fire football staff have done
an amazing job of building what is now the premier place to receive a
Christ-centered college education, while playing an exciting, high level of
college football in Florida,” said Rivas-Sandoval. “I look forward to
taking what has been established and continue to build, alongside our Lakeland
community, a football program focused on transforming lives through our faith,
while building life champions on and off the field.”
Coach Rivas will officially be introduced at a press conference on Monday,
January 6, 2020, at 2:30 p.m. in the Buena Vida Auditorium on the university’s
campus. The event is open to the public.