Southern Utah elevates Warren to football coach

(STATS) - After looking on the outside, Southern Utah decided the next leader of its program was within it already.

The Big Sky Conference university announced Sunday the promotion of defensive coordinator Demario Warren to head coach. He succeeds Ed Lamb, who resigned after eight seasons on Dec. 26 to join new coach Kalani Sitake's staff at BYU.

Warren will be introduced at a news conference on campus Monday.

"As we entered this process," athletic director Jason Butikofer said, "I had a high level of confidence that Demario was an up-and-comer in this industry and a key component of how this program has been built over the past eight years."

Warren, a UC Davis graduate, has spent the past eight seasons at Southern Utah, the last two as the defensive coordinator. The Thunderbirds led the FCS in turnover margin and the Big Sky in scoring defense while they won the conference title this season with such defensive standouts as defensive end James Cowser, safety Miles Killebrew and cornerback LeShaun Sims.

The native of Fairfield, California, also has served as Southern Utah's secondary and linebackers coach.