UC Football Hires Niko Palazeti As Director Of Sport Performance

Scott Satterfield is polishing his staff ahead of UC students returning next week.

Author:
Russ Heltman
Jan 4, 2023 3:09 PM EST

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CINCINNATI — On top of new offensive coordinator Tom Manning, UC football also hired Niko Palazeti as the new director of sports performance.

Palazeti has been an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Ohio State since 2017.

“Niko comes to us as one of the most highly respected strength and conditioning coaches in the country,” Satterfield said in UC's press release. “His work on the staff at Ohio State was key to the team’s success. He has assembled a great team, and I’m looking forward to watching them interact with our student-athletes when we start our offseason program in the next few weeks.”

Palazeti is now the third off-field staffer to buy into Satterfield from Ohio State, joining General Manager Zach Grant, and director of recruiting strategy Cass Simmons.

He was the strength and conditioning coach at Maryland (2016) and Mississippi State (2015) before heading to Ohio State in 2017. Palazeti is a former Michigan State football player, strapping up the helmet from 2009-12.

Five other coaches are sharpening the strength training under Palazeti.

Christopher Friend, associate director of football sports Performance
Brandon Garcia, assistant director of football sports performance
MyQuon Stout, assistant football sports performance coach
Scott Ethington, assistant football sports performance coach

Friend worked alongside Palazeti in Columbus for the past five seasons, while Garcia has been the assistant strength and conditioning coach for UNLV football over the past three seasons.

Stout is the eighth coach to join Satterfield from Louisville, starting there in 2019. He also played on the Appalachian State defensive line for Satterfield from 2015-18.

Ethington was a strength and conditioning intern at Ohio State (2020-2021) and University of Maryland football (2019) before landing an assistant strength and conditioning coach role at Marshall last January.

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