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Assistant football coach joins the team

Tyson Helton has been named as an assistant coach for the Tigerfootball team.

Helton will take over as coach of special teams and tight endsfor the Tigers.

He is the brother of current Memphis assistant head coach ClayHelton and has coached special teams for the University of Hawaiithe past four years.

"I am pleased to announce that Tyson Helton will join ourfootball staff," said Tiger head coach Tommy West. "He has provenover the past few years to be one of the best young special teamscoaches in the country and brings a wealth of knowledge aboutspecial teams play to our program."

West coached the Tiger special teams last season.

In Helton's first season coaching full time at Hawaii in 2001,the Warriors led the nation in kickoff return yardage and broke theNCAA record for highest average gain per return (30.3).

Under the direction of Helton, return specialist/wide receiverChad Owens tied the NCAA record and became the seventh player inthe nation, to return two kicks for touchdowns in the same game, akickoff and punt against Brigham Young on Dec. 8, 2001. Inaddition, Owens broke the NCAA record for most yards gained on kickreturns with 342 (249 kickoff, 93 punt return) against theCougars.

The next year the Warriors were 36th in the nation, averaging21.4 yards on kickoff returns.

Helton also worked with former Warrior punter Mat McBriar, whois now with the NFL's Denver Broncos. McBriar averaged 43.7 yardsper punt and finished his career ranked second on Hawaii's all-timepunting list, averaging 42.22 yards.

Helton produced three all-WAC performers in Owens, Ayat andMcBriar during his time in Manoa. Ayat also earned first- teamFreshman All-America honors by Football News in 2001.


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