WKU ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS / MEDIA RELATIONS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2023
FOOTBALL / Contact: Jared MacDonald
HILLTOPPERS ANNOUNCE HIRING OF WILL FRIEND, PROMOTION OF ZAK MIZELL
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton announced the hiring of Will Friend as Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach and the promotion of Zak Mizell to Wide Receivers Coach on Tuesday.
Friend most recently served as the Offensive Line Coach at Mississippi State last season, and he's also worked in the same role at Auburn from 2021-22 and at Tennessee from 2018-20. He was the Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach at Colorado State from 2015-17 and the Offensive Line Coach at Georgia from 2011-14.
While at Tennessee, Friend developed two-time All-SEC first team lineman and eventual NFL draft pick Trey Smith. In 2019, Friend's unit featured an All-SEC First Team award winner in Smith and two SEC All-Freshman honorees in Wanya Morris and Darnell Wright. Additionally, Morris was named to the 247Sports True Freshman All-America team, and Smith – who didn't allow a sack all year – garnered a pair of SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors.
In 2017 at Colorado State, Friend led a unit that ranked 11th in the nation in total offense at 492.5 yards per game. Colorado State's 33.4 points per game in 2017 led the conference and ranked 31st in the nation.
During his final season in Athens in 2014, Friend helped guide a Bulldogs' offense that averaged 41.3 points per game, which ranked eighth nationally, and racked up 457.8 yards of total offense per game.
Overall, Friend has coached nine offensive linemen who have been selected in the NFL Draft.
Friend is a 1998 graduate of the University of Alabama who earned his bachelor's degree in human performance. He started at guard for the Crimson Tide in all four seasons and was a two-time All-SEC selection. He is a member of Alabama's Team of the Decade for the 1990s. He was a Parade Magazine All-America selection as a senior at Neshoba Central High in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Friend and his wife, Carrie, have three children – Katie, Brooks and Charlie.
"I'm excited to be here and excited to work with Coach Helton, who I've known for a long time and have a lot of respect for," Friend said.
Mizell has been with WKU in various capacities since the 2019 season, most recently as Assistant Wide Receivers Coach during the 2023 season after being promoted from an offensive quality control role. He started as a volunteer assistant in 2019 and worked as a graduate assistant the following two seasons.
Mizell played quarterback for Lindsey Wilson College from 2014-17. He was an Academic All-Mid South Conference selection in 2015, starting three games while appearing in all 11 that season for the Blue Raiders. Mizell graduated from Lindsey Wilson with a degree in Accounting.
Originally from Franklin, Tennessee, Mizell went to Page High School, where he was a three-time First Team All-District selection.
"I want to thank Coach Helton for this opportunity to coach the Wide Receivers here at Western Kentucky," Mizell said. "This place is special to me, my wife, Abigail, and our two sons, Sutton and Tatum, being here for the past five years. We have a special group of men that are both returning and coming into our room, and I look forward to developing them even more. We know what the expectations are. I can tell you since the time we've gotten back from the break that this team is hungry and we're going to do whatever it takes to bring that conference championship back to BG!"
Drew Hollingshead will now serve as WKU's Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach.
WKU is coming off an 8-5 season that culminated with a 38-35 come-from-behind victory over Old Dominion in the Famous Toastery Bowl on Dec. 18 at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Hilltoppers are slated to open the 2024 season at Alabama on Aug. 31, 2024.
For all the latest on WKU Football, follow @WKUFootball on Twitter and Instagram, and like the WKU Football Facebook page.
-@WKUSports-
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2023
FOOTBALL / Contact: Jared MacDonald
HILLTOPPERS ANNOUNCE HIRING OF WILL FRIEND, PROMOTION OF ZAK MIZELL
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – WKU Football Head Coach Tyson Helton announced the hiring of Will Friend as Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach and the promotion of Zak Mizell to Wide Receivers Coach on Tuesday.
Friend most recently served as the Offensive Line Coach at Mississippi State last season, and he's also worked in the same role at Auburn from 2021-22 and at Tennessee from 2018-20. He was the Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach at Colorado State from 2015-17 and the Offensive Line Coach at Georgia from 2011-14.
While at Tennessee, Friend developed two-time All-SEC first team lineman and eventual NFL draft pick Trey Smith. In 2019, Friend's unit featured an All-SEC First Team award winner in Smith and two SEC All-Freshman honorees in Wanya Morris and Darnell Wright. Additionally, Morris was named to the 247Sports True Freshman All-America team, and Smith – who didn't allow a sack all year – garnered a pair of SEC Offensive Lineman of the Week honors.
In 2017 at Colorado State, Friend led a unit that ranked 11th in the nation in total offense at 492.5 yards per game. Colorado State's 33.4 points per game in 2017 led the conference and ranked 31st in the nation.
During his final season in Athens in 2014, Friend helped guide a Bulldogs' offense that averaged 41.3 points per game, which ranked eighth nationally, and racked up 457.8 yards of total offense per game.
Overall, Friend has coached nine offensive linemen who have been selected in the NFL Draft.
Friend is a 1998 graduate of the University of Alabama who earned his bachelor's degree in human performance. He started at guard for the Crimson Tide in all four seasons and was a two-time All-SEC selection. He is a member of Alabama's Team of the Decade for the 1990s. He was a Parade Magazine All-America selection as a senior at Neshoba Central High in Philadelphia, Mississippi.
Friend and his wife, Carrie, have three children – Katie, Brooks and Charlie.
"I'm excited to be here and excited to work with Coach Helton, who I've known for a long time and have a lot of respect for," Friend said.
Mizell has been with WKU in various capacities since the 2019 season, most recently as Assistant Wide Receivers Coach during the 2023 season after being promoted from an offensive quality control role. He started as a volunteer assistant in 2019 and worked as a graduate assistant the following two seasons.
Mizell played quarterback for Lindsey Wilson College from 2014-17. He was an Academic All-Mid South Conference selection in 2015, starting three games while appearing in all 11 that season for the Blue Raiders. Mizell graduated from Lindsey Wilson with a degree in Accounting.
Originally from Franklin, Tennessee, Mizell went to Page High School, where he was a three-time First Team All-District selection.
"I want to thank Coach Helton for this opportunity to coach the Wide Receivers here at Western Kentucky," Mizell said. "This place is special to me, my wife, Abigail, and our two sons, Sutton and Tatum, being here for the past five years. We have a special group of men that are both returning and coming into our room, and I look forward to developing them even more. We know what the expectations are. I can tell you since the time we've gotten back from the break that this team is hungry and we're going to do whatever it takes to bring that conference championship back to BG!"
Drew Hollingshead will now serve as WKU's Co-Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach.
WKU is coming off an 8-5 season that culminated with a 38-35 come-from-behind victory over Old Dominion in the Famous Toastery Bowl on Dec. 18 at Jerry Richardson Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Hilltoppers are slated to open the 2024 season at Alabama on Aug. 31, 2024.
For all the latest on WKU Football, follow @WKUFootball on Twitter and Instagram, and like the WKU Football Facebook page.
-@WKUSports-
