A.J. Blazek is in his 4th season as an assistant coach with the Winona State football team. Blazek spent the 2009 season as WSU’s offensive line coach and was promoted to co-offensive coordinator to go along with coaching the offensive line and tight ends before the 2010 season.
Blazek has developed an offensive line that paved the way for Rayon Simmons to lead the NSIC in rushing with 1,252 yards in 2010. Simmons posted a second consecutive 1,000 yard season in 2011 with 1,326. The Warriors were 19th nationally in rushing offense in 2010 (203.8 ypg) and 26th in 2011 (212.1 ypg)
In three seasons, nine linemen under Blazek have earned all-NISC honors, including first-team honorees Jason Enos and Richard Lilla. Lilla has been named to the all-league team in both of his seasons under Blazek’s tutelage.
Blazek tutored pre-season All-American Seth Haun and a third-team All-American in Enos during his first season in Winona. He also worked with first-team Academic All-American Marcus Greatens. Greatens was invited to play in the Cactus Bowl following the 2009 season.
Before joining the Warriors, Blazek was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Fort Hays State from 2005-08. Five linemen were all-conference selections for Blazek at Fort Hays State. Jordan Stricker earned ESPN Acdemic All-American recognition in 2008.
Blazek coached at the University of Iowa from 2001-2004, spending the first season as a student assistant before working as a graduate assistant from 2002-04. During his time in Iowa City the Hawkeyes won two Big Ten titles. He coached the Hawkeye offensive line in 2003-04 where he helped the team to bowl victories over Florida and LSU. Blazek’s offensive linemen helped the Hawkeyes ring up the second ranked pass offense in the Big Ten. In 2003 Blazek helped tutor future No. 1 NFL Draft pick Robert Gallery as well as pros Eric Steinbach, David Porter and Brian Ferentz.
Blazek was a two-time letter winner at center with the Hawkeyes. He was an All-Big Ten selection in 2000 and served as co-captain for that team as well. He was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree as well.
He was an All-American and Academic All-American at Butler County Community College (KS), leading the team to the 1998 NJCAA National Championship.
Blazek played two seasons for the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League. He was the recipient of the 2001 Walter Payton Award for community service.
Blazek graduated from the University of Iowa in 2001 with a Bachelor of Art degree in Health Promotions. In 2004 he earned a Master of Art in Sports Administration from the University of Iowa.
Along with his coaching responsibilities within the football program, Blazek works within the athletic department as Community Service Coordinator. Blazek is the advisor of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and has guided Warrior student-athletes to record a record number of community service hours.
Blazek and his wife Kyla have three children, Cooper, Macey and newborn Reece.
