James Pazak - Director of Player Personnel | Specialist Coach - Football Coaches - University of Northern Colorado Athletics

James Pazak

Title:
Director of Player Personnel | Specialist Coach
Email:
unc_football@unco.edu
Phone:
970.351.3046

Moving into the 2025 UNC Football season Pazak was named the Director of Player Personnel and will continue his work with the Specialists as JB Hall will lead the Special Teams.

Special Teams Coordinator for the 2024 season. Led the effort which included punt average of 46.3 yards per punt which ranked 5th nationally in the FCS. Punter/Kicker Hunter Green earned 1st Team Big Sky All-Conference. His longest field goal of the season was 53 yards against in-state rival Colorado State.

Coach James Pazak arrived in Greeley as part of Coach Ed Lamb’s coaching staff as the Director of Football Operations in January 2023. His time as the DFO was short lived but instrumental in the transition of the new coaching staff and coordinating the initial recruiting trips and official visits. In February 2023 he started as the Linebackers Coach. The 2023 UNC defense allowed 28.8 points per game and led the Big Sky Conference in Interceptions with 10. Linebacker Jacob Stanton earned Honorable Mention Big Sky All-Conference.

He began his coaching career as an assistant defensive backs coach at the College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, California during the 2021 season. The 2021 College of the Canyons football team finished the season with an 8-3 record and a trip to the California Community College Athletic Association playoffs. He continued to coach as an assistant defensive backs coach at the College of the Canyons during the 2022 season the Cougars compiled a 5-5 record.

Pazak was a two-sport athlete will he attended the University of Redlands where he played basketball and football. He was a two-time SCIAC All-Conference performer at cornerback in 1997 and 1998. Pazak signed to play with the Bergamo Lions football team (Italy) in 2000 where he helped win European Championships and Italian Championships in 2000, 2001, 2002.

Pazak earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communicative Disorders from the University of Redlands in December 1998. He completed work on his Master of Science degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders in December 2003.

Pazak resides in Greeley with his wife Tiffany and boys Jamo (15), Paulo (12) and Mo (10).