Feb. 24, 2012

STANFORD, Calif. -- - Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football David Shaw has announced the appointment of Pete Alamar to the position of special teams coordinator.

Alamar, 51, joins the Stanford staff after serving as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Fresno State for the past two seasons.

A veteran of the Pac-12 Conference, Alamar also served as special teams coordinator/tight ends coach at California for seven seasons (2003-09) and had a six-year stay at Arizona, where he worked primarily with special teams.

Alamar has coached on four teams that won at least 10 games, twice at Arizona and twice at Cal, and has been a part of 10 bowl teams.

He also served as offensive coordinator at Eastern Michigan for three seasons from 2000-02.

"Pete came highly recommended by people who I respect in the coaching profession," said Shaw. "He is one of those rare coaches who can coach not only scheme, but also the technique of snapping, punting and kicking."

"It is an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to not only contribute to this elite football program, but also to represent a world renown academic institution like Stanford University," said Alamar.

While at Fresno State, Alamar worked closely with punt returner Devon Wylie, who earned 2011 All-America honors from Yahoo! Sports (third team), Phil Steele (fourth team) and Sports Illustrated (honorable mention). Wylie led the Western Athletic Conference and ranked fifth nationally by averaging 15.38 yards per punt return, including two for touchdowns. Sophomore Isaiah Burse set NCAA FBS single-season records for most kickoff returns (75), most returns per game (5.8), kickoff return yardage (1,606) and most yards returned per game (123.5). As a team, Fresno State ranked fourth nationally with a punt return average of 123.5.

In 2010, Alamar worked with two-time All-WAC kicker Kevin Goessling, who led the team in scoring with 105 points, making 21-of-26 field goals and 42-of-44 of his PATs. Jalen Saunders and Burse averaged over 20 yards on kick returns during the 2010 season under Alamar.

During his seven years at Cal, the Golden Bears special teams were among the most electrifying units in the nation. He coached All-America punt returner DeSean Jackson, who led the nation with an average of 18.2 yards per return and set a pair of Pac-10 records with four touchdown returns in 2006.

He also coached specialists who earned All-Pac-10 honors for six straight seasons in punter Bryan Anger, kickoff returner Javid Best, Byron Storer and Mike McGrath.

Alamar's special teams flourished during the 2006 season, as the Bears ranked fourth in the nation in punt returns (17.26) and eighth in net punting (38.27).

Sporting News rated Cal's special teams as the best in the Pac-10 in its 2007 preview issue.

In 2008, Alamar mentored punter Bryan Anger, who was a finalist for the Ray Guy Award after earning first-team freshman All-America honors and second team all-conference accolades.

In 2005, Cal ranked fifth nationally and second in the Pac-10 in punt return average (15.64) while Tim Mixon finished the season ranked ninth in the country in punt return average (14.9). In 2004, placekicker Tom Schneider set a school-record for most PATs with 56.

Prior to joining the Cal staff, Alamar served as offensive coordinator at Eastern Michigan for three seasons (2000-02), where he also coached the tight ends and the offensive line.

In 1993 and again from 1995-99, Alamar served on Dick Tomey's staff at Arizona, where he worked with special teams, tight ends and linebackers at various times during his seven-year stay in Tucson. While working with the defensive line in 1993. The Wildcats led the nation in rushing defense and ranked second in the NCAA in total defense.

In 1994, Alamar was the head coach of Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon in Mexico.

As a player, Alamar earned three letters as an offensive guard/tackle, one at Western Oregon and two at Cal Lutheran, and played on two national playoff teams, one at each school.

A native of Thousand Oaks, Calif., Alamar earned his bachelor of arts degree in physical education from Cal Lutheran in 1983.