OGDEN, Utah — Following a national search, Eric Kjar has been named the new head coach of the Weber State football program. WSU director of athletics Tim Crompton announced the hiring on Tuesday.
Kjar is the 13th head coach in Weber State's Division I history and arrives in Ogden after unprecedented success as a Utah high school coach.
"I'm very excited to be leading the Weber State football program," Kjar said. "I believe strongly in the administration and the current roster and the talent in the state of Utah. I know we can build a championship-caliber program at Weber State, and I look forward to the challenge and getting started. Go Wildcats!"
Kjar (pronounced "Care") posted a 112-10 record with six state championships over the last nine seasons as the head coach at Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah.
He guided the Chargers to three consecutive state titles in 2018, 2019, and 2020, followed by three more championships in 2023, 2024, and 2025, along with two state runner-up finishes. His teams were nationally ranked multiple times, including as high as No. 8 in the nation. Corner Canyon also set a Utah state record with 48 consecutive wins from 2018 to 2021 and advanced to the national championship game in 2025.
Kjar coached multiple state MVPs and All-Americans, along with numerous future Division I college players and NFL draft picks, including quarterbacks Jaxson Dart and Zach Wilson, and offensive lineman Jackson Powers Johnson.
Before Corner Canyon, Kjar spent eight seasons as the head coach at Jordan High School, where he posted a 69-29 record that included a state championship in 2012. He also served as an assistant coach for five years at Jordan before becoming head coach.
In 17 years as a high school head coach, Kjar compiled a career record of 181-39.
"Coach Kjar is absolutely the right leader at the right time," Crompton said. "His deep Utah roots, proven leadership, and unwavering ability to build a program on a foundation of talent and character are the precise qualities that Weber State is looking for to define our next era of football. coach Kjar has the skill to recruit and retain student-athletes who will not only build a winning program but also exemplify the traits that define our institutional core values. We are confident his vision and leadership will elevate our entire program to sustained success."
"This is an exciting day not just for Weber State Athletics, but for the entire institution and community," Crompton added. "We want to thank the administration, the hiring committee, and the search firm College Sports Solutions for the many hours and dedicated effort put into this process. This search was exhaustive, and we are grateful for the thoroughness of all involved in securing the perfect leader for our future. We are incredibly excited to officially welcome coach Kjar and his family into our city and the entire Wildcat family. We know he shares our values and look forward to the energy and commitment he will bring as a leader and a neighbor."
Kjar, 46, is a native of Kemmerer, Wyoming, and played college football as a quarterback and wide receiver at Wayne State College in Nebraska. He graduated from Wayne State in 2004 with a bachelor's degree in education.
He and his wife Andrea are the parents of four children. Their son, Noah, is a wide receiver and kick returner at Weber State.
