UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Saginaw Valley State University football team added Zack Blair and Caleb Rufener, two coaches from the nationally-ranked National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) program Indiana Wesleyan, to the staff.

Blair will coach the Cardinal running backs and passing game coordinator while also taking the responsibility of recruiting coordinator. Ruefener will head the tight ends while also being the community & outreach coordinator.

"We are excited by the additions of Zack Blair and Caleb Rufener," said SVSU head football coach Ryan Brady. "Both gentlemen value servant leadership and building lasting relationships with our players and future recruits.  Coach Blair and Coach Rufener embody the staff dynamic that I am looking for here at SVSU and both have added to our culture and climate.  What excites me most is they are relentless workers with a passion for football, people, and winning."

Blair was on the Wildcats coaching staff since 2020 when he started as the running backs coach. He added tight ends to his responsibilities in 2021 before moving on to wide receivers and passing game coordinator in 2022. Blair played collegiately at NCAA Division I Ball State University and at Indiana Wesleyan. Blair was a two-time captain and an All-MSFA Mideast quarterback in 2019.

Ruefener spent 2022 on the IWU coaching staff as the tight ends coach. Prior to that, he was a student-athlete on the team where he was a four-year starter at center and a four-time captain. He was also named an all-conference athlete twice during his playing career.

While is IWU, the duo helped the team become the Mid-States Football Association Mideast Champions in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Wildcats were semi-finalists in the NAIA Playoffs in 2022. Blair coached the MSFA offensive player of the year, a first-time honor for the Wildcats program, and also led an NAIA First-Team All-American at wide receiver in 2022. Had two wideouts earn all-conference honors and another earned an honorable mention. Ruefener developed a first-team all-conference tight end in 2022 and helped Indiana Wesleyan achieve a top-five ranking in the final NAIA coaches' poll of the 2022 campaign.