Bio

James Colzie III has been proving himself in the college football world for the last 17 seasons. He has worked and played with some of the best coaches in the business, which includes Bobby Bowden, Mickey Andrews, Romeo Crennel, Emmitt Thomas, Blake Nill and Kevin Steele.  His career has included stops at elite Division I, Division II, U-Sport, and NJCAA football programs around the Southeast, Midwest, and Canada.  As a collegiate player and coach, he has been a part of 3 National Championships, 6 Conference Titles, and 16 Bowl Games.  

James Colzie III enters his 3^ndseason as the Head Coach at Saint Mary’s where the expectations continue to be raised, as the Huskies’ were 2 yards shy from winning their 1^stAUS title since 2010.  In 2017 Saint Mary’s finished with a 5-3 record and lost the AUS championship in double OT.  Colzie garnered two 1^stTeam All-Canadians in Returner Johnny King and Defensive Lineman Jadarius Caesar.  The Huskies also added 7 1^stTeam All-AUS selections in QB Kaleb Scott, K Brian Hope, Returner Johnny King, DL Jadarius Caesar, LB DeAndre Smith, LB Brad Herbst, and DB Antoine Lyte-Myers.  In Coach Colzie’s 1^stseason the Head Coach at Saint Mary’s his 1^stever victory was a come from behind win against Mount Allison.  That win ended an 18-game losing streak for the Huskies.  During the season Jadarius Ceasr, Deandre Smith, and Marcus MacIsaac all garnered 1^stteam All-AUS All-stars for the 2016 season. Deandre Smith took home the AUS Defensive Player of the Year, and also took home 1^stTeam All-Canadian Honours.   

Colzie left the UBC Thunderbirds as their Defensive Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach. In 2015 Colzie helped UBC to its first Vanier Cup Championship since 1997. The UBC defense was ranked 2^ndin the Canada West Conference in rushing defense, pass defense, scoring defense.

In Colzie’s lone season at Coffeyville he coached 2nd Team All-American Cornerback Jamarcus King, three 1^stTeam All Jayhawk selections at both Cornerback positions in Jalen Roundtree, King and Punt Returner Darnell Walker Jr.  He coached 2nd Team All-Conference Safety Mikal Cromartie, and two Honorable selections in Safety Devonte Foster and Placekicker Michael Pursley. The defense at Coffeyville finished 1^stin the Nation with 7 interceptions for touchdowns, and 1^stin the Nation with 10 total defensive touchdowns, and 3^rddown percentage (22%). 

Colzie enjoyed success during the 2013 season when at Simon Fraser University.  There he took over a defense that had finished dead last in all major conference defensive categories during the 2012 season and under his defense that finished 2^ndin Pass Defense, 2^ndin Opponents 1^stdown, 3^rdin third down and fourth down conversions. As the Special Teams Coordinator, his unit finished 1^st“nationally” in Punt Returns, and 2^ndin the conference in Kick-off Returns. Colzie had 3 1^stteam All-Conference players and an All-Region player.

From 2007 to 2012, Colzie had success in multiple Division II football programs where he coached 6 All-Americans and had 10 All-Conference players. Three of those years, his Special Teams were 1^stin the nation in Punt Return yards and touchdowns. In 2012 Colzie was the Recruiting Coordinator, Special Teams Coordinator, and Defensive Backs Coach at Southern Arkansas where he coached All-American Don Unamba at Cornerback. From 2008 to 2011, Colzie coached at the University of West Georgia as an Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Coordinator, Special Teams Coordinator, and Defensive Backs Coach while developing 9 All Gulf-South Conference Players and had 1 All-American at Punt Returner in 2012. In 2007, Coach Colzie was the Special Teams Coordinator and Defensive Backs Coach at Valdosta State University while the team won the Division II National Championship. That same year the defense led the nation in interceptions and his Special Teams led the nation in touchdowns. During that year, Colzie had 2 All-Americans and 3 All-Conference selections.

During the 2004-2006 seasons, Coach Colzie worked as a Defensive Graduate Assistant at Florida State. where he coached cornerbacks that included 1^stRound Picks Antonio Cromartie (2006), Patrick Robinson (2010), and 2^ndRound Pick Bryant McFadden (2005).  

James Colzie III began his coaching career in 2000 at Florida International University coaching the cornerbacks and was the Co-Special Team’s Coordinator working with returners. Before Florida International, in his playing days, he enjoyed the success of being a two-sport athlete at Florida State University.  He played from 1993-1997 on the FSU football team and starred on the baseball team.  The Florida State Seminoles won the National Championship during the 1993 season.