Pete Alamar joined the Stanford staff in 2012 after serving as special teams coordinator and tight ends coach at Fresno State. The 2015 season is his fourth on The Farm.
A veteran of the Pac-12 Conference, Alamar also served as special teams coordinator and 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 five teams that won at least 10 games -- two at Arizona, two at Cal and two at Stanford -- and has been a part of 12 bowl teams.
In 2014, Alamar helped the Cardinal lead the nation in punt return average. Ty Montgomery averaged 19.8 yards per return and had two touchdowns, and freshman Christian McCaffrey averaged 17.1 yards per return.
Under Alamar’s watch, fifth-year senior Jordan Williamson set a Stanford record with 77 consecutive extra points made and also passed John Hopkins for the most field goals made in a Stanford career with 62.
The special teams units made a big impact for Stanford in 2013. Montgomery and the kickoff return unit ranked second nationally in return average at 27.4 yards/return. Montgomery returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, going 99 yards on the opening kickoff against Washington and a school-record 100 yards at Utah. The kickoff coverage unit was equally as good, allowing just 18.1 yards/return to rank 10th nationally.
Alamar was named Phil Steele's Special Teams Coach of the Year following the 2013 season.
Alamar steered Stanford’s 2013 special teams to a trio of top 40 NCAA rankings, including net punting (33rd - 38.49 yards/punt), punt returns (21st - 11.96 yards/return) and kickoff returns (39th - 23.09).
Stanford also led the Pac-12 and ranked 10th nationally in kickoff coverage, allowing just 18.2 yards/return during the 2013 season. Williamson made 16 of his 20 field goal attempts, including 13 of 14 inside 40 yards. Punter Ben Rhyne, the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year, averaged 42.1 yards/punt with 10 kicks of 50 or more yards. He placed 15 punts inside the 20-yard line while notching just one touchback.
Alamar’s specialists Daniel Zychlinski and Williamson posted banner years in 2012 with Zychlinski ranking among the nation’s best punters at 43.12 yards/punt. Williamson delivered a series of clutch field goals at No. 1 Oregon, against UCLA in the Pac-12 Championship game and against Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl Game.
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). Sophomore Isaiah Burse set NCAA FBS single-season records for most kickoff returns (75), most returns/game (5.8), kickoff return yardage (1,606) and most yards returned/game (123.5).
Recruiting Areas
California (Central Coast, Valley, Inland Empire), Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas (Houston, Southeastern), Nevada
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 two years at Fresno State, the Bulldogs blocked 18 kicks.
Throughout Alamar’s seven seasons at Cal, the Golden Bears special teams were among the most electrifying units in the nation. Alamar coached All-America punt returner DeSean Jackson, who led the nation with an average of 18.2 yards/return and set a pair of Pac-10 records with four touchdown returns in 2006.
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.
Alamar earned three letters as an offensive lineman at Western Oregon (1) and Cal Lutheran (2), and played on two national playoff teams, one at each school.
A native of Thousand Oaks, Calif., Alamar earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Cal Lutheran in 1983.
Pete and his wife, Tina, have three daughters -- Alicia, Alexandra and Amanda.
The Alamar File
Season
|
Program
|
Position
|
1983
|
Cal Poly
|
Graduate Assistant
|
1984
|
Louisiana-Lafayette
|
Graduate Assistant
|
1985-86
|
Cal Lutheran
|
Offensive Line
|
1987-88
|
Cal Poly
|
Running Backs
|
1991-92
|
James Madison
|
Tight Ends Defensive Assistant
|
1993
|
Arizona
|
Graduate Assistant
|
1994
|
Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon
|
Head Coach
|
1995
|
Arizona
|
Tight Ends
|
1996
|
Arizona
|
Special Teams Tight Ends
|
1997
|
Arizona
|
Special Teams Linebackers
|
1998-99
|
Arizona
|
Special Teams Tight Ends
|
2000
|
Eastern Michigan
|
Offensive Coordinator Offensive Line
|
2001-02
|
Eastern Michigan
|
Offensive Coordinator Tight Ends
|
2003-09
|
California
|
Special Teams Tight Ends
|
2010-11
|
Fresno State
|
Special Teams Tight Ends
|
2012-15
|
Stanford
|
Special Teams Coordinator
|