Sacramento State’s new strength and conditioning coach brings experience and patience to his new role.

Jared Nessland comes to the Sac State athletic program at a difficult time following the death of former strength and conditioning coach Terrance Brooks.

Nessland, who came to Sac State after three and a half years as head strength coach at Southern Illinois University, said right now his focus is on developing relationships with players and the coaches.

“It’s kind of a tough time to come in as a strength coach in season,” Nessland said. “You just can’t come in and change everything. You’re kind of in a maintenance phase in season. You’re more worried about game day.”

A track and field athlete at Montana State University, Nessland has 10 years of experience conditioning athletes at the collegiate level. Before Southern Illinois, he coached at University of North Dakota (2001-2006), University of Nebraska (2002) and University of Montana (2006-07).

Nessland comes into the program with a calm, steady approach.

“(It’s) a slow transition. The big thing is get to know the players, getting to know the coaching staff, seeing the philosophy of the program,” Nessland said.

Nessland is working with football, women’s basketball and golf, each providing their own individual challenges.

“You just need to get a feel for the strengths and weaknesses of the team, what the coaches want, (and) the style of play,” Nessland said. “You need to look at the injury prevention needs. (They) are a lot different from sport to sport, (also) the conditioning needs are a lot different.”

He is translating what the teams’ coaches expect in the weight room.

“I’ll be very involved with the redshirt players because they’ll be training for us four days (per) week. We can really implement our philosophy to develop those guys because those guys aren’t playing and they’re more in a developmental stage, whereas the upper classmen are more in a maintenance stage,” Nessland said.

Running back Jake Croxdale said he appreciates the approach Nessland has taken on the teams.

“I liked how when he first got here he brought us of all together and kind of told us he’s not here to completely change everything,”Croxdale said. “He’s here to just facilitate us and help us stay ready for the season and healthy.”

The transition from Brooks to Nessland has been a somewhat delicate one.

The life of former strength and conditioning coach Brooks was celebrated at a memorial service at Sac State on Monday. His tenure at Sac State was from February 2009 until his death on June 13. He came to Sac State from his alma mater Towson University. At Towson, he also held the same position, working with football, volleyball, swimming and golf, beginning in 2008.

Brooks played football for Towson on the offensive line from 1981 to 1984 before being signed to the Cleveland Browns in 1985 as a free agent. Shortly after, Brooks suffered a career-ending knee injury during training camp before playing his first game.

At Sac State, Brooks worked closely with the football and women’s basketball teams.

Wide receiver Brandyn Reed remembers Brooks as always being there for the team.

“He was a great mentor and he taught us how to be leaders and how to finish workouts and not just working out, (but) how to finish everything you do in life,” Reed said. “One thing he preached to us every day was (to) take advantage of every day because you never know when your time’s up.”

Defensive lineman Matt Lawrence said Brooks instilled a hard work ethic to the players and said Brooks was a “man of his word.”

“He lived by everything that he taught us,” Lawrence said.

“He will be remembered as someone who came in here and set the tone every day,” Croxdale said.

“(Brooks) will be missed around here for a long time, and we will keep a lot of his traditions that he brought with him here, we’re keeping them alive, so you get a little piece of him every day.”

Katie McMillin can be reached at [email protected].