The longest tenured member of the Weber State University football team is moving on.

Colton Swan, who joined the Wildcats as a walk-on in 1999 and then served as an assistant coach from 2004 to 2018, was hired by the University of Utah as a linebackers’ coach on Jan. 7.

“I am thankful for the opportunity coach (Kyle) Whittingham has given me and I am excited to be part of such a great program and great coaching staff,” Swan said in a release from the Utes. “While Weber State has been home to me for 20 years and I can’t say enough good things about the city, school, players and coach Jay Hill, the opportunity to coach at Utah was one I just couldn’t pass up.”

After joining the team and redshirting in 1999, Swan made his WSU debut in 2000. He became a defensive starter at the end of 2001, a position he held for the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Swan forced three fumbles and recorded an interception in his senior year.

Swan joined the Wildcats’ coaching staff in 2004 and has coached tight ends, safeties and linebackers. In addition, he was a co-defensive coordinator. In the last two seasons that saw Weber State reach double digits in wins, Swan was special teams coordinator and also coached inside linebackers.

Swan was also one of the coaches in charge of recruiting for the Wildcats in Utah and Idaho.

Linebacker LeGrand Toia tweeted, “Turned an undersized linebacker into a special teams MVP then a 2x all American. Can’t say enough about this guy. #ThanksCoach.“

Whittingham said he is looking forward to the leadership Swan brings to the table.

“He has a track record coaching several positions, most notably linebacker, as well as being an accomplished special teams coach,” Whittingham said in the Utah release. “His demeanor and coaching style are a good fit for our program and we are excited to have him join our staff.”

Losing an assistant coach to an in-state school is nothing new for WSU head coach Jay Hill. Since Hill took over in 2014, he has seen five right-hand men accept jobs at BYU or Utah.

Swan joins Steve Clark, Justin Ena, Fesi Sitake and Preston Hadley among the Weber State coaches who have moved on to the FBS ranks.