William "Billy" Nixon, Ph.D., was named director of football operations by head coach Kalani Sitake in 2022. 

Entering his seventh season on Sitake’s football staff in 2022, Nixon was previously directing the equipment operations for the program during the 2020 and 2021 seasons, and was officially appointed director of equipment operations and player experience in January 2021.

Responsibilities

Nixon's responsibilities as the director of football operations include directing the daily logistics and operations of the football team. He will handle the team’s daily schedule, annual calendar, team communication, practice operations and travel logistics, including organizing hotel amenities, flight plans, bus schedules and travel itineraries. As the director of football operations, Nixon will provide oversight for equipment and video operations to help to maximize the impact of each area and continue to focus on creating an environment and culture that amplifies the player experience.

Professional Career

Nixon has spent the past decade working in both high school and collegiate athletics in administrative and coaching roles. He has served as a member of Sitake's BYU football support staff since the fall of 2016, including serving the past two seasons in 2020 and 2021 focusing on the overall player experience for members of the football team as the director of player experience and equipment operations. In this role Nixon was also responsible for developing and supervising the policies, procedures and logistics related to equipment operations for the football program. He oversaw the design, delivery, evaluation and management of equipment, branding, and development experiences for NCAA Division I recruits, student-athletes, coaches, administrators, alumni and fans. He also served on the Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) committee for the athletics department.

With a Ph.D. in sport management: athletic administration and leadership, Nixon focused his valuable contributions to the program the past two seasons on the overall player experience for football team members. He returned to BYU to work with longtime BYU football director of equipment operations Mick Hill, who retired in 2021 after a 39-year career. In this role, Nixon was instrumental in helping Hill coordinate the program's equipment operations after having previously served two years as a student assistant under Hill during Bronco Mendenhall's tenure from 2012-2014. 

Nixon also served as head coach of the Spanish Fork High School boy's lacrosse team from 2017-2018, guiding the Warriors to the 2018 Class B State Championship game. Before returning to BYU in 2016, he spent three years as a Career Technical Education (CTE) teacher and head football coach at American Leadership Academy in Spanish Fork, Utah.

Nixon is a certified member of the Athletic Equipment Manager Association, serving on the AEMA Education Committee, and is an active member of the American Football Coaches Association. 

Playing Career

A native of Alexandria, Virginia, Nixon graduated from Hayfield Secondary School, where he was a three-year letterman in football and lacrosse. During his undergraduate studies at BYU, he represented the university as a collegiate athlete on the men's lacrosse team, helping the Cougars become 2008 Rocky Mountain Lacrosse Conference Champions and 2011 Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association National Champions. A two-time recipient of the "Cougar Spirit Award" (2011 & 2012), Nixon was recognized by his teammates for leading the team with energy, excitement and a positive attitude.

Education

Dr. Nixon earned his bachelor's degree in Experience Design and Management from the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University (2014), a master's in Education from Utah State University (2016), and a doctorate in Sport Management: Athletic Administration and Leadership from Troy University (2020).

His dissertation examined how college choice factors influence student-athletes and parents' perception of environmental fit during the intercollegiate recruiting process. In addition, Dr. Nixon has researched and published numerous articles relating to NCAA compliance, sports law, transformation and servant leadership, organizational and consumer behavior and recruiting.

Hometown

Alexandria, Virginia

Personal/Family

Nixon served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bangalore, India. He is married the former Chelsea Kimball, and they have three children, Evelyn, William and Hazel.