Josh Atkinson is beginning his second season in 2024 with ThunderWolves as the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.
In his first season with the Pack in 2023, Atkinson’s receivers helped the Pack offense finish in the Top 10 in Division II in both passing offense (289.7 yards per game) and scoring (42.0 points per
game). Two of Atkinson’s receivers (Reggie Retzlaff and Zack Rakowsky) earned All-RMAC honors, while Retzlaff set a new single season school record for touchdown receptions with 12. Additionally, the Pack’s receivers set a new single season school record for pass receptions with 268.
Atkinson came to CSU Pueblo after spending the 2022 season as the receiver’s coach on Bill Maskill’s staff at Midwestern State University. During the 2022 campaign, Atkinson coached an All-LSC performer in Kylan Harrison, who caught 26 passes for 354 yards and had three touchdowns on the season. Harrison is one of just three players in MSU history to amass 2,000 receiving yards in his career as he caught 118 passes for 2,034 yards and also is the school’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions with 24.
“I’ve tried to hire Coach Atkinson on three separate occasions and I’m thankful to finally land him here at CSU Pueblo,” Vigil said about Atkinson. “Not only has he played wide receiver at a high-level, but he’s also coached it at a very high-level. While at Baylor and Midwestern State, his wideouts earned multiple All-Conference honors. I know our wide receivers will be in very good hands with Coach Atkinson.”
Prior to going to Midwestern State, Atkinson, who is a native of Carrollton, Texas, served two seasons (2020-21) as an offensive graduate assistant at Baylor University.
He helped the Bears to a 12-2 record in 2021 including wins in the Big 12 Championship Game and the All-State Sugar Bowl after suffering through a 2-7 season in 2020.
Before going to Baylor, Atkinson worked two years as a graduate assistant at his alma mater, Tulsa.
Atkinson was a four-year lettermen and three-year starter at Tulsa as the 6-foot-2, 208-pound wide receiver closed his Golden Hurricane career with 2,654 yards receiving on 202 receptions, including a pair of 1,000 yard seasons.
As a senior in 2016, Atkinson was named to the preseason watch list for the Fred Biletnikoff Award, caught 78 passes for 1,058 yards and eight touchdowns to help Tulsa post a 10-3 record and a 55-10 win over Central Michigan in the Miami Beach Bowl.
He caught 76 passes for 1,071 yards in a breakout junior campaign in 2015 helping Tulsa to an appearance in the Camping World Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.
In high school, he played at The Oakridge School and was a member of the school’s 2011 State Championship team.
Atkinson earned a degree in Communications from Tulsa in 2016.
He is married to the former Jodi Edmiston, who was a four-year letter winner in softball at Tulsa. The couple are the proud parents of a son, Kai.
