Football
- Title:
- Defensive Coordinator / Linebackers
Boise State University named Andy Avalos, a former Bronco student-athlete, assistant coach and defensive coordinator, the 11th football head coach in the program’s history as a four-year institution, Director of Athletics Jeramiah Dickey announced Jan. 9, 2021.
Avalos, a team captain and all-conference linebacker during his playing career (2000-04) under head coaches Dirk Koetter and Dan Hawkins, is just the second graduate of Boise State to lead the Broncos’ football program (Bryan Harsin). He previously coached at Boise State from 2012-18 under head coaches Chris Petersen and Harsin, ascending to defensive coordinator for the 2016-18 seasons before accepting the same role at Oregon for two seasons (2019-20) under head coach Mario Cristobal.
In addition to coaching stops at Boise State (2012-18) and Oregon (2019-20), Avalos also spent time working under Hawkins at Colorado (2006-08), at Sacramento State (2011) and at Nebraska-Kearney (2009-10).
Avalos was named the Mountain West Coach of the Year in 2022 after leading the Broncos to a 10-4 record, capped off by a 35-32 victory over North Texas in the Frisco Bowl. Boise State finished 7-5 in his first season as the Broncos' head coach.
During his five seasons as a defensive coordinator, Avalos established himself as one of college football’s premier coordinators. He was named a semifinalist for the Broyles Award, which honors college football’s top assistant coach, during his first season at Oregon in 2019.
The Ducks won Pac-12 championships each season with Avalos in charge of the defense, adding to three Mountain West Championships the Broncos captured with Avalos on staff (2012, 2014 and 2017) and two Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championships while at Nebraska-Kearney (2009-10). As a student-athlete, Avalos won three Western Athletic Conference championships (2002, 2003, 2004) in his four years as a starting linebacker.
In Avalos’ two seasons at Oregon, the Ducks earned a victory in the 2020 Rose Bowl and played in the 2021 Fiesta Bowl, a game the Broncos also appeared in during the 2014 season, defeating Arizona (38-30) for Boise State’s third victory in the game. With Avalos on staff, Boise State also appeared in the Las Vegas Bowl (2012 and 2017), the Hawai’i Bowl (2013), the Poinsettia Bowl (2015) and the Cactus Bowl (2016), and was selected to play in the First Responder Bowl (2018). While Avalos was playing for the Broncos, Boise State appeared in the 2002 Humanitarian Bowl, the 2003 Fort Worth Bowl and the 2004 Liberty Bowl, a game in which he returned an interception 92 yards for a touchdown.
Avalos has overseen the development of 50 student-athletes that have garnered all-conference honors, and multiple All-Americans, of whom several will be familiar to Bronco Nation - DeMarcus Lawrence, Curtis Weaver and Leighton Vander Esch. Ducks defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux picked up All-America accolades this past season, in addition to being one of four student-athletes to earn Freshman All-America honors in Avalos’ two seasons with Oregon (linebacker Noah Sewell in 2020, and Thibodeaux, defensive back Verone McKinley III and linebacker Mase Funa in 2019). Thibodeaux and Sewell were named Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2019-20).
Vander Esch was named MW Defensive Player of the Year for the Broncos in 2017 before declaring early for the National Football League Draft and ultimately being selected in the first round by the Dallas Cowboys. Lawrence and Weaver also opted to forego their final seasons of eligibility with the Broncos, being selected in the second and fifth rounds, respectively.
Oregon led the Pac-12 in sacks over the course of his two seasons as coordinator, and ranked third in the conference in both rush defense and total defense. Oregon finished the 2019 season ninth in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 16.5 points per game. The Ducks ranked 13th nationally in rushing defense (108.93 yards per game) and 22nd in total defense (329.1 YPG). Avalos’ defense disrupted opposing offenses, finishing second in the country in interceptions (20), sixth in passes defended (76), 13th in sacks (41.0) and 21st in tackles-for-loss (97.0).
Prior to joining the Oregon staff, Avalos spent seven seasons coaching at Boise State, including the final three as defensive coordinator. During his time as coordinator the Broncos led the MW in sacks, ranked second in rush defense and third in total defense. While at his alma mater he also served as defensive line coach (2012-13) and linebackers coach (2014-15).
Avalos started his coaching career in his hometown of Corona, Calif., where he coached linebackers at Corona High School. He then spent three seasons as a graduate assistant at Colorado before coaching two seasons at Nebraska-Kearney and one at Sacramento State.
A four-year letterwinner for the Broncos, Avalos earned first-team All-WAC honors at outside linebacker in each of his final two seasons. He completed his career ranked fourth all-time with 355 tackles, and led the Broncos in the statistical category in each of his final three seasons. He was named to the All-Blue Team during the 2016 season, a list of the 30 greatest players at Boise State since the inception of The Blue in 1986.
Avalos and his wife Summer had their first child, a daughter named Paityn, Jan. 31, 2014, and added a second daughter, Paige, April 12, 2016.
OREGON (2019-20)
In Avalos’ first season at the helm of the Ducks’ defense, Oregon improved significantly in nearly every major statistical category on its way to a Pac-12 Conference title, a win in the Rose Bowl and a 12-2 overall record while ranking among the nation’s elite units. The Ducks would go on to win a second-straight Pac-12 championship in 2020, earning an invitation to the 2021 Fiesta Bowl.
The Ducks allowed just 16.5 points per game in Avalos’ debut season, which ranked ninth in the nation and second in the Pac-12. Oregon also ranked 13th in the country and second in the Pac-12 in rush defense (108.93 YPG), an improvement of more than 35 yards per game from the previous season’s defense that finished 43rd in the nation and fifth in the conference. Avalos’ defense also improved from 55th nationally to 22nd in total defense, allowing 56.8 fewer yards per game, and from sixth to second in the Pac-12. Oregon’s pass defense allowed 21.5 fewer passing yards per game than the 2018 team, moving up from 82nd in the country to 53rd and from eighth in the Pac-12 to second.
Disruption of opposing offenses was a staple of Oregon’s defensive success under Avalos in 2019. The Ducks led the Pac-12 in sacks (41), tackles-for-loss (97) and interceptions (20), all improvements over the previous season’s numbers. Oregon finished second in the nation in picks, up from 11th the previous year, and was 13th in sacks (up from 49th) and 21st in TFLs (up from 72nd). The Ducks also ranked sixth in the country and first in the Pac-12 in passes defended.
Eight of Avalos’ players on defense garnered postseason recognition in 2019. Senior linebacker Troy Dye, who was picked in the fourth round of the 2020 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, earned Associated Press first-team All-Pac-12 honors. Dye was joined on the AP first team by freshman Kayvon Thibodeaux, while sophomore Jevon Holland and junior Deommodore Lenoir claimed second-team accolades. Thomas Graham Jr. and Jordon Scott were named honorable mention all-league by the coaches.
Thibodeaux earned Pac-12 Conference Freshman Defensive Player of the Year in a vote of the league’s coaches, while also claiming first-team Freshman All-America recognition from The Athletic, USA Today and 247Sports. Safety Verone McKinley III claimed FWAA first-team Freshman All-America honors, while outside linebacker Mase Funa was a second-team Freshman All-America pick by The Athletic.
Following the 2020 season, seven of his defensive student-athletes were honored on All-Pac-12 Teams, including Thibodeaux and sophomore cornerback Mykael Wright, who were each named to the first team by both the AP and coaches. Lenior picked up second-team honors, while sophomore linebacker Austin Faoliu, sophomore safety Jamal Hill, junior inside linebacker Isaac Slade-Matautia and freshman inside linebacker Noah Sewell were each named honorable mention by the league’s coaches.
Thibodeaux picked up All-America honors from both the FWAA (second team) and AP (third team), and Sewell was named Pac-12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year while also garnering Freshman All-America honors from both The Athletic and 247Sports.
BOISE STATE (2012-18)
Avalos played a critical role in the Broncos' defense upon returning to Boise State, a unit that ranked 10th nationally in sacks (3.0 per game) and 20th nationally in turnovers forced (24) in 2018. Included in the turnover count were 17 fumble recoveries, the most in the country. Boise State also scored four defensive touchdowns in 2018, tied for the sixth-most in the country.
Boise State ranked 22nd nationally in total defense in 2017, allowing 332.6 yards per game. The Broncos also boasted the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in Leighton Vander Esch, who declared early for the National Football League Draft and was ultimately selected in the first round at No. 19 overall by the Dallas Cowboys. Vander Esch went on to earn second-team All-Pro honors and an invitation to the Pro Bowl in his rookie season.
In 2016, his first season as defensive coordinator, six players earned All-Mountain West honors – including a pair of linebackers. Ben Weaver was named second-team all-conference after leading Boise State with 108 tackles (58 solo), while Tanner Vallejo was named honorable mention despite his final collegiate campaign being cut short due to injury.
In 2017, nine were honored on all-conference teams. Joining Vander Esch on the first team were cornerback Tyler Horton and STUD Curtis Weaver, the first freshman in league history to be named to the first team. Fellow STUD Jabril Frazier, defensive tackle David Moa and safety Kekoa Nawahine were named to the second team, and linebacker Tyson Maeva, defensive end Durrant Miles and safety DeAndre Pierce garnered honorable mention.
In 2018, a trio – Weaver, Frazier and Horton – garnered first-team all-conference accolades, while Nawahine, Miles and cornerback Avery Williams were named honorable mention.
The Broncos forced 31 turnovers in both 2014 and 2015, ranking tied for fifth nationally in the latter season and ninth nationally in the former. In 2017, the Broncos forced 26 turnovers, ranking 16th nationally.
During Avalos' two seasons overseeing the defensive line, three Broncos combined to earn five All-Mountain West honors, including two-time first-team honoree DeMarcus Lawrence, and fellow first-team recipients Mike Atkinson and Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe.
Lawrence, who also earned All-America accolades in 2013 from both the Walter Camp Foundation (second team) and SI.com (honorable mention), has gone on to earn second-team All-Pro honors with the Dallas Cowboys while also earning two invitations to the Pro Bowl.
The Broncos ranked 11th nationally in sacks in 2012 (2.92), and tied for 30th in TFLs (6.7) in 2013. Lawrence ranked amongst the national leaders in sacks in each season under Avalos, finishing 2012 ranked tied for 18th (0.86 per game), and tied for 10th nationally in 2013 (0.88).
In Avalos' debut season with the Broncos, the Broncos also ranked eighth nationally in scoring defense (15.77) and 12th nationally in total defense (315.62).
SACRAMENTO STATE (2011)
Avalos served as linebackers coach in his lone season with the Hornets. He coached current Minnesota Vikings inside linebacker Todd Davis to All-Big Sky honors on a team that picked up a nonconference win at Oregon State to open the season.
NEBRASKA KEARNEY (2009-10)
Avalos started his full-time coaching career at Nebraska-Kearney, where he served as the Lopers’ defensive line coach. During his two seasons in Kearney, UNK compiled a 20-4 record, including a 17-1 record in conference games.
In Avalos’ first season, the Lopers finished conference play undefeated (9-0) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II Playoffs, ending with a final record of 11-2.
Eight players Avalos coached earned all-conference honors in his two seasons at Nebraska-Kearney, with Mason Brodine claiming first-team honors following both seasons. Brodine was also one of two players coached by Avalos to earn all-region honors, joining Josh Rohde.
COLORADO (2006-08)
Avalos spent three seasons as a graduate assistant on Dan Hawkins’ staff at Colorado. During his time in Boulder, Avalos coached Brad Jones, who was a member of 2011 Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers.
NFL DRAFT PICKS COACHED
2020 (RD 4) LB Troy Dye – Oregon – Minnesota Vikings
2020 (RD 5) DE Curtis Weaver – Boise State – Miami Dolphins
2018 (RD 1) OLB Leighton Vander Esch – Dallas Cowboys
2017 (RD 6) LB Tanner Vallejo – Buffalo Bills
2016 (RD 2) DE Kamalei Correa – Baltimore Ravens
2014 (RD 2) DE DeMarcus Lawrence – Dallas Cowboys
2009 (RD 7) LB Brad Jones – Green Bay Packers
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
2020 Pac-12 Conference – Oregon (Defensive Coordinator)
2019 Pac-12 Conference – Oregon (Defensive Coordinator)
2019 Pac-12 North – Oregon (Defensive Coordinator)
2018 MWC Mountain Division* – Boise State (Defensive Coordinator)
2017 Mountain West Conference – Boise State (Defensive Coordinator)
2017 MWC Mountain Division – Boise State (Defensive Coordinator)
2016 MWC Mountain Division* – Boise State (Defensive Coordinator)
2014 Mountain West Conference – Boise State (Linebackers)
2014 MWC Mountain Division – Boise State (Linebackers)
2012 Mountain West Conference* – Boise State (Defensive Line)
2010 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference* – Nebraska Kearney (Defensive Line)
2009 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference – Nebraska Kearney (Defensive Line)
2004 Western Athletic Conference – Boise State (Player)
2003 Western Athletic Conference – Boise State (Player)
2002 Western Athletic Conference – Boise State (Player)
*-Co-Champions
BOWL GAMES
2021 Fiesta Bowl – Oregon (Defensive Coordinator)
2020 Rose Bowl – Oregon (Defensive Coordinator)
2018 First Responder Bowl – Boise State (Defensive Coordinator)
2017 Las Vegas Bowl – Boise State (Defensive Coordinator)
2016 Cactus Bowl – Boise State (Defensive Coordinator)
2015 Poinsettia Bowl – Boise State (Linebackers)
2014 Fiesta Bowl – Boise State (Linebackers)
2013 Hawaii Bowl – Boise State (Defensive Line)
2012 MAACO Bowl Las Vegas – Boise State (Defensive Line)
2007 Independence Bowl – Colorado (Graduate Assistant)
2004 Liberty Bowl – Boise State (Player)
2003 Fort Worth Bowl – Boise State (Player)
2002 Humanitarian Bowl – Boise State (Player)
DIVISION II PLAYOFFS
2009 Second Round – Nebraska Kearney (Defensive Line)
ALL-AMERICANS COACHED
2020 DL Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon (FWAA – 2nd, AP – 3rd)
2017 WLB Leighton Vander Esch – Boise State (Phil Steele – 4th)
2017 DE Curtis Weaver – Boise State (Phil Steele – 4th, SB Nation — HM)
2013 DE DeMarcus Lawrence – Boise State (Walter Camp – 2nd)
FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICANS COACHED
2020 LB Noah Sewell – Oregon (The Athletic, 247Sports)
2019 DB Verone McKinley III – Oregon (FWAA – 1st)
2019 DE Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon (The Athletic, USA Today, 247Sports – 1st)
2019 OLB Mase Funa – Oregon (The Athletic – 2nd)
2017 DE Curtis Weaver – Boise State (FWAA, USA Today)
ALL-REGION SELECTIONS COACHED
2010 DE Mason Brodine – Nebraska Kearney – Rocky Mountain Athletic (Daktronics – 2nd)
2009 DL Josh Rohde – Nebraska Kearney – Rocky Mountain Athletic (Daktronics – 1st)
CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR COACHED
2020 ILB Noah Sewell – Oregon – Pac-12 (Freshman Defensive Player of the Year)
2019 DE Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon – Pac-12 (Freshman Defensive Player of the Year)
2017 WLB Leighton Vander Esch – Mountain West (Defensive Player of the Year)
ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS COACHED
2020 DE Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 1st, Coaches – 1st)
2020 CB Mykael Wright – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 1st, Coaches – 1st)
2020 CB Deommodore Lenoir – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 2nd, Coaches – 2nd)
2020 DL Austin Faoliu – Oregon – Pac-12 (Coaches – HM)
2020 Jamal Hill – Oregon – Pac-12 (Coaches – HM)
2020 ILB Isaac Slade-Matautia – Oregon – Pac-12 (Coaches – HM)
2020 ILB Noah Sewell – Oregon – Pac-12 (Coaches – HM)
2019 LB Troy Dye – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 1st, Coaches – 2nd)
2019 DL Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 1st, Coaches—HM)
2019 DB Jevon Holland – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 2nd, Coaches—HM)
2019 DB Deommodore Lenoir – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 2nd, Coaches—HM)
2019 DB Thomas Graham Jr. – Oregon – Pac-12 (Coaches—HM)
2019 DL Jordon Scott – Oregon – Pac-12 (Coaches—HM)
2018 DL Jabril Frazier – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2018 DB Tyler Horton – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2018 DE Curtis Weaver – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2018 DL Durrant Miles – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – HM)
2018 DB Kekoa Nawahine – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – HM)
2018 DB Avery Williams – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – HM)
2017 DB Tyler Horton – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2017 WLB Leighton Vander Esch – Boise State -- Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2017 DE Curtis Weaver – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2017 DL Jabril Frazier -- Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 2nd)
2017 DL David Moa -- Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 2nd)
2017 DB Kekoa Nawahine -- Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 2nd)
2017 LB Tyson Maeva – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – HM)
2017 DL Durrant Miles – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – HM)
2017 DB DeAndre Pierce – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – HM)
2016 DL Sam McCaskill – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2016 DL David Moa – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2016 DB Chanceller James -- Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 2nd)
2016 DB Jonathan Moxey -- Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 2nd)
2016 LB Ben Weaver -- Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 2nd)
2016 LB Tanner Vallejo – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – HM)
2015 LB Tanner Vallejo -- Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – HM)
2014 LB Tanner Vallejo -- Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 2nd)
2013 DL DeMarcus Lawrence – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2013 DL Ricky Tjong-A Tjoe – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2012 DL Mike Atkinson – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2012 DL DeMarcus Lawrence – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – 1st)
2012 DL Ricky Tjong-A Tjoe – Boise State – Mountain West (Coaches/Media – HM)
2011 LB Todd Davis – Sacramento State – Big Sky (Coaches – HM)
2010 DE Mason Brodine – Nebraska Kearney – Rocky Mountain Athletic (Coaches – 1st)
2010 DT Josh Rohde – Nebraska Kearney – Rocky Mountain Athletic (Coaches – 1st)
2010 DE Cory Morten – Nebraska Kearney – Rocky Mountain Athletic (Coaches – 3rd)
2010 DE Alex Paicurich – Nebraska Kearney – Rocky Mountain Athletic (Coaches – 3rd)
2010 DT Justin Thiel – Nebraska Kearney – Rocky Mountain Athletic (Coaches – 3rd)
2009 DE Mason Brodine – Nebraska Kearney – Rocky Mountain Athletic (Coaches – 1st)
2009 DT Josh Rohde – Nebraska Kearney – Rocky Mountain Athletic (Coaches – 1st)
2009 DT Caleb Tyler – Nebraska Kearney – Rocky Mountain Athletic (Coaches – 3rd)
