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Texas football will revisit some of its glory days with the hiring of Duane Akina as the Longhorns’ secondary coach, according to reporting from Anwar Richardson of Orangebloods.com.
The Statesman could not immediately confirm the report.
Akina served as an assistant head coach and co-defensive coordinator under former Texas head coach Mack Brown from 2001-2013, when he helped reestablish the Longhorns as a national power while resurrecting the “DBU” moniker for the Texas secondary. He would replace Terry Joseph, who left this week for the New Orleans Saints.
A coaching veteran of 43 years, the 68-year-old Akina spent the 2024 season as the defensive coordinator for Arizona but was demoted to defensive backs coach in January. According to multiple sources, Akina almost joined the staff of Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian as a defensive analyst last offseason before joining Arizona.
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Arizona Wildcats defensive coordinator Duane Akina, right, celebrates a stop against Northern Arizona in a game last season. Akina, a former Texas assistant under Mack Brown, has reportedly been hired as the Longhorns’ new defensive backs coach.
Akina has served multiple roles at multiple schools on both sides of the ball in his more than four decades as a collegiate coach, but the secondary has become his specialty. He has coached three winners of the Thorpe Award, which honors the nation’s best defensive back. Two of those winners – Michael Huff (2005) and Aaron Ross (2006) – played at Texas. He’s also mentored six other Thorpe finalists and 41 defensive backs who have played in the NFL, including seven Pro Bowlers.
The return of Akina to Austin would continue a revamp of the defensive coaching staff. No team in college football…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/article/texas-football-duane-akina-reportedly-005944864.html
Author : Austin American-Statesman
Publish date : 2025-02-25 00:59:00
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