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LOGAN — It's hard for a college coaching staff to hope for continuity when replacing coordinators on either side of the line of scrimmage.
Utah State and head coach Matt Wells reportedly did just that for its defense.
Former linebackers coach Kevin Clune will be named the new defensive coordinator in Logan, according to multiple media reports. The story was first reported by FootballScoop.com.
Clune spent the past season at Hawaii, where he had a one-year contract with an option for another year with the Rainbow Warriors. Previous to his short stay in Honolulu, the Cal State Fullerton graduate and former University of San Diego football player was Utah State's linebackers coach for five seasons from 2008-13.
In his one year in the islands, Hawaii ranked 65th in the nation in allowing 26.8 points per game. The Warriors were 4-9 overall and 3-5 in Mountain West play, leading to the resignation of athletic director Ben Jay in December.
Clune had a one-year, $160,000 contract with an option for a second year, according to The Honolulu Star-Advertiser. He was one of the Warriors' only coaches with a contract longer than one year, the newspaper reported.
In 2013, Clune helped coach a defense that allowed only 17.1 points per game as the top-rated defense in the Mountain West Conference and No. 7 in the nation in points allowed. The Aggies also had a top 10 run defense, holding opponents to 106.7 yards per game. That season's team finished 9-4, including a 7-1 finish in MWC play that included a berth in the inaugural Mountain West title game and a win over Northern Illinois in the Poinsettia Bowl.
As linebackers coach in 2013, Clune developed a standout roster that included all-Mountain West defensive talents Jake Doughty, as well as then-junior Zach Vigil and then-sophomore Kyler Fackrell. Vigil graduated in 2014 as Utah State's all-time leader in tackles for loss, and the Clearfield native earned Mountain West defensive player of the year honors.
Clune replaces outgoing defensive coordinator Todd Orlando, who took the same position at Houston after the hire of former Ohio State offensive coordinator Tom Herman.
