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SALT LAKE CITY — A little over a week after Utah's 2021 season concluded at the Rose Bowl, defensive tackles coach Sione Po'uha announced his retirement from coaching.
Po'uha's coaching tenure was short-lived, spending only three seasons with the Utes as the defensive tackles coach and a one-year stint at Navy in the same position.
"Sione has been an amazing teacher, mentor and coach, and we are grateful to him for everything he has given to this university," defensive coordinator Morgan Scalley said in a statement. "I am personally grateful for the example he has been to me. He is a friend and a brother, and I wish him nothing but the best."
His reason for retirement was not specified.
Po'uha first joined the program in 2015 as a student assistant coach, where he spent two seasons before accepting a position as director of player personnel in 2017.
Prior to his short coaching career, Po'uha was part of Utah's Fiesta Bowl win over Pittsburgh to cap off an undefeated season in 2004 and was a two-time first-team All-Mountain West member. He later played eight seasons with the New York Jets in the NFL before he retired from the game.
Po'uha becomes the second Utes coach to leave the program after the 2021 season. Running backs coach Kiel McDonald accepted the same position at South division rival USC after five seasons with the Utes.
Utah has yet to replace the running back coach position but a hire is expected in the coming days.
