Arizona head football coach Mike Stoops continues to fill the vacancies on the Arizona Wildcats’ coaching staff. Orangebloods.com reports Duane Akina, who spent 14 seasons at Arizona (1987-2000) as an assistant under head coach Dick Tomey, left the University of Texas on Sunday and is expected to officially be named as the secondary coach at Arizona some time this week. Akina may arrive in Tucson as early as today.
Previously, Akina coached at the University of Hawaii, Arizona and spent his last 10 years as the secondary coach at Texas.
Arizona finished third in total defense and fourth in pass defense efficiency among the Pacific 10 Conference schools under former secondary coach Greg Brown, who left for the University of Colorado last month. Akina and the Longhorns are ranked sixth in the nation in total defense, and found success in the Big 12 Conference as well, hauling in a top rating in total defense and fifth in pass defense efficiency among the Big 12.
The Akina file
Name: Duane Akina
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawaii
Experience: Akina is a 32-year coaching veteran, starting with the University of Hawaii in 1981 before hitting the mainland for Arizona in 1987. In 2000, Akina moved further east to the University of Texas, where he coached the defensive backs for the past 10 years.
Last college: University of Texas, 10 years as secondary coach
Notables:
- Akina has been to 19 bowl games as a player and as a coach.
- Akina has coached six Thorpe Award finalists, three of which were Thorpe Award winners, and 23 defensive backs who have played in the NFL.
