The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Football
- Title:
- Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs
Duane Akina, who spent 13 seasons coaching defensive backs, including two Thorpe Award winners, at Texas from 2001-2013, returned to the Longhorns as defensive passing game coordinator and safeties coach in March 2025.
At Texas, Akina brought the program its first winners of the Thorpe Award – honoring the nation’s top defensive back – in back-to-back honorees Michael Huff in 2005 and Aaron Ross in 2006 to go along with two finalists in Earl Thomas (2009) and Quentin Jammer (2001) and 14 first-team All-Big 12 picks. He was co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach on the staff that guided the Longhorns to the program’s fourth National Championship as part of the 2005 season. Texas went 131-36, won at least 10 games nine times (11+ six times), finished in the top-5 five times and top-10 on seven occasions during his tenure with the Longhorns. Thirteen of his UT defensive backs were selected in the NFL Draft with six going in the first round.
In all, Akina has coached three Thorpe Award winners, six Thorpe finalists and 41 defensive backs who have played in the NFL, including seven Pro Bowlers, nine Super Bowl participants and 12 All-Americans. Akina has coached in 26 bowl games.
Akina spent the last two seasons at the University of Arizona where he coached the secondary in 2023 and was defensive coordinator in 2024. That was his second stint with the Wildcats, as well, having previously coached there 14 seasons from 1987-2000.
In between his time at Texas and his second tenure at Arizona, Akina was the defensive backs coach at Stanford for nine seasons from 2014-22. In all, Akina has over 46 years of coaching experience in college and professional football that includes early stints as a graduate assistant at Washington, five years at Hawai’i and one season with the Calgary Stampeders.
Last season, Akina helped cornerback Tacario Davis to second-team All-Big 12 honors as he tied for the team lead with six pass breakups. Defensive back Genesis Smtih also had six pass breakups and tied for the team lead in interceptions, along with defensive back Jack Luttrell, with three. Defensive back Dalton Johnson led the team in tackles with 94. Johnson, Smith and Luttrell combined for five forced fumbles.
During the 2023 season, Arizona improved across the board defensively, rising to 29th nationally in scoring defense in 2023 (21.1 ppg) compared to 125th in 2022 (36.5 ppg). The Wildcats also elevated to 48th in total defense (357.9 ypg) from 124th the year before (467.7 ypg). Arizona also finished with a 0.38 turnover margin in 2023, a noted improvement over -0.42 in 2022, and led the Pac-12 while ranking 17th national in red zone defense. All of these improvements helped the Wildcats win 10 games for the fourth time in program history and defeat No. 12 Oklahoma in the Valero Alamo Bowl in 2023. Three Wildcat defensive backs received honorable mention All-Pac-12 honors in Davis, Ephesians Prysock and Treydan Stukes.
At Stanford (2014-22), Akina mentored multiple All-Pac-12 honorees including Kyu Blue Kelly, who earned second-team honors with 13 passes defended, including two interceptions in 2021. Two Cardinal defensive backs earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 in Malik Antoine and sophomore cornerback Kelly in 2020.
Cornerback Paulson Adebo, a 2021 third-round pick of the New Orleans Saints, joined a long lineage of defensive backs mentored by Akina to be selected in the NFL Draft.
For much of the 2019 season, Akina's group dealt with injuries, as eight different defensive backs each started at least three games, including Kelly as a freshman (nine starts) and NB Jonathan McGill (six starts). Preseason All-American and first-team All-Pac-12 performer Paulson Adebo finished third nationally in passes defended per game (1.4), but missed the final three games of the season. Adebo's 38 passes defended over the last two seasons are the most by a single player in a two-year stretch in program history.
In 2018, Akina's secondary was led by the All-American Adebo, who led the nation with a school record 24 passes defended as a sophomore in 2018.
All-American safety Justin Reid was a third-round NFL Draft selection by the Houston Texans in 2018 and was a pivotal part of a Cardinal defense in 2017 that ranked 12th nationally in passes intercepted (18) and ninth in turnovers (28). Reid was one of three All-Pac-12 defensive backs, joining Quenton Meeks and Brandon Simmons.
In 2016, the secondary included two fifth-year senior safeties who provided the cornerstone of a deep and athletic unit. All-Pac-12 honorable mention safety Dallas Lloyd accounted for a team-high five of Stanford's 14 interceptions, including a pair to help secure a Sun Bowl win over North Carolina. Lloyd's total ranked 13th nationally and second among Pac-12 defenders. He was joined on the All-Pac-12 team by honorable mention selections Reid and Quenton Meeks.
The Cardinal led the Pac-12 and ranked eighth nationally with four defensive touchdowns in 2016 and returned three picks for scores. Stanford also finished 25th nationally in team passing efficiency defense (117.75), a figure that was good for fourth among conference teams.
Anchored by All-Pac-12 second team defensive back Ronnie Harris, Akina’s secondary in 2015 included starting safeties Kodi Whitfield and Lloyd, who each transitioned from offense. The Cardinal posted the league’s fifth-best passing efficiency defense (123.96) and third-best total defense (368.3). Stanford’s secondary allowed only 6.76 yards/pass attempt while picking off eight, led by Meeks’ team-best three interceptions. Meeks added a pick-six in the Rose Bowl win over Iowa. The Cardinal tied for fifth in the Pac-12 in pass breakups (51).
In Akina’s first season in 2014, Stanford finished second nationally in scoring defense and eighth in passing defense. The Cardinal allowed only one passing score in nine games, including a stretch of five with zero. Stanford forced the same number of interceptions as passing touchdowns allowed (12).
Strong safety Jordan Richards led the Cardinal with three interceptions and forced three fumbles and was awarded the 2014 National Football Foundation’s Scholar-Athlete Award. Richards was a first team All-Pac-12 selection and finished his career with nine interceptions.
During his first time at Texas from 2001-13, Akina coached defensive backs all the way through, along with serving as assistant head coach under Mack Brown from 2008-13 and in 2003, and co-defensive coordinator from 2004-07.
In 2013, both Carrington Byndom (second team) and Quandre Diggs honorable mention) earned All-Big 12 honors with that duo combining for 17 pass breakups – 10 by Diggs and seven by Byndom. Meanwhile Duke Thomas added five more and led the team in interceptions with three, while Adrian Phillips was second on the team with 82 tackles, along with posting two interceptions and three pass breakups. Although Phillips would be undrafted, he went on to a 10-year career in the NFL with the Chargers and Patriots, including first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in 2018. Diggs would be drafted the following year in the sixth round by the Detroit Lions, as was Mykkele Thompson in the fifth round by the New York Giants. Diggs later became a three-time Pro Bowler from 2020-22, playing with the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Tennessee Titans.
Akina again guided Kenny Vaccaro to first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2012 for a defense that had 15 interceptions and 35 pass breakups. The unit allowed just 212.0 passing yards per game despite facing five of the nation’s top 10 passing offenses. Vaccaro was then a first-round pick of the Saints.
In 2011, Akina’s group once again helped Texas lead the Big 12 in pass defense, holding teams to 209.9 yards per game, while also leading the Big 12 and ranking 10th nationally in pass efficiency defense. The secondary featured two successful young cornerbacks as Byndom and true freshman Diggs tied for 12th in the NCAA in passes defended. Diggs earned Big 12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and CBSSports.com Freshman All-America honors while also recording four interceptions and two caused fumbles. Vaccaro was a first team All-Big 12 selection as well with Akina’s guidance, while safety Blake Gideon completed his career starting all 52 games in which he played at Texas. Gideon and S Christian Scott both signed free agent contracts in the NFL.
During the 2010 season, the Longhorns ranked sixth in the nation in both pass defense (161.6 ypg) and total defense (300.2 ypg). Cornerbacks Curtis Brown and Aaron Williams both earned second-team All-Big 12 honors, while Gideon was tabbed honorable mention All-Big 12. Three defensive backs from that year’s team - Williams, Brown and CB Chykie Brown - were selected in the 2011 NFL Draft in the second, third and fifth rounds, respectively.
In 2009, Akina guided a secondary that helped the defense lead the nation in interceptions (25), rank 10th in pass efficiency defense and 19th in passing yards allowed. It also featured the Longhorns’ third Thorpe Award finalist in five years in consensus All-America honoree S Earl Thomas, who led the nation in passes defended and tied for second in interceptions with a UT record eight. Thomas also tied the UT single-season record with two INT returned for TDs.
Akina returned his full focus to the defensive backs in 2008. With only one returning starter in CB Ryan Palmer, Akina guided the emergence of two freshmen at the starting safety positions. By season’s end, Earl Thomas was named first-team Freshman All-America by the Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News and College Football News, while Gideon earned second-team honors from College Football News. Palmer earned second-team All-Big 12 honors, and the unit helped Texas rank second in the Big 12 in pass efficiency defense.
In 2007, Akina guided a Texas defense that was sixth best in the nation against the run (93.4 ypg). Safety Marcus Griffin earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and was named first-team All-America by ESPN.com.
Despite losing two players who wound up starting for their NFL teams in Huff (Raiders) and Cedric Griffin (Vikings), Akina continued to show his ability to develop great talent in 2006. He helped Aaron Ross become Texas’ second consecutive Thorpe Award winner, while also earning various publication’s Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Safety Michael Griffin also capped his outstanding career with All-America honors.
The duo of Michael Griffin and Ross went on to be drafted back-to-back in the first round, 19th by the Titans and 20th by the Giants, respectively. Both earned starting positions with Ross and the Giants advancing to the Super Bowl. Tarell Brown was the third DB drafted that year (a UT first since 1984), as he was chosen in the fifth round by the 49ers.
The pattern continued in 2005 as Akina led a defense and secondary that ranked fourth nationally in pass efficiency defense (96.7), eighth in pass defense (172.0 ypg), eighth in scoring defense (16.4 ppg) and 10th in total defense (302.9 ypg). Akina also mentored Huff as Texas’ first-ever Jim Thorpe Award winner and produced three All-Big 12 performers out of the secondary.
After being named co-defensive coordinator in 2004, Akina helped guide a defense that finished 18th in scoring defense (17.9), 16th in rushing defense (107.4), 32nd in turnover margin (+5) and 23rd in total defense (320.1) in the country. Under Akina’s direction, Huff became a member of the Jim Thorpe Award watch list and three of the four starters in the secondary were named to All-Big 12 teams.
In 2003, the Longhorns ranked ninth nationally in pass defense (177.3 ypg) and third in completion percentage allowed (47.2). CB Nathan Vasher was a Thorpe Award semifinalist, earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and tied the oldest-standing mark on the UT record book with his 17th career INT. He also broke the UT record for career pass breakups with 64.
Despite losing two starters to the NFL (Quentin Jammer and Ahmad Brooks), Akina guided a secondary that was again among the nation’s best in 2002. Led by first-team All-Big 12 performer and Thorpe Award semifinalist Rod Babers, the secondary ranked seventh nationally in pass efficiency defense (96.1 rating), eighth in passing defense (165.2 ypg.) and allowed just 5.37 yards per attempt (third NCAA). Babers posted 21 PBUs (No. 3 on UT’s single-season list) and finished his career ranked third on the UT all-time PBU chart (49). Akina also trained Huff, who earned third-team Freshman All-America honors.
In his first season at Texas in 2001, he helped tutor one of the nation’s premier secondaries that ranked third in passing defense (146.7 ypg) and fourth in pass efficiency defense (88.0 rating). The Longhorns allowed only 4.77 yards per pass attempt, which was the lowest in the nation, while their six touchdown passes allowed were tied for the second-fewest nationally. Akina’s top pupil was Jammer, who became UT’s first unanimous consensus first-team All-America defender since Jerry Gray in 1984. Jammer, who set a UT single-season record with 24 pass breakups and eclipsed the school’s career PBUs mark with 57, also became the first Longhorn to earn a spot as a Thorpe Award finalist.
Akina joined the UT program after spending the previous 14 seasons at Arizona, where he served as the associate head coach and was tabbed defensive coordinator in December 2000. During his tenure at Arizona, he was a versatile coach who worked with both sides of the ball. Akina spent his final five seasons as defensive backs coach and nine of his 14 seasons working with the Wildcats’ secondary. He also was UA’s offensive coordinator from 1992-95.
As the secondary coach, Akina helped guide the Wildcats’ “Desert Swarm” defensive attack, one of the nation’s most aggressive and productive groups. His prize pupils were Darryll Lewis, the 1990 Jim Thorpe Award winner, and Chris McAlister, a finalist for the Thorpe Award and winner of the Mosi Tatupu National Special Teams Player of the Year award in 1998. Lewis was a Pro Bowler for the San Diego Chargers and played 10 seasons in the NFL. McAlister, meanwhile, earned a spot in the 2004 Pro Bowl and was a member of the 2000 Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens.
During his time as offensive coordinator, Akina guided some of the Wildcats’ most productive offenses. In 1994, he helped develop the UA offense into a unit that recorded more than 200 yards passing per game. Arizona’s offense registered 2,211 passing yards and 1,776 rushing yards that season, which marked the first time in a decade that the team had registered more yards passing than rushing. In 1995, Akina directed the Wildcats’ passing attack to 204.3 yards per game, which at the time, ranked fifth on the school’s all-time list.
Akina joined the University of Arizona staff in January 1987 after spending a season as defensive backs coach with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. Prior to that, he spent five years as an assistant coach at the University of Hawaii. Akina coached the defensive backs in 1981-82 and ‘84-85 and tutored the outside linebackers in 1983 at UH.
Before Akina's 14-year career at Arizona, he spent five seasons as a defensive assistant under legendary Head Coach Dick Tomey at Hawaii, followed by one season with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders.
A native of Honolulu, Akina is a 1979 graduate of the University of Washington. He earned three letters as a quarterback, and upon completing his eligibility, he served as a graduate assistant coach at UW. Akina worked with the Huskies’ quarterbacks in 1979-80.
Hawaii’s Prep Athlete of the Year at Honolulu’s Punahou High School in 1974-75, he was a three-time all-league selection as a quarterback in football and a guard in basketball.
Akina and his wife, Donna, have five children, Kainoa, Keoni, Dionicia, Alli and Kamalii. Kainoa has a wife, Daya.
Akina File
Hometown: Honolulu, Hawai’i
Alma Mater: Washington, 1975
2025-present: Texas (Defensive Passing Game Coordinator/Safeties)
2024: Arizona (Defensive Coordinator)
2023: Arizona (Senior Defensive Assistant/Secondary)
2014-21: Stanford (Defensive Backs)
2008-13: Texas (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs)
2004-07: Texas (Co-Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
2003: Texas (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Backs)
2001-02: Texas (Defensive Backs)
1996-2000: Arizona (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Backs)
1992-95: Arizona (Offensive Coordinator)
1989-91: Arizona (Associate Head Coach/Defensive Backs)
1987-88: Arizona (Defensive Backs)
1986: Calgary Stampeders (Defensive Backs)
1984-85: Hawai’i (Defensive Backs)
1983: Hawai’I (Outside Linebackers)
1981-82: Hawai’i (Defensive Backs)
1997-80: Washington (Graduate Assistant)
