Duane Akina
Encyclopedia
Duane Akina is the assistant head coach
and defensive backs coach
for the Texas Longhorns
football team.
In 28 years of coaching football, Akina has coached three Thorpe Award
winners in Darryll Lewis
(1990), Michael Huff
(2005), and Aaron Ross (2006), as well as five finalists for the award, among them Chris McAlister
. Twenty of his defensive backs have also gone on to play in the NFL
.
He was an assistant coach to Dick Tomey
at the University of Arizona
for 14 years, serving as defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator. Akina helped oversee the "Desert Swarm" defense with Mac Duff, and formed a unit that led the nation in fewest points allowed (8.9 per game) in 1992 and led in fewest rushing yards allowed (30.1) in 1993. He was named Arizona defensive coordinator in 2000, but decided to leave for Texas to become the team's defensive back coach.
Akina was promoted to co-defensive coordinator
and retained his duties as defensive backs coach for the Longhorns from 2005-2007. In the 2007 season
, he shared the defensive coordinator position with Larry Mac Duff
, but called the defensive plays. After a frustrating season, in which the Longhorns defense allowed a school-record 4,498 total yards, Akina could have faced dismissal following the 2007 Holiday Bowl
. However, not Akina, but Larry Mac Duff resigned. Akina was nonetheless demoted to secondary coach after Will Muschamp
was hired as the new defensive coordinator.
Following June Jones
' resignation at Hawaii
, Akina was considered to be one of the candidates for his replacement.
In January 2011, it was announced that Akina would be leaving the Longhorns to be the defensive backs coach at the University of Arizona
. One month later, his replacement at Texas, Jerry Grey, left the Longhorns to become the defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans
. A few days later, Akina announced that he would be returning to Texas to resume his defensive backs position with the Longhorns due to family considerations.
Head coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
and defensive backs coach
Defensive backs coach
A defensive backs coach or secondary coach is a coach in charge of the safeties and cornerbacks in gridiron football. This position is very common in the CFL, NFL and college football programs. Some common titles are: safeties coach, cornerbacks coach, secondary coach, secondary/safeties coach,...
for the Texas Longhorns
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
football team.
In 28 years of coaching football, Akina has coached three Thorpe Award
Jim Thorpe Award
The Jim Thorpe Award, named in memory of multi-sport legend Jim Thorpe, has been awarded to the top defensive back in college football since 1986...
winners in Darryll Lewis
Darryll Lewis
Darryll Lamont Lewis is an American retired NFL player, who played as corner back.After going to high school at Nogales High School in La Puente, California, he graduated in 1991 from the University of Arizona and was then drafted by the Houston Oilers in the second round of that years NFL Draft...
(1990), Michael Huff
Michael Huff
Michael Wayne Huff II. is an American Football Free Safety for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He played collegiately as a CB/S for The University of Texas Longhorns.-High school career:...
(2005), and Aaron Ross (2006), as well as five finalists for the award, among them Chris McAlister
Chris McAlister
Christopher James McAlister is an American football cornerback who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at Arizona....
. Twenty of his defensive backs have also gone on to play in the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
.
He was an assistant coach to Dick Tomey
Dick Tomey
-External links:* *...
at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
for 14 years, serving as defensive backs coach and co-defensive coordinator. Akina helped oversee the "Desert Swarm" defense with Mac Duff, and formed a unit that led the nation in fewest points allowed (8.9 per game) in 1992 and led in fewest rushing yards allowed (30.1) in 1993. He was named Arizona defensive coordinator in 2000, but decided to leave for Texas to become the team's defensive back coach.
Akina was promoted to co-defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
and retained his duties as defensive backs coach for the Longhorns from 2005-2007. In the 2007 season
2007 Texas Longhorn football team
The 2007 Texas Longhorn football team represented the University of Texas at Austin in the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The team was coached by Mack Brown, who received the 2005 Paul "Bear" Bryant Coach of the Year award...
, he shared the defensive coordinator position with Larry Mac Duff
Larry Mac Duff
Larry Mac Duff is an American football coach. He is currently the defensive coordinator for the Las Vegas franchise of the United Football League....
, but called the defensive plays. After a frustrating season, in which the Longhorns defense allowed a school-record 4,498 total yards, Akina could have faced dismissal following the 2007 Holiday Bowl
2007 Holiday Bowl
The 2007 Pacific Life Holiday Bowl was a college football bowl game played December 27, 2007 in San Diego, California. It was part of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season and one of 32 games in the 2007-2008 bowl season. It featured the Texas Longhorns against the Arizona State Sun...
. However, not Akina, but Larry Mac Duff resigned. Akina was nonetheless demoted to secondary coach after Will Muschamp
Will Muschamp
William Larry "Will" Muschamp is an American college football coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Florida Gators football team of the University of Florida. He is a native of Georgia and attended the University of Georgia, where he played for the Georgia Bulldogs...
was hired as the new defensive coordinator.
Following June Jones
June Jones
June Sheldon Jones, III is the American football head coach for Southern Methodist University.-Playing career:Jones played the quarterback position on three college teams: Oregon , Hawaii , and Portland State . It is during his time at Portland State that he was introduced to the Run and Shoot...
' resignation at Hawaii
University of Hawaii at Manoa
The University of Hawaii at Mānoa is a public, co-educational university and is the flagship campus of the greater University of Hawaii system...
, Akina was considered to be one of the candidates for his replacement.
In January 2011, it was announced that Akina would be leaving the Longhorns to be the defensive backs coach at the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
. One month later, his replacement at Texas, Jerry Grey, left the Longhorns to become the defensive coordinator of the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
. A few days later, Akina announced that he would be returning to Texas to resume his defensive backs position with the Longhorns due to family considerations.