The Nebraska football team has reportedly found its new assistant coach. Tony Tuioti is being reported by multiple sources to be the guy. The report comes just one day after another well regarded defensive assistant had appeared to at least be in the running. It's possible the rumor mill heating up had made the coaching staff decide it needed to finally close the deal on the man who is replacing departed assistant Mike Dawson.
Tony Tuioti a seasoned coach
While Mike Dawson has more than 20 years in coaching, his replacement has plenty of time in the game as well.
After graduating from the University of Hawaii, he remained in the state as a GA, then high school coach and then a positional coach. His career really began to ramp up as the assistant defensive line/quality control coach for the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and 2015.
After moving to Michigan in 2016, he took the job as the defensive line coach for the Cal Bears in 2017. In his second year on the job, the school credited him with being instrumental in helping to shape a defense that was greatly improved from the year prior. Those hoping Tony Tuioti can build a pass rusher out of the parts that the Nebraska football team currently possesses should take heart in what he did with Luc Bequette.
The Cal defensive end went from 27 total tackles and two sacks in 2017, to 47 tackles and five sacks, two forced fumbles and even a pass defended in 2018.
Against USC last year, he had eight tackles and two sacks. In the Golden Bears' bowl game against TCU, he racked up seven tackles. It Tuioti can get that kind of production from one of the Huskers' defensive lineman in 2019, the Black Shirts could take some big steps forward.
Nebraska football might have scored a recruiting gem
Not only is Tony Tuioti considered a very competent position coach, but in his short college career, he's been considered a good recruiter. That's going to be essential as the Huskers try and have a better 2020 class among pass rushers than they did in 2019. Perhaps the new hire can help close the deal on players like Dylan Jordan, who should have been a Husker when all was said and done.
Here's the bio on reported new DL coach Tony Tuioti. https://t.co/UWOKCjIgBj
— John M. Bishop (@JohnBishop71) February 25, 2019
Note his work with Michigan as head of the recruiting department. #Huskers
In his sole season with Michigan, Tuioti was named the head of the recruiting department and helped lead the team to one of the best recruiting classes in the country. While the Nebraska football team hasn't made the hire official, it appears Scott Frost has landed on his man, despite zero prior ties to Nebraska, appears to be one that is well respected in the coaching ranks.