SAN DIEGO – San Diego State has announced the hiring of Rob Aurich to its football coaching staff. He will coach the defensive edges.
Aurich comes to The Mesa by way of the University of Idaho where he served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for two seasons.
In 2023, Aurich helped guide the Vandals to a historic season that included the program's first ever postseason win that led to their first FCS quarterfinals appearance since 1993, as well as their first nine-win season since 2016.
Overall, Idaho finished their year with a 9-4 record and ranked as high as No. 4 in the national polls. Statistically, they ranked 15th in FCS in total defense (306.8) and lowered their points allowed per game for the second consecutive season under Aurich to 22.08 ppg.
Linebacker Xe'ree Alexander led the Idaho defensive efforts, earning freshman all-America and all-Big Sky second team honors to lead a group of five Vandal defenders earning all-conference nods.
In 2022, the Vandal defense improved defensive scoring from 31.55 allowed points per game in 2021 to just 25.42 PPG in 2022 on the Vandal defense. The Vandals also increased turnovers from eight to 21 year-to-year. The 2022 defense allowed more than 70 fewer yards per game than the season before, ranking 24th in the FCS for total defense (336.8).
In Big Sky play, the Vandals were the best team in the league in Yards Per Game and led the league in interceptions. The Vandals averaged 23.38 PPG in conference games in 2022, compared to 31.13 in fall of 2021.
Two Vandal linebackers earned Second-Team All-Big Sky honors and six total Vandal defenders were named to the teams in 2022.
Prior to Idaho, Aurich spent four seasons on the staff at South Dakota where he served as the Special Teams Coordinator and Inside Linebackers Coach. Over his four-year tenure, players he coached earned All-MVFC honors 12 times, including All-American Linebacker Jack Cochrane who led the Coyotes with 102 tackles this season and earned a spot in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl All-Star Game.
In 2018, he oversaw the play of All-American Darin Greenfield, who finished in the voting for national defensive player of the year and was a first-team all-Valley honoree. In 2019, inside linebacker Jack Cochrane led the Valley in tackles and earned all-conference honors. He also helped Jakari Starling to the Valley's All-Newcomer Team and Phil Steele's Freshman All-America Team.
South Dakota played just four games in the spring of 2021, but it was enough to land sophomore Brock Mogensen on the all-MVFC team. Mogensen led the Coyotes and finished second in the Valley in tackles per game, totaling 38 stops in four starts.
On special teams, Brady Schutt turned in the nation's fourth-best punting average in back-to-back seasons. In 2020-21, the Coyotes led the nation in net punting with a 43.7-yard average and Schutt was once again on the all-Valley team. On the kicking side, Mason Lorber was the highest-scoring kicker in Valley play in 2019. He was rewarded with honorable mention all-MVFC honors.
Aurich was on the coaching staff at Bemidji State from 2014-17 and served as Defensive Coordinator for the Beavers his final season there. BSU went 24-10 over his final three seasons and featured a top-25 defense with Aurich in the coordinator chair. His unit in 2017 ranked in the NCAA DII top-10 in opponent yards per carry (fourth), interceptions (seventh) and opponent yards per play (ninth) while also finishing 18th in sacks.
Aurich played for South Dakota Coach Bob Nielson at Minnesota Duluth and won national titles with the Bulldogs in 2008 and 2010. He graduated as the program's second-leading tackler all-time with 310 stops, was a first-team All-American in 2009, and is a three-time all-NSIC honoree.