Football
20231104_fb_sdsu_v_utah_st_dtuskan_00075

Brady Hoke

TitleHead Coach
Phone594-7197
Emailsdsufootball@sdsu.edu
Brady Hoke

Named head coach at San Diego State on Jan. 8, 2020. Full release

Bio entering 2022 season

Brady Hoke enters the third season of his second stint as head coach of the San Diego State football program after succeeding Rocky Long, who stepped down following a nine-year tenure on The Mesa from 2011 to 2019. The 63-year-old Hoke, who has a national coach of the year award on his extensive résumé, guided the Aztecs to a 12-2 record and a No. 25 national ranking in the final Associated Press poll of a historic 2021 campaign, capped by a 38-24 victory over No. 24 UTSA in the Tropical Smoothie Frisco Bowl. SDSU also found itself among the College Football Playoff Rankings for the first time in program history, cracking the top 25 on all six occasions last season. For his efforts, Hoke garnered Mountain West Coach of the Year accolades for the second time in his career..  

At San Diego State

  • Under Hoke’s direction, the Aztecs set a school record with 12 victories in 2021, earning just the third AP Top 25 ranking in program history following the 1977 (No. 16) and 2016 (No. 25) squads. SDSU played five teams that finished with double-digit wins last season, emerging triumphant over Pac-12 Champion/Rose Bowl participant Utah (10-4), UTSA (12-2) and Air Force (10-3).
  • With Hoke’s continued guidance, the Aztecs maintained their tradition of tough defenses in 2021, ranking third nationally in rushing defense (80.3) while tying for fifth in passes intercepted (17). In addition, the Scarlet and Black ranked 12th in the country in total defense (324.4), 13th in pass efficiency defense¬ (118.01) and 17th in scoring defense (19.8).
  • Individually, Hoke coached 15 players who garnered all-Mountain West accolades last year, which tied SDSU’s highest number of all-conference honorees since 2001. For the third straight season, the Aztecs led the league with eight first-team all-MW selections, including four on defense: Cameron Thomas, Caden McDonald, Trenton Thompson and Patrick McMorris. 
  • On the national stage, consensus All-American Matt Araiza was named the Ray Guy Award winner, signifying the nation’s top punter, while Cameron Thomas received first-team All-America recognition from multiple media outlets. Araiza also netted MW Special Teams Player of the Year honors, while Thomas was tabbed the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year.
  • Additionally, the Aztecs had four players selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, including Cameron Thomas, who was chosen in the third round by the Arizona, while Daniel Bellinger was taken in the fourth round by the New York Giants, followed by Araiza (Buffalo) and Zachary Thomas (Chicago) in the sixth round.
  • During a challenging 2020 campaign that was delayed and shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hoke’s defense flexed its muscles as usual, ranking third nationally in total defense (283.5) while occupying the seventh spot in rushing defense (98.2), both of which led the Mountain West. Not to be outdone, SDSU found itself among the FBS leaders in team tackles for loss per game (8th - 8.1) and passing efficiency defense (11th - 115.19).
  • Despite a 4-4 record, Hoke’s Aztecs were still a competitive group in 2020, owning second-half leads in both of their Mountain West losses to San José State (28-17) and Nevada (26-21). In addition, SDSU played an undefeated Pac-12 squad on the road at Colorado on two days notice, holding the Buffaloes to just 272 yards in a 20-10 setback. The Aztecs also outgained Brigham Young  (399-384) and had more first downs (23-17) in a 28-14 road defeat to the No. 14/16 Cougars.
  • In all, Hoke tutored 15 players who merited all-MW distinction in 2020, as the Scarlet Black tied for the league lead with five first-team all-conference selections, including defenders Cameron Thomas, Tariq Thompson, Darren Hall and Caden McDonald, along with offensive tackle Kyle Spalding.
  • Not to be outdone, Hoke’s players excelled in the classroom that year, with 35 student-athletes earning a spot on the MW all-academic team for the fall of 2020.
  • Hoke returned to “America’s Finest City” as the Aztecs’ defensive line coach in 2019, helping SDSU rank second in FBS in rush defense (75.4), third in scoring defense (12.7), and sixth in both total defense (287.8) and pass efficiency defense (110.25). 
  • Individually, Hoke oversaw the development of three all-Mountain West honorees. Myles Cheatum and Cameron Thomas gave the Aztecs two first-team all-conference defensive linemen for the first time since 1974, while Keshawn Banks was a second-team selection.
  • Spent two seasons as San Diego State’s head coach (2009-10), earning Mountain West Coach of the Year honors in 2010 after leading the Aztecs to their first postseason appearance in 12 years with a victory over Navy in the Poinsettia Bowl.
  • Coached 18 all-MW performers during his first stint at SDSU, as well as 25 conference all-academic recipients.
  • Six of his players merited first-team all-MW accolades in 2010, including running back Ronnie Hillman, who was named the league’s Freshman of the Year that season.

Previous Experience

  • Has amassed 36 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level including 13 seasons as a FBS head coach at San Diego State (2009-10, 2020), Michigan (2011-14) and Ball State (2003-08).
  • Received conference coach-of-the-year recognition in three different leagues as a head coach while posting an 82-76 overall record. During his tenure as a head coach, Hoke’s teams have produced 91 all-conference selections. 
  • Brings over 20 years of experience as a collegiate defensive coach with stints at Grand Valley State (1983), Western Michigan (1984-86), Toledo (1987-88), Oregon State (1989-94), Michigan (1995- 2002), Oregon (2016) and Tennessee, where he was named interim head coach for the final two games of the 2017 campaign.
  • Served as head coach at Michigan from 2011-14, guiding the Wolverines to a 31-20 record, including an 18-14 conference ledger. He became the first Michigan head coach to go undefeated at home in his first two seasons since Fielding Yost in 1901-02. 
  • Directed the Wolverines to an 11-2 record and a victory in the  Allstate Sugar Bowl in his first season on the Ann Arbor campus. For his efforts, Hoke collected the inaugural Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year award from the Big Ten Conference coaches while garnering Dave McClain Coach of the Year accolades from the Big Ten media. In addition, he was named the Maxwell Football Club Collegiate Coach of the Year that season and was a finalist for three other national Coach of the Year honors: Bear Bryant, Eddie Robinson and Liberty Mutual.
  • Under Hoke’s tutelage at Michigan, a total of 21 Wolverine players received all-Big Ten recognition, including consecutive Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year winners in center David Molk (2011) and left tackle Taylor Lewan (2012-13). In addition, Devin Funchess was named Big Ten Tight End of the Year in 2013.
  • Earned his first head coaching job at his alma mater, Ball State, where he guided the program for six seasons, culminating with a 12-1 campaign in 2008 and an undefeated Mid-American Conference regular season.
  • Under Hoke’s guidance, Ball State made its' first-ever appearance in the national polls in 2008, ranking as high as 12th by the Associated Press and 13th in the USA Today Coaches poll. 
  • For his efforts, Hoke was one of 10 finalists for the 2008 Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year award.
  • In addition, Hoke was named Mid-American Coach of the Year in 2008 and American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Football Bowl Subdivision Region 3 Coach of the Year.
  • Hoke led the Cardinals to back-to-back bowl game appearances (2007-08), the first time the feat was accomplished in school history. The 2008 team, which also advanced to its first MAC championship contest, earned an invitation to the GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.
  • Ball State won its 12 games by an average of 21 points and scored a school-record 476 points, including a program-best 62 touchdowns with Hoke at the controls.
  • Hoke's players excelled in the classroom, as Ball State posted a Academic Progress Report score of 945 out of 1,000 in 2008, ranking second in the MAC. Offensive lineman Travis Barclay twice was named a first-team Academic All-American and received the program's first NCAA postgraduate scholarship in over a decade in 2003. Overall, 10 Ball State players garnered league all-academic honors from 2003-07.
  • As a defensive line coach at Michigan, Hoke was part of three Big Ten champion teams (1997, 1998, 2000), including the 1997 national champion and Rose Bowl-winning squad, before his promotion to associate head coach in 2002.
  • After stops as an assistant at Grand Valley State (1983), Western Michigan (1984-86) and Toledo (1987-88), Hoke ventured out west for a six-year stay at Oregon State, where he coached the Beavers' defensive line (1989, 1991-94) and inside linebackers (1990), before taking the position at Michigan. 
  • Began his coaching career as an assistant at Yorktown (Ind.) High School in 1981 before entering the collegiate ranks as a defensive line coach at Grand Valley State in 1983.  

Playing Experience

  • Hoke was a defensive standout at Ball State as student-athlete, lettering four times from 1977-80.
  • While serving as team captain during his senior campaign, Hoke led the Cardinals with 150 tackles to earn all-MAC honors. 
  • Finished third on the team in tackles as a sophomore in 1978, helping Ball State capture the MAC championship with an 8-0 record, which marked the Cardinals’ only unbeaten conference ledger until 2008.
  • Hoke was inducted into the Ball State Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the 2013-14 class. 

Education

  • Hoke earned his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Ball State in 1982.

Personal

  • Hoke is married to the former Laura Homburger and the couple has one daughter, Kelly. His brother Jon Hoke was an assistant coach at San Diego State from 1987-88 under Denny Stolz.