Updated on Jan. 10, 2024
Bojay Filimoeatu enters his second season as the defensive line coach at San Diego State. Filimoeatu (BO-jay FEElee-moe-EE-ah-tu) was hired by former head coach Brady Hoke on Jan. 30, 2023 (press release).
In his first season coaching at San Diego State, Filimoeatu's linemen contributed to the Aztecs’ 48 total tackles for loss including 18 sacks. Leading that group was Garret Fountain, who finished his move from linebacker to defensive end and surpassing the century mark with 104 tackles, including 17 TFL.
A former Broyles Award nominee for the best assistant coach in college football, Filimoeatu came to The Mesa with seven years of collegiate experience, including five in the Mountain West.
In his one season at UNLV in 2022, Filimoeatu guided Adam Plant Jr. and Eliel Ehimare to all-MW honors. Plant Jr. earned second-team accolades after recording 62 tackles, and team highs of 13.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and three forced fumbles. Plant Jr.'s best game arguably came against the Aztecs at Snapdragon Stadium on Nov. 5 when he totaled seven tackles (all solo), three tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. Ehimare, meanwhile, had two sacks and two tackles for loss in 2022 en route to earning honorable-mention status.
Filimoeatu also has stints at Weber State (2021), Utah State (2019-20), San José State (2017-18) and Oregon State (2016).
Filimoeatu helped WSU in the spring 2021 campaign to a 5-1 record and 5-0 Big Sky mark for its first outright league title in program history. The Wildcats were ranked as high as second in the nation during the season.
Prior to Weber State, Filimoeatu spent two seasons at his alma mater Utah State, where he coached four Aggie defensive linemen to all-MW accolades in 2019 and the outside linebackers in 2020.
Before joining USU, Filimoeatu coached the SJSU linebackers for two years (2017-18) as Ethan Aguayo was a MW honorable mention pick in 2018 with 106 tackles. In 2017, Frank Ginda became just the second Spartan linebacker to earn first-team all-MW honors when he established a single-season conference record with 173 tackles, currently the 10th most in a season in FBS history. Filimoeatu was a Broyles Award nominee in 2017.
Filimoeatu began his coaching career at Oregon State in 2016 as a quality control defensive coach.
As a player, Filimoeatu was a two-year starting linebacker at Utah State in 2011 and 2012, where he helped lead the Aggies to a pair of bowl games and the 2012 Western Athletic Conference title.
Filimoeatu graduated from Utah State in 2012 with an interdisciplinary studies degree with an emphasis in sociology and physical education. Prior to Utah State, he played two seasons at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut, California.
Filimoeatu spent the 2014 season in the NFL with the Oakland Raiders, where he had eight tackles in eight games.
THE FILIMOEATU FILE
Position: Defensive Line Coach
Hometown: Fontana, Calif.
Education: Utah State (2012)
CAREER IN FOOTBALL
AS A COACH
2023-present: San Diego State (defensive line)
2022: UNLV (defensive line)
2021: Weber State (defensive line)
2020: Utah State (outside linebackers)
2019: Utah State (defensive ends)
2017-18: San Jose State (linebackers)
2016: Oregon State (quality control defense)
AS A PLAYER
2014: Oakland Raiders
2011-12: Utah State
2009-10: Mt. San Antonio College