Boise State Loses DC Andy Avalos To Oregon, Per Reports
Finding a new defensive coordinator in late February is not easy.
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Avalos leaves his alma mater for the Pac-12
Boise State is now in the need of a new defensive coordinator after the Oregon Ducks hired away BroncosAnday Avalos for the same position, per multiple reports.
Such is life for a non-power team, even one with the prestige of Boise State. The timing of the loss is what is probably the worse news overall. Getting a new defensive coordinator in February and right as spring football is about to occur is huge. The coaches on the market are few and far between this time of year.
The reason for this move is because Oregon abruptly lost defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt earlier in February. With the Ducks having Pac-12 money have the ability to go out and out pay one of the best Group of Five coaches and that is likely what they did to land Avalos.
With the Broncos, he was pulling in $350,000 per year and Leavitt was making $1.7 million, so the Ducks could easily triple his salary and still pay less than they were for Leavitt.
Avalos was a Bronco lifer as he is an alum of the school and football program, spent a pair of years as the defensive line coach, six coaching the linebacker and the previous four as the defensive coordinator.
Make no mistake as this is a huge loss for the Boise State program. During Avalos’ time on the defense, he helped the Broncos have one of the best units in the Mountain West each year and was 10th in turnover margin and 12th in sacks nationally.
His biggest achievement has to be Leighton Vander Esch who came in as a walk-on from high school and left as the Mountain West’s best defender and a first-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
