University of Massachusets Athletics
Football Adds Former Minuteman Kevin Coyle To Defensive Staff
August 30, 2026 | Football
Coyle Serving As Senior Defensive Assistant Coach
AMHERST, Mass. - Kevin Coyle '78 joined the University of Massachusetts football staff as a senior defensive assistant coach in August 2026, bringing nearly five decades of coaching experience, including 32 seasons at the collegiate level and 17 years in the National Football League.
A 1978 UMass graduate and former Minutemen defensive back, Coyle returned to his alma mater after spending the 2025 season at UCLA, where he was elevated from senior defensive analyst to interim defensive coordinator. Under his leadership, the Bruins made significant defensive improvements, reducing opponents' total offense and rushing production while dramatically increasing tackles for loss, interceptions and third-down stops. UCLA won three consecutive Big Ten games during that stretch, highlighted by a victory over then-No. 7 Penn State, and four Bruins defenders earned All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition.
Prior to UCLA, Coyle began the 2025 season as a senior defensive analyst at Syracuse, helping the Orange to a 3-1 start while contributing to one of the nation's top turnover-producing defenses.
Coyle served three seasons (2022-24) as defensive coordinator at Fresno State under Jeff Tedford and Tim Skipper, helping guide the Bulldogs to a Mountain West Championship and Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl victory in 2022. Fresno State became the first program in FBS history to rebound from a 1-4 start to finish with 10 victories. During his tenure, the Bulldogs consistently ranked among the Mountain West leaders in total defense, scoring defense and takeaways, while his 2022 unit finished ninth nationally in pass efficiency defense and 14th in scoring defense.
Before returning to Fresno State, Coyle served as a senior defensive analyst at LSU, contributing to the Tigers' 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship team. He also spent a brief stint as head coach of the Atlanta Legends in the Alliance of American Football after originally joining the organization as defensive coordinator.
Coyle owns 17 seasons of NFL coaching experience, including serving as defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins from 2012-15 and 13 seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals as defensive backs coach and secondary coach. During his time in Cincinnati, the Bengals earned three playoff appearances, including an 11-win campaign in 2005 when the defense led the NFL with 31 interceptions. Widely respected for developing defensive backs, Coyle helped mentor one of the league's premier cornerback tandems in Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph while revitalizing the careers of several veteran free agents.
His collegiate coaching career has included defensive coordinator positions at Syracuse, Holy Cross, Fresno State and Maryland, along with early coaching stops at Cincinnati and Arkansas.
Coyle earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts in 1978 after joining the Minutemen as a walk-on defensive back. A Staten Island, New York, native, he was inducted into the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Coyle's Year-By-Year Coaching History
1978-79 – Cincinnati Graduate Assistant
1980 – Arkansas Coaching Assistant
1981 – U.S. Merchant Marine Defensive Coordinator (NCAA Division III)
1982-85 -- Holy Cross Linebackers Coach
1986-90 – Holy Cross Defensive Coordinator
1991-93 – Syracuse Defensive Coordinator
1994-96 – Maryland Defensive Coordinator
1997-2000 – Fresno State Defensive Coordinator
2001-02 – Cincinnati Bengals Cornerbacks Coach
2003-11 – Cincinnati Bengals Defensive Backs Coach
2012-15 – Miami Dolphins Defensive Coordinator
2016-17 – Cincinnati Bengals Defensive Backs Coach
2018 -- LSU Defensive Analyst
2019 – Atlanta Legends (AAF) Head Coach
2019-21 -- LSU Senior Defensive Analyst
2022-24 – Fresno State Defensive Coordinator
2025 – Syracuse
2025 – UCLA Senior Defensive Analyst/Interim Defensive Coordinator
2026 – UMass Assistant Coach
