For the 2024 season, Johnny Nansen, the defensive coordinator for Arizona, will become a linebacker coach and co-defensive coordinator for the Texas staff.
Texas officially announced the news on Saturday night. Assistant Jeff Chaote will take over for Texas as head coach, as Chaote has accepted the position at Nevada.
As a graduate assistant at Louisville, 49-year-old Nansen began his collegiate coaching career in 1999. He later coached defensive positions at Montana State, Idaho, Washington, USC, UCLA, and Arizona.
In addition to coaching, Nansen graduated from Washington State in 1997 as a linebacker.
When Nansen received the call about going to Texas from Longhorn head coach Steve Sarkisian, he stated it was an easy decision.
Working in a state like Texas is a dream come true, according to Nansen. “And reconnecting with Sarkisian also plays a significant role in it.”
He held a variety of positions at Washington from 2009 to 2013, and he even served as Sarkisian’s assistant coach while he was the Huskies’ head coach. Together, the two even relocated to USC to coach during the 2014 campaign.
Additionally, Pete Kwiatkowski, the other co-defensive coordinator for Texas and a former Washington coach, is connected to Nansen via coaching. In 2000, the two coworkers spent a single season together at Montana State.
The new member of the Texas coaching staff will be extremely beneficial to the defense. Arizona forced 16 turnovers in Nansen’s first season with the Wildcats in 2022, up from 10 the year before, and won four more games.
Nansen assisted the squad in finishing 10-3 in the most recent season; the team is one of only four in program history to win 10 games or more. Additionally, he significantly aided Arizona’s defensive recruiting efforts, securing 16 players from the 2023 class on signing day.
“Are you aware of the defense this guy has used?” Brennan Carroll, the offensive coordinator for Arizona, stated during the 2023 campaign. “It’s unbelievable what Johnny has accomplished in year two.”
Texas will make use of his extensive experience, having coached at the NCAA level for more than 20 years, to strengthen their defense. Sarkisian thinks he’ll be a valuable addition to Longhorn football in the future.
I’ve known Johnny for a very long time, and I greatly admire him. He is well-respected in our industry and possesses a multitude of knowledge and expertise, according to Sarkisian. “He’s a dynamic coach who excels at helping his players reach their full potential.”
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