The former right-hand man for late Arizona football coaching icon Dick Tomey is likely to return to Tucson, new UA head coach Brent Brennan revealed during his introductory press conference on Wednesday.
Duane Akina is a "decent commitment" to join Brennan's staff at Arizona, after the defensive backs assistant accepted an analyst role at Texas, where former UA defensive coordinator Johnny Nansen is now the co-defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
"Just the teacher he is, the person he is, the leader he is, I'm excited about that," Brennan said.
The 67-year-old and fiery Akina assisted Nansen in elevating an Arizona defense that rose from 125th nationally in total defense to No. 50 in the last two seasons. Akina helped implement the double-eagle flex defense against run-heavy teams, which was deployed during Arizona's 38-point win at Washington State.
Akina was initially hired by Arizona as a senior analyst in '23, but was elevated to an on-field coaching role while defensive line coach Ricky Hunley recovered from leg surgery.
Akina has also held roles as a defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at the UA during the celebrated "Desert Swarm" era under Tomey from 1987-2000; Brennan was a graduate assistant at Arizona for one season in 2000. After Tomey's firing in 2000, Akina was promoted from defensive backs coach to defensive coordinator under new head coach John Mackovic, but left for Texas.
Akina briefly coached Arizona's defensive backs in 2011 under Mike Stoops, but returned to Texas to coach defensive backs after Jerry Gray became the Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator. Akina mentored three Jim Thorpe Award winners between his time at Arizona and Texas: Darryll Lewis (Arizona), Michael Huff (Texas) and Aaron Ross (Texas). At Texas, Akina coached the Longhorns from 2001-13 and helped UT win a national championship at the Rose Bowl against USC in 2006.
Prior to his second stint at Arizona, Akina coached defensive backs at Stanford under David Shaw from 2014-22. Akina now appears headed back to Tucson to work for a fifth head coach at Arizona between Tomey, Mackovic, Stoops, Jedd Fisch and now Brennan.
Brennan revealed on Wednesday that Arizona is hiring former San Jose State director of football operations Ben Thienes, who was a graduate assistant at Washington and Boise State, his alma mater. Before SJSU, he was a linebackers coach and director of player personnel at Portland State.
Brent Brennan was officially announced as the head coach of the Arizona Wildcats on Tuesday. Brennan flew to Tucson and walked into Arizona Stadium with the Pride of Arizona playing "Bear Down, Arizona" and mascots Wilbur and Wilma greeting the new UA coach. (Video by Justin Spears / Arizona Daily Star)
