Terry Joseph against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Texas reportedly has quickly replaced DB coach

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Feb 24, 2025 8:41 PM ET

Steve Sarkisian's Texas Longhorns had a big opening on their hands when safeties coach Terry Joseph decided to take a gig in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints.

Joseph's decision came out on a Monday morning, but by Monday evening, Sarkisian had already found Joseph's replacement.

According to Anwar Richardson of OrangeBloods, Duane Akina is being hired by Texas to be Joseph's replacement.

According to my sources, veteran defensive backs coach Duane Akina has been hired to replace Terry Joseph. Akina spent more than a decade with the Horns from 2001-2013. He coached at Arizona last season. pic.twitter.com/P3tCMQFINJ
— Anwar Richardson (@AnwarRichardson) February 24, 2025

Akina was a long-time member of Mack Brown's staff at Texas from 2001 to 2013. Akina went to Stanford from 2014 to 2022 and has since spent the past two seasons at Arizona, where he was first a defensive analyst and then the defensive backs coach last season.

Akina has been known as one of the best defensive backs coaches in the nation during his long and somewhat legendary career, and now he's heading back to Austin where he originally made a name for himself.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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