SAN JOSE, Calif. - Derrick Odum to remain San José State's associate head football coach, defensive coordinator and safeties coach, announced by head football coach Ken Niumatalolo on Wednesday.
"Super fired up to have Coach Odum back," says Niumatalolo. "He's done a great job at San José State and he's won a lot of ball games. They've played great defense and he has a great reputation in the football community. I'm grateful that he's decided to stay and continue to help lead our football team."
Odum finished his seventh season as the Spartans' defensive coordinator in 2023 and his tenure coordinating defenses is the longest in SJSU history. The Spartans have won 31 games over the last five seasons and have been to three bowl games in the past four seasons for the first time ever.
- In 2023, his defense finished second in the Mountain West averaging just 353.2 yards per game.
- The Spartans pass defense finished first in the conference and 16th in the nation only letting up 186.8 yards per game in 2023.
- Under Odum's leadership, five Spartans made All-Mountain West defense in 2023.
- He added the title of associate head coach in February 2018.
- Under his watch, Viliami Fehoko and Cade Hall were both named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Years.
- Fehoko was drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.
- In 2022, his defense led the Mountain West in sacks with 39 while playing in a conference low 12 games and finished fifth in the nation averaging 3.27 sacks per game.
- SJSU also finished averaging 7.4 tackles for loss per game which led the Mountain West and was good for eighth in the country in 2022.
- They also finished second in the conference with 14 interceptions and helped the Spartans to a conference regular season best +12 in turnover margin in 2022.
- His players have earned 40 all-conference awards and nine of them were selected in a National Football League draft.
- Joined the Spartans staff after coaching Oregon State's defensive backs in 2015 and 2016 while Brennan was coaching the team's receivers.
- His 26 seasons of coaching experience includes being part of 11 teams that played in a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) bowl game, two squads that went to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs, and five conference champions.
- Began his coaching career at his alma mater, the University of Utah, as a graduate assistant in 1996.
- Secondary coach at SMU (2008-14)
- Safeties coach at Utah (2005-07)
- Secondary coach at Houston (2003-04)
- Secondary coach at Utah State (2000-02)
- Secondary coach at Montana (1998-99)
- The 1993 University of Utah graduate majored in political science. A two-sport athlete, he played for the 1989 through 1992 Ute football teams as a defensive back and was a center fielder on the 1992 and 1993 baseball teams.
- Has two sons, Dominic and Jeremiah, and a daughter, Ryann. Jeremiah plays on the SJSU baseball team.
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