In filling a hole in his Utah coaching staff, Kyle Whittingham reached back to the Utes’ football past to do so.
Monday evening, Utah announced that Whittingham has hired Sione Po’uha as his new defensive tackles coach. Po’uha spent the 2018 season coaching the same position at Navy.
“It’s great to have Sione back in our program,” said Whittingham. “In his playing days he was an outstanding defensive tackle here at Utah and had a lengthy and successful NFL career as well. We are also excited about the impact he will have in our recruiting.”
From 2001-04, Po’uha was a defensive lineman for the Utes, earning first-team All-Mountain West honors as a senior. He was a third-round pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, and spent his entire eight-year career with the New York Jets.
After beginning his post-playing career as a student assistant at his alma mater from 2015-16, Po’uha became the Utes’ director of football player development in 2017 before leaving for Navy. The job at the service academy was the first on-field role of Po’uha’s coaching career.
“I am so appreciative of Coach Whittingham for giving me the opportunity to come back and coach at my alma mater,” said Po’uha. “It was a dream of mine and I am excited about working with the players and coaches here.”
