Former National Football League (NFL) defensive coordinator, Pro Bowl Safety, College Football Hall of Famer and Wildcat standout Chuck Cecil was named Senior Defensive Specialist in 2024 by new head coach Brent Brennan after serving as Defensive Backs Coach in December from 2020-23 following four seasons as a Senior Defensive Analyst and interim Defensive Coordinator. He enters his fourth season with the Wildcats and first season in his new role in 2024.
Cecil is one of the only coaches in the NFL to have served as a senior defensive assistant, offense. He is a 20-year NFL and collegiate football coaching veteran, who spent the past three years coaching safeties at Arizona. The unit has improved dramatically from 2021 to 2023 with four safeties recording career high grades from PFF last season.
Over that period, Cecil's safeties have topped previous personal highs in forced fumbles, solo tackles, and sacks in addition to improving their overall defense against the run. In 2023, Cecil saw two starters record career highs in tackles and interceptions while the defense recorded its lowest points per game allowed since 2013. Under Cecil's tutelage, both of Arizona's starting safeties finished in the top-5 in total tackles on the team.
In 2022, the Wildcats forced 16 turnovers (4 INT, 12 fumbles) marking an improvement of 10 turnovers from 2021 helping Arizona to a win improvement of four games. It marked the third largest win improvement in program history jumping from 1-11 in 2021 to 5-7 in 2022. Arizona landed former five-star linebacker Justin Flowe (Oregon) during the early signing period for the 2023 recruiting class. Cecil helped the Wildcats secure 16 defensive signees on early signing day to add depth and talent to the defense.
During the 2021 season, Cecil's defensive backs held opposing offenses to just 190 yards passing per game, a mark that ranked second in the Pac-12 and 15th nationally. It marked the first time since 2005 that the Wildcats finished second or better in the conference in pass defense. Arizona held their opponents to fewer than 100 yards passing four times during the 2021 campaign.
Cecil also played a key role in building Arizona's 2022 signing class that ranked second in the Pac-12 (22nd nationally) and included the first five-star signee in program history.
Prior to joining the Wildcats, Cecil served as the senior defensive coach for the Los Angeles Rams (2015-2017). The Rams defense ranked in the top 10 of the NFL during the 2016 season. In 2012, Cecil shared in the Rams defensive coordinator responsibilities and served as the defensive backs coach. The defense improved from 26th (2011) to 14th (2012) while the secondary ranked second for the fewest passing touchdowns in the league in 2014.
In the 2010 and 2009 seasons, Cecil was the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. As the architect of a solid run and pressure-oriented defense, the defense finished the 2009 season ranked 11th overall in the NFL. Tennessee ranked eighth in the league in interceptions (20) and second in interceptions returned for touchdown (4). During his final three years, the Titans defense ranked third in the NFL in interceptions (62) behind only Green Bay and Baltimore.
A veteran secondary coach, Cecil taught and developed a defensive back core that grew into one of the finest secondary units in the league. During the 2008 season as the defensive back coach, three of the four players were invited to the Pro Bowl for the first time in their careers. It was the first time in NFL history that three players from the same secondary represented the team in the Pro Bowl. Overall, they snared 19 interceptions, which ranked second in the NFL. Prior, Cecil coached safeties and nickel backs.
A Pro Bowl Safety, Cecil played seven years in the NFL. Selected by the Green Bay Packers in 1988, Cecil was known as a ferocious player and was featured on the 1993 cover of Sports Illustrated with the title "Is
Chuck Cecil Too Vicious for the NFL?" Cecil played seven years in the NFL. The Green Bay Packers (1988-92), Phoenix Cardinals (1993), and Houston Oilers (1995) during which he notched 461 tackles, 16 interceptions, and one touchdown.
One of the most accomplished and decorated players in Arizona Football history, Cecil played for the Wildcats from 1984-87 under head coaches Larry Smith and Dick Tomey. During his collegiate career in Tucson, Cecil tallied 392 total tackles, 21 interceptions, and 38 passes defensed. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2009. His 106-yard interception return in the 1986 Territorial Cup still stands as the longest interception return in program history and he remains in the program's top 10 career leaderboards in tackles, interceptions, and pass breakups.
Cecil is married to Carrie Gerlach Cecil, a native Arizonan who has established a successful communications career creating literary, television, film, online, business and live content. The couple met in their time at UA and have one daughter, Charli (15) as well as two dogs. They are heavily involved in community service, including hosting the Cecil Family Golden Hour Golf Classic for the UMC Level One Trauma Center in Tucson, Arizona and raise monies for Eve’s Angels, and Ordinary Hero, among other organizations.
CHUCK CECIL COACHING HISTORY
- Arizona - Senior Defensive Assistant, Offense (2024-present)
- Arizona – Defensive Backs Coach (2021-2023)
- Arizona – Interim Defensive Coordinator/Safeties (2019)
- Arizona – Senior Defensive Analyst (2018-2020)
- Los Angele Rams – Senior Defensive Assistant (Defense & Offense) (2015-2017)
- St. Louis Rams – Defensive Backs Coach (2013 & 2014)
- St. Louis Rams – Co-Defensive Coordinator & Defensive Backs Coach (2012)
- Tennessee Titans – Defensive Coordinator (2009 & 2010)
- Tennessee Titans – Defensive Backs Coach (2007 & 2008)
- Tennessee Titans – Safeties and Nickel Backs Coach (2004-2006)
- Tennessee Titans – Defensive Assistant/Quality Control (2001-2003)
CECIL HONORS AND AWARDS
- NCAA College Football Hall of Fame Induction (2010)
- University of Arizona Sports Hall of Fame Inductee (1993)
- Pro Bowl Selection (1992)
- All-Madden Selection (1991)
- Pac-10 Conference Medal winner (1988)
- NCAA Today's Top VI Award recipient (1988)
- Consensus All-American (1987)
- UPI, Football News, Kodak, Walter Camp and Coaches All-America selection (1987)
- Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist (1986-87)
- Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year (1987)
- Aloha Bowl MVP (1986)
- Sun Bowl MVP (1985)
- Jim Thorpe Award Semifinalist (1986-87)
- Hula Bowl (1988)
- Member of the Pac-10 Defensive Team of the Decade (1980)
- Two-time All-Pac-10 First Team (1986, 1987)
- Two-time Academic All-America First Team (1986, 1987)
- Academic All-America Second Team (1985)
