University of Arizona Athletics

THE AYCH FILE Hometown Zachary, La. College: Northern State (1996) COACHING EXPERIENCE 2018-present Arizona (Inside WR) 2017 Arizona (WR) 2016 UTEP (WR) 2011-2015 Angelo State (OC/Assist. HC) 2005-2008 Central Missouri (ST/WR) 2003-2004 Washington (Def. graduate assistant) 2000-2002 Houston (Off. graduate assistant)

Theron Aych returns for his fourth season with the Wildcats in 2020 after being retained by head coach Kevin Sumlin in January 2018. Aych, who coached all receivers in 2017, has worked primarily with the inside receivers since 2018.

Despite a heavy lean to the run game in 2017, Aych's receivers were a consistent and critical force for the Wildcats' explosive offense. Shun Brown, Shawn Poindexter, Tony Ellison and Cedric Peterson were all regular starters that will return in 2018. In addition to combining for 108 receptions for 1,522 yards and 12 touchdowns, the quartet emerged as willing blockers on the perimeter to set up long rushing plays. Arizona was tied for the national lead with 28 runs of at least 30 yards.

By season's end, the receiving corps was in on the big plays as well, hauling in five touchdowns in the Foster Farms Bowl - all of which were at least 24 yard strikes from quarterback Khalil Tate. Brown, an honorable mention All-Pac-12 performer, led the squad with 43 receptions for 573 yards and six scores. Ellison wasn't far behind with 37 grabs and five scores, yet he averaged 16.2 yards per catch to lead all receivers. 

Aych joined the Wildcats after spending the 2016 season at UTEP and the 2015 season at Angelo State, where he was a finalist for the Division II American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Assistant Coach of the Year award.

In his only season with the run-oriented Miners that boasted an All-American running back and offensive lineman, Aych coached the wide receiver unit that helped haul in 21 receiving touchdowns, the most for the program since 2010. The balance provided in the pass game allowed UTEP to improve its per-game scoring by nearly a touchdown from 20.7 points per game in 2015 to 26.3 points per game last season. Additionally, receiver Terry Juniel was named honorable mention All-Conference USA.

Before his stint in El Paso, Texas, Aych spent five seasons at Angelo State where he served as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach from 2011-2015.

Under Aych, the Rams’ offense put up staggering numbers in 2015, leading the nation (Division II) in total offense with over 560 yards per game and ranking seventh in points per game (42.5). Senior quarterback Kyle Washington, under Aych’s tutelage, threw for 3,691 yards (Angelo State single-season record), ranking sixth in the nation. Washington registered 27 passing scores and only nine interceptions. Washington also rushed for 831 yards and 15 scores as he led the nation in total offense and broke ASU’s single-season record for total yards with 4,522. Washington was named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

In 2014, Angelo State averaged 39.4 points per contest, while racking up 469.7 yards of total offense per game. The Rams registered a 9-3 overall record in 2014. Washington set a single-season school record by throwing for 34 touchdowns and being the first Ram in history to throw for over 3,000 yards with 3,236.

Aych previously coached four seasons at Central Missouri in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association. With the Mules, Aych coached current Tennessee Titans tight end Delanie Walker, who was drafted as a wide receiver in the 2006 draft after an impressive collegiate career.

Prior to coaching the Mules, Aych spent two seasons at the University of Washington on the other side of the line of scrimmage, assisting with the outside linebackers and punters as a defensive graduate assistant. Aych coached two Huskies – linebackers Marquis Cooper and Greg Carothers – who signed NFL contracts. Cooper was an All-Pac-10 selection in 2003 and a fourth-round round selection of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

While at the University of Houston, Aych coached running back Joffrey Reynolds, who was named the C-USA Offensive Player of the Year by Sporting News. Reynolds rushed for over 1,500 yards in 2002.
The Zachary, La., native has also coached at the junior college level – Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College – and the high school level at Aberdeen (S.D.) Central.

Aych earned three letters as a wide receiver at Northern State University in Aberdeen and was an All-Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Honorable mention selection. He earned a degree in sociology and criminal justice from NSU in 1996. Aych and his wife, Gwyn, have two children, Tommy and Katelyn.