TUCSON, Ariz. – University of Arizona Head Football Coach Brent Brennan today announced that veteran NFL and college football coach, Chuck Cecil has been named senior defensive assistant, offense for the Wildcats. Cecil begins his new role immediately and will report to Head Coach Brent Brennan.
 
"In today's college football model, with the demands of recruiting and NIL, we need a position that would increase communication, competitive advantages, and functionality," stated Brennan. "The senior defensive assistant, offense, position modernizes our traditional coaching hierarchy – without adding personnel count – and there is no better coach to fill that role than Chuck Cecil."
 
In his new position, Cecil will provide in-depth analysis and analytics of opponents' defenses to the Wildcats head coach and offensive coordinator. The role is designed to identify and deliver schematic and competitive advantages for play-calling, techniques, and personnel. Cecil is no stranger to the position, as he held it with the Los Angeles Rams working with the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks' coach, and quarterbacks, including Jared Goff.
 
"A big thank you to Coach Brennan for the opportunity to stay at Arizona in this new role," stated Cecil. "Coaching the Wildcats, and being a part of the football program, continues to be a blessing for me and my family. My wife, daughter and I have made Tucson my home and staying with the Wildcats is ideally how I would like to end my coaching career – but not anytime soon."
 
Brennan added, "Chuck has done an incredible job recruiting and coaching the defensive backs for the past three years in Tucson, and it is hard to find another person who cares more about the Wildcats than him. He brings invaluable football knowledge from both the professional and collegiate coach and player perspectives, and we are excited to keep him home with the Wildcats in this new role."
 
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.
 
A former NFL defensive coordinator and elite secondary coach, with 16 years of NFL coaching experience, Cecil returned to his alma mater, the University of Arizona in 2017, and has worked alongside three coaching staffs in a variety of positions ranging from interim defensive coordinator, senior defensive analyst, to most recently defensive backs/safeties coach.
 
Previously, Cecil was the senior defensive assistant for the Los Angeles Rams, where he served as a special defensive assistant assisting the offensive position coaches, coordinator, and head coach. Prior, Cecil shared the interim defensive coordinator responsibilities and served as the defensive backs coach for the St. Louis Rams. The defense improved from 26th (2011) to 14th (2012). Cecil brought experience and credibility to the defense while cultivating his young secondary players in the fundamentals of the game.
 
In 2014, the secondary ranked 2nd for the fewest passing touchdowns in the league. During the 2010 and 2009 seasons, Cecil was the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans. He was the architect of a solid run and pressure-oriented defense, which 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 touchdowns (4). During his final three years, the Titans defense ranked third in the NFL in interceptions (62) behind only Green Bay and Baltimore. Over his last 10 games, the Titans had an 8-2 record and the defense ranked 11th in the league in scoring defense over that period. An elite 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 backs 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 franchise 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.