University of Arizona Athletics

Veteran Assistant Craig Naivar joins the Arizona Football program as Special Teams Coordinator after two seasons as Defensive Coordinator with Coastal Carolina. Naivar brings with him 32 years of coaching experience in the nation’s top conferences including the Big 12, SEC, and Pac-12.
 
Most recently Naivar (NYE-ver) served as Defensive Coordinator and Safeties Coach with Coastal Carolina (2023-24), helping to create immediate improvement in total defense jumping from 102nd in 2022 to 66th in 2023.
 
His impact lifted Coastal Carolina from 111th in scoring defense in 2022 to 50th in 2023, a jump of 61 spots and allowing eight less points per game. Naivar’s defense moved from 37th in the nation in turnovers forced in 2022 to 21st in 2023.
 
In his first season at Coastal, Naivar was nominated for the 2023 Broyles Award, given annually to college football's top assistant coach. The Chanticleers ranked 15th nationally in defensive touchdowns, 19th in interceptions, 20th in turnovers forced, and 24th in red zone defense. CCU forced a turnover in 11 of its 13 games and held four different opponents under 350 total yards. Coastal held five teams to less than 200 yards passing. 
 
The native Texan joined Coastal Carolina after one year at SMU as the Mustangs' special teams coordinator and safeties coach in 2022.

In his one season at SMU, the Mustangs’ special teams unit led the American Athletic Conference in blocked punts with four and was second in the league in net punting at 41.02 yards, both of which ranked in the top 25 in all of FBS. The unit also ranked fourth in the AAC in punt return defense (5.75 ypr) and punt returns (9.47 ypr).
 
He also mentored safety Nick Roberts, who had a team-high three interceptions, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries, while also ranking third in total tackles on the team with 64.0 on the season.
 
Prior to his time at SMU, Naivar spent two seasons as the safeties coach at USC from 2020-21, where he mentored Talanoa Hufanga to consensus first-team All-America and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2020.
 
From 2017-19, he served as the safeties coach at Texas, while also serving stints as the special teams coordinator (2017-18) and co-defensive coordinator (2019).
 
Naivar helped the Longhorns to a win in the 2019 Alamo Bowl, limiting No. 12 Utah to just 254 total yards and 15 first downs. He coached Caden Sterns to Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors in 2018 and Jim Thorpe Award Finalist DeShon Elliott to unanimous All-America honors in 2017. That year, Texas also had one of the nation's top punt units, led by 2017 Ray Guy Award winner, Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year, and unanimous All-American Michael Dickson. Dickson averaged a program-record 47.4 yards per punt and the Longhorn's net average (44.2) led the nation.
 
During the 2015 and 2016 seasons, he was Houston's co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach.
 
In his two seasons at Houston, the Cougars compiled a 22-5 record. In 2016, the Cougars ranked fourth in rushing defense, 13th in total defense, and 14th in sacks and tackles-for-loss. The 2015 season saw top-20 rankings in rushing defense (eighth) and scoring defense (20th), as UH was crowned the American Athletic Conference Champions, won the Peach Bowl, and finished No. 8 in the AP Poll.
 
Naivar spent the 2014 season at Kentucky, serving as special teams coordinator and safeties coach. His defense registered 15 interceptions, ranking 22nd nationally, after posting just eight picks in the two seasons prior to his arrival. Kick returner Stanley Williams and placekicker Austin MacGinnis were named freshman All-Americans.
 
In his second of two stints at Texas State in 2011-13, Naivar coached Michael Ebbitt to 2011 Independent Defensive Player of the Year honors and mentored NFL talent in linebacker Joplo Bartu and cornerback Darryl Morris.
 
In his first stint with the Bobcats in 2004-06, the Bobcats finished the 2005 season at 11-3, made an appearance in the FCS semifinals, and finished in the top 25 in both scoring defense and total defense. He led Fred Evans to Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year honors in 2004 and AFCA All-America, conference player of the year, and conference defensive player of the year honors in 2005.
 
Naivar served as the co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach (2007-09) and special teams coordinator and defensive line coach (2010) at Rice in between his stops at Texas State.
 
At Rice, he helped Kyle Martens pick up All-America honors in 2010. The Owls ranked 26th in the nation in punt returns and had the nation's 10th-best kickoff returner, Charles Ross. Kicker Chris Boswell earned All-Conference USA first-team honors.
 
In 2001, he helped Sam Houston to an appearance in the FCS quarterfinals and spent four seasons overall with the Bearkats, working as the special teams coordinator and defensive coordinator, as well as working with the defensive line and safeties.
 
Naivar also had stints at Southern Illinois (1998-99), New Mexico (1996-97), and Hardin-Simmons (1994-95). A four-year letterwinner at Hardin-Simmons from 1990-94, Naivar played safety and quarterback. As a team captain his senior year, he earned all-conference honors and helped the Cowboys to a conference championship and a trip to the NCAA FCS DI national semifinals.
 
He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education in 1994 and went on to earn a master's degree in sports management in 1996. Naivar attended Taylor High School in Texas. He and his wife, Michelle, have two children – Jordan and Gunner.
 

THE NAIVAR FILE
2025-present	Special Teams Coordinator	Arizona
2023-24	Defensive Coordinator/Safeties	Coastal Carolina
2022	Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties	SMU
2020-21	Safeties	USC
2019	Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties	Texas
2017-18	Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties	Texas
2015-16	Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties	Houston
2014	Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties	Kentucky
2011-13	Defensive Coordinator/Safeties	Texas State
2010	Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line	Rice
2007-09	Co-Defensive Coordinator/Safeties	Rice
2004-06	Defensive Coordinator/Safeties	Texas State
2002-03	Defensive Coordinator/Safeties	Sam Houston State
2000-01	Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line	Sam Houston State
1998-99	Special Teams Coordinator/Defensive Line	Southern Illinois
1998	Graduate Assistant	TCU
1996-97	Graduate Assistant	New Mexico
1994-95	Special Teams Coordinator	Hardin-Simmons