Duane Akina returned to the Arizona Football program in 2023 and was promoted to Defensive Coordinator by new Head Coach Brent Brennan in January of 2024. Following one season as Defensive Cooridnator, Akina moved to Defensive Backs Coach in 2025. Akina has over 46 years of coaching experience in college and professional football.
Akina coached at the UA during the celebrated "Desert Swarm" era under Dick Tomey from 1987-2000; Akina also coached Arizona's defensive backs in 2011 under Mike Stoops and interim head coach Tim Kish.
Akina enters his third season in 2025 following his return to the Wildcats as Defensive Coordinator after serving as a Senior Defensive Assistant with the Secondary in 2023. During the 2023 season, Arizona improved across the board defensively, rising from 124th in total defense in 2022 to 48th in 2023. Arizona finished with a 0.38 turnover margin last season, a noted improvement over the –0.42 turnover margin in 2022.
With the help of Akina, the Wildcats finished 29th nationally in points allowed per game in 2023, surrendering 21.1 points per game compared to 125th in 2022 (36.5 points allowed per game). All of these improvements helped the Wildcats win 10 games for the fourth time in program history and defeat No. 12 Oklahoma 38-24 in the Valero Alamo Bowl in 2023.
As the secondary coach at Arizona, Akina helped guide the Wildcats’ “Desert Swarm” defensive attack, one of the nation’s most aggressive and productive groups. His prize pupils were Darryll Lewis, the 1990 Jim Thorpe Award winner, and Chris McAlister, a finalist for the Thorpe Award and winner of the Mosi Tatupu National Special Teams Player of the Year award in 1998. Lewis was a Pro Bowler for the San Diego Chargers and played 10 seasons in the NFL. McAlister, meanwhile, earned a spot in the 2004 Pro Bowl and was a member of the 2000 Super Bowl Champion Baltimore Ravens.
During his time as offensive coordinator, Akina guided some of the Wildcats’ most productive offenses. In 1994, he helped develop the UA offense into a unit that recorded more than 200 yards passing per game. Arizona’s offense registered 2,211 passing yards and 1,776 rushing yards that season, which marked the first time in a decade that the team had registered more yards passing than rushing. In 1995, Akina directed the Wildcats’ passing attack to 204.3 yards per game, which at the time, ranked fifth on the school’s all-time list.
Before Akina's 14-year career at Arizona, he spent five seasons as a defensive assistant under legendary Head Coach Dick Tomey at Hawaii, followed by one season with the CFL's Calgary Stampeders.
Akina has coached three Thorpe Award winners, six Thorpe finalists and 41 defensive backs who have played in the NFL -- including seven Pro Bowlers, nine Super Bowl participants and 12 All-Americans. Akina has coached in 26 bowl games.
In his first stint at Arizona, Akina held multiple roles, including defensive backs coach, associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and offensive coordinator. Following the 2000 season, Akina had a similar role under Mack Brown at Texas. Most recently, Akina worked for David Shaw as Stanford's defensive backs coach from 2014 to this past season.
Stanford (2014-22)
At Stanford (2014-22), Coach Akina mentored multiple All-Pac-12 honorees including Kyu Blue Kelly who earned second team honors with 13 pass defenses, including two interceptions in 2021. Two Cardinal defensive backs earned honorable mention All-Pac-12 in Malik Antoine and sophomore cornerback Kelly in 2020.
Stanford cornerback Paulson Adebo, a 2021 third-round pick of the New Orleans Saints, joined a long lineage of defensive backs mentored by Akina to be selected in the NFL Draft.
For much of the 2019 season, Akina's group dealt with injuries, as eight different defensive backs each started at least three games, including freshmen CB Kyu Blu Kelly (nine starts) and NB Jonathan McGill (six starts). Preseason All-American and first team All-Pac-12 performer Paulson Adebo finished third nationally in passes defended per game (1.4), but missed the final three games of the season. Adebo's 38 passes defended over the last two seasons are the most by a single player in a two-year stretch in program history.
In 2018, Akina's secondary was led by the All-American Adebo, who led the nation with a school record 24 passes defended as a sophomore in 2018.
All-American safety Justin Reid was a third-round NFL Draft selection by the Houston Texans in 2018 and was a pivotal part of a Cardinal defense in 2017 that ranked 12th nationally in passes intercepted (18) and ninth in turnovers (28). Reid was one of three All-Pac-12 defensive backs, joining Quenton Meeks and Brandon Simmons.
In 2016, the secondary included two fifth-year senior safeties who provided the cornerstone of a deep and athletic unit. All-Pac-12 honorable mention safety Dallas Lloyd accounted for a team-high five of Stanford's 14 interceptions, including a pair to help secure Stanford's Sun Bowl win over North Carolina. Lloyd's total ranked 13th nationally and second among Pac-12 defenders. He was joined on the All-Pac-12 team by honorable mention selections Quenton Meeks and Justin Reid.
The Cardinal led the Pac-12 and ranked eighth nationally with four defensive touchdowns in 2016 and returned three picks for scores. Stanford also finished 25th nationally in team passing efficiency defense (117.75), a figure that was good for fourth among conference teams.
Anchored by All-Pac-12 second team defensive back Ronnie Harris, Akina’s secondary in 2015 included starting safeties Kodi Whitfield and Lloyd, who each transitioned from offense. The Cardinal posted the league’s fifth-best passing efficiency defense (123.96) and third-best total defense (368.3). Stanford’s secondary allowed only 6.76 yards/pass attempt while picking off eight, led by Meeks’ team-best three interceptions. Meeks added a pick-six in the Rose Bowl win over Iowa.
The Cardinal tied for fifth in the Pac-12 in pass breakups (51).
In Akina’s first season in 2014, Stanford finished second nationally in scoring defense and eighth in passing defense. The Cardinal allowed only one passing score in nine games, including a stretch of five with zero. Stanford forced the same number of interceptions as passing touchdowns allowed (12).
Strong safety Jordan Richards led the Cardinal with three interceptions and forced three fumbles, and was awarded the 2014 National Football Foundation’s Scholar-Athlete Award. Richards was a first team All-Pac-12 selection and finished his career with nine interceptions.
University of Texas (2001-2013)
Akina coached with the University of Texas from 2001 to 2013 with the University of Texas. In 2003, the Longhorns ranked ninth nationally in pass defense (177.3 ypg) and third in completion percentage allowed (47.2). CB?Nathan Vasher was a Thorpe Award semifinalist, earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and tied the oldest-standing mark on the UT record book with his 17th career INT. He also broke the UT record for career pass breakups with 64.
After being named co-defensive coordinator in 2004, Akina helped guide a defense that finished 18th in scoring defense (17.9), 16th in rushing defense (107.4), 32nd in turnover margin (+5) and 23rd in total defense (320.1) in the country.
Under Akina’s direction, Huff became a member of the Jim Thorpe Award watch list and three of the four starters in the secondary were named to All-Big 12 teams.
The pattern continued in 2005 as Akina led a defense and secondary that ranked fourth nationally in pass efficiency defense (96.7), eighth in pass defense (172.0 ypg), eighth in scoring defense (16.4 ppg) and 10th in total defense (302.9 ypg). Akina also mentored Huff as Texas’ first-ever Jim Thorpe Award winner and produced three All-Big 12 performers out of the secondary.
Despite losing two players who wound up starting for their NFL teams in Huff (Raiders) and Cedric Griffin (Vikings), Akina continued to show his ability to develop great talent in 2006. He helped Aaron Ross become Texas’ second consecutive Thorpe Award winner, while also earning various publication’s Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Safety Michael Griffin also capped his outstanding career with All-America honors.
The duo of Michael Griffin and Ross went on to be drafted back-to-back in the first round, 19th by the Titans and 20th by the Giants, respectively. Both earned starting positions with Ross and the Giants advancing to the Super Bowl. Tarell Brown was the third DB drafted that year (UT first since 1984), as he was chosen in the fifth round by the 49ers.
In 2007, Akina guided a Texas defense that was sixth-best in the nation against the run (93.4 ypg). Safety Marcus Griffin earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and was named first-team All-America by ESPN.com.
Akina returned his full focus to the defensive backs in 2008. With only one returning starter in CB Ryan Palmer, Akina guided the emergence of two freshmen at the starting safety positions. By season’s end, Earl Thomas was named first-team Freshman All-America by the Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News and College Football News, while Blake Gideon earned second-team honors from College Football News. Palmer earned second-team All-Big 12 honors, and the unit helped Texas rank second in the Big 12 in pass efficiency defense.
In 2009, Akina guided a secondary that helped the defense lead the nation in interceptions (25), rank 10th in pass efficiency defense and 19th in passing yards allowed. It also featured the Longhorns’ third Thorpe Award finalist in five years in consensus All-America honoree S Earl Thomas, who led the nation in passes defended and tied for second in interceptions with a UT record eight. Thomas also tied the UT single-season record with two INT returned for TDs.
During the 2010 season, the Longhorns ranked sixth in the nation in both pass defense (161.6 ypg) and total defense (300.2 ypg). Cornerbacks Curtis Brown and Aaron Williams both earned second-team All-Big 12 honors, while S Blake Gideon was tabbed honorable mention All-Big 12. Three defensive backs from last year’s team - Williams, Brown and CB Chykie Brown - were selected in the 2011 NFL Draft in the second, third and fifth rounds, respectively.
In 2011, Akina’s group once again helped Texas lead the Big 12 in pass defense, holding teams to 209.9 yards per game, while also leading the Big 12 and ranking 10th nationally in pass efficiency defense. The secondary featured two successful young cornerbacks as sophomore Carrington Byndom and true freshman Quandre Diggs tied for 12th in the NCAA in passes defended. Diggs earned Big 12 Freshman Defensive Player of the Year and CBSSports.com Freshman All-America honors while also recording four interceptions and two caused fumbles. Junior Kenny Vaccaro was a first team All-Big 12 selection as well with Akina’s guidance, while senior S Blake Gideon completed his career starting all 52 games in which Texas played in his career. Gideon and S Christian Scott both signed free agent contracts in the NFL.
Akina again guided Vaccaro to first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2012 for a defense that had 15 interceptions and 35 pass breakups. The unit allowed just 212.0 passing yards per game despite facing five of the nation’s top 10 passing offenses. Vaccaro was then a first-round pick of the Saints.
Akina joined the UT program after spending the previous 14 seasons at Arizona, where he served as the associate head coach and was tabbed defensive coordinator in December 2000. During his tenure at Arizona, he was a versatile coach who worked with both sides of the ball. Akina spent his final five seasons as defensive backs coach and nine of his 14 seasons working with the Wildcats’ secondary. He also was UA’s offensive coordinator from 1992-95.
Akina joined the University of Arizona staff in January 1987 after spending a season as defensive backs coach with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League. Prior to that, he spent five years as an assistant coach at the University of Hawaii. Akina coached the defensive backs in 1981-82 and ‘84-85 and tutored the outside linebackers in 1983 at UH.
A native of Honolulu, Akina is a 1979 graduate of the University of Washington. He earned three letters as a quarterback, and upon completing his eligibility, he served as a graduate assistant coach at UW. Akina worked with the Huskies’ quarterbacks in 1979-80.
Hawaii’s Prep Athlete of the Year at Honolulu’s Punahou High School in 1974-75, he was a three-time all-league selection as a quarterback in football and a guard in basketball.
Akina and his wife, Donna, have five children, Kainoa, Keoni, Dionicia, Alli and Kamalii. Kainoa has a wife, Daya.
DUANE AKINA’S COACHING HISTORY
| Season |
Program |
Position |
| 2025-present |
Arizona |
Defensive Backs Coach |
| 2024 |
Arizona |
Defensive Coordinator |
| 2023 |
Arizona |
Senior Defensive Assistant/Secondary |
| 2014-22 |
Stanford |
Defensive Backs Coach |
| 2008-13 |
Texas |
Assistant Head Coach - Defensive Backs |
| 2004-07 |
Texas |
Co-Defensive Coordinator - Defensive Backs |
| 2003 |
Texas |
Assistant Head Coach - Defensive Backs |
| 2001-02 |
Texas |
Defensive Backs |
| 1996-00 |
Arizona |
Defensive Coordinator - Defensive Backs |
| 1992-95 |
Arizona |
Offensive Coordinator |
| 1989-91 |
Arizona |
Associate Head Coach |
| 1987-91 |
Arizona |
Defensive Backs |
| 1986 |
Calgary Stampeders |
Defensive Backs |
| 1984-85 |
Hawai'i |
Defensive Backs |
| 1983 |
Hawai'i |
Outside Linebackers |
| 1981-82 |
Hawai'i |
Defensive Backs |
| 1979-80 |
Washington |
Graduate Assistant |
DUANE AKINA’S PLAYING CAREER
Washington – Quarterback (1976-1979)
