University of Arizona Athletics

Marcel Yates returns for his third season as Arizona's defensive coordinator and is re-united with Kevin Sumlin, who he worked for as a co-coordinator at Texas A&M from 2012-13. Yates, who coached linebackers for the Wildcats in 2016 and then cornerbacks in 2017, will again coach linebackers this season. Prior to being retained by Sumlin, Yates served as the program's interim head coach from Jan. 2-14.

In 2017, Yates coached one of the youngest defenses in the Pac-12. His unit regularly started five freshmen, including linebackers Tony Fields II and Colin Schooler, along with rush end Kylan Wilborn. Each was a true freshman that garnered at least one Freshman All-American honor, while Schooler was named the Pac-12's Defensive Freshmen of the Year. Fields II was the team's leading tackler, totaling 104, which was more than any UA freshmen in at least 20 seasons. Schooler racked up 13.5 tackles for loss (all in conference play), which against was the most by a freshman since at least 1997. And then Wilborn registered 7.5 sacks, a tally that led all Power 5 freshman.

The Wildcats also became a much more opportunistic defense in Yates' second season. Arizona intercepted 19 passes, which was tied for seventh-most nationally and the most for the program since the 1985 season. In total, the Cats forced 25 turnovers, which another top-25 mark nationally. Redshirt freshman cornerback Lorenzo Burns picked off five passes, which was the second-most by a freshman in the FBS, and junior corner Jace Whittaker added three interceptions for Yates' starting cornerback duo.

Arizona’s defense in 2016 was also young, undersized and battled injuries throughout the year. Still, in Yates' first season working with linebackers, he developed Paul Magloire Jr. – a converted safety – into the team’s leading tackler with 81 total stops and 5.5 for loss. Magloire Jr. signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Yates previously served as the defensive coordinator at Boise State where he led an attacking-style defense with a reputation for forcing turnovers the past two seasons. Under Yates, the Broncos’ defense ranked highly in notable categories, including being one of two teams nationally to post top-10 finishes for turnovers forced each of the last two years. His 2014 unit also ranked seventh nationally in both tackles for loss and sacks, while the 2015 squad turned in the fifth-best rush defense, 12th total defense and 18th-best scoring defense. The Broncos earned a pair of bowl victories along with the 2014 Mountain West championship in Yates’ tenure as a coordinator.

In his entire time as an assistant at Boise State, the Broncos won seven conference championships in nine seasons and appeared in a bowl game each year. The Broncos won five of the bowl games, including both the 2007 and 2010 Tostitos Fiesta Bowls.

During his final six seasons with Boise State, five defensive backs went on to be selected in the National Football League Draft: Gerald Alexander (Second Round, Detroit Lions, 2007), Orlando Scandrick (Fifth Round, Dallas Cowboys, 2008), Kyle Wilson (First Round, New York Jets, 2010), Brandyn Thompson (Seventh Round, Washington Redskins, 2011) and George Iloka (Fifth Round, Cincinnati Bengals, 2012).

A graduate of Boise State and an assistant coach with the Broncos from 2003-11, Yates returned to his alma mater in 2014 following a two-year stint as the co-defensive coordinator at Texas A&M. During his time in College Station, the Aggies concluded the 2012 season ranked fifth nationally in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls, and won 11 games for the first time since 1998. The Aggies went 9-4 in 2013, finishing the season ranked No. 18 in each poll.

Yates, who played defensive back for the Broncos from 1996-99, was Boise State’s cornerbacks coach from 2003-05, before taking over the entire secondary from 2006-11. He added defensive pass game coordinator responsibilities in 2011, before moving on to Texas A&M.

While with the Broncos in his initial stint as an assistant, Boise State won seven conference championships in nine seasons and appeared in a bowl game each year. The Broncos won five of the bowl games, including both the 2007 and 2010 Tostitos Fiesta Bowls.

Prior to his first job at Boise State in 2003, Yates was an assistant secondary coach at Montana State from 2001-02. In his second season with the Bobcats, Montana State won its first Big Sky Conference Championship and earned its first NCAA Division I-AA Playoff appearance in 18 years.

Yates earned his bachelor’s degree in social science from Boise State in 2000. Following his senior season, he earned the team’s Denny Erickson Award for Valor. He has two children, daughter Kaybrie and son Eric.