San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

Former NFL Linebacker Justin Ena gets hired as SDSU football’s defensive line coach

Justin+Ena+as+a+defensive+coordinator+with+Utah+State.+%28Photo+courtesy+of+Utah+State+Athletics%29
Utah State Athletics
Justin Ena as a defensive coordinator with Utah State. (Photo courtesy of Utah State Athletics)

The former three-time all-Mountain West linebacker Justin Ena has been named the new defensive line coach. The announcement was made by head coach Brady Hoke on Monday, according to GoAztecs.com.

The 44-year old, born in Provo, Utah, has 14 years of college coaching experience. He was a defensive coordinator for Dixie State in 2021, Utah State in 2019, Weber State in 2014 and Southern Utah in 2008-13.

Ena helped USU to the 2019 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl. 

While being the special teams coordinator/linebackers coach at the University of Utah from 2015-18, he helped the Utes to a top-30 rush defense in all four seasons under him. While with Utah, he brought them to three bowl appearances.

Ena played at Brigham Young from 1998-01. At the collegiate level, he was a four-year starter as a linebacker and he would go on to play in the 2002 Senior Bowl.

In 2001, Ena graduated from Brigham Young with a degree in history.

Ena played four seasons in the NFL, coming out of the 2002 draft as an undrafted free agent. He played three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles (2002-03, 2005) and one season with the Tennessee Titans (2004).

The Aztec defense had 86 quarterback hits, 41 sacks and 95 tackles for a loss last year. 

Hoke will look towards Ena’s experience as a defensive coordinator, linebackers coach, safeties coach and being an NFL player to help improve those numbers.

 

About the Contributor
Adam Correa, Senior Staff Writer
Adam is a senior at San Diego State University studying journalism and media studies. This is his second year with The Daily Aztec. He loves watching sports, reading, and going to the gym in his free time. He mainly writes for the sports section, but also loves doing on-camera reporting and multimedia content. He previously was the assistant sports editor and blog editor for The Telescope newspaper at Palomar College. In the summer of 2022, he did an internship with Thesocialtalks digital newspaper, where he wrote for the latest news, opinion, and sports section. When he graduates from San Diego State University, he wants to be a sports writer for a popular newspaper organization or a sports reporter for a tv station.
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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Former NFL Linebacker Justin Ena gets hired as SDSU football’s defensive line coach