A&M officially announces John Chavis as Defensive Coordinator

 

• John Chavis will serve as defensive coordinator as well as coach linebackers;

• Terry Price will coach the defensive ends;

• Mark Hagen will coach the defensive tackles; and

• Terry Joseph will continue to coach the secondary.

 

“John Chavis has a long, highly successful career as both a defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in the SEC. He has already brought new insights and a great level of intensity to our staff and players as we begin preparing for the 2015 season,” Sumlin said. “Our philosophy has always been to get the best players in the right positions, and the same holds true for our coaching staff. I am excited about our coaches on the defensive side of the ball and look forward to spring practice beginning on March 2.”

 

Chavis, also known as “Chief”, has served as a defensive coordinator the past 20 years in the SEC with stops at Tennessee (1989-2008) and LSU (2009-14). He was named the 2011 Broyles National Assistant Coach of the Year.

 

In those 20 years, he has been a part of 18 bowl games, 11 10-win seasons with six appearances in the SEC Championship Game.

 

In the six years at LSU, Chavis’ defense ranked in the top 12 nationally in total defense four times (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014). The defensive unit forced 152 turnovers and accounted for 14 touchdowns and two safeties. In 79 total games, Chavis’ defense held the opponents under 100 rushing yards 32 times.

 

At LSU, Chavis had 21 players selected in the NFL Draft, including five first round selections in his six seasons at LSU. He tutored seven first-team All-Americans and nine first-team All-SEC defensive performers.

 

In his 14 seasons at his alma mater, Tennessee, Chavis helped the Vols reach nine wins 11 times. The Vols reached the 10-win mark eight times during his tenure as defensive coordinator which included a school-record 13 victories during their national championship season in 1998.

 

With Chavis as defensive coordinator, Tennessee reached the SEC Championship Game five times and won the league crown twice and the Vols were invited to three BCS bowl games.

 

Chavis had four Tennessee linebackers earn first-team All-America honors and all four went on to be drafted in the NFL. He also coached Jerod Mayo, who was the 10th player selected in the 2008 NFL draft and was named the 2008 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year.

 

Price, a 1989 Texas A&M graduate and a former four-year defensive lineman letterman for the Aggies, has worked with the entire defensive line the past three seasons in Aggieland.

 

After earning All-SWC honors as a defensive lineman at Texas A&M, Price played in the NFL for the Chicago Bears and the Miami Dolphins. He returned to Aggieland to complete his degree and began working with R. C. Slocum’s coaching staff serving as a volunteer assistant (1992-93) working with the defensive line. His first full-time position was with the defensive line at Western Kentucky (1994) as well as serving as the strength coach. He joined Tommy Tuberville’s staff at Ole Miss (1995-98) and moved to Auburn (1999-2008) before making a return trip to Oxford and Ole Miss (2009-11).

 

Hagen has quite a bit of experience with defensive tackles. Hagen worked with the Northern Illinois defensive tackles from 1996-99. In 2000, he moved to Purdue to work with the defensive tackles where Kevin Sumlin was an assistant coach working with the wide receivers. Hagen worked with the Boilermaker tackles from 2000-05 and again in 2008. Hagen moved to Indiana for the 2011-12 seasons working with the Hoosier defensive tackles as well as serving as the special teams coordinator both seasons and adding recruiting coordinator duties in 2012.

 

Joseph begins his second season with the Aggies’ secondary. Joseph also worked with the secondary at Nebraska (2012-13) as well as at Tennessee (2010-11) and Louisiana Tech (2007-09). He was also the recruiting coordinator at both Tennessee and Louisiana Tech. After working as a high school coach in Louisiana (1999-2005), Joseph began his collegiate coaching career at LSU as a graduate assistant in 2006.