Miami football hiring recording setting UTSA DC Rod Wright as DE coach

The Miami football program continued to bolster their defensive line staff with reports that the Hurricanes are hiring Texas-San Antonio defensive coordinator Rod Wright as their defensive ends coach. Wright has spent the last three seasons with the Roadrunners. In 2021, Wright was elevated to DC.

Wright was the DL coach when he was hired at UTSA from East Carolina in 2018. Prior to one season with East Carolina, Wright was DL coach at Sam Houston State from 2014 through 2017. The roots for Wright are in Texas. Wright began his coaching career as a student defensive special Assistant from 2010 through 2013.

As a player at Texas, Wright was the 2002 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, First-team All-Big 12 and a Consensus All-American in 2005. Wright had 27 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, three sacks, five pass breakups, one fumble recovery that he returned for a TD and a forced fumble.

Wright was a seventh-round pick by the Dolphins in the 2006 NFL Draft. As a rookie, Wright had 38 tackles, two TFLs, 1.5 sacks and three quarterback hits. After two seasons with the Dolphins, Wright spent time with the New York Jets, Saskatchewan Roughriders in the CFL and Dallas Vigilantes in the Arena League.

Wright was part of a program that set records with UTSA. The UTSA defense had a program-record 33 sacks, their first two shutouts in school history, held Rice to 102 yards which is a Roadrunner record, held four teams below 200 yards and seven opponents had less than 100 yards rushing.

Three Roadrunner opponents had 52 or fewer passing yards. Defensive lineman Clarence Hicks set a UTSA record with 10.5 sacks. The Roadrunners finished the season 10-2 which was the best record for UTSA since they joined FBS in 2012. UTSA advanced to its third bowl game in program history in 2021.

The addition of Wright is expected to help the Miami football program recruit in Texas. New linebackers coach Charlie Strong was previously the head coach at Texas as another connection to the Lone Star state. Wright will team with Joe Salave’a who joined Mario Cristobal with Miami after previously being on the Oregon staff.

Wright will be a good mentor to the Miami DEs. The Hurricanes need more production from their pass rush in 2022. Jahfari Harvey and Chantz Williams project as the starting edge rushers entering spring practice. Wright has coached future NFL players Eric Banks, Kendall Futrell, P.J. Hall, Nate Harvey, and Derick Roberson.

Salave’a and Wright will have to work together. The likelihood is that several Miami DL will play inside and outside. Multiple Miami DL have experience playing inside and outside. Wright will quickly be immersed in the Miami football program with Spring Practice beginning on Monday.