After three seasons as the defensive line coach with the Miami Hurricanes, veteran assistant Joe Salave'a is returning to his alma mater Arizona to accept the same position. Salave'a spent the last two seasons as the co-defensive line coach with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor. Salave'a previously spent five years at Oregon with Mario Cristobal.
In three years with Miami, Salave'a was a high-level recruiter. Salave'a helped Miami sign five-star prospects in defensive lineman Armondo Blount and Justin Scott in the 2024 class and offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa in the 2023 class. Mauigoa has been a two-year starter.
Salave'a and Taylor helped Rueben Bain have a breakout 2023 freshman season when he was named the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year. Bain had 44 tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks, 3.0 forced fumbles and 1.0 pass defended in 2023. Bain was limited by injuries in 2024.
Miami DL coach Joe Salave'a will be leaving the Hurricanes to join Arizona's staff
Salave'a was a three-year starter and two-time All-Pac 10 player at Arizona from 1994 through 1997. The Tennessee Titans selected Salave'a with the 107th overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. Salave'a spent four seasons with Tennessee and played in the NFL through the 2006 season.
Sources: Arizona is set to hire Miami DL coach/associate head coach Joe Salave'a as the school’s new defensive line coach. He’s an Arizona alum who has spent time at Oregon, Washington State and Arizona as an assistant. He also had a lengthy NFL career. pic.twitter.com/2eY9hG3yaf
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 9, 2025
Salave'a was hired as the defensive line coach at San Jose State in 2008 under his college coach, the late Dick Tomey. After one season with the Spartans, Salave'a returned to Arizona as the DL coach in 2011. Salave'a left Arizona for Washington State where he spent the next five seasons.
Salave'a will be missed. He's a high-level recruiter and having two former NFL defensive linemen with extensive careers on the Miami staff was a huge benefit for Cristobal. The expectation should be that Taylor becomes the sole DL coach. Miami has two openings on its 2025 staff, with defensive coordinator also open.
Cristobal will have multiple options for how to fill out the staff with the two openings. The new defensive coordinator will likely also be a position coach. With Taylor remaining on the Miami staff, the Hurricanes should continue to recruit defensive linemen at an elite level.