Football
- Title:
- Tight Ends / Special Teams
Derek Sage joined the UCLA football staff in February of 2018 as tight ends coach and added the duties of Special Teams Coordinator beginning with the 2019 season. He came to Westwood after working as the outside receivers coach at Washington State in 2017.
In 2021, tight end Greg Dulcich was named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end. He ranked fourth among all tight ends nationally with a 17.3 yards per catch average and was fifth in the Pac-12 with a 60.4 yards per game average. He posted two 100-yard games during the season to mark the eight consecutive year in which a Bruin tight end had reached the century level in a game. On special teams, UCLA led the nation in punt returns with a 20.0 average and was seventh nationally in kickoff returns (27.4). Kazmeir Allen rated 10th in the nation in kickoff return average (29.1). RJ Lopez led the Pac-12 in touchbacks on kickoffs with 52. Nicholas Barr-Mira ranked second in the league in kick scoring.
In 2020, Dulcich earned consensus all-league honors after he rated No. 2 in the nation among tight ends and sixth in the Pac-12 among all receivers with a 73.9 receiving yards per game average. The sophomore also ranked second among the nation's tight ends with his 19.88 yards per catch average. Dulcich's 167-yard effort against USC was the second-highest total of any conference receiver during the season. On special teams, UCLA ranked 15th nationally in punt return average (12.83) and improved its net punt average. Lopez led the Pac-12 with 25 touchbacks.
In the 2019 season, tight end Devin Asiasi, who was selected by the New England Patriots in the 2020 NFL Draft, produced 13 catches of at least 20 yards while racking up 44 catches for 641 yards (14.6 average) and four touchdowns on the year. His average per reception was the highest on the team for a receiver with more than five catches and included a 53-yard scoring effort at USC. UCLA special teams led the Pac-12 in punt return average and ranked second in the NCAA (22.5 yards). The return units featured both a kickoff (Demetric Felton) and punt return (Kyle Philips) for a touchdown. In addition, the net punting average soared by almost two yards per attempt. Special teams kick coverage units also posted improved numbers across the board.
In 2018, Caleb Wilson had a season to remember as he led the team in receptions (60) and receiving yards (965), the highest totals ever by a Bruin tight end. Wilson finished the regular season leading the nation's FBS tight ends in receptions per game (5.0), receiving yards per game (80.4) and total receiving yards (965). He ranked tied for 10th among all Pac-12 receivers in receptions per game and was tied for fifth among all league receivers with an 80.4 receiving yards per game average. Wilson was selected by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2019 NFL Draft.
Sage served as Washington State's outside receivers coach in 2017. WSU's passing offense ranked second in the nation (366.8) that season and the Cougars led the Pac-12 in several offensive categories, including passing yards per game (366.8), touchdown passes (37) and total passing yards (4,769). Prior to coming to the Pac-12, Sage served three seasons as the wide receivers coach at the University of Toledo. In 2016, the Rockets ranked seventh in the NCAA in total offense (517.8 yards/game). Sage guided a receiving group that saw two players, who each caught 10 or more touchdown passes, earn All-Mid-American Conference. First-team selection Cody Thompson ranked 10th nationally with an average of 107.4 receiving yards per game. In his three seasons at Toledo, the Rockets combined for a 28-10 record, went to three bowl games, winning two, and improved from 234.2 passing yards per game in 2014 to 322.8 in 2016. He mentored seven all-conference receivers during his time at Toledo.
Sage arrived at Toledo following a four-year stint as the wide receivers coach at Wyoming from 2010-2013. In 2013, he mentored Cowboy wide receiver Robert Herron, who finished his career as the school's No. 4 all-time leader in touchdown catches with 20 and later played in the 2014 Reese's Senior Bowl and was drafted by Tampa Bay. Sage coached four all-conference receivers during his time in Laramie.
Prior to his work at Wyoming, Sage was the wide receivers coach at New Hampshire from 2005-09, where he worked with Chip Kelly. UNH earned bids to the FCS playoffs in each of Sage's five seasons with the program, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009.
While at New Hampshire, Sage coached some of the most productive receivers in school history, including All-American David Ball. Ball set New Hampshire receiving records for career receptions (304) and career receiving yards (4,655). He also became the NCAA career leader in TD receptions with 58, breaking Jerry Rice's previous record of 51 at Mississippi Valley State.
Sage arrived at New Hampshire from the University of Nevada, where he helped coach the defensive backfield as a graduate assistant in 2003 and the wide receivers as a grad assistant in 2004. In 2002, he served as offensive line and tight ends coach at Moorpark College in California where the team led the Western States Conference in rushing (286.7 yards per game).
A native of Sparks, Nev., Sage played tight end for Sacramento City College for two years (1998-99), helping win conference and bowl championships at the junior college level. He completed his college career at CSUN, where he earned two letters at tight end in 2000 and 2001 before securing his bachelor's degree in kinesiology in 2002.
Sage and his wife Mandy have two children, daughter Piper, and son, Casen.
