Football
Coyle, Kevin
Kevin Coyle
- Title:
- Senior Defensive Analyst
Kevin Coyle joined the UCLA football staff as a senior defensive analyst the week of Sept. 22, 2025. Coyle enters his 48th year of coaching and 31st at the collegiate ranks in 2025. He comes to UCLA after spending the first month of the 2025 season as a senior defensive analyst at Syracuse where he helped the Orange to a 3-1 record to start the year.
Coyle took over UCLA’s defensive play-calling duties prior to the Bruins’ game at Northwestern on Sept. 27.
While at Syracuse earlier this season, Coyle spent the majority of his stint working with head coach Fran Brown and defensive backs coach Joe Schaefer. Syracuse’s secondary saw success in its first four games from true freshman Demetres Samuel Jr. and Cornell Perry who filled in as an injury replacement. Syracuse ranked 24th in the nation with six turnovers across its first four games.
Coyle previously served as a defensive coordinator at Fresno State from 2022-24 under head coach Jeff Tedford and interim head coach Tim Skipper. Skipper, who Coyle rejoins at UCLA, was the interim head coach at Fresno State in its 2023 Isleta New Mexico Bowl win and for the entirety of the 2024 season.
Coyle also served as Fresno State’s defensive coordinator for a four-year stretch from 1997-2000 which coincided with Skipper’s playing career as a Bulldog linebacker.
Fresno State’s defense ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in total defense under Coyle for the 2024 season. The Bulldogs were also in the top five in scoring defense, rushing defense, pass defense efficiency and pass defense. The Bulldogs extended their streak to four straight years with a shutout victory, defeating New Mexico State 48-0 in September.
In 2023, the Bulldog defense ranked third in the Mountain West in scoring (23.46 points/game) and passing (204.69 yards/game), fourth in total defense (370.85 yards/game) and seventh in rushing defense (166.15 yards/game). Fresno State ranked second in the Mountain West and 20th in the FBS in turnovers gained with 33 on the season.
Coyle’s first year back at Fresno State was a memorable one as Fresno State became the first program in FBS history to start the season 1-4 and finish with 10 wins. Fresno State ended the year on a nine-game winning streak won the 2022 Mountain West Championship and the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl.
In year one back as the defensive coordinator at Fresno State, Coyle’s defense ranked ninth in the FBS in team passing efficiency defense (109.88) and 14th in scoring defense, holding teams to an aveage of 19.43 points per game. Eight of Fresno State’s opponents were held to under 20 points, including five with 10 or less points.
Prior to joining the staff at Fresno State, Coyle served as a senior defensive analyst at LSU. Coyle joined the LSU staff as an analyst in 2018 and was a part of the 2019 National Champion LSU football program.
In between his two stints at LSU, Coyle was named the defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Legends (Alliance of American Football). Shortly after joining the franchise, Coyle was promoted to head coach of the team. After the AAF dissolved, Coyle returned to LSU in the same analyst role he held prior.
Coyle owns 17 years of coaching experience in the NFL as either a defensive backs coach or defensive coordinator. He served as the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins from 2012-15. He was with the Bengals for 13 seasons (2001-11, 2016-17).
Coyle has been considered by some as one of the top defensive coaches in Bengals’ franchise history. Working with the franchise under two head coaches, not only did he develop one of the NFL's top cornerback tandems of the late 2000s, Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph, but the Bengals' defense as a whole ranked seventh in the 2011 season largely as a result of their ninth-ranked pass defense (211.6 passing yards allowed per game). He was also well known for reviving the careers of free agents such as Chris Crocker and Gibril Wilson.
During his tenure, the Bengals earned playoff berths three times, and in 2005 they had their most wins (11) since 1988. That season, the Bengals defense led the league in interceptions with 31.
Before his time in the NFL, Coyle was a member of the Fresno State coaching staff as defensive coordinator under Pat Hill from 1997-2000. It was the first season as head coach for Hill, who brought Coyle to the Valley after a recommendation by current Bulldog special teams coordinator John Baxter who worked with Coyle at Maryland. Coyle had great success at Fresno State. In 1999 and 2000, the defense led the Western Athletic Conference in first-team All-Conference players (three each season). The team went to two bowl games during his tenure (1999, 2000).
In more than four decades of coaching, he has also served as a defensive coordinator with Syracuse, Holy Cross, Fresno State, Maryland and the Miami Dolphins. He was a graduate assistant at Cincinnati (1978-79) in his early career, and a coaching assistant at Arkansas following the completion of his graduate assistantship (1980).
Coyle was a walk-on defensive back at UMass (1977-78).
Coyle, 69 years old, is a 2011 inductee in the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame.
COYLE’S COACHING EXPERIENCE (entering 48th year of coaching)
1978-79 – Graduate Assistant, Cincinnati
1980 – Coaching Assistant, Arkansas
1981 – Defensive Coordinator, U.S. Merchant Marine (NCAA Division III)
1982-85 – Linebackers Coach, Holy Cross
1986-90 – Defensive Coordinator, Holy Cross
1991-93 – Defensive Coordinator, Syracuse
1994-96 – Defensive Coordinator, Maryland
1997-2000 – Defensive Coordinator, Fresno State
2001-02 – Cornerbacks Coach, Cincinnati Bengals
2003-11 – Defensive Backs Coach, Cincinnati Bengals
2012-15 – Defensive Coordinator, Miami Dolphins
2016-17 – Defensive Backs Coach, Cincinnati Bengals
2018 – Defensive Analyst, LSU
2019 – Head Coach, Atlanta Legends (AAF)
2019-21 – Senior Defensive Analyst, LSU
2022-24 – Defensive Coordinator, Fresno State
2025 – Senior Defensive Analyst, Syracuse
2025 – Senior Defensive Analyst, UCLA
Coyle took over UCLA’s defensive play-calling duties prior to the Bruins’ game at Northwestern on Sept. 27.
While at Syracuse earlier this season, Coyle spent the majority of his stint working with head coach Fran Brown and defensive backs coach Joe Schaefer. Syracuse’s secondary saw success in its first four games from true freshman Demetres Samuel Jr. and Cornell Perry who filled in as an injury replacement. Syracuse ranked 24th in the nation with six turnovers across its first four games.
Coyle previously served as a defensive coordinator at Fresno State from 2022-24 under head coach Jeff Tedford and interim head coach Tim Skipper. Skipper, who Coyle rejoins at UCLA, was the interim head coach at Fresno State in its 2023 Isleta New Mexico Bowl win and for the entirety of the 2024 season.
Coyle also served as Fresno State’s defensive coordinator for a four-year stretch from 1997-2000 which coincided with Skipper’s playing career as a Bulldog linebacker.
Fresno State’s defense ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in total defense under Coyle for the 2024 season. The Bulldogs were also in the top five in scoring defense, rushing defense, pass defense efficiency and pass defense. The Bulldogs extended their streak to four straight years with a shutout victory, defeating New Mexico State 48-0 in September.
In 2023, the Bulldog defense ranked third in the Mountain West in scoring (23.46 points/game) and passing (204.69 yards/game), fourth in total defense (370.85 yards/game) and seventh in rushing defense (166.15 yards/game). Fresno State ranked second in the Mountain West and 20th in the FBS in turnovers gained with 33 on the season.
Coyle’s first year back at Fresno State was a memorable one as Fresno State became the first program in FBS history to start the season 1-4 and finish with 10 wins. Fresno State ended the year on a nine-game winning streak won the 2022 Mountain West Championship and the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl.
In year one back as the defensive coordinator at Fresno State, Coyle’s defense ranked ninth in the FBS in team passing efficiency defense (109.88) and 14th in scoring defense, holding teams to an aveage of 19.43 points per game. Eight of Fresno State’s opponents were held to under 20 points, including five with 10 or less points.
Prior to joining the staff at Fresno State, Coyle served as a senior defensive analyst at LSU. Coyle joined the LSU staff as an analyst in 2018 and was a part of the 2019 National Champion LSU football program.
In between his two stints at LSU, Coyle was named the defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Legends (Alliance of American Football). Shortly after joining the franchise, Coyle was promoted to head coach of the team. After the AAF dissolved, Coyle returned to LSU in the same analyst role he held prior.
Coyle owns 17 years of coaching experience in the NFL as either a defensive backs coach or defensive coordinator. He served as the defensive coordinator of the Miami Dolphins from 2012-15. He was with the Bengals for 13 seasons (2001-11, 2016-17).
Coyle has been considered by some as one of the top defensive coaches in Bengals’ franchise history. Working with the franchise under two head coaches, not only did he develop one of the NFL's top cornerback tandems of the late 2000s, Leon Hall and Jonathan Joseph, but the Bengals' defense as a whole ranked seventh in the 2011 season largely as a result of their ninth-ranked pass defense (211.6 passing yards allowed per game). He was also well known for reviving the careers of free agents such as Chris Crocker and Gibril Wilson.
During his tenure, the Bengals earned playoff berths three times, and in 2005 they had their most wins (11) since 1988. That season, the Bengals defense led the league in interceptions with 31.
Before his time in the NFL, Coyle was a member of the Fresno State coaching staff as defensive coordinator under Pat Hill from 1997-2000. It was the first season as head coach for Hill, who brought Coyle to the Valley after a recommendation by current Bulldog special teams coordinator John Baxter who worked with Coyle at Maryland. Coyle had great success at Fresno State. In 1999 and 2000, the defense led the Western Athletic Conference in first-team All-Conference players (three each season). The team went to two bowl games during his tenure (1999, 2000).
In more than four decades of coaching, he has also served as a defensive coordinator with Syracuse, Holy Cross, Fresno State, Maryland and the Miami Dolphins. He was a graduate assistant at Cincinnati (1978-79) in his early career, and a coaching assistant at Arkansas following the completion of his graduate assistantship (1980).
Coyle was a walk-on defensive back at UMass (1977-78).
Coyle, 69 years old, is a 2011 inductee in the Staten Island Sports Hall of Fame.
COYLE’S COACHING EXPERIENCE (entering 48th year of coaching)
1978-79 – Graduate Assistant, Cincinnati
1980 – Coaching Assistant, Arkansas
1981 – Defensive Coordinator, U.S. Merchant Marine (NCAA Division III)
1982-85 – Linebackers Coach, Holy Cross
1986-90 – Defensive Coordinator, Holy Cross
1991-93 – Defensive Coordinator, Syracuse
1994-96 – Defensive Coordinator, Maryland
1997-2000 – Defensive Coordinator, Fresno State
2001-02 – Cornerbacks Coach, Cincinnati Bengals
2003-11 – Defensive Backs Coach, Cincinnati Bengals
2012-15 – Defensive Coordinator, Miami Dolphins
2016-17 – Defensive Backs Coach, Cincinnati Bengals
2018 – Defensive Analyst, LSU
2019 – Head Coach, Atlanta Legends (AAF)
2019-21 – Senior Defensive Analyst, LSU
2022-24 – Defensive Coordinator, Fresno State
2025 – Senior Defensive Analyst, Syracuse
2025 – Senior Defensive Analyst, UCLA
Highlights - UCLA Football vs. Maryland (Oct. 18, 2025)
Sunday, October 19
UCLA Football Postgame - vs. Maryland (Oct. 18, 2025)
Sunday, October 19
Bruin Insider Show - Tim Skipper (Oct. 16, 2025)
Thursday, October 16
Coach Skipper Interview on B1G Today (Oct. 16, 2025)
Thursday, October 16
