LOGAN, Utah – Utah State head football coach Blake Anderson announced Thursday the hiring of Tevita Finau (pronounced Teh-vee-tuh Fee-now) as the Aggies' defensive tackles coach, along with other staff promotions, including elevating defensive coordinator and safeties coach Ephraim Banda to assistant head coach.
 
Finau, who played collegiately at Utah, spent the past three years (2020-22) as a graduate assistant/administrative assistant for the Utes, working with the defensive line. He also spent five years (2015-19) coaching at Orem (Utah) High School, including serving as the team's co-defensive coordinator for four years as he helped lead the Tigers to four-consecutive state championships. Furthermore, Finau worked with the Bill Walsh Coaching Fellowship, helping coach the defensive line for the Los Angeles Rams in 2022.
 
Following his collegiate career, Finau spent five years in the NFL with the Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets and Houston Texans.
 
Anderson also announced changes in job responsibilities for Mitch Hardy, Monay Swafford and Austin Albrecht. Hardy, who is in his third year with USU, will now serve as the Director of Football Management. Swafford, who is in his second year, will be the Director of Player Personnel. And Albrecht, who is in his third year working with the Aggies, will serve as the Director of Development and Community Engagement.
 
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