LOGAN, Utah – Experience and familiarity. This is what Joe Cauthen brings to the Utah State coaching staff.
 
Cauthen (Caw-thun) has been coaching for 33 years and is entering his 22nd season as a defensive coordinator, five of which were alongside current Utah State head coach Blake Anderson when the two helped Arkansas State to back-to-back conference championships and five-consecutive bowl games.
 
Cauthen comes to Utah State after spending the 2022 campaign as the defensive coordinator at Stephen F. Austin, where he helped the Lumberjacks win the Western Athletic Conference Championship. Cauthen's defense ranked among the best at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level in 2022 as it forced 19 turnovers with 11 interceptions and eight fumbles, and scored a pair of defensive touchdowns.
 
We recently caught up with Cauthen for a Q&A.
 
Q: Why was Utah State the right fit for you?
 
Cauthen: At the time I took this job I was at an FCS school, which I was perfectly happy with. But, I wanted to climb back up into FBS, so when this opportunity became available, I knew who I was working for and what I was getting, who I was going to be with and so forth. At this point in my career, that is more important than anything. Obviously, when you do this for 33 years, you work with different people and at this point, it's about the quality of life for me, and I had a great quality of life at Stephen F. Austin. Coach (Colby) Carthel was awesome for me, and it gave me the quality of life that I needed, but being here with Blake, I know what kind of quality of life I'm going to have.
 
Q: Talk about your relationship with Coach Anderson and the time you spent together at Arkansas State.
 
Cauthen: I met Blake in 1996 when I was a graduate assistant at Trinity Valley Junior College. Seventeen years later, he got the head coaching job at Arkansas State. He called me and asked me to be his coordinator. It was the perfect opportunity at the perfect time. I was praying to God about giving me some direction about what I wanted to do. I was going through a divorce and my kids gave me the go ahead, so I called him back and told him absolutely, I'm ready. So, I worked for Blake for five years there. I also worked with Kyle Cefalo and Nick Paremski, so I worked with some of the guys that are here. And then, the University of Houston came calling and I had a chance to double my salary and basically go back home to Texas. So, that's when we separated. Then, this opportunity became available and it was an opportunity to get back with a guy that I believe in and trust, and that's why I'm here.
 
Q: Talk about your defensive system and how it will compare to what Utah State has done the last two years.
 
Cauthen: Pre-snap, we will look very similar, but when the ball is snapped, there will be a considerable difference and it's primarily in the coverage aspect. We will play four defensive linemen, two corners and two safeties. I like playing with another cover person versus modern-day offense. If we were playing Wyoming, we would look very similar to last year. But, if we're playing spread teams, we're going to be playing with another cover guy. We call it a nickel. It was the striker position, which we call our Sam, so our nickel is another cover guy for us. And, then there's some other differences.
 
Q: Will there be an emphasis on tackles for loss and playing behind the line of scrimmage?
 
Cauthen: That part of our defense is very similar. We just may go about it a little bit different way. The way we play defense, it appears that we're always bringing pressure, but I want to be in attack mode in our base defense. I want people to feel that. I do think there are times you have to sit back a little and give the offense a different look, particularly because of how the game is formulated for offenses. If I was playing us, we would look one way, but if we play San Diego State, we're going to look completely different because of the different styles. So defensively, I'm not locked into doing things a certain way. What I am locked into is stopping what they do and make them do something different. There's a lot of communication that is required.
 
Q: How much did you know about Utah State before joining the staff?
 
Cauthen:  In 2014, when we took over at Arkansas State, we played Utah State and was a tough game. It went down to the wire and they had some good players. We came up here the next year, or the year after, and we took a beating. I thought there was a good crowd here and good players. The ball out west is different than it is in the south. The players are different a little bit, and so I'm getting adjusted to that. I can tell you for sure this is the most beautiful place I've ever lived, so I'm excited about it. I know coach (Matt) Wells did a really good job and Blake won the conference his first year here and I was happy for him.
 
Q: What got you into coaching and why do you enjoy it?
 
Cauthen: I got into coaching because I needed to find something else to do. I was roughnecking on a drilling rig for two-and-a-half years and I figured that's not the way I want to live the rest of my life. My mother's a teacher, so I decided that's what I was going to do. I wanted to be back around football, so I did that. I enjoy coaching. I love taking an individual and giving them some information and having the challenge of teaching them and then have them go out and complete a task and have success with it. I also get a lot of joy out of helping young men grow through manhood and teaching them. I've had a lot of different experiences and I can share and help kids. I can help them gain structure in their lives through love, coaching and teaching them how to be, and it'll help them in life after football. I'm really into life after football. They can't do this forever, so the question of, 'Why do I coach'? I coach because I love the challenge of trying to defend someone and teaching players how to do it and then seeing them have success, taking one of their liabilities and making it a strength. I believe in my teaching process. Outside of football, I also believe in the teaching process of life. I get a lot of joy out of that.
 
Q: What do you enjoy doing when you are not coaching football?
 
Cauthen: I love to hunt and fish. If I wasn't coaching, I would probably be a game warden or something outside, because I love the outdoors. I'm excited about the opportunity to try to do some of that here. I love going to the beach and if I can go once a year it allows me to recharge. It's the only place I've found that I can turn my mind off.