DJ Tialavea (Tee-al-uh-vah-uh) is in his fourth year as the tight ends coach at his alma mater. Overall, Tialavea is entering his fifth season with Utah State as he spent the 2020 campaign as an offensive graduate assistant coaching the tight ends.
In 2023, Tialavea helped the Aggies to six wins an appearance in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, which was its third-straight bowl game and 11th in the past 13 seasons. He also coached Broc Lane to honorable mention all-Mountain West honors. Overall, USU’s three tight ends caught 24 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown.
Utah State finished the 2023 season 25th in the nation in total offense (438.6 ypg), 26th in scoring offense (33.2 ppg), 30th in rushing offense (184.4 ypg) and 43rd in passing offense (254.2 ypg).
During the 2022 campaign, Tialavea helped Utah State to six wins and an appearance in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. USU also tied for second place in the Mountain Division of the MW with a 5-3 mark. Under Tialavea, Utah State had three tight ends combine to catch 19 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns.
In 2021, Utah State had its best season in school history as it tied the school record with 11 wins (11-3), won its first-ever MW Championship with a 46-13 road win at No. 19 San Diego State, posted a 24-13 win against Oregon State in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl and finished the season ranked 24th in the nation in both polls.
Utah State’s offense set six school records during the 2021 campaign, including 41 touchdown passes, 4,248 passing yards and three receivers with 10-plus touchdown receptions. USU’s offense also tied a pair of school records with 13 100-yard receiving games and five passing touchdowns in a single game.
Under Tialavea, Utah State had two tight ends combine to catch 15 passes for 134 yards and two touchdowns.
Additionally, Utah State’s offense produced over 600 yards of total offense twice, and over 400 passing yards three times, all of which rank among the top-16 performances in school history.
Utah State finished the 2021 season ranked 15th in the nation in passing offense (303.4 ypg), 23rd in total offense (445.6 ypg), and 33rd in scoring offense (32.6 ppg). USU was also the only team in the nation with at least 10 touchdown receptions by three players.
During the 2020 season, Tialavea coached a tight ends group that had three players combine for 73 yards on 10 receptions and one touchdown in USU’s shortened six-game campaign due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As a player, Tialavea was a four-year letterwinner (2010-13) and three-year captain for Utah State along the defensive line and at tight end, helping the Aggies to three-straight bowl games and the 2012 Western Athletic Conference title.
While at Utah State, Tialavea appeared in 40 games with 17 starts and caught 30 passes for 198 yards and five touchdowns. He also earned academic all-MW honors following his senior season.
Following his collegiate career, Tialavea spent four years (2014-17) in the NFL. Originally signed by Jacksonville as an undrafted free agent, he also spent time with Buffalo in 2014 before joining Atlanta’s practice squad in 2015. He spent two seasons with the Falcons before the Chicago Bears signed him to their practice squad in 2017. On Dec. 24, 2016, Tialavea made his official NFL debut in the Falcons’ 33-16 win at Carolina, a game in which he caught a 1-yard touchdown pass.
Tialavea graduated from Utah State with a sports management degree in 2013. He later earned his master’s degree in education from USU in 2019. In 2014, he received the Utah State Courage Award.
DJ TIALAVEA FILE
Coaching History                                                                                                                         Â
2021-              Utah State – Tight Ends
2020               Utah State – Graduate Assistant
2016Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Oregon State- Graduate Assistant
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Bowl Games (3)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Utah State (3):Â 2023 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl; 2022 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl; 2021 LA Bowl
Conference Championships (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
Utah State (1): Mountain West, 2021
Playing Experience
2017               Chicago Bears – Tight End
2015-16          Atlanta Falcons – Tight End
2014               Buffalo Bills – Tight End
2013               Jacksonville Jaguars – Tight End
2010-13          Utah State – Tight End / Defensive Line
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Education                                                                                                                                       Â
2019   Utah State – Education (M.S.)
2013   Utah State – Sports Management (B.S)