Utah State University Athletics

Josh Clifford is in his second season with Utah State as a junior analyst/skill assistant with the offense. The 2026 campaign will be Clifford’s third year working for head coach Bronco Mendenhall. 

In his first year at Utah State in 2025, Clifford helped Utah State to a 6-7 record (4-4 Mountain West) and its 12th bowl game in the last 15 years. With Clifford on staff, USU had 10 players earn All-MW honors, the most since 2019. Three players garnered first-team All-MW accolades, and two others were named to the second team, along with five honorable mention selections. Senior cornerback Noah Avinger highlighted these honorees as he was named a HERO Sports Group of Five Second Team All-American.

Offensively, Utah State averaged 30.9 points per game in 2025 to rank second in the Mountain West and 36th nationally. USU also ranked third in the conference and 39th in the nation in total offense at 409.5 yards per game, fourth in the MW and 47th nationally in passing offense at 247.0 yards per game, and sixth in the MW and 62nd in the nation in rushing offense at 162.5 yards per game.

Utah State finished the season first in the Mountain West and fifth in the nation with five interceptions thrown, first in the MW and ninth in the nation in turnovers lost with 11, and second in the MW and 30th in the nation in turnover margin at plus 0.46.
 
Clifford came to Utah State after serving as an offensive graduate assistant at New Mexico during the 2024 season. At UNM, he helped the Lobos to a 5-7 record, marking the program’s most wins in eight years. Their season was highlighted by a 38-35 victory against No. 19 Washington State, snapping a 26-game losing streak against nationally ranked teams. The UNM victory was its first win over a top-20 team since 1994 and its first non-conference win against a top-20 opponent since 1940.
 
Before New Mexico, Clifford spent the 2023 season at Wake Forest on a coaching and recruiting internship.
 
Clifford played five years at Virginia as a wide receiver under Mendenhall, appearing in seven games over his final three seasons.
 
A native of Salem, Virginia, Clifford earned his bachelor’s degree in arts from Virginia in 2022, and a master’s in educational psychology in 2023. Along with playing football at UVA, Clifford was actively involved with Athletes in Action.