Nick Howell is in his first season as Utah State’s defensive coordinator and safeties coach. The 2025 season will be Howell’s 13th consecutive as an FBS defensive coordinator as he has served in the same role in the Mountain West, Atlantic Coast Conference, and the Southeastern Conference.
Howell has been part of 13 bowl eligible teams, including one conference championship and one divisional title. The 2025 season will be his 17th working for head coach Bronco Mendenhall.
Howell came to Utah State after spending the 2024 season as the defensive coordinator at New Mexico. 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.
As New Mexico’s defensive coordinator, Howell mentored three defenders that earned All-Mountain West honors, including safety Christian Ellis garnering honorable mention accolades, and the team ranked third in the conference and 29th in the nation with two defensive touchdowns.
Before New Mexico, Howell spent the previous two seasons (2022-23) as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Vanderbilt. In 2023, the Commodores led the SEC with 12 interceptions and were fourth in defensive touchdowns. His debut Commodore defense capitalized on opportunities, scoring four defensive touchdowns. That total led the SEC and ranked 12th nationally. It was a marked improvement after a 2021 campaign that saw Vandy fail to record a defensive score.
Howell also served as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Virginia for six seasons (2016-21), where he helped lead the Cavaliers to bowl eligibility in each of its final five seasons, including the 2019 team that played in the ACC Championship Game and earned an Orange Bowl berth.
The 2021 season saw the Cavaliers earn a Fenway Bowl berth (canceled due to COVID-19) while Howell’s defense stepped up when it mattered most. Virginia finished third in the ACC and 28th nationally in red zone defense.
In 2019, Virginia had a season to remember. The Cavaliers set a program record with 46 sacks en route to the ACC Championship game and Orange Bowl. The defense also led the ACC with three defensive touchdowns. UVA finished the season ranked No. 24 in the final College Football Playoff poll and No. 25 in the final USA Today Coaches Poll. It was UVA’s first string of three-straight bowl appearances since UVA went to four bowl games between 2002 and 2005.
In 2018, Virginia finished among the nation’s top 20 in opponent passing efficiency (12th), passing yards allowed (16th), team defense (20th) and scoring defense (20th). The season culminated in a 28-0 victory over South Carolina in the Belk Bowl, marking the first time a non-SEC team recorded a shutout of an SEC team since 1975. Bryce Hall led the nation with 22 breakups and 24 passes defended, earning All-America honors from five outlets. Juan Thornhill posted the best opponent passer rating when in coverage among ACC safeties and joined Hall in earning first team All-ACC accolades.
His 2017 defense included a secondary ranked seventh in the nation and second in the ACC against the pass. Quin Blanding capped the season as UVA’s all-time leader with 495 career tackles, the most ever by an ACC defensive back.
Before his time at Virginia, Howell spent nine seasons in various positions at BYU, starting as a defensive intern before eventually moving up to defensive coordinator. At BYU, he helped the Cougars to nine-straight eight-plus win seasons, including four 10-win campaigns and two 11-win seasons. In addition, BYU made nine bowl game appearances and one conference championship.
In 2015, Howell’s Cougar defense ranked sixth nationally in sacks per game, while his 2014 unit was 20th nationally in rushing defense as the Cougars finished off a run of 11 straight bowl games.
His 2013 debut season as defensive coordinator at BYU saw the Cougars finish 12th nationally in yards per play, 16th in pass efficiency defense and 22nd in scoring defense, despite having to defend the fourth-most plays in the nation due to BYU’s up-tempo offense. That year, he was a candidate for the Broyles Award, given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.
In 2012, Howell coached the secondary for a BYU defense that was third nationally in total defense and 10th in passing yards allowed. The 2011 Cougars were 15th in pass efficiency defense and 13th in overall defense.
In 2010, Howell was promoted from defensive graduate assistant to linebackers coach.
Howell began his coaching career in the high school ranks in 2002, first as a defensive line coach at Sky View High School in Smithfield, Utah, before becoming a defensive coordinator at Weber (Utah) High School in 2003. He served as the head coach at Ben Lomond (Utah) High School for three seasons (2004-06) before joining BYU as a defensive intern in 2007, followed by a two-year stint as a graduate assistant (2008-09).
A native of Ogden, Utah, Howell earned his master’s degree in education with a teaching certification from the University of Phoenix in 2007 after receiving his undergraduate degree in history from Weber State in 2005. Howell and his wife Brooke have four children: Dakota, Kayla, Autumn and Zion.
NICK HOWELL FILE
Coaching History
2025- Utah State – Defensive Coordinator/Safeties
2024 New Mexico – Defensive Coordinator
2022-23 Vanderbilt – Defensive Coordinator
2016-21 Virginia – Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
2013-15 BYU – Defensive Coordinator/Secondary
2011-12 BYU – Special Teams Coordinator/Secondary
2010 BYU – Linebackers
2008-2009 BYU – Defensive Graduate Assistant
2007 BYU – Defensive Intern
2004-06 Ben Lomond (UT) HS – Head Coach
2003 Weber (UT) HS – Defensive Coordinator
2002 Sky View (UT) HS – Defensive Line
Bowl Games (13)
Virginia (4): 2021 Fenway Bowl*; 2019 Orange Bowl; 2018 Belk Bowl; 2017 Military Bowl
BYU (9): 2015 Las Vegas Bowl; 2014 Miami Beach Bowl; 2013 Fight Hunger Bowl; 2012 Poinsettia Bowl; 2011 Armed Forces Bowl; 2010 New Mexico Bowl; 2009 Las Vegas Bowl; 2008 Las Vegas Bowl; 2007 Las Vegas Bowl
*Not Contested
Conference Championships (1)
BYU (1) – Mountain West: 2007
Division Championships (1)
Virginia (1) – ACC Coastal: 2019
Education
2007 University of Phoenix – Education (Master’s)
2005 Weber State – History (Bachelor’s)
Family
Wife, Brook, and children, Dakota, Kayla, Autumn and Zion