Huskers hire Cal's Tuioti as new defensive line coach

Nebraska has officially found their new defensive line coach.

As HuskerOnline first reported on Monday, Cal's Tony Tuioti will be NU's next defensive line coach, replacing Mike Dawson, who took a position with the New York Giants.

“We are pleased to add Tony Tuioti to our coaching staff and look forward to having him and his family join us at Nebraska,” head coach Scott Frost said in a statement. “Tony has been a key part of one of the top defenses in the country the past two seasons at Cal. He will bring great energy to our staff, has a strong history of player development, and an impressive recruiting background.”

Tuioti was one of multiple different candidates that interviewed for the position, and comes to NU after working at California the last two season's as the defensive line coach under head coach Justin Wilcox. Like NU, the Bears also ran a 3-4 base defense.

Before Cal, Tuioti worked at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh in 2016 as the director of player personnel, and with the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and 2015, serving as their assistant defensive line coach.

Tuioti spent the longest portion of his coaching career at Hawaii from 2008 to 2013, where he carried multiple different duties, including linebackers and defensive line coach.

The Huskers open up spring practice on Monday, and Tuioti will inherit a defensive line that includes five scholarship seniors heading into the 2019 season, on top of a stable of young first and second-year players coming into the program.

“I want to thank Coach Frost for the opportunity to be a part of the Nebraska football family,” Tuioti said. “I believe in what he is doing and the culture he is building at Nebraska and I am excited to be a part of it.”