🏈 Former Salthawk , Pittsburg State standout named defensive coordinator at Utah State

Courtesy of Sports in Kansas

Former Hutchinson High all-stater, Pittsburg State four time All-American & National defensive player of the year,  Nate Dreiling has been named defensive coordinator at Utah State in the Mountain West Conference according to Pete Thamel of ESPN.

Dreiling spent the last two years at New Mexico State as defensive coordinator where he elevated the program to the #1 defense in conference USA with a 10 win season, plus back to back bowls.

The Victoria/Hutch native has also coached for Southeast Missouri State, Oregon, Pittsburg State, KU, Humboldt HS, in his career.

Dreiling is one of young rising stars in the coaching game at 33 years old.

Dreiling has spent the last two seasons as the defensive coordinator at New Mexico State.

In Dreiling’s first season in Las Cruces in 2022, he inherited a defense that ranked 127th in total defense among FBS schools. That year’s Aggies squad went onto to be the most improved defensive unit in college football, climbing 98 spots to 29th in the nation.

In 2023, Dreiling’s defense was one of the best units in the nation once again. NMSU’s defense allowed 22.8 points per game, which was ranked 44th in the country at the NCAA DI FBS level. NMSU’s defense was also the second best in scoring defense in Conference USA, just below Liberty, who averaged 21.1 points per game, in 13 games played this season, two less games than NMSU played last season.

His father Randy Dreiling is a Kansas coaching legend with seven state titles at Hutchinson High School and two at St. Tthomas Aquinas High School, where he is the current head coach