UTEP Football Announces Staffing Changes
NOTE: UTEP was supposed to name Ken Frajole as defensive coordinator. However, Frajole accepted a job with the Philadelphia Eagles.
“Ken is a dear friend of mine,” coach Sean Kugler said. “Somebody that I respect and he’s got an opportunity to fulfill his NFL retirement and I’m certainly not going to be the guy who stands in the way of that happening.”
Heading the UTEP offense will be coordinator Brent Pease. Pease joins the Miners with 25 years of coaching experience, he worked with Chris Petersen eight seasons and most recently was the wide receivers coach at Washington.
Also on the offensive side of the ball, Theron Aych will serve as the wide receivers coach for the Miners. Aych spent the last five seasons at Angelo State as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.
The Miners linebackers will also be under new leadership with the addition of Don Yanowsky, who comes to UTEP with over three decades of coaching experience on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Recently, Yanowsky assumed duties as the special teams coordinator for two seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks (2014-15) of the Canadian Football League.
National Signing Day is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 3. Kugler’s signing day press conference is scheduled for 12 p.m. MT and will be live streamed online at utepathletics.com.
FULL BIOS
Brent Pease
Brent Pease, who spent two seasons as the University of Washington’s wide receivers coach makes his way to the Sun City as the offensive coordinator.
The 25-year coaching veteran spent six seasons on Chris Petersen’s Boise State staff and reunited with Petersen in 2014. In 2015, he guided the Huskies to its sixth straight bowl game, which is the third longest active bowl-berth streak in the Pac-12 conference. Pease mentored senior Jaydon Mickens who ranked No. 2 in UW career receptions (203) and No. 5 in career receiving yards (2,187). Mickens finished the season with a best of 692 receiving yards, including a showing of five catches for 100 yards versus Arizona State.
In 2014, Husky receivers gained a reputation for explosive plays. Sophomore John Ross alone scored seven total touchdowns, four of which were receptions of over 50 yards. Ross recorded a career best reception of 91 yards, which is the second longest in UW history. Meanwhile, Mickens finished the season with 60 receptions, tied for 10th-most in Washington history.
Prior to heading to Seattle, Pease spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Florida. He coached starting quarterback Jeff Driskel for two seasons. As a sophomore, Driskel completed 156-of-245 passes for 1,646 yards with 12 touchdowns. The athletic quarterback also ran 118 times for 408 yards (3.5 avg.) on the season with three touchdowns. His rushing yards ranked seventh in school history by a quarterback for a single season. In 2013, Driskel threw for 477 yards completing 42-of-63 passes before suffering a season-ending injury.
In 2011, Pease was promoted to offensive coordinator at Boise State. He had previously served as the wide receivers coach for the Broncos for five seasons, including 2006, when head coach Sean Kugler was on the coaching staff.
As the coordinator, Pease led the sixth-ranked Broncos to a dominating victory over Arizona State at the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas. That season, Pease coached quarterback Kellen Moore, a finalist for the 2011 Maxwell Award and the first quarterback in NCAA FBS history to record 50 career victories as a starter (Moore was 50-3). Moore was also the first FBS player to record 3,000 yards passing and total offense in four straight seasons and was one of only six quarterbacks to surpass 14,000 career-passing yards.
Since joining the Bronco coach staff in 2006, Pease has made his mark on the Boise State football program, helping coach some of the most productive wide receivers in school history. Under Pease’s guidance from 2007-10, former Bronco Austin Pettis and Titus Young played their way to the top of the Boise State record books. Young was a second-round NFL Draft selection by the Detroit Lions, and Pettis was selected in the third round by the St. Louis Rams. Pettis finished his career as the school’s all-time leader in receptions (229) and receiving touchdowns (39), while also ranking second in career receiving yards (2,838). Young, meanwhile, ranked No. 1 all-time in career receiving yards (3,063) and No. 2 in career receptions (204). He also ranked fourth in career receiving touchdowns (25).
Pettis and Young both played their way to first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors in 2009 and 2010. Pettis earned the honor in 2009 after a record-setting season in which he caught a school-record 14 touchdowns, including a record streak of 10-consecutive games with a scoring catch.
Pease also coached Jeremy Childs into the Bronco record books. The former first team All-WAC selection currently ranks sixth all-time in career receptions (168) and ranks second for single-season receptions (82; 2007).
In 2010, Pease was named the FootballScoop Wide Receivers Coach of the Year presented by SpeedTracs. Under the tutelage of Pease, a dynamic trio of receivers helped Boise State average 46 points per game, while completing 71 percent of passing attempts.
Before joining the Bronco coaching staff in 2006, Pease had spent the previous three seasons as the offensive coordinator at Baylor. In his last season at Baylor, Pease helped the Bears post a 5-6 record, their best finish since 1995.
From 2001-02 Pease served as offensive coordinator at Kentucky, where he helped turn the Wildcats into one of the top scoring offenses in the country. After posting a 2-9 season in Pease’s first year, Kentucky finished 7-5 in 2002 – matching the team’s best record since 1984 – and was ranked 23rd-nationally in scoring offense.
Pease coached future NFL players Artose Pinner (Detroit Lions) and Jared Lorenzen (New York Giants) during his two seasons at Kentucky. Pinner finished 13th in the nation in rushing in 2002 and Lorenzen was 23rd in pass efficiency that season.
Under Pease’s guidance, Derek Abney ranked 10th-nationally in all-purpose rushing in 2002 and was 12th in 2001.
Before moving to the Football Bowl Subdivision level as a coordinator, Pease spent 10 seasons at Football Championship Subdivision schools Montana and Northern Arizona, five of which as a coordinator. Pease served as assistant head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at NAU from 1999-2000.
He was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Montana, his alma mater, from 1996-98 and was an offensive assistant coach for the Grizzlies from 1991-95. Pease helped the Grizzlies establish themselves as one of the premier FCS programs in the mid-1990s when they won the FCS national championship in 1995, finished second in 1996 and advanced to the semifinals in 1994. During Pease’s tenure at Montana, the Grizzlies finished with 10-or-more wins four times in eight years. And while he was offensive coordinator, the team compiled records of 14-1 (1996), 8-4 (1997) and 8-4 (1998).
While at Montana, Pease played a key role in the success of star quarterbacks Dave Dickenson and Brian Ah Yat. Montana led the FCS in passing in 1996, averaging 339.6 yards per game while leading the Big Sky Conference in both 1996 and 1998. Under Pease, Ah Yat threw a Big Sky-record 42 touchdown passes in 1996. Dickenson ranks first in Big Sky history in total offense and Ah Yat is 12th. Ah Yat led the FCS in 1996 with an average of 340.36 yards of total offense per game. Dickenson was the 1995 Walter Payton Award winner and an Associated Press All-American in 1993, 1994 and 1995. Ah Yat was a Payton Award finalist and a FCS All-American in 1996 and 1998. Dickenson and Ah Yat combined to win five Big Sky MVP awards.
Pease graduated from Mountain Home (Idaho) High School in 1983. He played quarterback at Walla Walla Community College from 1983-84 and then at Montana from 1985-86. Pease ranked ninth at Montana in both single-season and career passing. Pease was drafted by the Vikings in 1987 and was later released and picked up by the Oilers. Pease started three games with Houston during the strike-shortened season in 1987. He was a back up for Warren Moon during the 1988 campaign. He graduated from Montana in 1990 with a degree in health and human performance with an emphasis in social science. He and his wife Paula have one daughter, Halle and one son, Karsten.
Theron Aych
Theron Aych will serve as the wide receivers coach after accepting an assistant coaching job with the Miners. Aych spent the last five seasons at Angelo State as the offensive coordinator and assistant head coach.
Under Aych, the Rams’ offense put up staggering numbers in 2015, leading the nation (Division II) in total offense with over 560 yards per game and ranking seventh in points per game (42.5). Senior quarterback Kyle Washington, under Aych’s tutelage, threw for 3,691 yards (Angelo State single-season record), ranking sixth in the nation. Washington registered 27 passing scores and only nine interceptions on 265-of-443 passing. Washington also rushed for 831 yards and 15 scores, as he led the nation in total offense and broke ASU’s single-season record for total yards with 4,522. Washington was named the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Year.
Aych is also a 2015 finalist for American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Assistant Coach of the Year.
In 2014, Angelo State averaged 39.4 points per contest, while racking up 469.7 yards of total offense per game. The Rams registered a 9-3 overall record in 2014. Washington set a single-season school record by throwing for 34 touchdowns and being the first Ram in history to throw for over 3,000 yards with 3,236.
The Zachary, La., native coached at NCAA Division II Central Missouri for four years (2005-08) after previously serving as an assistant at the University of Washington for two seasons (2003-04) and the University of Houston for three seasons (2000-02). Aych also coached at the junior college level – Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College and Mesabi Range (Minn.) Community College – and at the high school level at Aberdeen (S.D.) Central.
At Central Missouri as wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator, Aych mentored Delanie Walker, a Harlon Hill Trophy candidate as one of the top NCAA Division II football players and eventual selection in the 2006 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers.
Aych coached on the other side of the line of scrimmage, assisting with the outside linebackers and punters as a graduate assistant at Washington for two seasons. While at the Houston, Aych coached the running backs, as Cougars’ tailback Joffrey Reynolds was named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year by Sporting News after rushing for over 1,500 yards in 2002. Prior to coaching the rushing attack, Aych assisted with the tight ends and kickers in 2001.
Prior to his two years at Mesabi Range, Aych spent three years as the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Aberdeen Central High School after beginning his coaching career as a student assistant coach at Northern State University in Aberdeen.
Before his coaching career, Aych started three years as a wide receiver at Northern State from 1989-93 and earned honorable mention Northern Sun Conference honors as a senior. He earned a degree in sociology and criminal justice for NSU in 1996. Aych and his wife, Gwyn, have two children, Tommy and Katelyn.
Don Yanowsky
Don Yanowsky comes to UTEP with over three decades of coaching experience on both sides of the line of scrimmage. Yanowsky will serve as the assistant special teams coordinator and linebackers coach for the 2016 season.
Recently, Yanowsky, known as “Yano” in football circles, assumed duties as the special teams coordinator for two seasons with the Ottawa Redblacks (2014-15) of the Canadian Football League. Ottawa won the East Division with a 12-6 overall record. The Redblacks defeated the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, 35-28, in the Eastern Final to reach the 103rd Grey Cup against the Edmonton Eskimos.
The native of Chicago made his CFL debut with the Calgary Stampeders as the linebackers coach in 2012. Yanowsky held the position for two years. Calgary played in the 100th Grey Cup (2012).
Prior to joining the professional ranks, Yanowsky was the tight ends coach/recruiting coordinator at Memphis for two seasons (2010-11). It was his second stint with the Tigers, as he assumed duties with the offensive line and as recruiting coordinator (1989-95).
Yanowsky coached the tight ends at LSU in 2009, while also serving as the recruiting coordinator. Before coaching in Baton Rouge, Yanowsky coached two seasons (2007-08) at Boston College, serving as the tight ends coach and special teams coordinator. Yanowsky’s tight ends combined to catch 73 passes for 719 yards and five scores in 2007. The Eagles went 11-3, as they defeated Michigan State, 24-21, at the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl. Boston College also advanced to the 2008 Music City Bowl against Vanderbilt.
Prior to his arrival at Boston College, Yanowsky spent the 2006 season coaching tight ends and special teams under Skip Holtz at East Carolina. He coached at Duke for three years (2003-05), coaching the offensive line for two years, and the outside linebackers and special teams for one season.
Steve Logan hired Yanowsky at East Carolina for the first time in 2001, coaching the defensive line, and helping the Pirates earn a berth in the GMAC Bowl that year.
Other coaching stops for Yanowsky include a four-year stint (1997-2000) at Arkansas State; one one-year stay at Minnesota (1996) to coach the defensive line; and a three-year stay at Utah (1982-84) as the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator.
Yanowsky got his started to coach in 1981 when he was hired as a student assistant coach at his alma mater Toledo. He started two years at the offensive guard position for the Rockets for two years (1979-80). Prior to transferring to Toledo, Yanowsky played at Snow Junior College at the same position (1978-79). From 1985-1987, Yanowsky coached at the high school level, serving as offensive coordinator at Bountiful (Utah) High School and later as the head coach at Viewmont High School in Utah, before returning to the collegiate ranks in 1989 at Memphis.
A 1982 graduate of Toledo, Yanowsky earned a degree in education. Yanowsky is married to the former Janet Free and the couple has two sons, Donnie Jacob.
