Shaun Nua - Football Coach

Shaun Nua

Title:
Defensive End Coach
Email:
football@usc.edu
Phone:
(213) 740-4204
Instagram:
@coach_nua

Shaun Nua, a former NFL Super Bowl-winning defensive end who has coaching experience in the Pac-12 and Big Ten, enters his fourth season at USC and second as defensive end coach.

In 2024, Nua’s unit and the Trojan defense significantly improved. USC held opponents to an average of just 24.1 points per game, improving from 34.4 in 2023. The Trojans finished the 2024 season ranked No. 21 in the nation and No. 2 in the Big Ten Conference in third-down conversion percentage defense (0.335), compared to ranking No. 106 (0.436) in 2023. USC’s defense improved in a variety of other statistical categories including  ranking No. 33 in passes intercepted (12) and No. 53 in rushing defense (141.2) in 2024. The Trojan defense ranked No. 58 in turnovers gained by collecting 18 throughout the season and ranked No. 69 in red zone defense (0.830) in 2024. USC finished ranked No. 70 in team passing efficiency defense (132.50), improved to No. 77 in total defense (377.1) and was No. 86 in the nation in first downs defense (262) in 2024. The Trojans concluded the season with a 35-31 victory over Texas A&M in the Las Vegas Bowl. The win marked the biggest comeback victory in Las Vegas Bowl history. Additionally, it was the largest deficit that USC has ever overcome in a bowl game win, with the previous being a 15-point deficit against Penn State in the 2017 Rose Bowl.

In 2023, Nua, USC’s defensive line coach, tutored sophomore Bear Alexander, a Georgia transfer, who made a massive impact on the Trojan defensive line. USC was victorious over No. 16 Louisville in the Holiday Bowl to end the season. Defensive lineman Solomon Byrd was selected in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans.

In 2022, Nua was a semifinalist for the Broyles Award. He coached Tuli Tuipulotu, one of the top defenders in the nation in 2022. Tuipulotu was the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year, the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, the defensive Morris Trophy winner and was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Ted Hendricks Award, and the Lott IMPACT Trophy. Tuipulotu was also a Unanimous First Team All-American being selected by AP, Football Coaches, Football Writers, Walter Camp and Sporting News. He led the nation in sacks with 13.5 and was second in the nation in tackles for loss with 22.0. USC played in the Cotton Bowl to conclude the 2022 season. Tuipulotu was selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Chargers.

He spent the previous 3 seasons (2019-21) as Michigan's defensive line coach.  Defensive end Kwity Paye was a first round selection in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Indianapolis Colts.  In 2021, defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was a consensus All-American first teamer, Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and Academic All-American first teamer when he won the Lombardi Award, Hendricks Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy.  Hutchinson was the No. 2 overall pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2022 NFL Draft. Michigan was 21^st nationally in sacks (2.77) in 2019 and held 7 teams under 100 rushing yards.  UM defensive linemen posted 23 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks in 2019 and followed that with 13.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks during the COVID-shortened 2020 season.  The Wolverines played in the 2020 Citrus Bowl and 2021 CFP semifinals in the Orange Bowl.

He was the defensive line coach at Arizona State in 2018.  Defensive lineman Russell Wren was a fourth round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.  The Sun Devils played in the 2018 Las Vegas Bowl.

He spent 6 seasons (2012-17) as the defensive line coach at the U.S. Naval Academy.  Defensive end Will Anthony was All-American Athletic Conference first team in 2015.  The Midshipmen won a school-record 11 games, finished 18^th in both polls and shared the AAC West Division title in 2015, their first season in the AAC.  In 2016, Navy played in the AAC Championship Game.  During his tenure, Navy beat Army 4 times, won 3 Commander-In-Chief's Trophies and played in a bowl each season (2012 Fight Hunger Bowl, 2013 Armed Forces Bowl, 2014 Poinsettia Bowl, 2015 Military Bowl, 2016 Armed Forces Bowl and 2017 Military Bowl).

He began his coaching career at BYU, his alma mater, serving as an intern in 2009 and then a graduate assistant coach working with the defense.  BYU was 24^th nationally in total defense in 2010 and 13^th in 2011.  The Cougars appeared in the 2009 Las Vegas Bowl, 2010 New Mexico Bowl and 2011 Armed Forces Bowl.

He played 4 seasons (2005-08) in the NFL, the first 3 with the Pittsburgh Steelers and 2008 with the Buffalo Bills.  He was a member of the Steelers' Super Bowl XL-winning team in 2006.

He was a defensive end at BYU for 3 seasons (2002-04), earning All-Mountain West second team honors in 2004.

He earned his bachelor's degree in youth and family recreation in 2005 and a master's degree in recreation management in 2013, both from BYU.

He was a Junior College All-American at Eastern Arizona Junior College before transferring to BYU.

He attended Tafuna High in American Samoa.

He and his wife, Hilary, have 3 children:  Losi, Kelina and Malia.  He is the son of Sao and Usu Nua.  His cousin, Ianeta Le'i, played softball (first base) for 4 seasons (2003-06) at BYU, where she wa s a 3-time All-American and then served as an assistant coach (2007-13).  His cousin, Devin Tavana, was an offensive lineman at Southern Utah (2010-11).