Clay Bignell

Clay Bignell is in his first season with the New Mexico Lobos, serving as coach of the safeties.  Bignell came to UNM with two years of defensive coordinator experience under his belt in the Division I ranks.

PREVIOUS COACHING STOPS

SOUTHERN MISS (2024): Bignell spent last year with Southern Mississippi as Defensive Coordinator and also Safeties Coach.

With the Golden Eagles, Southern Miss recorded 65 TFLs and 20 sacks, along with 31 PBUs.  That defense was lead by Kristin Booth, Brodarius Lewis and Tre Pinkney, who all earned Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt.

EASTERN ILLINOIS (2022-23): Bignell spent two years with Eastern Illinois as a safeties coach, and after serving as Defensive Passing Game Coordinator in 2022 he moved up to Defensive Coordinator in 2023.

In his only year as defensive coordinator at EIU, the Panther defense ranked first nationally in turnover margin (1.36), sixth in turnovers gained (25), tenth  in fumbles recovered (11), 12th in interceptions (14), 18th in scoring defense (19.7), 19th in fourth-down defense (.409), 26th in defensive passing efficiency (117.59) and 30th in rushing defense (124.6) in the FCS.

In 2022 in his first season with the Panthers, his position group had three players ranked among the top six in tacklers on the team, including the team leader, while also accounting for five interceptions, 17 pass break-ups and four forced fumbles.  The Panthers also ranked 16th in interceptions and 29th in takeaways.

Two of his charges, Jordan Vincent and Nick Coates, earned Second Team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors.

VANDERBILT (2021): Spent one season in the SEC as a Senior Defensive Analyst and Assistant Outside Linebackers Coach, a season which included a win over Mountain West foe Colorado State.

EAST CAROLINA (2020): Spent one season with the Pirates of East Carolina as a Senior Defensive Analyst.

NOTRE DAME (2016-19): Served as a Defensive Analyst for four seasons with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, including the final two as a Senior Defensive Analyst.

The Fighting Irish won double-digit games in each of his last three seasons as Notre Dame featured a strong defensive unit until Brian Kelly.  Overall the unit held opponents in single-digits six times and Notre Dame won a pair of bowl games and qualified for the CFP in 2018.

While at Notre Dame, the defense featured six future NFL players Julian Love, Jerry Titllery, Alohi Gilman, Kahlid Kareem, Julian Okwara and Troy Pride.

NORTHWESTERN (2014-15): Spent two seasons with Northwestern as a graduate assistant under head coach Pat Fitzgerald.  In his two seasons Northwestern picked up wins over Penn State, Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Stanford and played Tennessee in the Outback Bowl.  That was in 2015 with the Wildcats climbed to as high as No. 13 in the polls.

MONTANA STATE (2013): Spent one season with his alma mater as a graduate assistant linebackers coach working with the linebackers.

MONTANA WESTERN (2012): Began his coaching career as a linebackers coach with NAIA Montana Western in Dillon, Montana.

PLAYING CAREER – MONTANA STATE (2008-11). Played four years at Montana State, where he was twice named All-Big Sky.  He helped the Bobcats to a pair of FCS Playoff berths, in 2010 and 2011.