Daniel Da Prato

Daniel Da Prato is in his first season with the New Mexico Lobos, serving a vital role as the Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator.

Da Prato has been in the Division I coaching ranks for over 20 seasons, and he is considered one of the preeminent coaches for special teams.  He additionally brings head coaching experience to the program for Coach Eck.

PREVIOUS COACHING STOPS

TEXAS STATE (2023-24): Da Prato spent two seasons with Texas State at the Associate Head Coach and Special Teams Coordinator, where Texas State’s special teams were transformed in his two seasons.  With the Bobcats, Texas State

Texas State’s improved started right away as the program led the entire country in total kick return yards (1,017) and were fifth in the nation in yards per kick return (26.08). The Bobcats were also tied with Auburn for the nation’s best field goal percentage (a perfect 100 percent).

The Bobcats improved 105 spots in the national rankings in kick return average from 2022 to 2023, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns, a first for the program since 2013. Texas State had a total of seven kickoffs returned for 30+ yards during the season.  The field goal accuracy was powered by Mason Shipley, who was a perfect 15-of-15 in field goals. The first-year starter set the program record for most field goals made in a season and was one of only two kickers in the country to make all his field goals (min. 10 attempts).

Ismail Mahdi was named a first team All-American as an all-purpose player – he led the nation in all-purpose yards in 2023 – while Shipley was a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, which is given to the nation’s top placekicker. Mahdi marked Da Prato’s fifth All-American in his career, including in three straight seasons from 2021-23. Shipley was a Groza Award semifinalist, marking the third different school that Da Prato has coached a Groza semifinalist.

In his two years with Texas State, the Bobcats led the national in field goal percentage (2023) and total kickoff return yards (2023). Additionally Texas State finished second in kickoff return touchdowns (tied, 2023), third in total punt return yards (2004), fourth in punt return average (2004), and blocked kicks (2024) and fifth in touchbacks (2024) and kickoff return average (2023).

USF (2020-22): Da Prato spent three seasons with the Bulls, spending the final month of his tenure as the interim head coach. He was the special teams coordinator all three seasons.

In three seasons at USF, Da Prato coached consensus All-American Brian Battie, who helped the Bulls rank No. 1 in the country in kickoff return touchdowns from 2021-22. Battie was named Third Team All-America by Phil Steele in 2022 and he was a consensus All-American in 2021.  Battie and Jimmy Horn, Jr. combined for four kickoff return touchdowns over the two seasons to lift USF to the top of the country in that category.

In the 2021 season ESPN ranked the USF Special Teams unit as the ninth-most efficient group in the country. The Bulls tied an NCAA record with two 100-yard returns in the same game. Battie set a school record with a 33.9-yard kickoff return average while punt returner Xavier Weaver averaged 12.9 yards per return, which would have ranked sixth in the nation if he qualified with two more punt returns. The Bulls finished the season ranked among the top-three in the American Athletic Conference in PAT percentage, field goal percentage, kickoff coverage, kickoff returns and punt returns.

USF’s kicker was Spencer Shrader who was named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, giving Da Prato his second career semifinalist.

Additionally, Da Prato was also named co-interim defensive coordinator with Ernie Sims for the final game of USF’s 2021 season against UCF. USF’s defense that held the Knights to 17 points, 12 first downs and 285 yards, well below their season average, in a close 17-13 loss in Orlando.

ARKANSAS (2019): Da Prato spent one season in the SEC with Arkansas, starting as a special teams quality control coach before being elevated to special teams coordinator towards the end of the season. The Razorbacks’ special teams shined that year, ranking 10th in the nation in kickoff coverage (17.29 yards per return allowed) and 20th in punt return defense. At Arkansas, placekicker Connor Limpert was named a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, giving Da Prato his first semifinalist.

COLORADO (2016-18): Da Prato spent three seasons in Boulder as director of quality control/offense.  Da Prato also served as a replacement coach on the recruiting trail in December, 2016 and January, 2017, and again in January, 2018. For the Buffaloes, he assisted the offensive coaching staff in its planning and implementation of the weekly practice and game plans. He was also heavily involved in game planning for the special teams units, with a specific area of concentration on punt block and kickoff return. The Buffaloes under Da Prato registered their first blocked punt in eight seasons in 2017 and they returned their first punt for a touchdown in 11 years in 2016.

MONTANA STATE (2013-15): Da Prato spent three seasons at Montana State as Special Teams Coordinator and Tight Ends coach. In those three years, Da Prato coached a pair of All-Americans in tight ends in Beau Sandland, who was named Second Team AP FCS All-American in 2015, and Shawn Johnson, who was named Third Team All-American by The Sports Network in 2013. Johnson returned two kickoffs for touchdowns and averaged 31.0 yards on 22 kick returns (fourth in the nation). He also had a punt return for a touchdown and ranked fifth in the country with 13.9 yards per punt return.

SACRAMENTO STATE (2007-12): Da Prato spent six seasons with his hometown town the Sacramento State Hornets, serving as wide receivers coach for all six seasons and also as special teams coordinator the final three seasons.  In 2008, he guided wide receiver Tony Washington to third-team All-America honors by The Sports Network. Washington, who only played two seasons at Sacramento State, was one of just 11 players in school history to catch over 100 passes on their career. He averaged 73.6 receiving yards per game, ranking third in Hornet history, and set a program season record with 83 receptions in 2008 while his 1,279 receiving yards ranked as the second-most ever by a Hornet.

ULM (2004-06): Da Prato got his collegiate coaching career started at his alma mater ULM, serving as a graduate assistant for the offense for two seasons before being named Director of Operations and Recruiting Coordinator.

PLAYING CAREER – NEW MEXICO HIGHLANDS (2000), CHABOT JC (2001), ULM (2002-03): As a player, he began his playing career in Las Vegas, Nevada at New Mexico Highlands where he was the starting quarterback and his father was the head coach.  He then attended Chabot Junior College where he earned honorable mention All-Conference honors.  He finished his career as a quarterback at ULM, earning Academic All-Conference honors.