Jordan Peterson

Jordan Peterson enters his third as the safeties coach at The University of New Mexico, and his first as the defensive coordinator for the program.  Peterson came to UNM after coaching at Texas State and having played at Texas A&M.

Peterson oversees the entire defense, and he handles all duties associated with coaching UNM safeties.

In two seasons, UNM safeties have led the team in tackles, with Jake Rothschiller recording 76 and Stanley Barnwell, Jr., also recording 76.  Marcus Hayes, a freshman, earned Second Team All-Mountain West honors as a safety in 2018.

Peterson coached at Fresno State for five seasons, from 2012-16, helping the Bulldogs to three bowl games and a 2014 Mountain West Championship game appearance and a 2013 Mountain West title.  He served a variety of positions with Fresno State, coaching both the secondary and outside linebackers.  He also has served as recruiting coordinator and a special teams coach.

Peterson excelled in his role of secondary coach at Fresno State, coaching that position in 2012 when Fresno State went 9-4 and ranked second nationally in pass defense and fourth in pass efficiency defense.

One of his players, safety Phillip Thomas, was one of three finalists for the Thorpe Award and was a unanimous All-American, the first unanimous selection in Fresno State history.  Thomas was the Mountain West’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Fresno State safeties Thomas and Derron Smith were both highly decorated as all four starting defensive backs earned all-conference honors.

Peterson got his start as a graduate assistant coach at Texas A&M in 2010 and 2011.  That followed a four-year career with the Aggies, where he made 81 tackles and broke up 15 passes.  He also forced two fumbles, recovered one fumble and picked off four passes.  He returned one of those passes 48 yards for a touchdown, ironically against New Mexico.  He was a two-time All-Big 12 Academic First Team selection, and he was a CoSIDA Academic All-Region selection in 2008.

Peterson received his bachelor’s degree in sport management from Texas A&M in 2009 along with his master’s in education curriculum and instruction in 2010.

He graduated from Lexington High School in Central Texas, where he earned first-team all-state honors as a defensive back and honorable mention honors as a quarterback his senior year. He was named Texas Prep Xtra Central Texas MVP.

He and his wife Missy have two daughters, Ellie and Emory.