Nick Howell

Nick Howell joined the Lobo Football program in January of 2024, and he serves as defensive coordinator for the program. He comes to UNM from a two-year stint as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Vanderbilt.

The 2024 season will be Howell’s 12th consecutive season as an FBS defensive coordinator. Over his previous stints, Howell has served as a defensive coordinator in the Mountain West, the ACC, and the SEC.

The 2024 season will be his 16th working with Mendenhall.

PREVIOUS COACHING STOPS

VANDERBILT (2022-23): Howell spent the previous two seasons as the defensive coordinator and secondary coach at Vanderbilt, where he weekly schemed defenses in arguably the nation’s toughest conference.

In 2023, the Commodores led the SEC with 12 interceptions and were fourth in the SEC in defensive touchdowns. Linebacker Langston Patterson and anchor CJ Taylor both finished among the league’s leaders in tackles, ranking 11th and 21st, respectively. Taylor and De’Rickey Wright were among 31 players in the SEC with multiple interceptions on the year.

His debut Commodore defense capitalized on opportunities, scoring four defensive touchdowns on the season. That total led the SEC and ranked 12th nationally. It was a marked improvement after a 2021 campaign that saw Vandy fail to record a defensive score.

Linebacker Anfernee Orji led the defensive side of the ball, recording an SEC-best 8.93 tackles per game. With 108 total tackles, Orji became the first Vanderbilt player to lead the team in tackles for three consecutive seasons since 2003-05. Fellow senior Jaylen Mahoney tied the Vanderbilt single-game record with 5.0 tackles for loss against Missouri, also the most by a player in the SEC on the season.

The 2022 season also saw the continued emergence of Wright and Taylor. Wright moved to safety and recorded two interceptions against No. 9 Ole Miss, making him the first Vandy player with two picks in a game since 2019. Taylor notched two of Vanderbilt’s defensive touchdowns on the year. All told, the Commodores recorded at least one takeaway in 10 of 12 games.

VIRGINIA (2016-21): Howell served as the defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for Virginia from 2016 to 2021 where he helped lead Virginia to the 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game and an Orange Bowl berth. Jordan Mack, Charles Snowden, Juan Thornhill, and Bryce Hall are among the notables who have played under Howell. His 2018 Virginia defense was among the top 20 nationally in team passing efficiency, passing yards allowed, team defense, and scoring defense.

The 2021 season saw the Cavaliers earn a Fenway Bowl berth (canceled due to COVID-19) while Howell’s defense stepped up when it mattered most. Virginia finished third in the ACC and 28th nationally in red zone defense. The unit was paced by Jackson, who led the ACC with 9.8 tackles per game, while Joey Blount was seventh in the conference with 7.9 tackles per contest. Blount and Anthony Johnson each recorded three interceptions on the year. While navigating the 2020 season and the COVID-19 pandemic, Snowden led ACC linebackers with .75 sacks per game and ranked 13th among the nation’s linebackers with six sacks.

In 2019, Virginia had a season to remember. The Cavaliers set a program record with 43 sacks en route to the ACC Championship game and Orange Bowl. Mack led all ACC linebackers with 7.5 sacks, while 27 of UVA’s 46 sacks were recorded by linebackers. The highlight of the season came as Virginia recorded six sacks in a win over rival Virginia Tech to clinch the ACC Coastal division title. The defense also led the ACC with three defensive touchdowns.

In 2018, Virginia finished among the nation’s top 20 in opponent passing efficiency (12th), passing yards allowed (16th), team defense (20th) and scoring defense (20th). The season culminated in a 28-0 victory over South Carolina in the Belk Bowl, marking the first time a non-SEC team recorded a shutout of an SEC team since 1975. Hall led the nation with 22 breakups and 24 passes defended, earning All- America honors from five outlets. Thornhill posted the best opponent passer rating when in coverage among ACC safeties and joined Hall in earning first team All-ACC accolades.

His 2017 defense included a secondary which ranked seventh in the nation and second in the ACC against the pass, led by Quin Blanding, Brenton Nelson, and Thornhill. Blanding capped the season as UVA’s all-time leading tackler with 495 career tackles, also the most ever by an ACC defensive back.

BYU (2007-15): Howell spent nine seasons in a variety of positions at BYU, starting as a defensive intern before eventually moving up to defensive coordinator.

In 2015, Howell’s Cougar defense ranked sixth nationally in sacks per game, while his 2014 unit was 20th nationally in rushing defense as the Cougars finished off a run of 11 straight bowl games.

His 2013 debut season as defensive coordinator at BYU saw the Cougars finish 12th nationally in yards per play, 16th in pass efficiency defense and 22nd in scoring defense, despite having to defend the fourth-most plays in the nation due to BYU’s up-tempo offense.

In 2012, Howell coached the secondary for a BYU defense that was third nationally in total defense and 10th in passing yards allowed. The 2011 Cougars were 15th in pass efficiency defense and 13th in overall defense.

In 2010, Howell was promoted from defensive graduate assistant to linebackers coach.

HIGH SCHOOL COACHING CAREER (2002-06)

Howell got his coaching career started in the high school ranks, first as a defensive line coach at Sky View High School before becoming a defensive coordinator at Weber High School in 2003. He served as the head coach at Ben Lomond High School for three seasons before joining BYU as a defensive intern.

PLAYING CAREER: Snow College (2001-02)

Played two seasons at Snow but injuries curtailed his career, and he moved into coaching.