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Kevin Clune

Position: Linebackers Experience: 4th Year at USU Alma Mater: Cal State Fullerton, 2000

Recruiting Area: Texas (Houston)

Kevin Clune (pronounced Kloon) is entering his fourth year with the Utah State football staff as the Aggies' linebackers coach.

In 2011, Clune coached first-team all-Western Athletic Conference linebacker Bobby Wagner, who led the WAC and ranked eighth in Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) in tackles with 11.3 per game, ranking tied for third in the FBS in total tackles with 147 on the season. Wagner earned first-team all-WAC accolades for the third-straight season and was a strong candidate for the WAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2011.

Wagner also led the USU defensive unit with 11.5 tackles for loss, adding four sacks and also led the Aggies with two interceptions. Wagner was named the North's Most Outstanding Player of the 2012 Senior Bowl on Jan. 28, after he helped the North to a 23-13 win over the South, snaring an interception and led the North with seven tackles, tying for game-high honors. Wagner was also invited to the NFL Combine and is expected to be drafted.

Clune helped USU's defense lead the WAC in total defense (366.2 ypg), ranking 50th in the FBS, as well as ranking second in the league in both rushing defense (127.7 ypg) and tackles for loss (5.9 pg). The rushing defense also ranked 31st in FBS, an improvement of 57 spots from 2010's rankings while the total defense's ranking was an improvement of 52 spots from the 2010 FBS rankings. The Aggies also were second in the WAC in opponent third-down conversions in 2011.

Clune also mentored Kyle Gallagher, who ranked tied for 12th in the WAC in tackles (7.7 pg). Off the field, Jake Doughty and Forrest Dabb earned academic all-WAC accolades.

In 2010, Clune mentored Wagner to lead the WAC and ranked eighth in the NCAA FBS with 11.1 tackles per game, earning first-team all-WAC honors for the second-straight season. Wagner's 133 tackles are just shy of the WAC's single-season top 10 list and are the most by a USU defender since 2002 when Jesse Busta logged 135 stops. Wagner is No. 12 on USU's single-season tackles list.

Gallagher ranked seventh in the WAC in tackles in 2010 with 7.58 pg, posting 91 total stops.

Under Clune's coaching in 2009, Wagner earned first-team all-WAC honors and led the league and ranked tied for 22nd in Football Bowl Subdivision in tackles with 115, a 9.6 per game average. Wagner also led the WAC in league only games with 71 stops (8.9 pg). Wagner's 115 tackles ranked as the second-most by a USU sophomore, behind the record of 138 in 1996 by Johndale Carty. Wagner was the first sophomore to lead the Aggies in tackles since David Gill's 89 stops led the 1994 USU squad.

Clune was Weber State's defensive coordinator from 2005-08. He came to Utah State after four years at Weber State, recently helping the Wildcats to a share of the 2008 Big Sky Conference title and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.

Clune's defense was fourth in the Big Sky in total defense (363.9 yards per game), as well as leading the Big Sky in pass defense (208.4 ypg). Weber State also led the league in pass efficiency defense (109.4), which ranks 17th in FCS.

"I'm very excited to be working with Coach Andersen again," Clune said. "Continuing the success that we have built at Utah State and turning this program into one with continued success is one of our top goals. I believe in Gary Andersen 110 percent and know that he will get that done."

Clune was Andersen's defensive coordinator at Southern Utah in 2003 and was at SUU through 2004 until joining the Weber State staff in 2005.

"Kevin and I worked together when he was my defensive coordinator at Southern Utah so our defensive beliefs are extremely close. He has coordinator experience, something that is invaluable to a program, and he is a vital part of our strength as a defensive staff," Andersen said. "Kevin is very familiar with the state of Utah and everything that it has to offer. He's a terrific recruiter and will help us maintain our goal of continuing a successful program here at Utah State and pursue a conference championship."

Under Clune, Weber State's defense was ranked second in the Big Sky in both 2006 and 2007. The 2007 Wildcat defense yielded an average of just 348.4 yards per game. WSU also ranked first in the league in pass defense (212.2 ypg) and third in rushing defense (136.2 ypg). Weber State's 23-0 win at Northern Colorado on Oct. 13, 2007 was the Wildcats' first shutout of a league opponent since 1980 and the first shutout of a league opponent on the road since 1966.

During his tenure at Weber State, Clune coached 15 all-Big Sky Conference winners, including nine in 2008, as tackle Bryce Scanlon, end Kevin Linehan, linebacker J.D. Folsom, cornerback Josh Morris and safety Beau Hadley all earned first-team accolades, while tackle Ryan Eastman, end Pate Moleni, linebacker Biff Swan and safety Scotty Goodloe were on the honorable mention list. In 2005, defensive end Brady Fosmark was a second-team All-America and first-team all-Big Sky selection.

While at Southern Utah, Clune mentored outside linebacker Nick DiPadova, who earned second-team NCAA Division I-AA All-American honors in 2004 and was honorable mention in 2003. Marques Harris also earned third-team NCAA Division I-AA All-American accolades in 2004 as well.

Clune was a graduate assistant coach on the Utah staff in 2001 and 2002, spending the 2001 season with the running backs before shifting to the defensive side of the ball where he worked with the linebackers, where he coached with Andersen who was the defensive tackles coach for the Utes that season. Clune also assisted with special teams preparation and scouting.

He also spent time on the football staffs at Occidental College and Fullerton Junior College. At Occidental, his primary responsibility was the defensive line, while coaching the linebackers at Fullerton JC as well as the special teams coordinator. Clune also coached at Dos Pueblos High School and Palma High School.

Clune was a defensive lineman at Fullerton JC for one year and spent one season at the University of San Diego.

Clune earned his bachelor's degree in kinesiology from Cal State Fullerton in 2000.