Joe Cauthen Named Lumberjacks Defensive Coordinator

SFA Head Football Coach Colby Carthel added Joe Cauthen to the coaching staff this week, as Cauthen will serve as the Defensive Coordinator ahead of the upcoming 2022 season. Cauthen joins the Lumberjack staff after making recent stops at Buffalo, Houston, Arkansas State, Middle Tennessee State and Texas A&M Commerce. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin in 1990, and was the Defensive Line Coach from 1997-98.

“We’re ‘jacked up’ to have Joe and Annittia Cauthen join our SFA football family,” said Head Coach Colby Carthel. “Joe has several years of experience coordinating championship defenses at the highest levels of college football. The fact that he is an SFA alum is just icing on the cake. He has also won a National Championship as a Defensive Coordinator, so he’s been where we are wanting to go.”

At Arkansas State, the Red Wolves ranked among the top 21 teams in the nation across a four-season span in defensive touchdowns with 22. In 2015, Arkansas State’s defense registered an FBS-high eight touchdowns, leading the country in interceptions in addition to a school record of 26 in the current FBS era. During the 2018 season, A-State had one of the toughest defenses in the country, finishing the season 11th nationally in passing defense, allowing only 177.8 passing yards per game. 

Cauthen comes to Nacogdoches with Bowl Game experience in each of his stops, most recently the New Mexico Bowl at Houston, along with being apart of a National Championship with Valdosta State in 2007.

“We’re determined to continue building one of the best defenses in the country,” added Head Coach Colby Carthel. “Joe Cauthen is the right man to lead that charge!”