Joe Salave'a - Football Coach - University of Oregon Athletics

Joe Salave'a

Title:
Associate Head Coach/Defensive Line Coach

A member of the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame and an eight-year NFL veteran, Joe Salave’a is in his fifth year at Oregon and fourth as associate head coach, co-defensive coordinator, run-game coordinator and defensive line coach.

Salave’a and Mario Cristobal both came to Oregon as assistant coaches in 2017, and when Cristobal was named head coach, Salave’a stayed with the program and added co-defensive coordinator and run-game coordinator to his title.

For Salave’a, Oregon is the third Pac-12 Conference stop during his coaching career. He spent one season at Arizona, before moving to Washington State for five seasons. Salave’a started his coaching career at San Jose State, where he spent two seasons after wrapping up his NFL playing career.

Oregon (2017-Present)
During his four seasons at Oregon, the Ducks’ defense has showed marked improvement. After inheriting a defensive line that was part of a defense that finished near the bottom nationally in nearly every statistical category in 2016, UO finished the 2019 season among the top 25 in scoring defense, rushing defense, total defense, sacks and tackles for loss.

The Ducks ranked 126th in scoring defense in 2016, before improving to ninth in 2019 while allowing nearly 25 fewer points per game. Oregon’s rush defense finished third in 2019 after ranking 121st the season before Salave’a arrived in Eugene, holding opponents to over 135 fewer yards on the ground. In total defense, UO improved from 126th the year before Salave’a arrived to 22nd in 2019 while allowing over 189 fewer yards per contest.

In the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Oregon’s defensive line continued to make big plays finishing fourth in the Pac-12 in both sacks and tackles for loss. Sophomore Kayvon Thibodeaux earned first-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors after finishing third in the league in TFL with 9.5 and eighth in sacks with 3.0. Thibodeaux led Oregon to a win in the Pac-12 Championship game earning Most Valuable Player honors after harassing the Trojans finishing with five tackles (3 solo) with 2.0 TFL and a sack with a pass break up.

With Salave’a in charge, Oregon’s defensive line has increased its big play output significantly over the last four seasons. After having just 25 sacks in 2016, Oregon finished 2019 with 41 sacks. Oregon had 33 in 2017 and 29 in 2018, before increasing its total by 12 during its Pac-12 championship 2019 season. In the seven-game 2020 season, Oregon had 12.0 sacks.

In addition to sacks, the Ducks have also been much more effective in making tackles for loss. Oregon finished its Rose Bowl championship 2019 season with 97 TFLs, 25 more than the 2018 season and 36 more than the 2016 season. In 2020, the Ducks made 35.0 tackles for loss.

Individually, Salave’a coached his second freshman All-American during the 2019 season. The Athletic, USA Today and 247Sports all named Thibodeaux a first-team freshman all-America pick, while the league’s coaches named him the Pac-12 Conference Freshman Defensive Player of the Year. The Associated Press tabbed Thibodeaux as a first-team all-conference player.

Thibodeaux was the third Oregon defensive lineman to be named all-league under Salave’a’s guidance. Jalen Jelks, a seventh-round pick by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2019 NFL Draft, claimed first-team honors following the 2018 season and was a second-team pick after the 2017 season. Jordon Scott claimed all-league accolades in both 2018 and 2019, earning second-team honors by the AP in 2018 and honorable mention recognition from the leagues’ coaches after both seasons. Senior Austin Faoliu made it four all-conference players coached by Salave’a when he claimed honorable mention honors in 2020 while Thibodeaux was earning first-team recognition from both the coaches and the AP.

Washington State (2012-16)
Salave’a spent five seasons at Washington State, working the first three as defensive line coach before adding assistant head coach to his title for his final two seasons with the Cougars.

During his time at WSU, Salave’a helped build a formable program going from three wins his first season (2012) to a combined 17 wins (9 in 2015, 8 in 2016) in his final two years. The Cougars advanced to three bowl games during Salave’a’s tenure: the 2013 New Mexico Bowl, the 2015 Sun Bowl and the 2016 Holiday Bowl.

His unit showed vast improvement each of his five seasons in both pass rush and rush defense, finishing the 2016 season 29th in the country in run defense (134.23). Over the last two seasons at WSU, three of the Cougars’ defensive linemen earned second-team all-Pac-12 Conference recognition under Salave’a while two more were honorable mention picks.

Salave’a was instrumental in the development of 2017 consensus All-American Hercules Mata’afa at Washington State. Salave’a coached Mata’afa during the defensive lineman’s first three seasons on the Palouse. After redshirting in 2014, USA Today tabbed Mata’afa as a first-team freshman all-America pick, while the conference’s coaches voted him honorable mention all-conference. In 2016, Mata’afa claimed second-team all-league accolades as a sophomore. He went on to an NFL career, one of seven Salave’a-coached players drafted or to play in the NFL after signing a free agent contract.

In 2015, Washington State placed three of Salave’a’s defensive linemen on the all-Pac-12 Conference team. In addition to Mata’afa’s honorable mention nod, Darryl Paulo and Destiny Vaeao claimed second-team all-conference honors. Paulo earned second-team recognition from both the Associated Press and the league’s coaches, while the coaches recognized Vaeao.

In his first year at WSU, Salave’a coached Xavier Cooper to an honorable mention all-conference season. Cooper, a third-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, went on to a three-year career in the NFL, two with the Browns and one with the New York Jets.

Arizona (2011)
Salave’a spent a season at his alma mater as the defensive line coach, joining the Wildcats in time for preparation for the 2010 Valero Alamo Bowl.

San Jose State (2008-09)
Salave’a began his coaching career in 2008 at San Jose State under his former college coach, Dick Tomey, working for two seasons as the defensive line coach.

During his first season, Salave’a made an immediate impact with the Spartans, who finished in the top 25 in the country in three separate statistical categories. SJSU finished seventh in the nation in tackles for loss, 11th in sacks and 21st in total defense. The Spartans led the WAC in TFLs, while finishing second in sacks and total defense en route to a 6-6 overall record, 4-4 in league play.

Salave’a mentored a pair of All-WAC players during his first season. Jarron Gilbert claimed first-team honors after leading the nation in tackles for loss (second in the WAC) and finishing 19th in the country in sacks. Gilbert went on to be selected in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears.

Carl Ihenacho earned second-team All-WAC recognition after finishing eighth in the nation and second in the league in tackles for loss in 2008. He added another second-team all-league selection in 2009.

Playing Career and Personal
Salave’a enjoyed an eight-year NFL career after the Tennessee Titans selected him out of Arizona in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft. Salave’a spent five years with the Titans, split 2003 with the Baltimore Ravens and San Diego Chargers and finished his career with a three-year stint with the Washington Redskins before retiring after the 2006 season. He played 100 NFL games, making 28 starts, while totaling 82 tackles, 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He appeared in Super Bowl XXXIV for the Titans.

Salave’a lettered at Arizona as a defensive tackle from 1994-97, earning first-team all-Pac-12 honors in 1997, second-team recognition in 1996 and honorable mention accolades in 1995. He was the team captain in 1996. Salave’a tallied 157 career tackles for the Wildcats, all as an interior lineman, with 43.5 tackles for loss and 21.5 sacks. He led the team in sacks and tackles for loss in both 1996 and 1997 and in forced fumbles in 1994 and 1996.

A native of Leone, American Samoa, Salave’a has been one of the territory’s foremost ambassadors, promoting the game among Samoan youth, including founding the Joe Salave’a Foundation in 2001 to help introduce the game and strengthen its appeal. The foundation specializes in free football clinics for youngsters in American Samoa and Hawaii. Congressman Eni Faleomavaega recognized his work in a 2005 White House ceremony hosted by President George W. Bush to celebrate Asian-Pacific Heritage Month.

The Polynesian Football Hall of Fame honored Salave’a with induction in 2019. He and his wife, Josephine, have one daughter, Katalina Elizabeth, and one son, Joseph Fatuimoana Jr.

COACHING CAREER

2018-Present	Associate Head Coach - Defense/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line	Oregon
2017	Associate Head Coach/Defense Line	Oregon
2015-16	Assistant Head Coach/Defense Line	Washington State
2012-14	Defensive Line	Washington State
2011	Defensive Line	Arizona
2008-2009	Defensive Line	San Jose State

HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS
2019 – Polynesian Football Hall of Fame

CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS
2020 Pac-12 Conference – Oregon (Associate Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line)
2019 Pac-12 Conference – Oregon (Associate Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line)
2019 Pac-12 North – Oregon (Associate Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line)

BOWL GAMES
2021 Fiesta Bowl – Oregon (Associate Head Coach/Co-Defensive Coordinator/Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line)
2020 Rose Bowl – Oregon (Associate Head Coach/Co-DC/Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line)
2018 Redbox Bowl – Oregon (Associate Head Coach/Co-DC/Run Game Coordinator/Defensive Line)
2017 Las Vegas Bowl – Oregon (Associate Head Coach/Defensive Line)
2016 Holiday Bowl – Washington State (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line)
2015 Sun Bowl – Washington State (Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Line)
2013 New Mexico Bowl – Washington State (Defensive Line)
2010 Valero Alamo Bowl – Arizona (Defensive Line)

NFL DRAFT PICKS COACHED & RECRUITED (3)
2019 (RD 7) DE Jalen Jelks – Oregon – Dallas Cowboys
2015 (RD 3) DT Xavier Cooper – Washington State – Cleveland Browns
2009 (RD 3) DE Jarron Gilbert – San Jose State – Chicago Bears

UNDRAFTED NFL PLAYERS COACHED & RECRUITED (6)
DL Daniel Ekuale – Washington State – Cleveland Browns
LB Frank Luvu – Washington State – New York Jets
DE Hercules Mata’afa – Washington State – Minnesota Vikings
S Shalom Luani – Washington State – Oakland Raiders/Seattle Seahawks/Los Angeles Chargers
DT Destiny Vaeao – Washington State – Philadelphia Eagles/New York Jets/Carolina Panthers
DE Carl Ihenacho – San Jose State – Oakland Raiders

NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS COACHED
2017 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year – Hercules Mata’afa – Washington State

ALL-AMERICANS COACHED
2020 DL Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon (FWAA – 2nd, The Athletic – 2nd)

FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICANS COACHED
2019 DE Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon (The Athletic, USA Today, 247Sports – 1st)
2017 DL Jordon Scott – Oregon (FWAA, 247Sports – 1st)
2015 DL Hercules Mata’afa – Washington State (USA Today – 1st)

CONFERENCE PLAYERS OF THE YEAR COACHED
2019 DE Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon – Pac-12 (Freshman Defensive Player of the Year)
2008 DT Jarron Gilbert – San Jose State – WAC (Co-Defensive Player of the Year)

ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS COACHED
2020 DE Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 1st, Coaches – 1st)
2020 DL Austin Faoliu – Oregon – Pac-12 (Coaches – HM)
2019 DE Kayvon Thibodeaux – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 1st, Coaches—HM)
2019 DL Jordon Scott – Oregon – Pac-12 (Coaches—HM)
2018 DE Jalen Jelks – Oregon – Pac-12 (Coaches – 1st)
2018 DL Jordon Scott – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 2nd, Coaches – HM)
2017 DE Jalen Jelks – Oregon – Pac-12 (AP – 2nd, Coaches – 2nd)
2016 DL Hercules Mata’afa – Washington State – Pac-12 (AP – 2nd, Coaches – 2nd)
2015 DL Darryl Paulo – Washington State – Pac-12 (AP – 2nd, Coaches – 2nd)
2015 DL Destiny Vaeao – Washington State – Pac-12 (Coaches – 2nd)
2015 DL Hercules Mata’afa – Washington State – Pac-12 (Coaches – HM)
2012 DL Xavier Cooper – Washington State – Pac-12 (Coaches – HM)
2009 DE Carl Ihenacho – San Jose State – WAC (Coaches – 2nd)
2008 DT Jarron Gilbert – San Jose State – WAC (Coaches – 1st)
2008 DE Carl Ihenacho – San Jose State – WAC (Coaches – 2nd)