Joe Cauthen - Assistant Coach / Defensive Line - Football Coaches

Joe Cauthen

Title:
Assistant Coach / Defensive Line
Email:
football@memphis.edu
Phone:
901-678-5119

University of Memphis head football coach Ryan Silverfield has named defensive analyst Joe Cauthen, as the program's new defensive line coach, Silverfield announced on Jan. 15, 2025.

Cauthen spent 2024 on the Memphis staff as a defensive analyst as the Tigers went 11-2 and capped off the season with a Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl Championship over West Virginia. The Memphis defense led the country with 15 fumble recoveries, ranked second nationally with a +18-turnover margin, 10^th in turnovers gained (26), 15^th in rushing defense (111.8 per game) and 17^th in first-down defense (225).

"Joe is an experienced coach who brings so much to our program," Silverfield said. "He was able to assist our defense this past season and will be a wonderful coach for our defensive line."

Before coming to Memphis, Cauthen served as the defensive coordinator at Utah State in 2023. Overall, Cauthen has 35 years of coaching experience, including 29 at the collegiate level, and 22 as a defensive coordinator. He has been part of five conference championship teams, including one national championship, and has coached in eight bowl games.

"I'm forever grateful for this opportunity that Coach Silverfield and Coach Hankins have given me," Cauthen said. "I'm ready to get started and build the relationships needed to go compete for the conference championship."

Cauthen served as defensive coordinator at Stephen F. Austin in 2022 where he helped the Lumberjacks win the Western Athletic Conference Championship and coached nine defenders to All-WAC honors, including a pair of All-Americans in BJ Thompson and Edward Bobino.

Cauthen spent the 2021 season as the defensive coordinator at Buffalo, where the Bulls ranked 14^th nationally in red zone defense (.735), 16^th in sacks (3.1 per game) and 36^th in tackles for loss (6.5 per game). Prior to coaching at Buffalo, Cauthen spent four months on staff at Arkansas as a defensive analyst.

During the 2019 and 2020 seasons, Cauthen served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Houston. In 2020, his defense ranked 16^th in the nation in sacks (3.00 per game) and 21^st in tackles for loss (7.4 per game).

Cauthen also spent five seasons (2014-18) as the defensive coordinator at Arkansas State, helping ASU to a pair of conference championships and five bowl games. Overall, the Red Wolves ranked among the top 21 teams in the nation in defensive touchdowns during Cauthen's final four seasons with 22. The 2015 campaign saw ASU's defense record an FBS-high eight touchdowns, while also leading the country in interceptions with a school-record 26.

In 2018, Arkansas State ranked 11^th nationally in passing defense (177.8 per game). Individually, defensive end Ronheen Bingham was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year and was one of six A-State players to earn postseason honors.

During the 2017 season, Arkansas State's defense ranked sixth nationally in tackles for loss (8.3 per game), ninth in fourth-down conversion percentage (.364), 19^th in sacks (2.92 per game), 21^st in defensive touchdowns (3) and third-down conversion percentage (.330), 27^th in fumbles recovered (10), 29^th in turnovers gained (24), 32^nd in passes intercepted (14) and 33^rd in rushing defense (136.1 per game).

Following the 2017 season, eight players were named All-Sun Belt Conference, including defensive end Ja'Von Rolland-Jones, who was tabbed the Conference Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

In 2016, Arkansas State led the nation with 9.6 tackles-for-loss per game and ranked sixth nationally with 3.3 sacks per outing. The Red Wolves ranked fourth in the nation in fourth-down conversion percentage defense (.250), eighth in defensive touchdowns (4), 19^th in scoring defense (21.5 PPG), 23^rd in pass efficiency defense (117.3), 24^th in fumbles recovered (11) and 29^th in total defense (362.8 per game).

Cauthen's defensive unit finished the 2015 season ranked second in the country in turnovers gained (34), 11^th in fourth-down conversion percentage defense (.333), 19^th in third-down conversion defense (.335), 41^st in sacks (2.38 per game) and 44^th in rushing defense (151.5 per game).
During Cauthen's first year at Arkansas State in 2014, the Red Wolves ranked 14^th in the nation in defensive touchdowns (4), 15^th in passes intercepted (16), 17^th in team sacks (2.85 per game), 21^st in turnovers gained (28), 27^th in third-down percentage defense (.359), 28^th in fumbles recovered (12) and 36^th in tackles for loss (6.6 per game).

Prior to Arkansas State, Cauthen spent three seasons at Middle Tennessee, serving as the defensive line coach in 2012 and 2013 after working as the linebackers coach in 2011. He was also the special teams coordinator all three years at MTSU.

The Blue Raiders put together back-to-back eight-win seasons during Cauthen's last two years at the school and played in the Armed Forces Bowl in 2013. In 2013, the Blue Raiders ranked fifth in the nation in turnovers gained with 33, including 15 interceptions and 18 fumble recoveries.

Cauthen also spent four seasons as the defensive coordinator at Valdosta State. In 2010, Cauthen helped lead the Blazers to a Gulf South Conference Championship after his defense ranked 23^rd nationally in total defense and 18^th in scoring defense. His unit was led by All-American and National Defensive Player of the Year Larry Dean, who totaled 122 tackles.

Cauthen's defense was dominant during the 2008 season as it finished 24^th nationally in scoring defense (18.6 PPG) and 31^st in total defense (304.6 per game) and rushing defense (108.3 per game).

In 2007, Cauthen directed a unit that finished 14^th in the nation in scoring defense (17.6 per game) as Valdosta State won its second national title. That year, VSU led the nation in passes intercepted with 27 and ranked second in turnovers gained with 40.

Prior to Valdosta State, Cauthen had coaching stints at Texas A&M-Commerce, Stephen F. Austin and Trinity Valley Community College. During his seven seasons with Texas A&M-Commerce, Cauthen coached six All-Americans, four Lone Star Conference (LSC) Linebackers of the Year, three Defensive Lineman of the Year, one Defensive Back of the Year and 34 defensive players that earned LSC honors.

Cauthen earned his bachelor's degree in health and kinesiology with a minor in biology from Stephen F. Austin in 1990. He also obtained a master's degree in sports administration from Texas-Tyler in 1997. Cauthen is married to the former Annittia Chapman and they share five children: Sam, Brooklyn, Hayden, Dakota and Jackson.