Coaches / Defensive coordinator / Nick Howell
Career
50
not coaching now
Rating50recent
Peak72best 5 yrs
Career50whole career
confidence
Nick Howell
Defensive Coordinator/Safeties · Utah State
Headline rating: as defensive coordinator. Every role he has been rated in is below.
Chemistry
—
index in development
Seasons here2
Programs4
Stints4
Career path
Head-coaching stints since 1936; assistant roles since 2016
As defensive coordinator
Rating50Peak72
His defense against its preseason projection (value over expectation) and the unit's opponent-adjusted quality.
| Season | Team | Unit (EPA/play) | Over expectation | Season score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Utah State | -0.05 | 0.07 | 0.36 |
| 2024 | New Mexico | -0.23 | -0.09 | -2.00 |
| 2023 | Vanderbilt | -0.10 | -0.08 | -1.26 |
| 2022 | Vanderbilt | -0.09 | -0.03 | -0.76 |
| 2021 | Virginia | -0.07 | -0.13 | -1.57 |
| 2020 | Virginia | -0.00 | -0.01 | -0.09 |
| 2019 | Virginia | -0.01 | -0.07 | -0.70 |
| 2018 | Virginia | 0.06 | 0.05 | 0.80 |
| 2017 | Virginia | 0.02 | 0.04 | 0.41 |
| 2016 | Virginia | -0.03 | — | -0.15 |
Season score: 0 = an average season in this role; positive = better.
As position coach · defensive backs
Rating76Peak86
Room quality, development (his players gaining more than typical players at the position year to year) and recruiting credit.
| Season | Team | Room | Room quality | Development | Recruiting | Season score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Utah State | Defensive backs | 83 | +6.2 | — | 0.93 |
| 2021 | Virginia | Defensive backs | 73 | -1.4 | — | -0.23 |
| 2020 | Virginia | Defensive backs | 72 | -5.9 | 0.850 | -0.58 |
| 2019 | Virginia | Defensive backs | 78 | +4.1 | 0.866 | 0.62 |
| 2018 | Virginia | Defensive backs | 86 | +6.2 | 0.843 | 1.11 |
| 2017 | Virginia | Defensive backs | 79 | +8.4 | 0.854 | 0.89 |
| 2016 | Virginia | Defensive backs | 71 | — | 0.805 | -0.54 |
Season score: 0 = an average season in this role; positive = better.