23FTB PRAC 3-15 0071 23FTB PRAC 3-15 March 15, 2023 Photography by Nate Edwards/BYU © BYU PHOTO 2020 All Rights Reserved [email protected] (801)422-7322
Jay Hill, BYU defensive coordinator, is joining Kyle Whittingham in Ann Arbor. Hill was a big target for Michigan, and they got him from BYU. He has been in Provo for three years.
Hill came into Provo from Weber State after the departure of BYU’s last defensive coordinator. He led the Cougars to many double-digit win seasons and also sent many players to the pros while he was at BYU.
Jay Hill’s Coaching Career
Coach Hill has coached at Utah (2005-2013), Weber State (2014-2022), and BYU (2022-2025). While at Weber State in the FCS, he led the Wildcats to six postseasons and had a 68-39 record while there. During those six postseasons, he led them to two quarterfinals and one semifinal run.
Potential Replacements
Jenaro Gilford has been with the Cougars since 2016 as a coach and played for the BYU from 1999-2003. He would be a great replacement as he knows the layout and the recruiting side of Provo. Gilford would also keep a good amount of players.
Gary Anderson has been all over the state with coaching at Utah State for a few years, and now he has been an analyst for the Cougars since 2024. Anderson would be great for the experience and also for the recruiting.
Justin Ena has been coaching Linebackers who have proven to be solid year after year. Ena has been with BYU since 2023 and has coached many NFL-level talent players. He would bring up the talent on the defense and bring the cornerbacks back into check.
Sione Po’uha has been with BYU since 2022 and was a Jay Hill, so the chances of keeping him are slim, but if we did keep him, he would be the last resort for in-house hiring.
