Joe Cauthen, who served last season as Utah State's defensive coordinator under the recently fired Blake Anderson and who owns more than 30 years' coaching experience, has joined the Memphis Tigers football staff.
Cauthen will serve as a defensive analyst in Ryan Silverfield's Memphis program, which opens its 2024 season Aug. 31 at home against North Alabama.
For Cauthen, a Texas native and Stephen F. Austin grad, the move is a return to coaching in Tennessee. He spent three seasons in the Volunteer State as an assistant for Rick Stockstill at MTSU.
Additionally, Cauthen has SEC experience from time at Arkansas as an defensive analyst and had a long run alongside Anderson at Arkansas State from 2014-18.
Excited about the ‘24 season, joining the Defensive staff in an Analyst role for Coach Silverfield and the Memphis Football Team. #ALLIN#GoTigersGo
— Coach Joe Cauthen (@CoachJoeCauthen) July 9, 2024
He served two seasons as Dana Holgorsen's defensive coordinator at Houston, now entering its second season as a Big 12 member.
Cauthen has been a defensive coordinator for six different collegiate programs.
After a 10-win season in 2023 that it punctuated with a win against Big 12 program Iowa State, Memphis will try to sustain that momentum under Silverfield in the fall.
The opener against FCS program North Alabama is followed by a home clash against Gerad Parker's Troy Trojans and then the Tigers have something of a reunion game against former head coach Mike Norvell at Florida State.