Candidate profile: Andy Avalos

About three weeks after signing a second extension to remain Missouri's defensive coordinator, Blake Baker has agreed to do the same job for LSU. Now, Missouri is searching for its fourth defensive coordinator in five years.

You can find out full hot board here. In the meantime, we will also bring you a more in-depth look at each candidate by profiling one every day during the search.

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Current position: TCU defensive coordinator

Coaching experience: 18 years (nine as defensive coordinator or head coach)

Age: 42

Salary: Unknown (made $1.55 million in 2023)

Buyout: Unknown

Avalos was a linebacker at Boise State from 2001-04 and led the team in tackles from 2002-04, earning first-team All-Western Athletic Conference honors in 2003 and 2004.

He joined the coaching ranks in 2006 by being a grad assistant at Colorado until 2008. He was the defensive line coach at Nebraska-Kearney for the 2009-10 seasons before joining Sacramento State as a grad assistant in 2011.

Avalos returned to Boise State in 2012 under Bryan Harsin as the defensive line coach and held that position through the 2013 season, with one of his star pupils being current Dallas Cowboys defensive end and three-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence.

Avalos transitioned to coaching linebackers for the 2014-15 seasons, and during these two years, he was on the staff with Eli Drinkwitz.

In 2015 when Marcel Yates was the defensive coordinator for the Broncos, they had the nation's 12th-best defense, allowing 318.3 total yards per game. They also allowed 20.2 points per game (18th), 210.1 passing yards per game (47th) and 108.2 rushing yards per game en route to a 9-4 season.

Yates left for the same job at Arizona and that paved the way for Avalos to add defensive coordinator to his linebacker coaching duties, and he’d keep both jobs from 2016-18.

The Broncos took a hit in Avalos' first season as defensive coordinator going from an elite top 15 defense to a good but not great top 55 defense. The team allowed almost 71 total yards more per game, three more points per game, nearly three more passing yards per game despite a better ranking and 68 more rushing yards per game.

Nonetheless, the Broncos went 10-3 and made an appearance in the Cactus Bowl.

In 2017, the defense improved across the board allowing almost 57 fewer total yards and 56 fewer rushing yards. The Broncos went 11-3 and ended the season with a win in the Las Vegas Bowl.

In 2018, the defense saw slight regression in total yards and passing yards but stayed relatively the same regarding points per game and rushing yards allowed.

Again, the Broncos went 10-3.

Avalos took his talents to Eugene, Oregon to be the Ducks' defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach for the 2019-2020 seasons under Mario Cristobal.

In 2018, before Avalos joined Oregon, the Ducks were 59th in total defense, allowing 388.3 total yards per game, 25.4 points per game (49th), 241.6 passing yards per game (83rd) and 146.7 rushing yards per game (45th).

In his first year, Avalos helped lead the Ducks' defense to a top 20 defense, a top 10 scoring defense and a top 15 run defense en route to a Rose Bowl win.

The next year the team experienced a significant drop-off across the board, but you have to take the stats with a grain of salt. Oregon only played seven games during the COVID-19 season and many teams' rosters weren't fully staffed or healthy.

Avalos returned to Boise State in 2021, this time as a head coach and went 22-14 in almost three full seasons with the team.

The year before Avalos returned as head coach in 2020, the Broncos had the 41st-ranked defense, allowing 373.3 total yards per game, 27.1 points per game (52nd), 209.6 passing yards per game (37th) and 163.7 rushing yards per game (67th) in what was a 5-2 season.

In his first year back leading the charge, Boise State had a solid defense and allowed almost eight total yards fewer, 8.1 points per game fewer and five fewer rushing yards per game.

Avalos had his best season in 2022 by going 10-4 reaching the Frisco Bowl and being named the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year.

Avalos had the best defense of his career (as a coordinator or head coach), with the Broncos allowing less than 293 total yards per game. The Broncos were also a top-15 scoring defense and a top-10 pass defense.

In 2023, Avalos coached the first 10 games and went 5-5 during that span before being relieved of his head coaching duties.

In those 10 games, the defense allowed 387.4 total yards per game, 27.4 points per game, 271.8 passing yards per game and 115.6 rushing yards per game.

Overall, Avalos has worked his way up through the coaching ranks and has even been a head coach. He's had a few elite defenses and he's not too far removed from being named conference coach of the year.

Over his career, Avalos has coached seven NFL Draft picks, five freshman All-Americans, four All-Americans, three conference defensive players of the year and 50 all-conference selections.

Avalos also has been on the same staff as Drinkwitz and has coached in plenty of big-time games. In that regard, he’d fit into where the Tigers are trying to go next season.

The fork in the road is Avalos just accepted the defensive coordinating position at TCU last month.

That doesn't mean he's unattainable, but it makes it a little less likely that he would leave, but as Missouri fans know, a new contract isn't enough to keep someone locked down.

Missouri would most likely be able to afford a buyout and it could pay him top dollar if it wanted to.

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