Todd Orlando - Football Coach - Florida Atlantic University Athletics

Todd Orlando

Title:
Defensive Coordinator/LBs

During his 24-year coaching career, Orlando has served as a defensive coordinator at Southern Cal (2020), Texas (2017-19), UConn (2005-10), FIU (2011-12), Utah State (2013-14), and Houston (2015-16).

At FAU

Joined the Owls in January of 2022
Came to FAU with 16 years of defensive coordinator experience

At USC

In 2020, USC’s defense improved dramatically from the previous year, allowing 369.7 total yards (to 408.7 in 2019), including just 216.3 passing (to 246.2 in 2019)
The Trojans had 16 takeaways in the shortened 6-game 2020 season after getting 16 in 13 games in 2019
Safety Talanoa Hufanga was a consensus All-American first teamer and the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, and defensive lineman Marlon Tuipulotu made All-Pac-12 first team

At Texas

Served three seasons as The University of Texas’ defensive coordinator in 2019, a position he began in 2017
His defense forced 65 turnovers during his time in Austin, among the best in the Big 12
In 2018, Texas continued in its strengths of strong red zone defense, ranking 17th nationally, and stopping the run, allowing just 131.4 yards per game to rank 28^th
Two defensive players earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors under Orlando. DE Charles Omenihu was the Defensive Lineman of the Year, while freshman S Caden Sterns was the Defensive Freshman of the Year. Both players, in addition to CB Kris Boyd, earned first team All-Big 12 recognition
At his position group, linebackers Gary Johnson (90 TKL, 16.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 8 QBH) and Anthony Wheeler (87 TKL, 8.5 TFL, 4 sacks) led the defense in tackles. Johnson was named second team All-Big 12
In his first season at UT, the defense ranked eighth nationally in rushing (106.8 ypg), third nationally in third-down defense (.271), eighth in fourth-down defense (.300) and led the country in both defensive touchdowns (7) and interceptions returned for a touchdown (5)
The Longhorns improved 53 spots (from 94th to 41st) in total defense, and 61 spots (from 90th to 29th) in scoring defense
Under his tutelage, linebacker Malik Jefferson was named Big 12 co-Defensive Player of the Year, a Butkus Award semifinalist and first team All-Big 12
He totaled 110 tackles (79 solo), becoming the first UT player since 2014 to eclipse 100 tackles
Senior DL Poona Ford was named the Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2017, while safety DeShon Elliott was a Thorpe Award finalist,a unanimous All-American and first team All-Big 12 selection

At Houston

Posted a 9-4 record in 2016, including wins over No. 3 Oklahoma and No. 3 Louisville
Cougars became the first program nationally to defeat two top-five teams
UH featured the nation’s fourth-ranked rush defense (100.2 ypg), in addition to the nation’s 13th-best defense in total yards allowed (319.6 ypg)
Was third nationally with five defensive touchdowns and allowed just 23.5 points per game and were also ranked as one of the nation’s best in bringing pressure, ranking 14th in both sacks and tackles for loss
Linebacker, Matthew Adams led the team in tackles with 82, including 7.5 tackles for loss, while Steven Taylor tied for the team lead with 8.5 sacks and was second with 12 tackles for loss
Taylor, a first-team All-AAC selection, was tied in both of those categories with Tyus Bowser, who reached those marks despite missing five games due to injury. Bowser was named second-team All-AAC
True freshman DT Ed Oliver, who earned first-team All-America honors, was third nationally with 23 tackles for loss. He added seven quarterback hurries and led all defensive linemen nationally with his nine pass breakups
First season at Houston, his opportunistic and attacking defense forced 12 teams below their scoring average with the two teams eclipsing their average, doing so by less than one point
His defense led the nation with 35 takeaways while ranking eighth nationally in rushing defense (108.9 yards per game) and 20th nationally in scoring defense (20.7 points per game)
Participated in first New Year’s Bowl in 30 years, had their second 13-win season in program history and won their 11th conference championship by claiming the inaugural American Athletic Conference Championship. With a 38-24 win over No. 9 Florida State in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Houston ended the season ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches polls, its highest finish since ranking No. 5 in 1979, and just the sixth time in program history to finish in the top 10
With direct oversight of the linebackers, Orlando mentored Taylor and Elandon Roberts, as both earned all-conference honors from the AAC. Roberts was named to the league’s first team after leading the nation with 88 solo tackles, part of the nation’s fourth-best 142 total tackles
Roberts led the conference with 19 tackles for loss while Taylor was right behind with 18.5 tackles for loss, including a league-best 10 sacks. Roberts went on to be drafted in the sixth round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots

At Utah State

Two Utah State seasons saw the Aggies’ defense ranked among the nation’s best in scoring defense (12th nationally in 2014 at 19.7 ppg, and seventh nationally in 2013 at 17.1 ppg) and turnovers forced with 59 over two seasons, the nation’s eighth-best two-year total
Defense was fourth nationally with 49 sacks in 2014 and second nationally with 114 tackles for loss as Utah State advanced to back-to-back bowl games during Orlando’s stay in Logan, Utah
Orlando’s 2014 defense ranked 17th nationally and second in the Mountain West in pass efficiency defense (111.42), while its rushing defense led the league (130.7 ypg)
The total defense was second in the conference (356.1 ypg), bolstered by a defensive group that led the conference with four First Team All-MWC selections. Zach Vigil was 11th nationally with 19.5 tackles for loss. and earned All-America honors, was the MWC Defensive Player of the Year and signed with the Miami Dolphins
His first season at Utah State, the defense ranked first in the Mountain West and seventh in the nation in scoring (17.1 ppg), the second fewest allowed by a Utah State defense since 1971
USU also led the MWC in rushing defense (106.7 ypg/8th FBS), total defense (330.9 ypg/12th FBS), and pass efficiency defense (113.2/15th FBS)
The defense also ranked sixth in the nation in the red zone, allowing opponents to score just 68.9 percent of the time, including just 19 touchdowns, to rank second nationally. Utah State played in back-to-back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history and won just its third bowl game ever in 2013

At FIU

Spent two years as the defensive coordinator at FIU (2011-12)
Five mentored players earned various All-Sun Belt Conference honors a total of seven times, including safety Jonathan Cyprien and defensive lineman Tourek Williams who both earned First-Team All-League honors
Cyprien was the 33rd pick of the 2013 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars

At UConn

Was a 12-year member of the Connecticut staff, including six seasons (2005-10) as the defensive coordinator
In 2010, Orlando’s defense helped the Huskies capture the Big East Championship and play in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl
In his first year as defensive coordinator at Connecticut, the Huskies led the Big East Conference in total defense at 297.1 ypg, its lowest average since 1979. In 2007, Connecticut won the Big East Championship behind the nation’s 10th-ranked passing efficiency defense and the 14th-best scoring defense (19.0 ppg)
His work with middle linebacker Danny Lansanah in 2007 helped earn the senior a free agent contract with the Green Bay Packers, while weakside linebacker Lawrence Wilson was named a second-team Freshman All-American. Orlando also mentored linebacker Alfred Fincher who was chosen in the third round by the New Orleans Saints in 2005, becoming the first Husky drafted in 11 years

Pennsylvania

Spent three seasons as the linebackers coach

As a High School Coach

Served as Fox Chapel Area High School defensive coordinator and linebackers coach in 1995
Began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1994 as Central Catholic High School’s prep defensive coordinator and linebacker’s coach

Playing Experience

Three-year letterwinner at inside linebacker at Wisconsin and was a member of the 1994 Big Ten Championship team that defeated UCLA in the Badgers’ first Rose Bowl appearance since 1963

Personal
Hometown: Pittsburgh, Pa.
Education: Wisconsin, 1994, B.S agricultural economics
Wife: Amy
Children: Taylor and Addison
Birthdate: March 24, 1971