Bethea comes to Canyon following two seasons as the Co-Defensive Coordinator and Linebackers coach at the University of Nevada. Bethea's first season with the Wolf Pack defense featured it ranking in the FBS top half nationally in multiple statistical categories, among them red-zone defense (47th) and tackles-for-loss (43rd, 6.3 per game). The Wolf Pack also made its mark in 2023 in the takeaway category, with 11 interceptions and eight fumble recoveries.
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Bethea joined the Nevada football coaching staff ahead of the 2022 season from Ottawa University Arizona (OUAZ), where he served as defensive coordinator since 2017. Under Bethea’s leadership, the Spirit defense was ninth in the NAIA in pass efficiency defense and 13th in 3rd-down conversion defense. He crafted a defense that finished 30th in the NAIA in scoring defense during the 2019 season.
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A former starting linebacker at the University of Nevada, Bethea played in eight games in an injury-shortened junior season, recording 28 tackles with 4.5 for a loss. As a senior, Bethea was second on the team in tackles with 64, including 5.5 TFLs and 2.5 sacks with one interception and a fumble recovery. Before playing at Nevada, Bethea was a Second Team All-American for Palomar College.
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Bethea began his coaching career as a graduate assistant on the defensive staff at Nevada for two seasons before moving to the defensive staff at Washington State for three years. He then spent time at TCU before joining the OUAZ staff.Â
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