Tony Washington Jr. Named Edges/Outside Linebackers Coach

Tony Washington Jr. has been named Kentucky’s edges/outside linebackers coach, head coach Will Stein announced Friday.

“We’re fired up to have Tony Washington Jr. join our staff,” Stein said. “I worked with Tony at Oregon and found that he is a tremendous teacher of the game with a passion that players feed off of. He’s a high-motor leader who knows how to develop talent and push guys to reach their full potential. His energy and defensive mindset are a perfect fit for what we’re building at Kentucky.”

Washington comes to Kentucky after spending the 2025 season at Ohio State as the assistant defensive line coach.

“I’m excited about the energy and vision Coach Stein is going to bring to this program,” Washington Jr. said. “I love how he takes care of his people and pushes us to be our best every day. On the field, he’s a true mastermind. Together, I believe we’re going to inject a whole new edge and energy into this program.”

At Ohio State, Washington Jr. played an integral role in a Buckeyes defense that has ranked nationally either No. 1 or No. 2 in nine different categories, including No. 1 in scoring defense (9.3), passing yards (129.7), and red zone scores (67.00). Anchored by first-team All-American and the Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year, Kayden McDonald, whose development was heavily shaped by Washington Jr., the Buckeyes established themselves as one of the nation’s most dominant defensive units this season.

Prior to Ohio State, Washington Jr. was an assistant coach working with the defensive line and outside linebackers in 2024 at UCLA.

In that season, he helped the Bruins’ defense finish No. 6 nationally in rushing defense, limiting the opponent to just 96.2 yards per game. UCLA also ranked No. 39 nationally with 340.8 yards allowed per game, despite playing the fifth-toughest strength of schedule in the country. Under his tutelage, defensive tackle Jay Toia earned an All-Big Ten honorable mention and was voted the team’s Most Valuable Player. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys.

Washington Jr. also worked with defensive end Oluwafemi Oladejo, who was drafted in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans. Oladejo led the Bruins’ defensive line with 57 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and six quarterback hurries.

His coaching experience also includes stops at Nebraska and Oregon, his alma mater. He was a graduate assistant with the Cornhuskers for two seasons – 2019, 2020 – and then worked in numerous capacities with the Ducks from 2021-23, including assistant defensive line coach in 2022 and outside linebackers coach in 2023.

In 2023, the Ducks led the Pac-12 and ranked ninth nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 16.5 points per game. They gave up just 318.4 yards per game, which ranked second in the Pac-12 and 22nd nationally. The Ducks went on to defeat unbeaten Liberty 45-6 in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl that year.

The 2022 defensive squad intercepted the second-most passes in the league and 10th highest total overall (16), while ranking third among Pac-12 teams and 22nd nationally in red-zone defense (.667).

Washington held an off-field position in 2021, serving as the Ducks’ director of player development.

While at Oregon, he worked with two future NFL draft picks in defensive end Brandon Dorlus, selected in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, and defensive end Jordan Burch, who was a third-round draft pick by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Before getting into coaching, he played four years in the NFL with the Houston Texans and the Tennessee Titans.

The Rancho Cucamonga, California native, played in 51 games with 28 consecutive starts at Oregon. He piled up 158 total tackles, 25.5 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and three passes defended, helping the Ducks to conference championships in 2010, 2011 and 2014. UO earned a spot in the inaugural College Football National Championship after beating Florida State 59-20 in the 2015 Rose Bowl Game. Washington was voted the semifinal’s defensive MVP. He also received All-Conference recognition in 2013.

A 2011 Pac-12 Conference All-Academic Team honorable mention pick, Washington majored in psychology and sociology, earning his degree in 2014.

He earned a master’s degree in leadership education at Nebraska in 2020.

He and wife, Jazzmyn, have one son, Tre’avai.

Tony Washington Jr.’s Coaching Career

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