Reports: Veteran Defensive Coach Marcel Yates Coming to Oregon to Coach Safeties

Oregon is filling their open safeties coach position with a former Pac-12 defensive coordinator, according to multiple reports.

Marcel Yates was Arizona’s defensive coordinator from 2016-18 before being fired after eight games in 2019. Yates also served as a co-DC at Texas A&M (2012-13) and the lone DC Boise State (2014-15).

Most recently, Yates served as the Cal Golden Bears secondary coach last season.

Yates replaces Keith Heyward, who left Oregon as the Ducks co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach to become Cal’s outside linebackers and nickelbacks coach.

So, Oregon and Cal essentially traded coaches. Oregon gets Tim DeRuyter and Yates while Cal got Heyward.

Although the Ducks have not announced the move, Yates’ page on Cal’s website no longer exists.

Zach Barnett (Football Scoop) reported the news first.

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