PROVO, Utah — BYU defensive coordinator and associate head coach Jay Hill today announced the promotion of Jernaro Gilford to defensive passing game coordinator on the defensive staff.
Gilford will continue to coach cornerbacks in addition to his new responsibilities as the defensive passing game coordinator.
“Jernaro has proved to be one of the top secondary coaches in the country,” said Hill. “Last year he helped us be one of the best pass defenses in the nation and lead the country in interceptions. He deserves everything in coaching that comes to him. I love having him on our staff. Jernaro makes our team better every day.”
Gilford, a star cornerback for BYU from 1999-2003, enters his 10th season on head coach Kalani Sitake's coaching staff in 2025 after returning to his alma mater as the cornerbacks coach in 2016. Before coming to BYU, Gilford was the cornerbacks coach at Southern Utah from 2014-15 after beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant cornerbacks and special team coach at Whittier College from 2012-13.
“First and foremost, I’d like to acknowledge my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for none of this is possible without him, and I’d like to thank my family and friends for always believing in me and keeping me on the right path,” said Gilford. “I’ve been fortunate to have the chance to work under the best head coach in college football in Kalani Sitake and would like to thank him for taking a chance on me 10 years ago. These last two years have been a major blessing to be under the tutelage of the best defensive coordinator in the country in Coach Hill and prepare me for this opportunity, along with a great defensive staff that works well together.”
A former teammate of Sitake, Gilford played in 37 games with 28 starts at corner while totaling 10 interceptions for the Cougars. In 2001, he was named first-team All-MWC and finished No. 6 in the nation in interceptions with six during the regular season and one in the Liberty Bowl.
A 2023 Broyles Award nominee for the nation’s top assistant coach, Gilford worked diligently to prepare the cornerback position for the program’s move to power-conference football. In BYU’s first year in the Big 12 in 2023 the Cougars finished the year ranked No. 20 in interceptions with 14. The Cougars had two players ranked in the top 20 in interceptions, with cornerback Eddie Heckard leading the team with 5, good for No. 6 nationally, while his teammate in the secondary Jakob Robinson had four of his own. Each one had a pick-six. Heckard added another defensive score with a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Five more players had at least one interception for the Cougars.
This past season BYU boasted the top-rated defense in the Big 12 finishing the season ranked No. 13 nationally in total defense, allowing just 308.8 yards per game—the fewest yards per game allowed in the Sitake era and fewest since 2012 (266.1) and No. 4 in the last 25 seasons at BYU.
BYU’s success in defending the pass was evident as the Cougars allowed a pass efficiency rating of just 105.91, the lowest in the Big 12 and No. 3 nationally, while surrendering just 182.5 yards per game through the air to rank No. 20 nationally, the best in the Big 12. The Cougars also allowed the fewest passing touchdowns in the Big 12 with only 13 scores achieved through the air to rank tied for No. 16 nationally, while ranking No. 19 in passes defended with 68 total (PBU + INT). BYU allowed just 19.6 points per game, the top mark in the Big 12 and No. 18 nationally.
Building on their success in 2023, the Cougars led the country in interceptions per game in 2024 at 1.69 per game, while totaling 22 picks to achieve the most in the FBS along with Texas, who played three more games than the Cougars. The Cougars had 12 different players record interceptions, more than any other team in the FBS, while BYU created 29 total turnovers, which tied for No. 3 nationally. Seven interceptions came from Gilford’s cornerbacks, including three more from Robinson to give him 11 for his career to rank No. 2 at BYU since 2000.
Gilford earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from BYU in 2004 and a master’s degree in education from Whittier College in 2014. He and his wife Brittany have a son, Jernaro Jr., and a daughter, Jru.