Joe Seumalo - Football Coach - Oregon State University Athletics

Joe Seumalo

Title:
Edges Coach

Joe Seumalo is in his first season in a return to Oregon State in 2026 as edges coach, returning to Corvallis after previously spending nine seasons on the Beavers’ staff (2006-14) and developing multiple NFL Draft selections, All-Americans and conference defensive players of the year across his coaching career.

Seumalo came to Oregon State after coaching at Pittsburgh during the 2025 season and serving as defensive line coach at Arizona in 2024. He previously spent seven seasons as defensive line coach at San Jose State from 2017-23.

Coaching Highlights
• Coached San Jose State’s Viliami Fehoko to Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2022, along with Sporting News All-America Second Team, PFF All-America Second Team and Phil Steele All-America Fourth Team recognition
• Coached San Jose State’s Cade Hall to Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2020
• Directed a 2022 San Jose State defense that led the Mountain West in sacks (39) despite playing a conference-low 12 games and finished fifth nationally averaging 3.27 sacks per game
• Coached Oregon State’s Stephen Paea to consecutive Morris Trophies (2009-10) as the Pac-12’s top defensive lineman and consensus All-America honors in 2010
• Coached Oregon State’s Scott Crichton to Pac-12 First Team honors in 2012 and Pac-12 Second Team plus Sports Illustrated Honorable Mention All-America recognition in 2013
• Coached Oregon State’s Victor Butler to 2008 Sun Bowl MVP honors; Butler set a school record with 21.5 tackles for loss that season while matching Beaver marks for sacks (12) and forced fumbles (four)
• Rated one of the top recruiters in the Pac-12 Conference by Rivals.com during his nine seasons at Oregon State (2006-14)
• Directed a 2007 Oregon State defense that led the nation in rushing defense (70.6 yards per game) and ranked fourth in quarterback sacks (3.4 per game)
• Coached Cal Poly’s Chris Gocong to All-America honors after Gocong led all I-AA players in sacks (17.5) in 2004
• Developed seven NFL Draft selections: Chris Gocong (2006, third round, Philadelphia Eagles), Victor Butler (2009, fourth round, Dallas Cowboys), Slade Norris (2009, fourth round, Oakland Raiders), Stephen Paea (2011, second round, Chicago Bears), Gabe Miller (2011, fifth round, Kansas City Chiefs), Obum Gwacham (2015, sixth round, Seattle Seahawks) and Viliami Fehoko (2023, fourth round, Dallas Cowboys)

Coaching Career
• Oregon State (2026-present) — Edges
• Pittsburgh (2025) — Assistant
• Arizona (2024) — Defensive Line
• San Jose State (2017-23) — Defensive Line
• Arizona State (2016) — Assistant
• UNLV (2015) — Assistant
• Oregon State (2006-14) — Defensive Line
• San Jose State (2005) — Defensive Line
• Cal Poly (2001-04) — Defensive Line
• Hawai’i (1999-2000) — Graduate Assistant (Defensive Ends / Special Teams)

Playing Career & Education
• Defensive lineman at Hawai’i from 1985-88, earning Western Athletic Conference Second Team honors as a senior
• Played in the Canadian Football League for the Calgary Stampeders and Ottawa Roughriders (1989) and the Edmonton Eskimos (1994)
• Played for the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe in 1995
• 1995 graduate of Hawai’i

Personal
Seumalo and his wife, Karen, have four sons — Andrew, Isaac, Noah and Levi — and one daughter, Jessi. Andrew Seumalo played on his father’s defensive line at Oregon State, earning Pac-12 Honorable Mention recognition in 2012. Isaac, meanwhile, is an NFL veteran and Jessi played for the Oregon State volleyball team.