Idaho football: Vandals add Roberts, Decoud to coaching staff
From news services
MOSCOW — Idaho football coach Thomas Ford Jr. continues to assemble his coaching staff with the addition of former Oregon State All-American and assistant coach Avery Roberts as the edge rushers coach.
"I am ecstatic about this great opportunity to join the staff at Idaho," Roberts said. "I believe in the vision Coach Ford has laid out for Idaho Football and I am fired up to be a part of it. I cannot wait to get to Moscow and get to work with our players."
Later, Ford announced the addition of Treston Decoud as the new Vandal cornerbacks coach.
On Tuesday, Ford named Lake City High product Loren Endsley as run game coordinator and offensive line coach, and Cort Dennison as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
"I am excited to join the Idaho football coaching staff and deeply grateful for the opportunity," Decoud said. "I am passionate about developing young men. I look forward to contributing to the program's success and helping student-athletes grow both on and off the field. This is truly a dream come true. V's Up!"
Roberts comes to Moscow from Corvallis where he was a defensive graduate assistant for the 2023 and 2024 seasons. He joined the staff in the spring of the 2023 season and worked with linebackers. In 2024, he shifted to edge rushers.
He worked directly with Ford, who was the running backs coach for the Beavers in 2024, but the relationship goes back to Roberts' playing days at OSU.
"I've known about Avery Roberts since his playing days," Ford said. "He was one of the best defensive players I scouted during my time at UW and he coaches just like he played. Avery is a fierce competitor that comes to the office every day with a lunch pail and hard hat mentality. He has a great understanding of defensive football from all three levels and is a tireless worker. I have no doubt he will do a great job building relationships with our players and will continue to push them on both the technical and physical side of Edge play. We're incredibly fortunate to get such a young talent coach to Moscow"
As a player he was a standout, earning Phil Steel third-team All-American honors in 2021 after recording a Pac-12-best 128 tackles, the fifth-most in a single-season at OSU. He racked up 280 career tackles, 19 tackles for loss and five sacks during his playing career at Oregon State. Roberts was also named an All-Pac-12 first-team selection in 2020 and 2021.
He was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Seahawks and played one season with the USFL's Philadelphia Stars.
Decoud, a former NFL draft pick who played seven seasons of pro football and Oregon State player and graduate assistant coach.
"I am excited to join the Idaho football coaching staff and deeply grateful for the opportunity," Decoud said. "I am Passionate about developing young men. I look forward to contributing to the program's success and helping student-athletes grow both on and off the field. This is truly a dream come true. V's Up!"
Decoud worked with the cornerbacks at Oregon State in 2024 and built a relationship with Ford who loved the way he connected with players.
"Treston Decoud is a guy who comes to us with great experience as a player that was an NFL draft pick at the position that we're bringing him in to lead. He is a master technician and will demand the group to be obsessed with the details of playing on the island. What stood out to me the most about Treston during our time together at OSU was his care for the players. He was excellent at earning trust, and I have no doubt he will use his relationship-building skills get the most out of our corners and be an excellent recruiter!"
Decoud was a standout at Oregon State after transferring in from Northwest Mississippi Community College. He recorded 15 career passes defended, two interceptions, including a 75-yard interception return touchdown and 108 tackles in two seasons.
He was drafted in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by Houston, his pick was announced by NASA astronaut Scott Kelly.
He played two seasons in the NFL with the Texans and Cowboys before playing in the XFL, CFL and USFL.
Courtesy Idaho Athletics Treston Decoud.