Tyler Stinn, one of the first appointments to Berk Brown's revamped Southern Oregon University football staff, enters his third season as the Raiders' defensive coordinator and safeties coach in 2025.
SOU immediately tranformed into one of the top defenses in the country upon Stinn's arrival. Opponents scored just 19.3 points per game across his first two seasons, and the Raiders' 8-3 squad in 2024 ranked fifth nationally in sacks per game and 11th in takeaways. They landed at No. 24 in the NAIA postseason poll after topping out at No. 7; the team hadn't been ranked during the regular season since 2018.
Stinn's first season in charge of the defense was an unqualified success. In 2023, the Raiders led all Frontier teams during conference play in takeaways (14) and opponents' points (17.6) and yardage (286.3) per game. They also ranked fifth among all NAIA teams in sacks per game (3.4), recording 13 more (34) than they did the previous season. While winning five of their last six games, they allowed just 13.7 points per game.
Individually, the 2023 Raiders produced their first-ever Frontier Defensive Player of the Year, defensive end Noah Turnbull, under Stinn. His work with the secondary led to them collecting a Frontier-high 15 interceptions, six of which went to safety Spencer Kuffel, who ranked third nationally in that category. In 2024, they boasted the Frontier sacks and tackles-for-losses leader in defensive end Gabe Foster.
Stinn was previously on staff from 2016-22 at his alma mater, NAIA powerhouse Marian University (Ind.). He was promoted to defensive coordinator for the last two of those seasons, during which the Knights went 18-5 and made back-to-back appearances in the NAIA Football Championship Series quarterfinal round.
In his second year as coordinator, Stinn's 2022 Marian defense ranked second nationally in defensive touchdowns (6), fifth in points allowed per game (11.8), eighth in rushing yards allowed per game (71.1) and ninth in sacks (35). A year earlier, the Knights topped the NAIA leaderboard with 47 sacks and were fifth in points allowed.
A product of Noblesville, Ind., Stinn played safety for Marian from 2010-14. He was a key part of the Knights' NAIA championship run in 2012 and was with the team when they faced Southern Oregon in the title game two years later before graduating with a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance.
Before serving as defensive coordinator, Stinn coached outside linebackers, the defensive line and safeties. He was credited with developing the Mid-States Football Association's 2018 Defensive Player of the Year, Chad Scaggs, and Marian's all-time sacks leader, Mac Dutra.
Stinn and his wife, Bri, have two children: a son, Tymon, and a daughter, Lilah.