Derek Sage enters his second season as Nevada's offensive coordinator, and fourth season overall with the Wolf Pack, in 2023. Sage served as a graduate assistant at Nevada from 2003-04, where he helped coach the defensive backfield (2003) and the wide receivers (2004).
Sage will also oversee the Wolf Pack quarterbacks in 2023, after coaching the team's tight ends in 2022.
In 2022, the Wolf Pack offense had three players earn All-Mountain West recognition following the regular season, as wide receiver BJ Casteel, offensive lineman Grant Starck, and running back Toa Taua were each named Honorable Mention.
Taua had a career season in 2022, posting personal bests in rushing yards (911), rushing touchdowns (11), and touchdowns scored (12 - 11 rush, one receiving). He combined with fellow fifth-year running back Devonte Lee to account for 17 of the Pack offense's touchdowns on the season.
Sage's tight ends played a key role in the rushing attack, as well as in the passing game. Along with providing blocking support for the Pack run game, the tight ends were led by nine receptions from Jacob Munro. In total, five different tight ends caught a pass for the Wolf Pack in 2022.
Sage joined the Nevada coaching staff after spending four seasons (2018-21) as the tight ends coach at UCLA. A native of Sparks, Nev., Sage played tight end for Sacramento City College for two years (1998-99), helping win conference and bowl championships at the junior college level. During the 2021 season at UCLA as special teams coordinator, he helped the Bruins lead the nation in punt returns yardage (20.00), as well as finish 7th in kick-off returns yardage (27.38).
While at UCLA, Sage helped develop three of the nation’s top tight ends, including Mackey Award semifinalist Greg Dulcich, 2020 New England Patriots NFL Draft selection Devin Asiasi and UCLA record-breaking tight end and Arizona Cardinals 2019 NFL Draft selection Caleb Wilson.
Dulcich ranked fourth among tight ends nationally with 17.3 yards per catch and was fifth in the Pac-12 with 60.4 yards per game. He posted two 100-yard games during the season to mark the eighth consecutive year in which a Bruin tight end has reached the century level in a game.
In 2020, Dulcich earned consensus all-league honors after he ranked second in the nation among tight ends and sixth in the Pac-12 among all receivers with 73.9 receiving yards per game. He also ranked second among the nation's tight ends with his 19.88 yards per catch average. Dulcich's 167-yard effort against USC was the second-highest total of any conference receiver during the season. Dulcich was selected with the 80th pick (3rd round) by the Denver Broncos in the 2022 NFL Draft.
In 2019, Asiasi, produced 13 catches of at least 20 yards while racking up 44 catches for 641 yards (14.6 average) and four touchdowns on the year. His average per reception was the highest on the team for a receiver with more than five catches and included a 53-yard scoring effort at USC.
In 2018, Wilson led the team in receptions (60) and receiving yards (965), the highest totals ever by a Bruin tight end. Wilson finished the regular season leading the nation's FBS tight ends in receptions per game (5.0), receiving yards per game (80.4) and total receiving yards (965). He ranked tied for 10th among all Pac-12 receivers in receptions per game and was tied for fifth among all league receivers with an 80.4 receiving yards per game average.
Sage served as Washington State's outside receivers coach in 2017. Washington State's passing offense ranked second in the nation (366.8) that season and the Cougars led the Pac-12 in several offensive categories, including passing yards per game (366.8), touchdown passes (37) and total passing yards (4,769). Prior to coming to the Pac-12, Sage served three seasons as the wide receivers coach at the University of Toledo. In 2016, the Rockets ranked seventh in the NCAA in total offense (517.8 yards/game). Sage guided a receiving group that saw two players, who each caught 10 or more touchdown passes, earn All-Mid-American Conference. First-team selection Cody Thompson ranked 10th nationally with an average of 107.4 receiving yards per game. In his three seasons at Toledo, the Rockets combined for a 28-10 record, went to three bowl games, winning two, and improved from 234.2 passing yards per game in 2014 to 322.8 in 2016. He mentored seven all-conference receivers during his time at Toledo.
Sage arrived at Toledo following a four-year stint as the wide receivers coach at Wyoming from 2010-2013. In 2013, he mentored Cowboy wide receiver Robert Herron, who finished his career as the school's No. 4 all-time leader in touchdown catches with 20 and later played in the 2014 Reese's Senior Bowl and was drafted by Tampa Bay. Sage coached four all-conference receivers during his time in Laramie.
Prior to his work at Wyoming, Sage was the wide receivers coach at New Hampshire from 2005-09, where he worked with Chip Kelly. New Hampshire earned bids to the FCS playoffs in each of Sage's five seasons with the program, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009.
While at New Hampshire, Sage coached some of the most productive receivers in school history, including All-American David Ball. Ball set New Hampshire receiving records for career receptions (304) and career receiving yards (4,655). He also became the NCAA career leader in TD receptions with 58, breaking Jerry Rice's previous record of 51 at Mississippi Valley State.
In 2002, he served as offensive line and tight ends coach at Moorpark College in California where the team led the Western States Conference in rushing (286.7 yards per game).
Sage completed his college career at CSUN, where he earned two letters at tight end in 2000 and 2001 before securing his bachelor's degree in Kinesiology in 2002.
Sage returns home with his wife Mandy, and two children, daughter Piper, and son, Casen.
The File on Derek Sage
Born: Oct. 11, 1979
Hometown: Sparks, Nev.
Family: Wife Mandy, daughter Piper, and son, Casen.
Education: Cal State Northridge, 2002
Coaching Experience
2018-2021: Tight ends coach, special team’s coordinator, UCLA
2017: Wide receivers coach, Washington State
2014-2016: Wide receivers coach, Toledo
2010-2013: Wide receivers coach, Wyoming
2005-2009: Wide receivers coach, New Hampshire
2003-2004: Graduate assistant, Nevada
2002: Offensive line and tight ends coach, Moorpark College (Calif.)
