ACU Adds Filani To Coach Receivers
1/29/2025 9:00:00 AM | Football
ABILENE – One day after naming former Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell the Wildcats' new offensive coordinator, ACU head coach Keith Patterson added one of Harrell's favorite Texas Tech receivers to his coaching staff.
Joel Filani, a two-time first-team All-Big 12 wide receiver in 2005 and 2006 with Harrell throwing him the ball, has been hired as ACU's wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator. Filani is the third former Red Raider to join the ACU coaching staff in the past six days, following Friday's announcement of 2024 graduate Joseph Plunk as a defensive assistant coach and Harrell's addition as the offensive coordinator, announced on Tuesday.
Filani was the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Northern Iowa in 2024. He also served as the wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator at Northern Arizona in 2022 and 2023. Previously, he was the wide receivers coach at Texas Tech from 2019 to 2021, collaborating with Patterson, who was the defensive coordinator during those same three seasons.
Filani has also coached at Boise State, Washington State, and North Texas, collaborating with Harrell at Washington and North Texas.
"Joel was a great player at Texas Tech, and he's become an outstanding coach," Patterson said. "He's been with some big-time programs and has coached at every level of college football. He'll have immediate credibility with our players and be a perfect fit for our program."
As a junior at Texas Tech in 2005, Filani earned first-team All-Big 12 honors by catching 65 passes for 1,007 yards and eight touchdowns, contributing to the Red Raiders' 9-3 record and appearance in the Cotton Bowl. In 2006, he again earned first-team All-Big 12 recognition after recording 91 catches for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns, leading the Red Raiders to an 8-5 finish and victory in the Insight Bowl.
Filani was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft and played for Tennessee, Minnesota, Seattle, Detroit, St. Louis (Rams), and Tampa Bay through the 2009 season.
Joel Filani, a two-time first-team All-Big 12 wide receiver in 2005 and 2006 with Harrell throwing him the ball, has been hired as ACU's wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator. Filani is the third former Red Raider to join the ACU coaching staff in the past six days, following Friday's announcement of 2024 graduate Joseph Plunk as a defensive assistant coach and Harrell's addition as the offensive coordinator, announced on Tuesday.
Filani was the offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Northern Iowa in 2024. He also served as the wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator at Northern Arizona in 2022 and 2023. Previously, he was the wide receivers coach at Texas Tech from 2019 to 2021, collaborating with Patterson, who was the defensive coordinator during those same three seasons.
Filani has also coached at Boise State, Washington State, and North Texas, collaborating with Harrell at Washington and North Texas.
"Joel was a great player at Texas Tech, and he's become an outstanding coach," Patterson said. "He's been with some big-time programs and has coached at every level of college football. He'll have immediate credibility with our players and be a perfect fit for our program."
As a junior at Texas Tech in 2005, Filani earned first-team All-Big 12 honors by catching 65 passes for 1,007 yards and eight touchdowns, contributing to the Red Raiders' 9-3 record and appearance in the Cotton Bowl. In 2006, he again earned first-team All-Big 12 recognition after recording 91 catches for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns, leading the Red Raiders to an 8-5 finish and victory in the Insight Bowl.
Filani was drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft and played for Tennessee, Minnesota, Seattle, Detroit, St. Louis (Rams), and Tampa Bay through the 2009 season.
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