GUNNISON, Colo. – Western State Colorado University Football Head Coach Jas Bains is excited to announce the hiring of Todd Auer as the next defensive coordinator for the Mountaineers. Auer brings over 25 years of coaching experience to the Western football program.
 
"Mountaineer Football is very fortunate to have hired Todd Auer as the new Defensive Coordinator. Todd is a proven winner," Bains remarked. "He's an intense coach that brings a lot of experience to the program and he will make an immediate impact to our program."
 
Auer makes his way to Western after spending two seasons as the inside linebackers coach at Division I Southern Illinois University. With the Salukis, Auer coached the team's leading tackler to an all-conference recognition and had two linebackers ranked in the conference's top-five for tackles per game.
 
A familiar face to the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, Auer spent two years at Colorado Mesa University as the defensive coordinator prior to SIU, and 23 years at Chadron State College before that.
 
"Coaching in the RMAC is where I started and coached for most of my career, so I am very familiar with the league," Auer said. "I feel we can win here right away. I have worked with Coach Bains and Coach McDonough before. They have the same philosophies and ideas I have and they are doing things the right way."

During his time at Chadron State, Auer spent 17 of those seasons as defensive coordinator. Auer's Eagles had the top defense in the RMAC in 13 of his seasons as defensive coordinator. Prior to being named defensive coordinator, Auer served as Chadron State's offensive line coach, as well as strength and conditioning coach/travel coordinator from 1990-1993.

During his tenure as defensive coordinator at Chadron State, the Eagles posted a 153-48 overall record and won eight RMAC titles. CSC was ranked in the final Division II national top 10 poll five times. He was a finalist for the 2008 Division II Coordinator of the Year, and in 2010 the Eagles ranked No. 4 in the country in total defense.

Auer began his collegiate coaching career as a graduate assistant at Western Illinois in 1989. He was also a four-year letterwinner at Western Illinois where he holds the school record with 28 career sacks.

A native of Wisconsin, Auer played linebacker for the Green Bay Packers for three games in 1987. He and his wife, Kim, have three daughters and one son -- Alyssa, Brayden, Aspen and Cole.