Colyn Givens is in his second stint with the UTSA football program and first season as outside linebackers coach.
Givens previously was a graduate assistant for the defense during the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the Roadrunners before spending the 2025 campaign at SMU as the assistant defensive line coach.
During his one season in Dallas, Givens helped SMU to a 9-4 record that included a win over eventual College Football Playoff runner-up Miami and victory over Arizona in the Holiday Bowl. The Mustangs finished the campaign ranked in the top 25 in rushing defense, sacks and tackles for loss. He also helped mentor Isaiah Smith to second-team All-ACC accolades and Terry Webb and Jeffery M’Ba to honorable mention all-league recognition.
Givens was a UTSA graduate assistant for the defense who helped coach the outside linebackers for two seasons, helping the Roadrunners to a combined 16 wins, including back-to-back bowl victories.
In 2023, UTSA finished with a 9-4 overall record and a 7-1 mark in the American Conference. The Roadrunners registered the program’s first-ever bowl win with a 35-17 triumph over Marshall in the Frisco Bowl. Individually, outside linebacker Trey Moore was named a second-team All-American by the FWAA as well as the American Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference by the league’s head coaches.
In 2024, the Roadrunners won seven games, including their second straight bowl victory with a 44-15 decision over Coastal Carolina in the Myrtle Beach Bowl. Outside linebacker Jimmori Robinson was chosen as American Conference Defensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference.
During his two seasons at UTSA, Givens also helped coach a trio of defensive linemen that earned all-conference honors in Brandon Brown, Joe Evans and Brandon Matterson.
Givens got his coaching start in 2022 as a student assistant coach for the linebackers at his alma mater, Southern. He helped coach a Freshman All-American in Ckelby Givens and a second-team All-SWAC performer in Tahj Brown. Southern won the SWAC West Division and Bayou Classic on the strength of a defense that led the FCS in defensive touchdowns with seven and ranked second in both sacks and tackles for loss.
A former player at Southern, Givens was a defensive tackle from 2018 to 2021.
A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Givens was a star fullback and defensive end at Captain Shreve High School.
Givens earned his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Southern in 2022 and his master’s degree in health from UTSA in 2024.