Todd Ivicic enters his first season on the SMU football staff as Special Teams Quality Control Analyst.
He comes to the Hilltop after spending three seasons at Navarro College. His 2021 Bulldog squad dominated on special teams, helping propel the Bulldogs into the Scooters Coffee Bowl appearance. The kickoff return group ranked third nationally, with returner Adonis Scott leading the nation with a 32.7 return average. The punt return unit finished sixth in the nation while also blocking six kicks. Kicker Alexis Lopez was named second-team All-Conference, while deep snapper Jayden Nicholls earned Honorable Mention accolades. In 2020, Lopez was named first-team All-American.
Prior to Lamar, Ivicic served three seasons at Lamar as defensive line coach and special teams coordinator. The Cardinals’ defensive front was one of the most improved in 2018. After finishing last in the league in rush defense in 2017, Ivicic turned the Cards into an imposable force, improving their rush defense by more than 100 yards per game, while nearly doubling their sacks.
He went to LU after spending 10 seasons at Incarnate Word, including five as associate head coach. Ivicic served as UIW interim head coach for the final three games of the 2011 season before becoming associate head coach. Ivicic went to UIW as defensive coordinator in 2007. During his first season with the Cardinals, UIW finished 13th nationally in tackles for loss. The following season, Ivicic produced one of the league’s more opportunistic defenses, as UIW led the conference with 16 interceptions while adding four forced fumbles.
Ivicic also coached two seasons at Tarleton State (2005-06) as offensive line coach and special teams coordinator (2005) and defensive line coach (2006).
In 1999, Ivicic became the defensive line and special teams coordinator at Stephen F. Austin. His punt return unit led the nation with 19.1 yards per return and helped the Lumberjacks to a Southland Championship – its first in 10 years. He remained with SFA through the 2004 season and continued to produce top special teams play while adding the title of linebackers coach in 2001.
Ivicic began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Sam Houston State in 1991 helping the team win an SLC title. In his second year with the program, he tutored a pair of the Southland’s top defensive ends. Greenwood Horn finished the year with 14 sacks and John Solomon became a fifth-round NFL Draft pick. Ivicic returned to SHSU in 1995 as the defensive line coach and assistant special teams coordinator. The special teams unit was one of the best in the nation from 1995-98, finishing in the nation’s top 25 in net punting each year, with a fourth-place finish in 1995. They were also strong in the return game finishing sixth nationally.
He received his first full-time job at Blinn Junior College where he was the defensive line/assistant special teams coach for two years. The Bucs went 15-5-1 during his stay.
Ivicic played defensive end for SHSU in 1989 and 1990 after transferring from Blinn JC. He earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from SHSU in 1991 and a master’s degree in kinesiology from SHSU in 1993.
