Dale Pehrson Position: Recruiting Coordinator / Defensive Line Experience: 16th season at Navy

Dale Pehrson is in his 16th season at the Naval Academy and his 13th year coaching the defensive line. He also serves as the recruiting coordinator and the coordinator of the Navy football camp. Pehrson has been a key part of a staff that has brought the Midshipmen back into the national spotlight with a 70-33 (.693) record over the last eight years.

The Mids posted an impressive 9-4 record in 2010, defeated Army for a series record ninth-consecutive time, defeated Notre Dame in consecutive seasons for only the third time in school history and appeared in a school record eighth-consecutive bowl game. The Mids gave up just 23.3 points per game, which was the 46th best scoring defense in the country. Defensive end Jabaree Tuani recorded 15.5 tackles for loss on the season, the ninth most in school history.

The 2009 season was one to remember, as the Mids tied a school record for wins with 10, won a school-record seventh-consecutive Commander-In-Chief's Trophy, appeared in a seventh-consecutive bowl game and ran its winning streak against the other two Service Academies to an amazing 15-straight games. The Mids capped the season off with a 35-13 rout of Missouri in the Texas Bowl. The defense finished 18th in the country in scoring defense (19.4 points per game) and sixth in red zone defense.

The Mids posted an 8-5 record in 2008 and participated in the EagleBank Bowl. The Mids won the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy thanks to a 33-27 victory over Air Force and a 34-0 win over Army. Other landmark wins during the 2008 season included a 24-17 victory over 16th-ranked Wake Forest, which was Navy's first win over a team ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 since 1985, as well as Navy's victory the previous week over Rutgers. It was the first time since 1981 that Navy beat teams currently in the BCS in back-to-back weeks. Navy also defeated a program-record four bowl teams. The Mids sported the most improved scoring defense in the country, giving up just 22.0 points per game which was a 14.4 point per game improvement from 2007.

The 2007 season was a memorable one as well as the Midshipmen posted an 8-5 record, won a fifth-consecutive Commander-In-Chief's Trophy, appeared in a fifth-straight bowl game, and defeated Notre Dame for the first time since 1963.

The Mids received solid contributions from the defensive line in 2006 as the Mids won the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy and played in a fourth-straight bowl game.

Pehrson was part of a staff that did a remarkable job in 2005 with a defense that returned just three starters from the year before. The Mids ranked 62nd in total defense (377.3) and scoring defense (26.1), while they won a second-straight bowl game and a third-straight Commander-In-Chief's Trophy.

In 2004, Pehrson's efforts helped Navy finish 26th in the country in scoring defense (19.83), win a school-record tying 10 games (the most wins since 1905), win the Emerald Bowl and win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy.

In 2003, Pehrson was part of a defensive staff that saw great improvement on the defensive side of the football as the Mids finished 14th in the nation in pass defense, 42nd in pass efficiency defense, 34th in total defense and 34th in scoring defense.

In 1999, Pehrson helped develop a defensive line into a big-play unit, recording 17 sacks and recovering six fumbles. Defensive end Gino Marchetti recovered a nation's-best five fumbles.

In 1997, Pehrson's troops contributed to the Mids ranking sixth in the country in turnover margin, as the safeties came up with 11 of Navy's 14 interceptions. Free safety Gervy Alota was named All-East, while strong safety Rashad Smith played in the Blue/Gray All-Star Game.

Pehrson came to the Naval Academy from Southern Utah, where he was an assistant head coach and defensive coordinator for five years.

Prior to his tenure at Southern Utah, Pehrson was on the staff at Missouri Western State College, where he served in various capacities, including assistant head coach, defensive coordinator, offensive coordinator and special teams coordinator. He was head football coach and an assistant coach in wrestling and track at Murray High School in Salt Lake City.

Pehrson is a native of Salt Lake City and earned all-state honors at Murray High School. He attended Utah where he was a two-year letterman as a defensive back. Pehrson earned his bachelor's degree in English from Utah in 1976 and received a master's degree from Brigham Young in 1985. He and his wife, the former Marty Grant, have two children, Preston and Jaci. Preston is serving as an intern on the football staff at Georgia Tech.