De’Andre Pierce was just ten years old when he watched his father help take down a dynasty. The New York Giants’ improbable Super Bowl XLII win over the undefeated Patriots was the kind of moment that froze in memory—the roaring crowd inside the University of Phoenix Stadium, the tension, the final score etched in disbelief. Antonio Pierce, the Giants’ defensive anchor, had tallied 11 tackles that night. But for young De’Andre, it wasn’t just a win. It was a spark. “The deafening of how loud it was in there was absolutely insane,” he recalled years later. “That was a moment I’ll never forget. It’s so vivid in my brain.” In that moment, football stopped being just something his dad did—it became something he’d chase for himself.

By high school, De’Andre was wearing pads under Friday night lights at Long Beach Poly, with his dad as head coach. He wasn’t just the coach’s son—he was a three-star recruit who’d earned his place in a program known for churning out NFL talent. At Boise State, he carved out a reputation of his own, putting up 90 solo tackles over his college career and earning All-Mountain West Honorable Mention. He brought grit, consistency, and leadership to the secondary, and when he transferred to Arizona State as a graduate student, reuniting with his father once more, he didn’t just coast—he stepped up. His final college season saw him earn All-Pac-12 Honorable Mention, the Darren Woodson Outstanding Secondary Award, and some of the lowest allowed yardage among FBS safeties. He’d done everything right. The NFL felt within reach.

But draft day came, and no one called. No invites, no signings, no camp offers. It wasn’t for lack of talent—his Pro Day performance was standout. Among Boise State prospects, he posted the best vertical jump (35.5″), broad jump (9’11”), and 3-cone drill time (6.66 seconds). Still, silence. For a player raised in film rooms and locker rooms, coached by a Super Bowl champion, and shaped by years of earned, not gifted, success—there was no happy ending. Just an empty inbox. The league he’d been chasing since childhood didn’t say no. It just never said anything at all. But then, just when the dream seemed shelved for good, the door cracked open again— just not as a player. 

But as a coach. On May 29, college football insider Matt Zenitz broke the news: Sacramento State was hiring De’Andre Pierce as their new nickels coach. For fans still adjusting to life in the FBS and wondering what’s next for the Hornets, the announcement came like a flash of clarity in the fog.

Make no mistake, though. This wasn’t some ceremonial gig handed down through bloodlines. Before this, De’Andre was quietly doing the work that rarely makes headlines—serving as a quality control coach with the Las Vegas Raiders. Yes, under his father Antonio, but make no mistake: he was in the trenches. Watching film. Breaking down tendencies. Building opponent reports. It’s the kind of unglamorous, foundational work that most future coordinators and head coaches cut their teeth on. And with stints at both Cal Poly and the Raiders in back-to-back years, Sacramento didn’t just get a legacy name.

But again, why him?

The case for De’Andre Pierce at Sacramento State

Sacramento State’s defense had a rough go in 2024, especially when it came to defending the pass. On average, they gave up about 244 passing yards every game — that ranked them near the bottom nationally. In games like the one against Fresno State, they watched quarterbacks carve them up, allowing 358 passing yards and multiple touchdowns. It was clear the Hornets’ secondary had holes that opponents were eager to exploit.

But it wasn’t just about the passing game. Sacramento State’s defense struggled to keep offenses in check overall, surrendering more than 400 yards per game. That meant opponents could move the ball with relative ease, sustain long drives, and rack up points. For a program preparing to step up to the tougher FBS level, these numbers rang alarm bells — they needed a defensive makeover, and fast.

Enter De’Andre Pierce. His time as a quality control coach with the Las Vegas Raiders gave him an inside look at pro-level defensive planning and film study — the nitty-gritty work that turns good defenses into great ones. Sacramento State is betting that his fresh eyes and NFL-honed expertise will tighten up their secondary, shore up the defense, and help the Hornets build a stronger, smarter unit ready for the big leap ahead.