Derek Sage was named to the Cougar coaching staff Jan. 5, 2017 and switched from working with the inside receivers to the outside receivers prior to the 2017 season.
Sage arrives at WSU following three seasons as the receivers coach at the University of Toledo. This past season Toledo finished with a 9-4 record and an appearance in the Camellia Bowl. In 2016 Sage guided a Rockets receiving group that saw two players each earn All-Mid-American Conference honors after catching 10+ touchdowns led by first team selection Cody Thompson with 1,269 yards and 11 touchdowns.
In his three seasons at Toledo, the Rockets combined for a 28-10 record, went to three bowl games, winning two, and went from 234.2 passing yards per game in 2014 to 322.8 in 2016.
Sage arrived at Toledo following a four-year stint as the receivers coach at Wyoming, where he coached with current Cougar defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. In 2013, Sage mentored Cowboy wide receiver Robert Herron, who finished his career as the school’s No. 4 all-time leader in touchdown catches with 20 and later played in the 2014 Reese’s Senior Bowl.
Under Sage’s guidance, the Cowboys ranked second in the MWC in passing offense in 2012, averaging 265.4 yards per game. Sage mentored wide receiver Chris McNeill to second-team All-MWC honors in both 2011 and 2012.
Prior to his stint at Wyoming, Sage was the wide receivers coach at New Hampshire from 2005-09, again working with Grinch as well as Chip Kelly. UNH earned bids to the FCS playoffs in each of Sage’s five seasons with the program, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009 and making it to the first round in 2007.
While at New Hampshire, Sage coached some of the greatest receivers in school history, including All-American David Ball. Ball set New Hampshire receiving records for career receptions (304) and career receiving yards (4,655). He also became the NCAA career leader in TD receptions with 58, breaking Jerry Rice’s previous record of 51 at Mississippi Valley State. Sage also coached a pair of receivers in Keith LaVan (2007) and Mike Boyle (2008) who each earned CAA First-Team honors after leading the league in touchdown catches.
Sage arrived at New Hampshire from the University of Nevada, where he helped coach the defensive backfield as a graduate assistant in 2003 and the wide receivers as a graduate assistant in 2004. At Nevada he worked alongside current Cougar coaches Jim Mastro and Ken Wilson.
A native of Sparks, Nev., Sage played tight end for Sacramento City College for two years (1998-99), helping win conference and bowl championships at the junior college level. He completed his college career at Cal State Northridge, where he won two letters at tight end in 2000 and 2001 before earning his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Northridge in 2002.
Sage and his wife Mandy have two children, daughter Piper, and a son, Casen.
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