Pete Menage begins his first in Pullman as safeties coach on Jimmy Rogers staff.
Menage begins his time on the Cougar coaching staff after spending the previous two seasons on Rogers staff at South Dakota State. In 2024, Manage oversaw a safeties group that contributed to a defense that led the nation in scoring defense at 13.9 ppg and ranked fifth in total defense at 283.7 ypg. The safeties unit also accounted for seven of the team’s 14 interceptions and placed three on All-MVFC teams. Junior Tucker Large garnered All-American First Team honors by FCS Football Central while Large, Matthew Durrance and Colby Huerter were named to All-MVFC teams.
During his first season as a full-time assistant with the Jackrabbits, Menage tutored an experienced group of safeties that was the back line of defense for a unit that allowed a Football Championship Subdivision-best 9.3 points per game. His position group tallied seven of the team's 19 interceptions, a total that ranked second among FCS squads.
On an individual basis, sophomore Tucker Large received first-team all-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors in 2023.
A native of Rock Rapids, Iowa, Menage began his coaching career as a student assistant at SDSU, working with the safeties and linebackers. That followed a brief playing career in which he lined up at safety for the Jackrabbits during the 2016 and 2017 campaigns.
Menage spent the 2020 and 2021 seasons at Northern Illinois, where he worked with both the Huskies' safeties and linebackers, before reuniting with former SDSU defensive coordinator Brian Bergstrom at Winona State in 2022. He served as special teams coordinator and linebackers coach for a Winona State squad that reached the NCAA Division II playoffs in what would be his lone season with the Warriors.
As a student-athlete, he was a member of the team’s leadership council and served on the SDSU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. He earned his bachelor's degree in physical education teacher education from SDSU in 2020 and later completed his master's degree at Northern Illinois.
His cousin, Jake Menage, also is an assistant coach for the Cougar football team.
