TEMPE – Sun Devil Football Head Coach Kenny Dillingham continues to build a staff with local connections with the addition of fellow Arizona State alum and revered defensive coach Vince Amey as the program's defensive line coach.
Amey – a member of the 1996 ASU Rose Bowl roster - returns to Tempe having coached defensive lines at the collegiate and professional level, bringing decades of playing and coaching experience to the table.
"Vince Amey is a beloved Sun Devil and one who knows exactly what it takes to produce a Rose Bowl-caliber program, having seen it firsthand," said Dillingham. "He has coached and played at numerous levels of football in numerous roles. His versatility and ties to this state are exactly what we need on this staff. When you have the opportunity to welcome back a passionate and talented alum to help lead your program, it is a no-brainer. Vince has seen this program at its heights, and I know he is excited to help us return to that level of greatness."
The Los Angeles native played defensive line at Arizona State from 1994-97, earning All-Conference honors during one of the most successful eras in program history. Amey was a starter at defensive tackle on the 1996 Rose Bowl Team that went 11-1 and finished No. 4 in the country. Following a decade-long professional career, Amey immediately went into coaching and proceeded to rise up the ranks.
"I just have so many positive emotions about being back here. Everything Coach Dillingham said in his introduction, it just brought me to tears. It was verbatim what we, as alumni, want from this program. I am excited to represent my alma mater. I bleed Maroon and Gold." Amey said. "I am overjoyed with emotion and passion about this place. I want to be here and win here and get it back to the prestigious program it has been and we know it can be. From my time and experience here, the bond and connections and brotherhood I made with those guys – I can name them all – it is still with us today. Everyone I've talked to is excited about having one of their own back and ready to change the culture. It is that brotherhood and that family and what it means to be a Sun Devil that I want to instill and preach to the players that come through here. I could not be more excited for this opportunity and am grateful to Coach Dillingham and the administration for welcoming me back home."
Amey comes to Arizona State after spending the past year as the defensive line coach at Idaho State. He worked with Sun Devil Football Assistant Head Coach Charlie Ragle with the Bengals. Production was the immediate result, as four of Amey's defensive linemen had 38 or more tackles. Five different defensive linemen had at least two sacks, as Amey developed depth and effectively utilized rotations. The Bengals were also a disciplined unit under Amey, finishing Top-15 in the country in fewest penalties and penalty yards.
Prior to his stint at Idaho State, Amey was the defensive line coach for the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL in 2020, coaching in a revived version of the league that he played in. It represented his second stop at the professional level, previously serving as the defensive line coach for the San Diego Fleet in 2019.
He made the jump to professional coaching after a brief run at the high school level in Arizona as the defensive coordinator at Marana High School. This came after a two-year tenure as the defensive line coach at Arizona, where he helped recruit and sign some of the top prospects at the position in program history. After serving as a defensive analyst in 2015, he was promoted to full-time position coach under Rich Rodriguez. Amey worked his way up at Arizona, spending his first three seasons on the strength and conditioning staff. He was on staff for the Wildcats' run to the 2014 Pac-12 Football Championship game and Fiesta Bowl appearance.
Amey arrived in Tucson fresh off a stint in the defensive line coach at Chaparral High School in Phoenix, winning the 2011 Arizona State Championship with Dillingham on the Firebirds' staff.
In addition to coaching at Chaparral, Amey made several stops in the Valley to gain coaching experience. He spent two years at McClintock High School, two years at Westwood High School, and three years as defensive coordinator at St. Mary's (Phoenix) High School. Following the completion of his playing career, Amey served as the defensive coordinator of the Stockton Lightning for the 2009 season in the Arena League.
A four-year letterwinner at Arizona State, Amey returns to his alma mater where he started for two seasons along the defensive line Head Coach Bruce Snyder. Amey compiled 46 tackles, two sacks, three pass deflections, and an interception over his final two seasons, with the Sun Devils combining for a 20-4 record highlighted by the 1996 Rose Bowl Appearance. Following the 1997 season, Amey received Pac-10 All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.
Amey was drafted in the seventh round in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, the Franchise in which he spent his rookie season with. Amey would go on to play for the St. Louis Rams, as well as spending time with the Frankfurt Galaxy (NFL Europe), Las Vegas Outlaws (XFL), and the Los Angeles Avengers & Arizona Rattlers (Arena Football).
He returned to Arizona State to complete his degree in 2010 as he prepared to enter the coaching profession. Amey will be joined in Tempe by his wife, Kelley, and their three children, Myles, Dallas and Jackson.
Amey – a member of the 1996 ASU Rose Bowl roster - returns to Tempe having coached defensive lines at the collegiate and professional level, bringing decades of playing and coaching experience to the table.
"Vince Amey is a beloved Sun Devil and one who knows exactly what it takes to produce a Rose Bowl-caliber program, having seen it firsthand," said Dillingham. "He has coached and played at numerous levels of football in numerous roles. His versatility and ties to this state are exactly what we need on this staff. When you have the opportunity to welcome back a passionate and talented alum to help lead your program, it is a no-brainer. Vince has seen this program at its heights, and I know he is excited to help us return to that level of greatness."
The Los Angeles native played defensive line at Arizona State from 1994-97, earning All-Conference honors during one of the most successful eras in program history. Amey was a starter at defensive tackle on the 1996 Rose Bowl Team that went 11-1 and finished No. 4 in the country. Following a decade-long professional career, Amey immediately went into coaching and proceeded to rise up the ranks.
"I just have so many positive emotions about being back here. Everything Coach Dillingham said in his introduction, it just brought me to tears. It was verbatim what we, as alumni, want from this program. I am excited to represent my alma mater. I bleed Maroon and Gold." Amey said. "I am overjoyed with emotion and passion about this place. I want to be here and win here and get it back to the prestigious program it has been and we know it can be. From my time and experience here, the bond and connections and brotherhood I made with those guys – I can name them all – it is still with us today. Everyone I've talked to is excited about having one of their own back and ready to change the culture. It is that brotherhood and that family and what it means to be a Sun Devil that I want to instill and preach to the players that come through here. I could not be more excited for this opportunity and am grateful to Coach Dillingham and the administration for welcoming me back home."
Amey comes to Arizona State after spending the past year as the defensive line coach at Idaho State. He worked with Sun Devil Football Assistant Head Coach Charlie Ragle with the Bengals. Production was the immediate result, as four of Amey's defensive linemen had 38 or more tackles. Five different defensive linemen had at least two sacks, as Amey developed depth and effectively utilized rotations. The Bengals were also a disciplined unit under Amey, finishing Top-15 in the country in fewest penalties and penalty yards.
Prior to his stint at Idaho State, Amey was the defensive line coach for the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL in 2020, coaching in a revived version of the league that he played in. It represented his second stop at the professional level, previously serving as the defensive line coach for the San Diego Fleet in 2019.
He made the jump to professional coaching after a brief run at the high school level in Arizona as the defensive coordinator at Marana High School. This came after a two-year tenure as the defensive line coach at Arizona, where he helped recruit and sign some of the top prospects at the position in program history. After serving as a defensive analyst in 2015, he was promoted to full-time position coach under Rich Rodriguez. Amey worked his way up at Arizona, spending his first three seasons on the strength and conditioning staff. He was on staff for the Wildcats' run to the 2014 Pac-12 Football Championship game and Fiesta Bowl appearance.
Amey arrived in Tucson fresh off a stint in the defensive line coach at Chaparral High School in Phoenix, winning the 2011 Arizona State Championship with Dillingham on the Firebirds' staff.
In addition to coaching at Chaparral, Amey made several stops in the Valley to gain coaching experience. He spent two years at McClintock High School, two years at Westwood High School, and three years as defensive coordinator at St. Mary's (Phoenix) High School. Following the completion of his playing career, Amey served as the defensive coordinator of the Stockton Lightning for the 2009 season in the Arena League.
A four-year letterwinner at Arizona State, Amey returns to his alma mater where he started for two seasons along the defensive line Head Coach Bruce Snyder. Amey compiled 46 tackles, two sacks, three pass deflections, and an interception over his final two seasons, with the Sun Devils combining for a 20-4 record highlighted by the 1996 Rose Bowl Appearance. Following the 1997 season, Amey received Pac-10 All-Conference Honorable Mention honors.
Amey was drafted in the seventh round in the 1998 NFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders, the Franchise in which he spent his rookie season with. Amey would go on to play for the St. Louis Rams, as well as spending time with the Frankfurt Galaxy (NFL Europe), Las Vegas Outlaws (XFL), and the Los Angeles Avengers & Arizona Rattlers (Arena Football).
He returned to Arizona State to complete his degree in 2010 as he prepared to enter the coaching profession. Amey will be joined in Tempe by his wife, Kelley, and their three children, Myles, Dallas and Jackson.