Jason Slowey was named the team’s rush ends coach in February of 2023.
During Slowey’s first season (2023), the Hornet defensive ends combined for 106 total tackles, including 8.5 sacks. The group was led by DeShawn Lynch who had 34 tackles and tied for the team lead with 4.5 sacks. Sacramento State recorded a sack in 10 games with a high of six in the win at Stanford. The team also at least two TFLs in all 13 games and had five or more in eight contests.
The following year, the trio of Ben Ahio, Fata Puloka and Josh Cashiola combined for 19.5 TFLs and 10 sacks. The trio was led by Ahio who had 32 total tackles, including a team-high 9.5 for loss and Cashiola who guided the team with four sacks.
Slowey comes to the Hornets after serving on the coaching staff at Western Oregon since 2014. With the Wolves, he was the linebackers coach from 2017-22 and also served as the Director of Operations. He previously coached tight ends in 2015-16 and was the assistant offensive line coach during his first season with the team.
In 2019, Western Oregon captured a share of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference for the first time in school history after ending the year with a 5-1 league record. The team’s linebackers played a large role in the success as Nate Proctor, Jr. (70 tackles), Jaylin Parnell (68) and Tyler Whard (60) were WOU’s three leading tacklers. The trio also combined for 23 tackles-for-loss (including 13 sacks), an interception, five pass breakups and four forced fumbles. All three were named all-GNAC.
During his final season at WOU, Parnell was named first team Div. II All-America by the AFCA and the Conference Commissioners Association. That season, he was named the Lone Star Conference Defensive Player of the Year after leading the leagues in tackles per game (8.5) and sacks per game (0.77). He finished the season with 94 total tackles, including 8.5 sacks, and added an interception, a forced fumble and blocked kick.
Slowey was a two-time All-American on the offensive line for Western Oregon from 2007-11. He started his final four years, earning three all-GNAC honors on top of being selected all-region. He capped his collegiate career by being named the GNAC Offensive Lineman of the Year.
In the spring of 2012, Slowey became the third Western Oregon player to be selected in the NFL Draft when he was picked the San Francisco 49ers in the sixth round. He went on to play with the Oakland Raiders and BC Lions of the CFL before retiring due to a back injury.
Slowey also competed in track and field while at Western Oregon where he was a four-time conference champion in the shot put and competed at six NCAA indoor and outdoor championships. He was a member of six WOU teams which won conference titles and was the school’s Track and Field Athlete of the Year as a senior.
Slowey earned his bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Western Oregon in 2012 and added a master’s in education in 2016.
