Junior defensive back for Fresno State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 187 lb · Dekalb, IL · DeKalb HS
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
interceptions · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 2 INT, 1 tackles, at San José State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Junior defensive back for Fresno State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Ethan Tierney
Moves between deep coverage and the slot. Across three seasons and two programs, two head coaches: Thomas Hammock and Matt Entz. One game to point at: 5 tackles against USC — Week 1, 2026.
10 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Tim Skipper → Matt Entz. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Fresno State | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | 2 | -- |
| 2025 | Fresno State | 20 | 10 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 1 | -- |
| 2024 | Northern Illinois | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 31 | 16 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3 | 3 | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 0-39@ USC | 5 | 2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 49-3vs Sacramento State | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 26-10@ San José State | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 10 | 5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 3 · 2026
W 26–10
2 interceptions · 1 tackles · 38 interception return yards
With N. Verdugo — 40.9 yards per punt · 7 punts · 4 inside the 20 · J. Mandal — 186 yds · 1 TD · 0 INT · QBR 52.3 · 46 rush yds (9 car)
Since week 2: +1 tackle.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: interceptions (89th percentile). Concern: tackles (8th percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| Road2g | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 3.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Matt Entz
Pass share
42.7%
73 pass / 98 run
Plays / game
57.0
3 games
Team sack rate
4.9%
81 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2025
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Production · CFB Index Score
Two-star recruit. Now #460 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Pac-12
Based on 2025: #33 of 42 Mountain West DBs — his program moves to the Pac-12 for 2026
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player. The base rate was measured on players who stayed in the same conference; this estimate is not adjusted for the move to the Pac-12.
Play style
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
CFB Index positional classification
The No. 2,678 recruit in the country is starting in the secondary in the Pac-12 as a junior.
Player DNA
Moves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Kevis Thomas’s 2024 season.
Matches Kevis on
Differs from Kevis on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Josh Franklin's sophomore season at Western Michigan (2024).
Matches Josh on
Player DNA
2025 (SOPHOMORE): Appeared in 10 games this season … started in five … had 22 tackles … added one interception, two pass breakups, and a quarterback hurry … had a blocked punt against Miami (OH) in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl … had a season-high five tackles against Georgia Southern (Aug. 30) ……
18 more on the roster · Fresno State team page