A.J. Hotchkins was promoted to Defense Quality Control coach at UTEP in April of 2020. He joined the Miners as a graduate assistant in 2019 following a standout graduate transfer campaign as a linebacker at UTEP in 2018. He tied for the Conference USA lead with 126 tackles en route to being named second team All-League. Hotchkins also finished 17th in the country in tackles per game (10.5) while adding 10.5 tackles for losses and seven sacks.
Hotchkins joined the Miners from Oregon, where he amassed 42 tackles. He started six games for the Ducks, including four in 2016 when he compiled 34 stops overall. In 2017, he registered his first career interception at Wyoming. Hotchkins was a member of the Ducks’ 2016 recruiting class after spending two seasons with Riverside City College (Calif.).
Hotchkins was recognized as a PrepStar JC All-American and the nation's top-ranked junior college inside linebacker (247 sports) after tallying 99 tackles as a sophomore with Riverside City College in 2015. He was also named to the Southern California Football Association’s first team. He was the lone unanimous all-league choice on defense.
He garnered first-team all-state accolades as a senior with Tigard High School in 2013, helping the squad advance to the 2013 state 6A semifinals. He was tabbed second-team all-state as both a fullback and defensive lineman as a junior. He secured first-team all-league recognition on both sides of the football in 2012, his initial year of playing the sport.
