Upper Iowa University Athletics

Cole Peterson joined the Peacock football staff as an assistant coach for quarterbacks and pass game coordinator in the summer of 2026. He was added to the staff after serving under Jim Mora for four years at UConn. He spent three years as an analyst before being promoted to the tight ends coach in 2025. 

At UConn, Peterson started as a defensive analyst in 2022. He transitioned to offense in 2023, serving as an offensive analyst working with the tight ends. In 2024, he was named the senior offensive analyst and assistant quarterback coach before becoming the tight ends coach in 2025. 

The Huskies posted back-to-back 9-4 seasons in 2024 and 2025. This marked the first time in program history that UConn has achieved back-to-back nine-win seasons. The 9-4 season in 2024 also broke a 12-year streak of losing seasons for the Huskies. 

In 2025, UConn broke the school record for offensive yards in a season with 5,788. The Huskies also averaged the most points in a single season with 35.31. Nationally, UConn ranked 11th in passing offense (284.4 yards per game), 15th in scoring offense (35.31 points per game) and 21st in total offense (445.2 yards per game).

Peterson’s tight end room accounted for 58 catches for 711 yards and eight touchdowns during the 2025 season. This tied the FBS single-season school record in tight end receiving touchdowns and finished second in both single-season receptions and receiving yards for the tight end position in program history.

When working with the quarterbacks in 2024, Joe Fagnano and Nick Evers accounted for the most touchdown passes in 21 years for the program. Fagnano also finished 15th in the FBS in passing efficiency (152.9 rating). 

Peterson also coached three players who earned NFL opportunities, including tight end Justin Joly, who was selected in the fifth round in 2026 by the Denver Broncos. Peterson’s other NFL notables include tight end Louis Hansen (Houston Texans) and Fagnano (Baltimore Ravens), both of whom were undrafted free agents.

Before joining the Huskies, Peterson also coached at Arkansas State under Butch Jones as a defensive quality control coach. He started coaching collegiately at Ottawa University Arizona in the NAIA for two seasons as the team’s defensive backs coach. Peterson mentored four all-conference players and one NAIA All-American during his time with the Spirit. Before coaching at OUAZ, Peterson coached at Horizon High School (2014-15), Desert Mountain High School (2016-18) and North Canyon High School (2019) in Arizona. In total, he brought 12 years of coaching experience to the Peacocks, with seven years collegiately and five years at the FBS level.

Peterson graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing in 2009. He also earned a Juris Doctor degree with an emphasis in sports law and business from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law in 2015.