Boise State Makes Changes to Football Staff (Updated)

Boise State fans thought they were in for a quiet offseason. A 7-5 season doesn’t tend to generate a lot of changes in coaching staffs, but that has not been the case for Boise State. The Broncos have lost four staff members, including three coaches. Let’s take a look at who is in and who is out.

Running Backs Coach

Out: Winston Venable. Venable is a former nickel/linebacker and served as the running backs coach the past two seasons. He stepped away for personal reasons. The Bronco rushing attack has struggled to meet expectations the last two seasons and a change may be best for both parties.

In: Keith Bhonapha. A familiar face to Boise State fans, Bhonapha was a running backs coach before leaving for Washington with Chris Petersen. Bhonapha is a proven recruiter, and his running backs have found success both in college and the pros. He will also serve as co-special teams coordinator. This is a home run hire for Andy Avalos.

EDGE/Special Teams Coach

Out: Stacy Collins. Collins left Boise State to accept a position at Penn State. The Broncos special teams did not miss a beat under Collins, but the EDGE position struggled to find a consistent pass rush.

In: Kelly Poppinga. Poppinga was at Virginia, and he has led some of the best pass rushes in the nation during his tenures at Virginia and BYU. This is a great hire for the Broncos. Poppinga is only 39, but he comes to Boise with a wealth of experience. He should help at the EDGE position and will share the special teams coordinator position with Keith Bhonapha.

Cornerbacks Coach

Out: Jeron Johnson. Johnson was one of the lowest paid coaches on the staff. The cornerbacks were injury plagued for much of the season, but they performed regardless of who was in the game. Johnson is a former NFL safety and wants to spend more time with his family. Out of the three losses to the coaching staff, this one stings the most.

In: Demario Warren. Warren was the head coach at Southern Utah from 2016-2021 before being let go in November. Warren was a defensive coordinator. This one feels a little underwhelming after the last few hires.

Director of Recruiting

Out: Eli Mandel. Mandel helped the coaching staff gain one of its best recruiting classes in program history. Mandel joined Avalos from Oregon; he leaves Boise State to be an account manager at Zcruit.

In: Jason Cvercko: Cvercko has spent most of his career under Nick Rolovich. He was his chief of staff at Washington state and director of recruiting at Hawaii.

What do you think of the changes to Boise State’s coaching staff? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.