Former Boise State football players thrive as coaches across the country
The Boise State football program has churned out a ton of wins in its history, and the recent successes have helped make players want to continue to be involved in the sport after their playing days.
Former Broncos are on coaching staffs across the Football Bowl Subdivision, NFL and even CFL. Check out the list below, as of May 31, 2019.
BOISE STATE
BRYAN HARSIN
Head coach
Played: QB (1995-99)
Has compiled a 52-15 record in five seasons at Boise State. Also spent 2013 as Arkansas State’s head coach, going 7-5. Spent prior two years as Texas co-offensive coordinator.
GABE FRANKLIN
Safeties
Played: CB (2001-04)
Entering his fourth season at his alma mater, he coached defensive backs at UTEP for five previous seasons.
LEE MARKS
Running backs
Played: RB (2002-05)
A strong recruiter, he’s entering his fifth season as a position coach after spending 2013 at Arkansas State and 2014 at Boise State as an assistant strength coach. Also coached running backs at NAIA Sioux Falls and FCS South Dakota State.
[Related: Three former Boise State players are working together at Montana State]
OTHER FBS SCHOOLS
GERALD ALEXANDER
Defensive backs, Cal
Played: S (2002-06)
After playing in the NFL with five teams, he entered coaching in 2013 as a graduate assistant under Harsin at Arkansas State. Since, he’s spent one season each at Washington, Indiana State and Montana State before former BSU DC and new Cal head coach Justin Wilcox hired him in January 2017.
ANDY AVALOS
Defensive coordinator, Oregon
Played: LB (2001-04)
He was Boise State’s defensive coordinator for three seasons, from 2016 to 2018 and established himself as one of the top young defensive minds, leaving for Oregon in March. Coached the defensive line at Boise State in 2012 and 2013 before coaching linebackers in 2014 and 2015.
JULIUS BROWN
Cornerbacks, Texas Tech
Played: CB (1999-2003)
After being let go by Harsin after two seasons as the Broncos’ secondary coach, he joined Utah State in 2016 and helped the team to the No. 11 pass defense in the nation. In December, he followed coach Matt Wells to Texas Tech. He served in a support role at BSU from 2006 to 2011 before one-year stops at Troy and Arkansas State.
ANDREW BROWNING
Defensive line, Cal
Played: DL (2002-06)
He coached UTEP’s defensive line from 2013 to 2017, then was a quality control coach at Cal under former Boise State DC Justin Wilcox in 2018. He was promoted in January. After serving as a QC coach and grad assistant at BSU from 2010 to 2012, he was hired by former BSU assistant Sean Kugler at UTEP.
JEFF COPP
Co-DC/linebackers, FIU
Played: DL (1998-2000)
A former All-Big West defensive lineman, Copp was hired as safeties coach at FIU in 2017 and was promoted to co-DC in March. He also has coached at UC Davis, Northern Arizona and Utah State.
BUSH HAMDAN
OC/quarterbacks, Washington
Played: QB (2004-08)
Kellen Moore’s backup his final two seasons with the Broncos, Hamdan spent 2017 as the Atlanta Falcons’ quarterbacks coach before former BSU coach Chris Petersen brought him back as OC. He also has coached at Florida, Arkansas State, Sacramento State and Davidson.
SCOTT HUFF
Offensive line, Washington
Played: C (1998-2002)
After 11 seasons on the Boise State staff, left for Washington, where he is now in his third season. At BSU, he also coached tight ends (2006, 2012-13) and special teams (2012-13). He was also the Broncos’ co-offensive coordinator in 2016.
PETE KWIATKOWSKI
Co-DC, Washington
Played: DL (1984-87)
The former All-American in the Big Sky days has done an outstanding job on Montlake, helping the Huskies to lead the Pac-12 in total defense and scoring defense each of the last four seasons. He was sole DC his first three seasons, but has shared the co-DC title with ex-Boise State assistant Jimmy Lake the last two. He was a BSU assistant during the 1988-96 and 2006-13 seasons.
DANNY LANGSDORF
Quarterbacks, Fresno State
Played: QB (1991-93)
He spent three seasons as OC at Nebraska under head coach Mike Riley, whom he worked with at Oregon State from 2005 to 2013. Also was an offensive analyst for Oregon in 2018. He coached in the CFL and with the Saints and Giants in the NFL.
KIRBY MOORE
Receivers, Fresno State
Played: WR (2009-13)
Moore earned his first FBS assistant job when he was hired by the Bulldogs in December 2016 after two seasons as a graduate assistant at Washington. He was the College of Idaho’s receivers coach in 2014.
MIKE SANFORD
Offensive coordinator, Utah State
Played: QB (2000-04)
BSU’s offensive coordinator in 2014, he left for the same position at Notre Dame before being hired by Western Kentucky as head coach. He went 9-16 before being fired after the 2018 season. He was hired in Logan soon after. Prior to returning to BSU, he spent three seasons at Stanford. Regarded as a top young offensive mind, he was the youngest FBS head coach when he was hired at WKU.
MARCEL YATES
DC/safeties, Arizona
Played: DB (1996-99)
A BSU assistant from 2003 to 2011, and the defensive coordinator in 2014 and 2015 with a DC stint at Texas A&M in between, he has worked in Tucson the last three seasons. The Wildcats gave up 32.6 ppg in 2018, their best under Yates.
NFL
KLAYTON ADAMS
Assistant offensive line, Indianapolis Colts
Played: C (2003-04)
Adams spent the past six seasons at Colorado, and briefly was named Wyoming’s offensive line coach before ex-BSU assistant Chris Strausser hired him to be his assistant with the Colts. He coached CU’s running backs and tight ends in his first three seasons after two seasons at San Jose State coaching tight ends. He was a student assistant at BSU in 2005 and a graduate assistant in 2006.
KELLEN MOORE
Offensive coordinator, Dallas Cowboys
Played: QB (2008-11)
Moore, one of the best quarterbacks in FBS history, was 50-3 as a starter and still ranks sixth all-time in yards and second in touchdown passes. He spent six seasons in the NFL, appearing in three games for Dallas in 2015. He retired after the 2017 season and spent 2018 as the Cowboys’ quarterbacks coach. He was promoted to offensive coordinator earlier this year.
CFL
RYAN DINWIDDIE
Quarterbacks, Calgary
Played: QB (1999-2003)
Following a five-year career playing in the CFL, Dinwiddie was hired as a quality control coach by former BSU coach Dan Hawkins in Montreal in 2013 and remained there as a full-time assistant after Hawkins was fired. Dinwiddie was hired by Calgary in December 2015 and has helped the team to a 41-11-2 record. QB Bo Levi Mitchell has twice won the CFL’s MVP honors under Dinwiddie. Ex-Boise State QB Montell Cozart also plays for the Stampeders.
D.J. HARPER
Running backs, Hamilton
Played: RB (2007-12)
He played in parts of six seasons for Boise State, having seen his 2010 and 2011 seasons cut short because of knee injuries. Still, he rushed for 1,137 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sixth-year senior in 2012. He was on the 49ers’ preseason roster in 2013 before being cut, and spent 2014 with Ottawa in the CFL. He was an offensive graduate assistant at Fresno State in 2017 and 2018 before being hired by Hamilton in February.
This story was originally published May 31, 2019 at 3:02 PM.
