He helped spark Boise State’s streak of 1,000-yard rushers. Now this coach is coming home
Keith Bhonapha is coming back to Boise State.
Boise State announced last week that it has hired Bhonapha as its new running backs coach and associate head coach. He replaces Winston Venable, who stepped down on Thursday.
Bhonapha coached at Boise State from 2006 to 2013. He was the Broncos’ director of football operations from 2006 to 2008, coached running backs from 2009 to 2013 and added the title of recruiting coordinator from 2011 to 2013.
The 41-year-old native of Oakland, California, was the first assistant coach former Boise State head coach Chris Petersen tabbed to go with him to Washington in 2014. Bhonapha spent the past eight seasons at Washington, acting as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator, and adding the title of special teams coordinator this year. He was not retained at Washington after Jimmy Lake was fired in November.
“Coach Bhonapha has both the experience and knowledge that comes with building and growing programs, and his work developing running backs speaks for itself,” Boise State football coach Andy Avalos said in a statement. “I am excited to bring him back to a place that he helped build, and am looking forward to him assisting us in taking this program to the next level.”
Bhonapha is taking a pretty big pay cut to come to Boise State. He made $400,000 at Washington and his base salary at Boise State will be $125,000, according to his material term sheet. Venable made $115,000 for the 2021 season.
“During my last eight seasons at UW, I watched Boise State from afar,” Bhonapha said in a statement. “I started my career at Boise State and it holds a special place in my heart. I’m juiced to return to one of the greatest cities in the country to help coach Avalos and the staff continue to build upon a foundation that Bronco Nation can be proud of.”
While at Boise State, Bhonapha mentored five consecutive 1,000-yards rushers: Jay Ajayi in 2013 (1,425 yards), D.J. Harper in 2012 (1,137), Doug Martin in 2010 (1,260) and 2011 (1,299) and Jeremy Avery in 2009 (1,151). In all, running backs have surpassed 1,000 yards rushing in 10 of Bhonapha’s 13 seasons coaching the position.
Boise State’s streak of consecutive seasons with a 1,000-yard rusher reached 11 straight before it was snapped last season.
Bhonapha has also seen success as a recruiting coordinator, having helped both Boise State and Washington secure the highest-ranked classes in program history.
Bhonapha will take over a backfield at Boise State that will look a lot different than it did this year. Starting running back George Holani is expected back for his redshirt junior season, but veteran short-yardage back Andrew Van Buren has transferred and versatile running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio declared for the NFL Draft on Christmas Eve.
Boise State signed running back Ashton Jeanty as part of its 2022 recruiting class. He plans to enroll early and be on campus in January. Former walk-on Tyler Crowe, junior college transfer Taequan Tyler and redshirt junior Danny Smith also remain on the roster.
This story was originally published December 31, 2021 at 10:36 AM.
