This ex-Boise State football coach, in charge for first game on The Blue, has died
Former Boise State football head coach Lyle Setencich, who was in charge of the program for the first game on the now-iconic blue turf, died on June 23, the program announced late Thursday afternoon.
He was 81 years old.
Setencich arrived at Boise State in the spring of 1980, serving first as the defensive backs coach and then as the defensive coordinator. Boise State won the 1980 NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) national championship in Setencich’s first season, defeating Eastern Kentucky, 31-29, in the title game.
He was hired as head coach in 1983 after the departure of long-tenured head coach Jim Criner, who left for Iowa State after having three 10-win seasons and then an 8-3 campaign.
In his four years as head coach, Setencich amassed a 24-20 record, including a 16-12 mark in Big Sky play. In his final season, on Sept. 13, 1986, Setencich led the Broncos onto their now-famous blue turf for the first time — and Boise State defeated Humboldt State 74-0.
His 24 wins as head coach are tied with Pokey Allen (1993-96) and current head coach Spencer Danielson for the ninth-most in program history. His 16 conference wins also tie for ninth. His best season as head coach was 1985, when the Broncos went 7-4, but they didn’t qualify for the playoffs in any of his years.
Setencich resigned from his position at the end of the 1986 season and went on to coach at Cal Poly for seven seasons, during which he posted a 41-29-2 record. He also had stints as an assistant coach with Pacific, Arizona State and California before ending his career as defensive coordinator for Texas Tech from 2003 to 2007.
