Boise State’s Spencer Danielson named AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year

Broncos are College Football Playoff contenders

Boise State Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Boise State’s season is far from over, but awards are already beginning to pile up for the College Football Playoff contender. 

On Tuesday, the American Football Coaches Association named Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson the Region 5 Coach of the Year.

The 13th-ranked Broncos (9-1, 6-0 Mountain West Conference) remain in the hunt for an automatic bid to the 12-team College Football Playoff. Boise State plays at Wyoming (2-8, 2-4) this weekend before returning home to face Oregon State (4-6) on Black Friday to close the regular season. 

Danielson took over for previous head coach Andy Avalos midway through last season and led the Broncos to a 3-1 record down the stretch. Boise State defeated UNLV in the Mountain West Football Championship and fell to UCLA in the LA Bowl. 

The Broncos have won eight straight games following a 37-34 loss to top-ranked Oregon. Boise State is expected to once again be the highest-ranked Group of 5 team in this week’s CFP rankings, which will be released at 5 p.m. Mountain time Tuesday. 

Under Danielson, the Broncos rank third in the country in rushing offense (258.7 yards per game), scoring offense (43.6 points per game), third down conversion percentage (52.7) and fourth down conversion percentage (80). The offense is led by Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty, who ranks first nationally in rushing yards (1,893) and rushing touchdowns (26). 

Boise State’s pass rush has also excelled under Danielson, a former defensive coordinator. The Broncos rank second nationally with 4.1 sacks per game and are sixth in tackles for loss at eight per game. 

A graduate of Azusa Pacific, Danielson joined the Boise State coaching staff in 2017 as a graduate assistant. He was promoted to co-defensive coordinator in 2019 and became the sole defensive coordinator in 2021 when Avalos took the reins. 

The Broncos were 5-5 overall last year when Avalos was fired. Danielson was named interim coach, and Boise State responded with victories over Utah State, Air Force and UNLV.

The interim tag was removed the day after the UNLV win. 

Last month, Danielson was named to the Paul “Bear” Bryant Coach of the Year Award watch list. Danielson was one of 27 coaches to make the watch list. 

Here are the 2024 American Football Coaches Association Coach of the Year winners:

Region 1: Jeff Monken, Army

Region 2: Clark Lea, Vanderbilt

Region 3: Curt Cignetti, Indiana

Region 4: Kalani Sitake, BYU

Region 5: Spencer Danielson, Boise State

MORE BOISE STATE NEWS & ANALYSIS

• Watch Ashton Jeanty break Boise State’s single-season rushing record

• Pac-12 makes interesting move on future TV rights deal

• Ashton Jeanty named Doak Walker Award semifinalist

• Boise State’s Spencer Danielson named AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year

• Heisman Trophy odds: Travis Hunter, Ashton Jeanty, Dillon Gabriel remain on top

• Who will select Heisman Trophy candidate Ashton Jeanty in 2025 NFL Draft?

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