Boise State’s Spencer Danielson named finalist for national award

Danielson up for 2024 Bear Bryant Award

Boise State Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After leading Boise State to a 12-2 overall record and the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance, head coach Spencer Danielson has been named a finalist for the 2024 Paul “Bear” Bryant Award.

The Bear Bryant Award is presented annually to the national college football coach of the year. The winner will be announced on Jan. 22 during an awards ceremony in Houston. 

One of eight finalists for the Bear Bryant Award, Danielson holds a 15-3 career record with the Broncos. He guided Boise State to back-to-back Mountain West Conference championships and a College Football Playoff berth. 

The Broncos, who earned a first-round bye to the inaugural 12-team playoff, fell to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl, 31-14. 

A former linebacker at Azusa Pacific, Danielson joined the Broncos for the 2017 season as a graduate assistant under then-head coach Bryan Harsin. Danielson remained on staff as the defensive coordinator when Andy Avalos took over in 2021. He became the interim head coach in November 2023 when Avalos was fired with two games remaining in the regular season.

Sitting at 5-5 overall, the Broncos caught fire after Danielson’s promotion with victories over Utah State, Air Force and UNLV in the Mountain West Football Championship. 

Danielson became the first interim head coach in FBS history to win a conference championship game. The interim tag was removed the day after the 2023 MWC Championship.

Under Danielson’s leadership, Boise State recorded 55 sacks during the 2024 season, the most in FBS. The Broncos rank third nationally in tackles for loss at 111. 

Danielson’s winning percentage of 83.3 percent is second only to Chris Petersen in program history. Petersen went 92-12 overall (88.5 percent) in his eight years at the helm, leading the Broncos to Fiesta Bowl victories and undefeated seasons in 2006 and 2009. 

Danielson, who turned 36 in November, has already won two awards for the 2024 season: Mountain West Coach of the Year and AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year. He is also a finalist for the AFCA Coach of the Year.

Danielson was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award. Indiana’s Curt Cignetti was presented with the award in December. 

Here are the eight finalists for the 2024 Bear Bryant Award:

Spencer Danielson, Boise State 

Shane Beamer, South Carolina 

Curt Cignetti, Indiana 

Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State 

Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame 

Rhett Lashlee, SMU 

Jeff Monken, Army West Point 

Steve Sarkisian, Texas

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