Boise State promotes veteran coach to defensive coordinator ahead of LA Bowl vs. UCLA

Boise State defensive line coach Erik Chinander has been promoted to defensive coordinator, new head coach Spencer Danielson announced Thursday.

The announcement came just one day after Danielson announced he was retaining offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan.

Chinander joined the Broncos’ staff last December after former defensive line coach Frank Maile left for Washington State.

“I am really excited that Erik is taking the defensive coordinator role and staying at Boise State,” Danielson said in a Boise State news release. “He has such a bright and innovative defensive mind, and truly is an elite teacher of the game.”

Chinander signed a new two-year deal that is subject to approval by the Idaho State Board of Education. The contract will pay him $440,000 a year. He signed a two-year contract last December that paid him $220,000 this year and was scheduled to pay him $320,000 in 2024.

“In less than a year, I have come to really treasure the special people in Boise, especially the great student-athletes we have,” Chinander said in the release. “I am proud of the way they have overcome adversity this year and continued to hold themselves to the Boise State standard. I know the future is bright for this program and look forward to what we are building towards next year.”

A two-time nominee for the Broyles Award, which goes to the best assistant coach in the country, Chinander was the defensive coordinator at UCF in 2016 and 2017. The Knights went 13-0 and ranked No. 2 in the country in takeaways in his second season on staff.

Chinander was also defensive coordinator at Nebraska from 2018 to 2022. In 2021, the Cornhuskers allowed just 22.7 points a game, which ranked No. 36 in the country. The 43-year-old from Waterloo, Iowa, also coached outside linebackers at Oregon (2014-15), and he was the assistant defensive line coach for the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles in 2013.

Boise State is surrendering 24.8 points a game this season, ranking No. 4 in the Mountain West. The Broncos are giving up 123.6 rushing yards a game, which ranks No. 2 in the conference, and they lead the Mountain West with 36 sacks.

Chinander is replacing his boss, Danielson, who was the team’s defensive coordinator the past five years before becoming interim head coach in November after Andy Avalos was fired. Danielson then was hired for good last week.

Boise State will face UCLA in the LA Bowl on Saturday at SoFi Stadium to close out its 2023 season. Danielson will call the defensive plays this week, according to the release.

BOISE STATE VS. UCLA

What: Starco Brands Inc. LA Bowl

When: 5:30 p.m. Mountain time, Saturday

Where: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles (70,000)

TV: ABC (Dave Flemming, Brock Osweiler, Kayla Burton)

Radio: KBOI 670 AM/93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)

Records: Boise State 8-5, 6-2 Mountain West; UCLA 7-5, 4-5 Pac-12

Series: The Broncos and Bruins have played just once before, a 38-7 home win for UCLA in 1999.

Vegas line: UCLA by 4.5 points