PROVO — The transformation of BYU's offensive coaching staff continued this week as running backs coach/recruiting coordinator Joe DuPaix and wide receivers coach Ben Cahoon were relieved of their duties by coach Bronco Mendenhall.
Both DuPaix and Cahoon were hired two years ago, when Robert Anae left as the Cougars' offensive coordinator to take a job at Arizona. Anae was re-hired as BYU's offensive coordinator on Jan. 4.
At that time, school officials said that "one of Anae's first duties will be to work with Mendenhall to make coaching evaluations and any related offensive staff position assignments."
BYU officials did not respond Tuesday to inquiries about coaching staff changes.
The fate of former offensive coordinator Brandon Doman, who has been the quarterbacks coach since 2005, remains uncertain. Anae replaced Doman as BYU's offensive coordinator, a position Doman held the past two seasons.
Former Cougar quarterback Max Hall, who played for Anae and spent last season on staff as a student assistant, has interviewed to be part of Anae's new staff. Under Anae, Hall led the Cougars to a 32-7 record as the starting quarterback from 2007-2009.
Paul Peterson, the new offensive coordinator at Sacramento State, and Steve Clark, Southern Utah’s offensive coordinator, have also interviewed for the quarterbacks coaching job.
Both Peterson and Clark are former offensive graduate assistants at BYU. Peterson played quarterback at Bingham High, Snow College and Boston College, and he just finished his fourth season as the quarterbacks and wide receivers coach at SUU. Peterson’s older brother, Charlie, is a former BYU quarterback.
Since the season ended, four coaches have left the program, including DuPaix and Cahoon.
After BYU's victory over San Diego State in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 20, Mendenhall announced the retirement of assistant head coach and tight ends coach Lance Reynolds.
Offensive line coach Mark Weber, who joined BYU's staff in 2007, left the Cougars recently to become the new O-line coach at Utah State.
Cahoon played at BYU from 1995-97, then enjoyed a 13-year career in the Canadian Football League. He become the CFL's all-time receptions leader and was a two-time CFL Most Outstanding Canadian award.
During his time in Provo, Cahoon helped in the development of Cody Hoffman, who is poised to break all of BYU receiving records next season.
DuPaix, like Cahoon, arrived at BYU before the 2011 season. The Skyline High product was instrumental in the recruitment of true freshman running back Jamaal Williams, who rushed for a team-high 744 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall.
Prior to coaching at BYU, DuPaix served as the slotbacks coach at Navy for three seasons.
The changes are part of a shakeup of the offensive coaching staff that was expected after the Cougars' disappointing 8-5 season.
Last October, athletic director Tom Holmoe told the Deseret News "there will be some changes that take place between this year and next year that will help our team in many ways, in different aspects, from technical details to things that will be noticeable. It will be good."
On BYUtv's TrueBlue show Monday night, Holmoe addressed the hiring of Anae.
"I think it's really important for Bronco to re-establish BYU Cougar offensive football," Holmoe said. "We have a tradition. There's a brand here for football at BYU on the offensive side … Bronco was confident to bring back someone who he had worked with in the past and had some great successes."
Sources have told the Deseret News that former BYU running back Mark Atuaia is expected to be named the Cougars' new running backs coach.
Last June, Atuaia was hired as an assistant to the athletic director for student services. Prior to joining the athletics department, Atuaia had been serving as the assistant to the dean of Student Life at BYU.
Email: jeff@desnews.com; Twitter: @AJeffreyCall