BYU didn’t have to look far to find its new defensive coordinator.
Kalani Sitake has promoted Kelly Poppinga to lead the Cougar defense, the program announced Wednesday evening.
Additionally, defensive tackles coach Sione Po’uha has been promoted to associate head coach, and Demario Warren has been hired from Boise State as BYU’s new defensive passing game coordinator and cornerbacks coach to replace Jernaro Gilford.
“I’m pleased to announce the promotions of Kelly Poppinga as our defensive coordinator and Sione Po’uha as the associate head coach and welcome Demario Warren to BYU as our defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach,” Sitake said in a statement.
“We have a lot of quality coaches in our program, and I’m proud of their collaborative efforts over the past few years and the momentum we have been building as a staff. I’m confident Kelly and Sione will be a great benefit to our players in these new roles as we continue to find ways to help our players improve and elevate the success of BYU football. I’m excited to add Demario to our defensive staff. He has experience both as a head coach and a defensive coordinator and is known for his expertise in the secondary, developing young talent and being a great recruiter.”
Poppinga will replace Jay Hill, who left Provo to become Michigan’s defensive coordinator under new head coach Kyle Whittingham.
A former Cougars linebacker, Poppinga has spent two stints and 10 total seasons on BYU’s coaching staff, first from 2009-2015 under Bronco Mendenhall and then the past three campaigns with Sitake’s operation.
“Kelly is primed and ready for the responsibility to be our defensive coordinator, and it’s my honor to give him this opportunity,” Sitake said. “His leadership, attention to detail and experience as a coordinator has been apparent working on our defensive staff and as our special teams coordinator the past three years since his return to BYU.”
Upon Mendenhall’s hiring at the University of Virginia in 2016, Poppinga followed him east to be part of his Cavaliers staff for six seasons, notably spending 2018-21 as Virginia’s co-defensive coordinator alongside Nick Howell.
Poppinga had served as BYU’s special teams coordinator and defensive ends coach since 2023, having held the same positions in 2022 at Boise State as well.
In his time with the Cougars, Poppinga has coached NFL talent such as Kyle Van Noy, Fred Warner, Sione Takitaki, Tyler Batty and others.
“My family and I are extremely blessed to be at BYU and work for Kalani,” Poppinga said in a statement.
“I am thankful for this opportunity Kalani has given me to be the steward over a great defensive unit. I feel that the past 17 years of my life in this career have prepared me for this moment. Our players and staff have built a great defense over the past few years, and we look forward to competing for and winning championships in the years to come.”
