BOISE, Idaho — Way back in 1987, a kid out of the University of Wyoming accepted his first-ever full-time coaching position as a linebackers coach at Boise State University.
Almost 40 years later, that 'kid' has been seen on the sidelines at Boise State football fall camp practice this week.
Now retired, legendary former NFL head coach Chuck Pagano has been hanging around his old stomping grounds recently.
Pagano isn't the only former Bronco coach with big-time NFL experience impacting the Boise State program right now. Just last month, Dirk Koetter rejoined the Broncos' staff as an offensive analyst.
Koetter retired in January 2021 after 39 seasons of coaching, including time in Jacksonville, Atlanta, and Tampa Bay. Koetter led the Boise State (1998-200) and Arizona State (2001-2006) football programs before landing the Jaguars' offensive coordinator gig in 2007.
Earlier this week, the two were together in Boise, standing side-by-side with their combined 31 years of NFL coaching experience.
While Pagano is a defensive specialist, Koetter is an offensive mastermind, more than willing to share his knowledge. According to Boise State wide receivers coach Matt Miller, having Koetter back in the City of Trees has been "unbelievable."
"Coach Koetter's been around a lot. I've been picking his brain on a lot of different things. He's just a knowledge of wealth for us in terms of football, life, family," Miller said. "For me personally, total gratitude for a guy like that to be as humble as he is to come and teach some young guys football and how to operate. I mean, it's just an unbelievable experience not just for us as coaches, but for our players to see him around as well."
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