Spencer Danielson’s journey to becoming Boise State’s head coach started just like any fan, watching the famous 2007 Fiesta Bowl. He was a high school senior back then, little knowing that game would spark a dream, taking him to lead that very team. And sometimes, dreams really do come true! Fast forward to 2023, when the team’s head coach, Andy Avalos, was let go mid-season. Danielson calmly stepped in, got the team fired up, and they managed to win a big championship. Looking back, with so many people—fans, his team, and his family—counting on him, he didn’t back down; he simply stepped up and led the way.

Danielson, in a way, brought the Broncos back to their roots. Getting to a bowl game in 2023 was a big deal, as it’s been a key part of their identity since 1996. Winning the Mountain West Championship 44-20 against UNLV wasn’t easy, especially since they were only 8-6 mid-season. But things got even better in 2024. The Broncos had an amazing turnaround, finishing with a 12-2 record—a story that now feels legendary.

The pressure was huge, and at one point, no one was sure about the team’s future or even their spot in the league. But in that unsure and emotional locker room, Danielson was the one who stepped up and showed great leadership. He told On3 about the moment he found out: “I’m meeting with a recruit in my office, and I get a knock on the door, and it’s assistant athletic director telling me, ‘head coach has been let go. You’re going to be the interim head coach. You gonna speak to the team in an hour.'” And what did he say in that heartfelt speech with only two weeks left in the season?

He told his players, “‘I don’t know what’s going to happen after this, but I know that we’ve got a great group of seniors that have been through COVID, been through the head coach being let go, all these different things. Grown men finish what they start, and I’m asking you to do that for our team.’ And our guys did that. I mean, it wasn’t because it was some great speech; that’s who these players are, and that’s who our coaches are.”

After winning that tough game, there was joyful chaos everywhere. Tears were flowing, especially from Spencer Danielson’s wife, Raechel, who was overjoyed by her husband’s success in his very first season. Danielson recalled, “It was one of the craziest moments of my life where you have that moment. I then come home, my wife is crying, taking pictures off the walls. I mean, it’s just you talk about just craziness going on, but I show up to work on Monday, our players are in here watching film, our coaches are working their tails off, and we went on to go on a run, and we’re able to win a championship, and we’re just so thankful for that moment.”

Back in November, when the team was struggling at 5-5, Boise State let go of head coach Andy Avalos. Athletic director Jeramiah Dickey put defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson in charge temporarily. Danielson immediately boosted the team’s energy, leading them to three straight wins. They then won the Mountain West Championship by beating UNLV strongly on their home turf, bringing back a legacy many thought was gone.

After that big win, Spencer Danielson’s name was etched into Boise State’s history. He remembers how that championship win sealed his spot with the team: “I’m going on the plane; players are dancing. I sit down in my seat, and JD, our athletic director, sits next to me, hits me on the leg, and says, ‘Really good job with the team, Spencer.’ And we didn’t talk the rest of the flight, and I’m like, ‘What is about to happen?’ And by the grace of God, the next day I was offered the job, and so it’s an awesome moment.” Of course, there were other important people who helped Spencer Danielson succeed too.

Spencer Danielson credits his mentors

Boise State’s first-year head coach, Spencer Danielson, is making a splash. He’s guided the Broncos to their first College Football Playoff appearance, secured their second consecutive Mountain West title, and coached Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty—all with no prior head coaching experience. Danielson, a Boise State graduate assistant since 2017, rapidly ascended the ranks, crediting a strong coaching network for his success.

When Spencer Danielson found out he was becoming the interim head coach, his very first call was to Chris Petersen, the former head coach for both Boise State and Washington. Danielson told On3 that “Chris Petersen is a rock for me.” He explained, “He’s one of the first calls I make if anything comes up. But it’s not just reactionary. We have a standing Zoom meeting every Sunday during the season. We talk about the game, what’s coming up, and messaging. He comes out a couple of times a year. We show him our calendar. I show him where my heart is. We talk staff, we talk recruiting.”

Danielson admired how Petersen handled things, “not just for the wins, but how he did it. That was building people for life. So the second I got the interim job with everybody telling me there’s no shot you’re going to get this full-time job, I called him and said, ‘Coach, how do I do this right?'”

And Petersen isn’t the only coach Danielson has learned from. He’s also good friends with Iowa State’s Matt Campbell, and Clemson’s Dabo Swinney has become a mentor. Danielson even spent a few days with Swinney at Clemson last year.

Spencer Danielson shared, “When I got the interim job—because he was an interim head coach—he was another one of my calls and helped me a lot.” Swinney even gave him a Bible verse from Revelation to hold onto: “‘Doors God opens, no man can shut.’ He’s like, ‘Spencer, if God wants you to have this job, you’re going to get it.’ And it’s something that he held on to. He just gave me a lot of peace.”

Danielson thinks highly of Swinney, saying, “I tell people this, you talk about a man that is even better in person. I thought the world of him before I went down there to see how he operated, and see how their culture was. I mean, he’s elite. Dabo Swinney is a 10 out of 10.”

Inspired by Swinney, the 36-year-old Danielson is building a program that helps players grow and encourages them to stay. With his RB Jeanty now a first-round pick in the pros after a 2,601-yard season, Danielson’s player-first mindset continues to drive big impacts.