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Ever Onward Podcast
The Ever Onward Podcast is your go-to business podcast, offering engaging discussions and diverse guests covering everything from business strategies to community issues. Join us at the executive table as we bring together industry leaders, experts, and visionaries for insightful conversations that go beyond the boardroom. Whether you're an entrepreneur or simply curious about business, our podcast provides a well-rounded experience, exploring a variety of topics that shape the business landscape and impact communities. Brought to you by Ahlquist.
Ever Onward Podcast
Faith, Family, and Football: Coach Spencer Danielson's Leadership Journey | Ever Onward - Ep. 68
The moment Coach Spencer Danielson walks into a room, his energy is palpable. Fresh off leading Boise State to the inaugural football playoffs, Danielson radiates the same intensity that has quickly made him one of college football's most inspiring leaders. What truly stands out, though, isn't just his tactical knowledge or competitive fire – it's his unwavering commitment to developing young men beyond the boundaries of the football field.
"I truly believe I get judged on what happens 12 nights a year, but what I really am going to be judged by is how these young men are 20 years from now," Danielson shares with remarkable clarity. In an era where collegiate athletics increasingly resembles a business transaction, his philosophy represents a refreshing counterbalance. While acknowledging the realities of NIL deals and the transfer portal, he's deliberately steering Boise State in a different direction: "Where maybe other people are going more transactional, we're focused on transformation."
This approach is embodied perfectly in star running back Ashton Jentry, who chose to stay at Boise State despite numerous opportunities to leave. "When your best players are your hardest workers, you always have a shot," Danielson explains, describing how Jentry would take 36 carries on Saturday, then practice harder than anyone else on Tuesday. It's this work ethic, combined with character development, that forms the cornerstone of Danielson's "Build Different" philosophy – doing common things in uncommonly excellent ways.
Throughout our conversation, Danielson speaks openly about his faith as his foundation, while emphasizing his program welcomes players of all beliefs. He balances his coaching responsibilities with family life, including three young children, through a disciplined morning routine centered on gratitude. And despite his rising star in coaching circles, his humility shines through as he expresses deep appreciation for Bronco Nation's passionate support.
Whether you're a die-hard football fan or simply appreciate authentic leadership, Coach Danielson's perspective offers valuable wisdom: chase value over currency, embrace your authentic self, and remember that developing people always matters more than developing players.
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Today on the Ever Onward podcast. We are so excited. In fact, he just left and we're still like ready to run through a brick wall for this guy. We have coach Spencer Danielson, the head coach of the Boise State football team, here. It was an absolute honor and a privilege. Everyone knows about this guy. He is on fire, sits down, ball of energy. He took over the head coaching role, took the Boise State Broncos to the inaugural football playoffs this year. He'll talk about Ashton Gentry, he'll talk about the team next year and all the things going on with NIL. It was just amazing to have him on. He's an incredible human being, incredible leader, coach Spencer Danielson. Coach, thanks for coming on, buddy.
Speaker 2:No, Tommy, I appreciate it, man. I've been looking forward to getting some time with you.
Speaker 1:Oh man, I don't know about that, but hey, you just had your first baby boy. I want to start there.
Speaker 2:Oh, man, it's been awesome. We have two little girls, we have a 4-year-old and a 2-and-a-half-year-old Eleanor and Rosalie and we waited to find out on this third one because my wife, Rachel, who's a rock star, was like this is probably it. So I'm like let's wait to find out. So we waited all the way to the day and she felt the girl. So I'm like, all right, Lord, I'm a girl, dad of three, and when that baby popped out and it was a boy, we're very grateful and so yeah, william Ethan, william Ethan, Congratulations, that's huge.
Speaker 1:Oh, so we're so grateful. So we had the exact opposite this year, because I have two grandkids that were four and two and my daughter wanted a girl. It's this long story. She did the multiple tests before and they were false positives, false negatives. She's freaking out at all the way to the end, and then she ended up having a girl. Yes, so our girl's six months old, but that's a beautiful thing. I'll tell you, man, that three throws you over the edge a little bit.
Speaker 2:Oh, it does. Oh yeah, we're playing zone defense now hey.
Speaker 1:I'm not to feel sorry for my daughter anymore, my son-in-law, because I'm going to say hey, coach, you've got just a few things going on, no question, your poor wife.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, she's a rock star.
Speaker 1:Like, by the grace of God, she. This is not why I like doing this. I think is kind of just a conversation to let people talk about things. Maybe they wouldn't Tell us about your wife.
Speaker 2:Yes, we met in college. So we met at Azusa Pacific, a small Christian school in Southern California. She played volleyball, I played football and I chased her around for a while until she finally get yogurt with me and we dated in college for a couple years and then ended up getting engaged like maybe a year outside of college. Didn't have any money. She worked at Trader Joe's. I just finished playing, started coaching and everybody was telling me I need to get a real job and I was like man, I think I got one. You know I love coaching my wife just the whole time. So supportive. I mean she's just got a heart of gold and loves people and so she's the rock. Where did she grow up.
Speaker 2:She's from Murrieta, so kind of Southern California as well. So when we moved to Idaho in 2017, it was like I was taking her out of the world. She's like are we moving to Iraq? Because at that point there was still not as much people moving from Southern California. Now, obviously, it's through the roof, but now it's home. I mean, she loves the Treasure Valley, boise, idaho. All our kids have been born at St Luke's, so it's home now. And since that time now her mom's moved out here, her sister's moved out here, my brother's a fireman in Boise, so we've really immersed ourselves in the culture. But she's a rock star.
Speaker 2:I mean, as any wife is, let's just start there. But especially in the coaching profession, there's so many things that pull at you, the busyness of it and it really it's not a job. I really believe it's a calling, it's a vocation. I mean it has to be everything you do from. You know our players are over at our house all the time we're doing. They're coming to practice. It has to be everything, and it really is for her too.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. Well, bless her heart, man, because that's three of those ages. She's got it. She's got it cut out for her, especially you're. You're always busy talk a little bit about being a head coach at your level.
Speaker 2:Um, I know you love it, it's your passion, you're in it with her, your team, yeah, but but it's a, it's a, it's a grind yeah, it is tommy, I mean, and no different for you, I'm sure you're, you know, busy through the roof, you know, and a lot of people in their different sectors are. But you love it, right, I right, you love it.
Speaker 1:I'm talking to you. I stayed up until like 1.30 last night doing a spreadsheet. My wife showed up. What the hell are you doing?
Speaker 2:Come to bed and I'm like I'm almost done right.
Speaker 1:So I mean I think we have, but to me you do what you love and you're just into it. But the pressure has got to be a different thing. I mean collegiate athletics at the level you are. Forget the busyness like constant pressure. Have you always dealt well with that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean my one thing I'm very open about, I mean my rock is my relationship with Jesus. I think if I didn't have that, if I lived on what people thought of me, or if we won that game, or if we played well, your life would be a roller coaster. I mean you'd be high one day and then the next week you'd be low. I just don't want to live that way. I'm a positive, high-energy guy. I think I'm naturally wired that way. I'm a glass half full. If there's a mountain to climb, let's go climb it. No one thinks you can, let's go do it. That's kind of how I profession my rocks my relationship with Jesus and my wife and me.
Speaker 2:You know we got into this to impact people and I'm open about. You know, at Azusa Pacific, where I started coaching, it was not for money or for fame. I mean, you know it was 13 hour bus rides to go to road trips, you know. But you're doing it just because you love impacting these kids and I was one of those kids that got impacted. That's why I did. It is because I had amazing coaches that changed my life and I'm like I want to do the same.
Speaker 2:And so now, yes, maybe the you know there's more people watching these games or there's more money may be involved, but it's still football. It's still developing a hundred kids a year to to be better husbands, better fathers, and that's what takes a lot of time, but you love it, it's your passion. I mean, when my head, when my head, hits the pillow every night, tommy, I'm thinking about these kids. I'm thinking about where they're at in life, how we can grow them, maybe what they're struggling with, or maybe what they did that day that maybe I know they've got to be better, or whatever it might be. It's my passion and it's our passion as a couple together to have an impact. I truly believe I get judged on what happens 12 nights a year, but what I really am going to be judged by, in my opinion, is how these young men are 20 years from now.
Speaker 1:Dude, I have goosebumps. I'm ready. Coach, Just put me in. We're like five minutes into this thing.
Speaker 2:That's what it is, and I believe that.
Speaker 1:You brought up Jesus, so I'm going to get into it here really quick, but before I go there I can only imagine you sitting in my living room. You got to be killing it. Yeah, Like recruiting, I mean because in the world we live in, right, I mean with kids and money and future, whatever have you always excelled at recruiting? I know with NIL, and I'll talk a little bit about that later today, but Spence man, this right here, it's got to resonate with a whole bunch of families out there that want their kid to not only go get an education, not only learn football, maybe make it to the next level, but they got to be eating this up.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, it does, tom, and it's something you're always trying to fine tune your craft. No different in any space, but especially at Boise State. We have so much to be able to present to these families and being able to be at a place where you know they're going to be safe, you know they're going to be built into, and so I can look at a mom, a dad, a grandma in the eyes and be like I know this is the best place for your son. I believe that in my heart and you could show them the proof of it and telling them like, because everybody's at a different place, some come from really good families, some maybe come from some broken homes, some come from money, some come from nothing. Some come from California, some come from Egypt. Right, you got all different backgrounds.
Speaker 1:Who then go to the NFL. Yes, correct. What a great story, correct?
Speaker 2:But the vehicle of football is what creates these connections. And I tell them, I mean, and everybody recruits at a different background. Some are, some are Christians, some are LDS, some are Muslims, some want nothing to do with religion at this point in their life. For me, I tell them, when my like I just said, when my head hits the pillow, I'm thinking about your son. Yeah, that's where, that's where you want to come here, Cause I'm not thinking about he's Jersey number 21.
Speaker 2:I'm thinking about exactly who your son is, what makes him tick, and I'm thinking about all things, and football is the last part. I'm a firm believer we're going to grow these young men to be champions off the field. They're going to make the right decision on fourth down, but I'm more concerned about making the right decision on Friday night, and so I just think that when you find the right people and they want that for their son or the, or the young man wants it for himself that's when they can come here and you can hit the ground running. I'm very open about hey, it's very hard here because of how we work and how we train, but life's hard.
Speaker 1:We've got to get you ready for life. Man, put me in, sign me up. I mean I think you're such a great representative of I mean I just can't imagine the University of Idaho, of what you do, of your family, of your values, of Christ, of everything. Let's talk about the Jesus thing. You get a little bit of grief for that, and I think it's. I wanted to hit this today and ask you if it would be okay, because I've thought a lot about it. I've been around you and heard it and you wear it on your sleeve. This is kind of what you're about. But I've also seen you be so dang respectful and so I want my thought in coming into this is with you.
Speaker 1:Two things can be very true, right. One you're a passionate believer in Jesus Christ. It's part of who you are, it's your rock, it's your foundation and that's what you're built on and you're going to share that with other people. Two, you were, because of Jesus, very respectful of other beliefs and higher power or people, whatever they are, in their journey. Right, that's right. And both of those things can be true. And when I saw it just got a little cringy when I saw some criticism of that, because I just thought it was unfair. I thought it was unfair for someone who may not know or watch the way you interact. I don't think it puts pressure on others. I think it's so loving and caring and inclusive Thoughts on that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think, just like anything, tommy, one of the number one commandments is love your neighbor as yourself. Right, and love is a core value in our program. We define it as action and sacrifice. And no different for me, no different for our players. I can say I love you, but if I'm not backing that up with action, it's fake. And so how I live this every day matters For me.
Speaker 2:I believe in being authentic as a head coach, so I'm very open with recruits and players about my relationship with Jesus. I talk about three things that I want to do. I'm not saying this is our program. That I want to do every day Love Jesus, work hard, treat people right. Those are three things that I'm actively working on.
Speaker 2:Everybody's at a different place. We had 115 players on our team this year. We have Christians on our team. We have Muslims on our team. We have LDS players on our team. We have people on our team that want nothing to do with religion at this point in their life and all are welcome, all are loved, all are built into, because that's my heart and when my head hits the pillow, that's why, when I'm open about recruits, I tell them hey, this is me, you could be at a completely different place, in religion or wherever you're at, but as a head coach, I care and love about your son, regardless what he believes. I'm here to develop him as a young man. So when he's done, it is time at Boise State. He is ready for life. He's ready to be a better husband. He's ready to be a better father. He's ready to be a better professional. That's all I care about and that is the point in vision that I go about everything.
Speaker 1:I love it and I'm going to tell a really quick story because I think it's for me. I've always been comfortable talking about my faith because it is foundational to who I am and I think that once you believe, it is who you are and you attribute so much of your life, and I think it allows you to live with gratitude, I think it allows you to look up. I think it allows, I mean, this kind of living arrows out instead of arrows in. I think it's so healthy to have that belief and that foundation and the blessings that come from it. Agreed. So, because I want to get to a point, it might take me a minute here.
Speaker 1:So when I was a kid, I grew up in a very great family with great examples, but also very faithful, taught about Christ early on from two religions. My one side was Catholic, the other side was Mormon yeah, but both very, very much believers in Jesus and taught it in their own way, but very important to me. And then, when I was about, I was like I was 12 years old, me and my uncle were he's 11. And back then, if you think about this, we were working on our hiking merit badge and we got dropped off at one side of a mountain range and then our parents were picking us up five days later on the other side. Let's go, let's go. I think about that now.
Speaker 1:I mean we like had a map we have phones.
Speaker 2:You might get arrested now.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah we don't have phones. So anyways, it's a quick story but I'm going to tell it because it was like for me as a young man. It was so impressionable upon me and I'd always been taught to pray and you know Jesus is there for you, you know higher power. The whole hike one night and it is a torrential downpour to where we're sitting in our tent little tent two-man tent me and my uncle, josh, who's a year younger than me, and we're like in a river and we're crying, we're like scared, and we're sitting in there and I remember distinctly kneeling with him and praying and saying God, help us, we are in trouble, we are in the middle of nowhere and it was lightning and thunder and rain. And it's this great story because we see headlights coming up the canyon and I'm like I wonder who that is. And then it got closer. It was my mom in this old white van, my grandpa's white van. I have no idea two wheel drive van. How she got up to us, but we run and hop in the van and she had hot chocolate for us and my sister was with her and I had a handicapped sister who was a couple years younger than me and she was in there and anyway, we are so thankful. We play Uno, she has hot chocolate for us and we sit there and I just it was so wonderful. But we knelt down and prayed the second time. Yeah, and it was this deep prayer of gratitude, just like thank you for one.
Speaker 1:How she found us? Yeah, middle of the night. It's my mom. My dad was working, so she had to do it alone. Third thing happens the night starts, the night we go to sleep and all of a sudden there's someone knocking on our window and my mom is like stop, don't move. She's like don't move. There are really bad guys out there. And there were these two guys, drunk, drunk, drunk, and they were saying horrible things, how they were going to break into the car. They could see my sister and it was like vile, horrible, what they were going to do to us, kind of stuff. Yeah, okay, and it's me and my mom and she's like what are we going to do?
Speaker 1:and she's like we're going to say a prayer yeah so we say this, we say this third prayer, and I and she and she says it and as a so remember, I'm a 12 year old boy here, yeah, scared to death, thinking hey, they're going to break in and what they're saying they're going to do is horrible. Yeah, we're in trouble, we're up this canyon, we're in the middle of nowhere, and I listened to my mom say a prayer. Okay, so I'm still thinking how do we get out of here? We lay there for a minute and then she whispers to me hey, you need to yell as loud as you can Get the hell out of here in a man's voice.
Speaker 2:Smart move.
Speaker 1:And I'm like how's that going to work if we get stuck? How's that going to work? Right? So we're whispering back and forth. Well, um, my uncle and my sister never woke up, we just sat there holding hands and she just, you know, just kept saying you know, god, please help us, we need help. And another set of lights start coming, probably within about a half hour, and I'm like be good, this could be bad. Yeah, and um, it was a police car. Wow, in the middle of the ochre mountains, out in the middle of expense, nowhere wow so it gives me goosebumps I hop, I hop up.
Speaker 1:I've got my tidy whiteys on it today, right and I go I go running full board of that cop car. As soon as I could get close, I hop in and I'm just these guys are bad, they're doing all this stuff. And he's like, hey, go sit back over there, I'll take care of here, rest the guys, okay. And then he comes over and he I'll never forget for me because this was the whole point of the story.
Speaker 1:There's a big barrel chested sheriff county sheriff yeah and he comes and he knocks on the window and we roll down the window and we're like thank you so much. And he is balling. He is Wow, he is balling. And it caught us by surprise because he's just this tough, big, barrel-chested cop and he's like I've been on this route for years and I've never been up this canyon. He's like something told me to come fix you guys tonight. So I'm telling you this whole story because it was awesome. We ended up taking him some banana bread. Later we became friends with this guy, but the next Sunday in church, by chance and I'm not a good singer, but my uncle is we had to sing in church.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And we sang a song that is I am not afraid of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God. I'll go tell the world, it's true. I'll preach with all my heart, mind and strength, and when I have a chance to share it, I will testify of the Christ. Amen and strength. And when I have a chance to share it, I will testify of the Christ. And I remember those words and I remember being overwhelmed with emotion, thinking it is real. Yeah, no question, it is real. And any time in my life I can share this. And I don't know how it works. I don't know how the connection with the divine happens in our life, and I'm not gonna be ashamed of it. I mean, it's in Romans, right there, right.
Speaker 1:That's right, and so I think, for people of faith that have had experiences that are powerful, that have changed their life, there is nothing wrong with sharing that, especially with young men.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But it also doesn't mean we can't be tolerant of other religions, that's right. I think, you know, being a Mormon, I mean we get. I mean there's Sunday school classes teaching how to be anti-Mormon. That being a Mormon, I mean we get. I mean there's Sunday school classes teaching how to be anti-Mormon. There's stuff all over. Oh, no question, there's stuff, but I just, I agree, tommy. I think we come together and I think in a world where, like as secularism takes over, yeah, what's happening is everyone's telling everyone there isn't a God.
Speaker 2:That's right and you don't need religion and all this stuff. And I think, just like anything, tommy, it's. You see, this in culture is if someone doesn't believe what you believe either, religion, politics, that means they're wrong. Yes, and you're right and you got. It's your job to get them to feel the way you do. No, yeah, no, that's how they believe. That's what they feel when, whatever how they're raised or what they believe or their experience, that's theirs. We're called to love them and that's what I'm called to do and how to sacrifice for everybody you meet Well.
Speaker 1:I love it Every time you're interviewed. When you bring it up, I get chills. I'm so proud. I think I've looked at what's happened to some of your players and how they give thanks and grace and gratitude to God. I think you're just a wonderful example and I'm proud of you for doing it. I know it's probably not easy, but it is probably easy.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's who I am and that's where I just believe in being authentic, you know, because you can only fake the funk for so long. Whoever you are like I can't be somebody else, they can't be me. This is how I'm wired, how I'm built, how I was raised, and you're always trying to find ways to grow and improve. But I think you've got to be true to who you are and if you're not, people are going to see that.
Speaker 1:People are going to see you, trying to not be you. Tell me about your day, because I know you're centered and I know with your. I can't even imagine Like I I can't even imagine Like I'd love to spend two hours with you and say what is the daily routine, what's the weekly routine like? But how important is those early hours for you, that faith-based prayer start your day. I mean, talk to us a little bit about what sets the foundation for Coach Danielson.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the morning's critical for me. I'm an early riser, you know it's especially. We're a morning operation as a football program, so we practice in the morning, we have meetings in the morning and so everything we do is in the morning. So by the time I get to the office it's on, usually right and players are getting ready. We're getting ready for practice.
Speaker 2:So the time I have in the morning at my home, from the breakfast I eat to my time in the Word, I get in the Word every morning. I try to make sure I don't. I gotta. By the time I leave the office and I'm driving to work. I have to be ready and I tell that to our staff and our players. I don't have the, I don't have an opportunity to get in the office and be like hey guys, I need an hour, I need to get my coffee in me, I need to make, and that's kind of how. So my morning routine is the same every single day, from when I wake up, what I eat in the morning, how I do it it's the same every single day.
Speaker 1:But what you just said the mindset thing, because if you start in the word, it sets you on a path of gratitude right out the door. Yep, it's almost impossible to think about yourself. Yep, and that's what I love about it, right? You leave kind of all right, I'm centered and I'm ready to go. Yep, because there's already so many other forces on us all the time to look back in. If you start wrong, you're going to probably end wrong. 100%, right, 100%. I love that. I love that. There's a lot to learn there. That's great.
Speaker 2:And I believe, as a leader, it's our job. Like as the head coach, it's not all right. Everybody look at me. I'm there to serve our staff and serve our players in everything I do, but I can't do that if I'm not in the right mental space to be able to serve our coaches everything they need. I'm there for them our players everything they need. I got to be in the right mental space to be able to do that. That's awesome.
Speaker 1:Hey, can we talk about this year a little bit? What an incredible year, huh.
Speaker 2:Oh man, we're so grateful, so grateful. Thank you, jesus man. It's been an awesome year. I'm so proud of our players, our staff.
Speaker 1:So proud of them. It just was one. I mean, it was so amazing. Tell us a little bit about it. I'm looking at our time because I knew this was going to happen, but tell us a little bit about Jenty and what that guy has meant to the program as an individual, and then just how he kept stepping up this year.
Speaker 2:Well, tim, I think, just like anything is, you know, january last year, there's, all you know, high expectations. We had a really good team coming back. You know, ashton Jenty's coming back, ahmed Asai, and there's multiple other players that have all these expectations. All these, well, what's going to happen? They should be this, they should be this, and the media is talking about. What I'm so proud of our team, our coaches and our players is they just went to work. They weren't worried about what someone's tweeting about them. They just went to work and by no means were we perfect. You know, you got to always. We're always trying to find ways to be better this season and grow, but I'm so proud of them just going to work.
Speaker 2:And January, we're on the blue in the snow, working. Well, I wonder, you know, I truly believe if you can focus on your process and the guys that put their head down to work and don't continue to look at the outcomes. They focus on the process, you achieve everything you want, and our team did that, and they did that because of the player-led leadership we had, ashton Gentry being one of those. I mean, a guy that had all the outside noise, had every opportunity to take his foot off the gas and be like, oh, maybe I shouldn't do this, because what if I can get hurt? Or what if I know he came to work every single day from January to season to? I mean, he'd get 36 carries on Saturday in front of the nation, and he's the one practicing as hard as anybody on Tuesday. In practice, that's when you have, when your best players are your hardest workers. You always have a shot. You always have a shot. I run so hard and he trains like that. Yeah, and that's what I like that, he has to.
Speaker 2:And that's what I tell everybody wants to be Ashton, gentry, right? Heisman, nfl, all this but are you really willing to do what it takes to be there? And that's, I think, everything. Right. No different for life. Everybody maybe wants to be the owner or the boss or the CEO, but do you really want to do up at up till 1am working on spreadsheets, right, do you really want to do that?
Speaker 2:And the action and that's why it's such a good model for us and our team is hey, you want to be him. You want all these outcomes that you want. Well, you know how hard he worked. You know how hard he worked in the training room. You know how hard he worked in the practice field. So it's so good to be able to point to that, even going into this 25 season, to be like, hey, I'm excited to see the rest of the guys step up, because there's a huge leadership void that I'm excited to see other guys step into. But it's so awesome to be able to point to some of these guys that were here and what they did for our program.
Speaker 1:Hey, back to him a couple questions. I, I know for me because he was he, he just he would hit that line and just it was so. As the coach, yeah, did you ever get worried? Because as the fan man, I'm like oh, oh, there's no question.
Speaker 2:There's a couple shots. I'm like, is he good? Is he good? I mean, there'd be 11 guys trying to, you know, oh, my goodness, I mean, and you go into every game, tommy, knowing their sole purpose is to stop two, that's it. That's it. And just how he works, how he practices.
Speaker 2:And it was so cool to even see our offensive line, our tight ends, our receivers, because you're kind of seeing, obviously you don't want anything to be bigger than the team, nothing bigger than the team, and all the things about the Heisman and rushing record. Our guys embraced that. That's how close they were, how much they loved each other to where they wanted that. That was them doing it together. And so even how our offensive line trained, how our tight ends receivers, how they trained together to get that done, how Maddox Madsen was able to step up and create a lot of matchup nightmares in the past game to open it up a little bit more, it was just so cool to see them work together. But long winded answer to your question, tommy. I mean, there were some, there were some tackles. I was like, oh, is he good?
Speaker 2:He just popped right up Maybe come out and get a little tape of the sideline, he's back. I mean never, never missed a practice, never missed a game. I mean just a relentless competitor.
Speaker 1:What are the thoughts on the NFL? I read every day. I'm a junkie, so the article I read yesterday had him, like, at number five, but it's going to be pretty high. I don't know where it's going to end up being, but isn't it cool.
Speaker 2:It's so cool.
Speaker 1:Like, think of, think of the legacy. Yeah, I mean, that's the. I mean it's a big word, it is. But you have a player like that comes in, conducts himself the way, and then every interview, every interaction, every, everything he ever did was 10 out of 10 and then his effort, but then you leave this legacy at this place. You probably can't quantify what a guy like that means to a program.
Speaker 2:No, tommy, you can't. I mean and I agree with you, I've used that word with him before the legacy is leaving, and Ashton uses that. I mean when he finishes sophomore year, offensive player of the year. Everybody's trying to get him to leave Boise State and he doesn't.
Speaker 2:His words are I want to leave a legacy and seeing him it's easy to say that, but then seeing him go out and put the work in to do that and not just in the yards or the touchdowns and how he impacted every player in that building, how he impacted me, every coach. He impacted me every single day. That's the legacy he's leaving because there's going to be players this season, players 10 years from now, that are going to be different because of them. Watching Ashton Genting and I hope that you'll start to see some culture shifts even in college football There'll be players that you know. Maybe I can leave another school to make maybe a little more money, but I'm going to stay because I'm going to stay and impact this place. I'm going to leave a legacy at my school that you can't put a price tag on that.
Speaker 1:Well, I got my money on you, man, because it's someone that's got to matter at some point. And I just saw an interview with Steve Alford, like a few days ago, where he kind of went off on kind of the culture and, listen, we can talk about NI on all other stuff, but at the end of the day I mean, it's the perfect football analogy with a guy like you. But they're moving the goalposts like almost monthly on you guys.
Speaker 1:Right, you look at the regulations, if you want to call them that, the way things change, where it's headed, legislation that might be coming, the way the dollars are spent. I mean you're just literally like living day by day saying what are the rules today? Right, no question, tough thing to do and in the middle of it, keep a program going, that's right. But I love what you've said today and I'm just going to make you say that. But if you stay focused on the thing, that's all you really can do. But in that chaos, spence. I think that's why people will be attracted to you in this program. Yeah, agreed, because other things have got to matter at some point and enough people are going to get burned doing the chase. The money thing, that's right. It still matters. It does Right. Money still matters. And the way NIL goes we as a community and as a state, and everyone that loves this program, alumni got to step up, right, because that's what you're competing against.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we, you know, build different is something I talk about with our team. Right, and this is kind of like. You know how I define our team is by. This team is built different, but we define that as building champions on and off the field by doing common things in an uncommon way, and and that can go a lot of different ways. But I believe practice is a common thing. Right, meetings are a common thing. Recruiting is common thing. What I mean by that is everybody's doing it. We're going to do it in an uncommon way. Recruiting is a common thing. What I mean by that is everybody's doing it. We're going to do it in an uncommon way.
Speaker 2:And just like anything, you can chase currency or you can chase value, and I want our guys focused on value. Yes, money is a part of that, absolutely. It is no different for coaches, no different for players. Now, and I'm actively working to raise to where we can pay our guys more money. They deserve it, they've earned that. But there's a lot more to it than just money. There's a value aspect that they know. If I stay at Boise State, yes, there's going to be money there, but I'm going to be changed, I'm going to be pulled and stretched so high that when I leave Boise State, I'm ready for the NFL, I'm ready for the professional life, I'm ready to be the best version of myself as a 22-year-old and be a world changer in a world that desperately needs that right now. And that's what. That's what we're going to focus. We're doubling down on development. Where maybe other people are going more transactional, we're we're focused on transformation.
Speaker 1:That's unbelievable, yeah, Unbelievable. Do you want to talk a little bit about the team? Yeah, Because I know I mean you're, you're the transfer portal, like those two words that got it. I know for fans, like scare everyone right.
Speaker 1:But opens back up at some point here, right, doesn't it open back up in April? April, yep, middle of April, it opens back up. So so you know, I know for for athletics right now. Now that's the thing is it's just this thing where people come and go, but you do what you do and you crank along, but but right now you've got, you've got your core back, you've got incredible talent back. What are you looking forward to next year in this?
Speaker 2:group. Yeah, we got a great group coming back to me and that's and it's a it's a group that's been here. Yeah, it's a group that knows what we're about, that knows how we need to continue to learn and grow, and no different like anything. I mean as a team. We watched the Penn State game together, right, we watched it, we got to learn from that, and I want to make sure it's not 10 years till we get back to that game. Right, and that's just looking at an outcome, but focusing on the habits to get there, instead of hey guys, they're throwing out that we need to win championships Absolutely. Instead of hey guys, they're throwing out that we need to win championships Absolutely. But to me, I'm process, like, how do we focus on that as a team? Because we've got a great group coming back. We've got a great group of leaders coming back. We've got a great group of guys that a lot of people don't know their name yet. They're going to, though, because, even though no one knows their name, they about this team.
Speaker 2:We've had three spring ball practices today. This is spring break for us. Next week we're going to come back and have practice four and our guys have gone to work right and, just like anything, they're competing at a very high level. With that comes failure. And then, from failure, how do I learn and grow from this to improve? And I told our team my job is to make every person in this building uncomfortable every single day. So you grow and thrive from it. Even our best players and I'm on our guys, our best players, I tell them always are our best players. Heavy is the crown, it's not well. You're our best players in September. No, you're our best players in March too, like you have to be. That doesn't mean you're perfect. You're going to fail, but you've got to learn and grow from it. And seeing guys step up into leadership roles and who they are, it's been awesome. We got a great group coming back. I mean even seeing you know maddox, madson, step up into even be more of a leader and who he is.
Speaker 1:He had a heck of a year awesome season, awesome season and seeing his numbers and oh yeah, I mean just it was incredible you know, seeing him step up.
Speaker 2:We got a great group on the offensive line coming back cage casey, mason, rolph, Roger Carrion. We've got a couple others. We've got a really good group of running backs that are getting rolling. You know, Sire Gaines got hurt. He's going to be back. We've got a great transfer Malik, Sherrod, Breezy, Dubar, Dylan. You know, Matt Louder, I think, is going to be one of the best tight ends in the country coming back. So even offensively, we've group of guys. Latrell Capels is back.
Speaker 2:So we still got some pieces that need to step up, right when there are guys that graduate or you lose guys. Guys got to step up. But that's what you love about this game is guys maybe haven't proven it yet on the field, but they've been working and they're excited for their name to be called. They'll be ready when their opportunity comes. Defensively, we got some really good pieces coming back Jaden, Virgin Morgan I think is going to be one of the best edge rushers in the country. Braxton Feeley is one of our best D tackles we've had. We've got a good group of linebackers coming back and Marco and Andrew Ty Benefield is one of our better safeties we've had in a long time. Amara McCoy is one of our lockdown core.
Speaker 2:So you got and I'm probably even missing guys, but it's now. They're going from where they were in 24, learn, grow. There's some good, there's some bad that we got to learn and grow from, and now it's our job to get to work in the process, have our best spring ball which leads into the best summer, and so we're at a good place, Just like anything. We got to double down on our culture. We got to double down on our process to make sure nothing pulls at us. Transfer portal window comes up in April. We're going to walk that path, same like we always do Our players and our, our players, our coaches. I zoom with our parents once a month, with all our player parents, because I want them to know this is what we're doing. Yes, Maybe you hear that your son can leave for more money, but they're like no, I know, I know that my son's going to be taken care of there financially, but more importantly, he's going to be growing to be the best version of himself there.
Speaker 1:There've been reading a few things that some spring games are getting canceled just because of the portal and the whole.
Speaker 2:Thing.
Speaker 1:What's your take or plan on that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I've researched it a lot, tommy, but I believe in it. It's such a special moment in our community I mean Bronco Nation, in my opinion, second to none. You see how we travel seven games, seven setups. That's a huge part of the value of playing at Boise State, and so I want our players, I want our players, to be able to sign autographs after the spring game. I want them to be around the fans and I also want our team, the first time they're playing in front of fans is not game one and have a little bit of anxiety, a little bit of stress in April, so we can kind of learn and grow from hey, this guy, we struggled a little bit when the fans were out there, we were doing good when no one was watching, and now the second you get some fans in there, we're struggling a little bit. Because you can learn and grow from that.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to pivot. I believe in our pride. That's the same thing. We're going to continue to do that better. But it's a big deal for me, for the community, for our players, and that connection matters to me.
Speaker 1:I love that Talk about Bronco Nation. I mean down at the playoff, the Fiesta Bowl this year, oh awesome. I mean just being in that crowd. Oh, tommy, I mean you're there and you're looking around and just the pride. I mean it's not just we travel, well, you're going up against Penn State, which is one of the historic.
Speaker 2:That's right.
Speaker 1:Back when I had like we were eating Top Ramen and finding nickels in seats because we drove an old Nissan Sentra. I was in medical school and my wife had a job where she would do halftimes at bowl games and I was her assistant.
Speaker 1:I would carry her clipboard, love it and one of my favorite stories was, she would do the Outback Bowl and one year Joe Paterno in Penn State was in the Outback Bowl. I'm trying to remember who they were playing, but I was the guy on the field that held the ropes that had to get the teams off. Yeah, yeah, and Joe Paterno, that's one of my favorite stories. But he got. It was raining hard one time and he tried to stop the halftime so that the high school band kids didn't ruin the field at halftime. Yeah, yeah, and he stood there. Anyway, it was this great interaction. But they traveled Like you. Look at that stadium. Oh yeah, chuck, I mean, you're going up against a school, a legacy school, that travels thousands and thousands of people and has forever and has tradition thick, and we are kicking their trash.
Speaker 2:No question, no question.
Speaker 1:You go down there because I'm thinking this is going to be a big deal. Oh, and a couple years ago I graduated from medical school at the University of Utah, so I went when they played them in the Rose Bowl yeah, that's right, and we traveled better than Utah did to that Rose Bowl. I looked around. I was so proud of Bronco Nation Tommy so proud.
Speaker 1:It was so loud. Brad Little, we went together, yeah, yeah, and he was down on the field and he came back up and I'm like, how was the field? And he's Like I couldn't hear anything. He's like I couldn't hear anything. It's so loud down there. It just made me so happy.
Speaker 2:Oh Tom, when we took the field for the Fiesta Bowl it felt like a home game, yeah, you know, and there's just so much pride and I talked to my wife like that, in a positive way. That's a burden I carry, like the product we put on the field, the development for these kids for life, the product we put. It matters that we do our best for Bronco Nation, like I think about that. I mean I was so I put off my Christmas shopping all the way till December 23rd and I go to Shields on December 23rd because we finished with practice. We had Christmas Eve and Christmas off and so I go there. I got a shopping cart and I'm going to work on my kids. My wife and I ran into at least 10 people in Shields, almost choked me up right now and said Coach, I want you to know we're not doing a lot of Christmas presents here because our Christmas presents go to the festival to support you, to support our team that's Bronco.
Speaker 1:Nation.
Speaker 2:It is Blue collar all in and I love Bronco Nation. We're going to continue to do our best for them every single day. I believe you go out in the blue for a home game. There's not a better place to play in the country. We've played almost everywhere.
Speaker 1:There's not a better place to play in the country and the passion and love for the team. It's just incredible. Well, your connection with Bronco Nation is incredible too. It matters to me, tommy, let me ask you this. I want to talk about JD. Your connection with Bronco Nation is incredible too. Oh, it matters to me. Tommy, let me ask you this. I wasn't going to ask it Well, and I want to talk about JD a little bit, but what? Well, let me talk about JD and then get to the next question. Incredible award he just got this week Earned.
Speaker 1:Yeah, earned Yep Incredible. So Athletic Director of the Year, it's this big national thing, that guy. I talked to him yesterday. I said, man, people follow people. He's incredible, incredible and he's just incredible. But then let me get to the question what can Bronco Nation anyone that's listening to this today, knowing where we are as a program, where we are as a university what would you ask Bronco Nation to do for the team? Yeah, I mean, you kind of went through what you're doing for Bronco Nation and how this thing keeps growing, but are there things you would ask?
Speaker 2:Yeah, tommy, I appreciate you asking that. First off, with Jeremiah, I want everybody to know and you know this, but what they maybe see on social media, that's him all the time right, like he's not all right. He's going to put out the positivity what's next? Like that's who he is. And even for me as a head coach, the amount of support I have from him. It doesn't mean it's always yes, yes, yes, but if there's something we need, he's like I'm going to go out and work to help you. He's a teammate, he's a companion in this journey and he is an absolute worker. I respect his hustle, I respect his ground. He's hitting me at late night because he's thinking about things we talked about how we can be better, how we can improve, how we can support all our students better. I mean, I have so much respect for him, and not just how he works, but also who he has as a man, like a man of character, a man of faith. His focus is on developing these kids and pushing Boise State athletics to new heights, and you can just see what we've done in the time he's been here and and he's had multiple job opportunities to leave, but he wants to be here, he wants to be part of this team, he wants to be part of this family, and so I just I mean, the respect I have for him is through the roof.
Speaker 2:And so right now, as an athletics department, as a football team, college football is changing, athletics are changing, and right now we just need everybody's a fan base that's second to none.
Speaker 2:They live in an area that I think is the best area to live in the world, but there is a gap financially that we just need to close Doesn't mean we're going to close it right away, but we just need everybody's help to work to close it together, because that's our heart. This is Idaho's team, this is the blue. This is something that I want Bronco Nation to continue to be proud of, and we just need everybody's help to make sure we can ensure that in the future. And that might be $10 a month from somebody, that might mean $1,000 a year from somebody, but it all matters, because I want everybody to connect to their team. That's the big push where we're at, and there's obviously a lot of things going on, but you keep the right people, we keep the Jeremiah Dickies, we keep the players because they're going to stay here, not just because of a of a dollar sign. They're going to stay here because of the culture. They're going to stay here because of all the things we've been talking about well, and what.
Speaker 1:What when you have a team that married mirrors, the heritage of a place yep, I mean, you've got that blue collar I mean the heritage of idaho and what it stands for and the people that are here. Our people are our treasure, they just are. And you look at the legacy of the companies and the families and they want to stay here. They want to protect this place. Now it's been discovered, which is going to have some goods and bads. A lot of goods, though.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of wonderful people moving here that are saying I want to be part of this culture, and part of this culture is the blue, and I've been very pleased and surprised that people that are coming in are saying, hey, this is the show in town, how do I get involved? So, between new people coming here, the businesses that are here, the legacy companies, everyone kind of getting on board to try to help Bronco Nation and make this thing succeed. And you know what People follow people. People are going to follow Jeremiah, they're going to follow you. They're going to follow Leon. I love Leon. Yep, oh, he's awesome, he is. I'm still so pissed.
Speaker 2:I was joking with some people that, like I didn't know a lot of you know selection show and what first in versus, you know first out met. But I've been in the weeds on it. I mean, and Leon's awesome. I mean you talk about a guy that I've gotten to know really well over the past year. Who he is as a leader, who he is as a coach. I mean he's a 10 out of 10.
Speaker 1:He is so a little story. I went to North Carolina's basketball camp when I was in high school Okay, come on. And it was back in the day when Dean Smith was there. Oh, when Dean Smith was there, dean Smith taught the thing I mean I had like one. It was a week long thing. So I am like I love the Tar Heels. Yeah, that's so cool. And when I listened to Bubba- on that interview.
Speaker 1:I am not a Tar Heel fan anymore. I'm so mad. I'm like you can't tell me you're the chairman of this damn committee. Well, and then last night they blew out.
Speaker 2:San Diego State, so it didn't help my position. This morning I saw the hitting score. I was like oof.
Speaker 1:I'm still upset, spencer. That went by way too fast. I know how much time it means to you and how valuable it is. It means the world for us coming on and hopefully we get this out to Bronco Nation. I'm just so proud of you and what you mean to this university, this state, to the kids that you coach. We would do anything for you and we're just thank you. Thanks for all you do and for your example. What a tremendous example. I wish I had a kid I could send and play for you.
Speaker 2:I wish I had anything we could do to be a part of you. Maybe my grandkids? Well, we're in, we're recruiting them young.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Tommy, I appreciate it. I've been looking forward to this. I love your heart. I love the impact you have on this state as well. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to come. Keep up the good work.
Speaker 1:Appreciate you Thanks, everybody.