EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State head football coach Jonathan Smith has announced that assistant head coach/running backs coach Keith Bhonapha will also serve as the program’s co-special teams coordinator and hold play-calling responsibilities for that unit.
Bhonapha (BONE-uh-fuh), who has 20 years of collegiate coaching experience, joined Smith’s staff in East Lansing on Dec. 7 after coaching at Oregon State in 2023.
“Keith Bhonapha is an experienced, proven coach who has been a part of championship teams and has developed some very productive running backs that have gone on to the NFL,” said Smith upon Bhonapha’s hiring in December. “I have been on three different coaching staffs with Keith and I am very impressed with his football knowledge and expertise. He fully understands what we’re trying to accomplish on the offensive side of the ball, and also has extensive experience coaching special teams.”
Bhonapha oversaw special teams units during his time at Boise State and Washington, and was the special teams coach at Hawai’i for three seasons.
Smith has announced nine of his 10 on-field assistant coaches. Chad Wilt was named co-special teams coordinator and rush ends coach on Jan. 4, joining Blue Adams (secondary), Bhonapha (assistant head coach/running backs/co-special teams coordinator), Courtney Hawkins (wide receivers), Brian Lindgren (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks), Jim Michalczik (offensive line/run game coordinator), Joe Rossi (Secchia Family Defensive Coordinator/linebackers), Legi Suiaunoa (defensive line) and Brian Wozniak (tight ends/recruiting coordinator).
KEITH BHONAPHA BIO
By helping Oregon State to an 8-4 regular-season record in 2023 to become bowl eligible, Bhonapha has coached 15 teams to a bowl game as a coach and was a part of two bowl games as a player while at Hawai’i.
In 2023, Bhonapha coached sophomore running back Damien Martinez, a Doak Walker Award semifinalist who ranked second in the Pac-12 and 20th in the FBS during the regular season in rushing (98.75 ypg), also ranking second in the conference in both rushing yards (1,185) and rushing attempts/game (16.2). A two-time selection to the All-Pac-12 First Team, Martinez was also fifth in yards per carry (6.11) and tied for sixth in rushing TDs (9). He scored six rushing TDs in a two-game span (vs. Stanford and vs….
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