Kelly Poppinga
Kelly Poppinga is a special teams coordinator and defensive ends coach at Brigham Young University. He was part of Bronco Mendenhall’s staff at Brigham Young University, starting as a defensive intern in 2009. In 2010 he was defensive graduate assistant and interim outside linebacker coach; from 2011 to 2012, he was outside linebackers coach; and from 2013 to 2015, Poppinga was special teams coordinator and outside linebackers coach. When Mendenhall moved to the University of Virginia at the end of 2015, he took Poppinga with him as outside linebackers coach. When Mendenhall left, the new UVA coaching staff did not retain Poppinga. He was hired by Boise State University, where he stayed for the 2022 season. He then returned to BYU beginning in 2023.
Poppinga spent 13 years working for Mendenhall at BYU and Virginia and he said Mendenhall’s intensity, knowledge and drive had an impact on him. “You have the three pillars that he emphasized when he was here at BYU, a great foundation to follow for a young coach like me. Accountability, discipline and effort. I’ve been able to use those principles throughout my entire career and continue to use them now. Even though Bronco isn’t here, with Kalani (Sitake) it is still applicable.”[1]
Poppinga said Mendenhall was exceptional at enacting priorities in those three areas, teaching it, working it and leading with it. “He did it at a high level and I think that’s how he turned BYU’s program around. He’s been able to coach a lot of very good players over the years and develop it through those characteristics.”[2]
Poppinga was a linebacker at BYU from 2006 through 2007 and led the Cougars with 113 tackles in his senior year. After he graduated with a bachelor’s in exercise science, he played in the National Football League in 2008 on three teams (Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams) including the Arizona Cardinals with whom he went to Super Bowl XLIII. While at BYU in 2009 and 2010, he earned a master’s degree in exercise science.
He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a missionary to Ecuador. He and his wife, Rebekah, are the parents of four daughters. His father, Dennis, played tight end at BYU from 1968 to 1971. His brother Brady Poppinga played for BYU and the NFL. His brother Casey Poppinga played for four NFL teams.
