Boise State loses second coach of offseason, this one for a Big Ten giant

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — The Boise State football program has now lost two members of its coaching staff this offseason.

The Michigan Wolverines announced Tyler Stockton as the program’s new safeties coach on Monday afternoon. Stockton coached safeties and was the co-defensive coordinator at Boise State in 2024 and last season.

Stockton became the second member of Spencer Danielson’s staff to leave. Wide receivers coach Matt Miller decided to join new Washington State coach Kirby Moore in Pullman, where Miller will be the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

The two played wide receiver together at Boise State from 2010-13, catching passes some of that time from Kellen Moore, Kirby’s brother. Stockton will be joining the staff of new Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham, who took the job on Dec. 26, a few weeks after stepping down following two decades as the head coach at Utah.

The departures might have surprised Danielson, who told the media on Dec. 17 that several members of his staff had declined job offers to remain at Boise State. The program did not lose any coaches after the 2024 College Football Playoff season.

In Stockton’s two years at Boise State — he came from Ball State in Muncie, Indiana — he helped the secondary go from a liability to one of the team’s strengths. The Broncos’ defense was 15th in pass defense (175.6 yards per game allowed) and 22nd in interceptions (14) last season.

He also helped develop junior Ty Benefield into one of the best defensive players in the Mountain West. Benefield earned honorable mention All-Mountain West in 2024 and was named to the All-Mountain West first team in 2025.

Like Stockton, Benefield moved on from the Broncos. He announced in late December that he would be entering the transfer portal, and on Tuesday afternoon, On3 reported that he had committed to LSU and new head coach Lane Kiffin.