Boise State’s Spencer Danielson named ‘best bargain head coach’ of 2024 football season

Ever since he was named Boise State’s interim head coach in November 2023, all Spencer Danielson has done is win.

Danielson promptly led the Broncos to the 2023 Mountain West Football Championship and had the interim tag removed. In his first full season at the helm, Boise State finished 12-2 overall, repeated as MWC champion and reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.

Danielson, who signed a five-year, $6.5 million deal in December 2023, out-performed his contract during the 2024 season.

On3 college sports business and transfer portal reporter Pete Nakos recently released his list of the top 10 best bargain head coaches of 2024, and Danielson topped the list.

NEW: College Football's BEST Bargain Head Coaches of the 2024 season via @PeteNakos_💰

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With a base salary of $1.1 million, Danielson was the sixth-highest-paid coach in the MWC last season.

Colorado State’s Jay Norvell ($1.8 million), San Diego State’s Sean Lewis ($1.75 million), UNLV’s Barry Odom ($1.75 million), San Jose State’s Ken Niumatalolo ($1.5 million) and New Mexico’s Bronco Mendenhall ($1.2 million) all made more than Danielson. Odom is now at Purdue (six years, $39 million) while Mendenhall headed north to Utah State (six years, $12.9 million).

Boise State athletic director Jeramiah Dickey is working on a new contract for Danielson.

A former linebacker at Azusa Pacific, Danielson joined the Broncos’ coaching staff for the 2017 season as a graduate assistant under then-head coach Bryan Harsin. Danielson remained on staff as the defensive coordinator when Andy Avalos took over in 2021. He became the interim head coach when Avalos was fired with two games remaining in the 2023 regular season.

Sitting at 5-5 overall, the Broncos caught fire after Danielson’s promotion with victories over Utah State, Air Force and UNLV in the MWC championship. Danielson became the first interim head coach in FBS history to win a conference championship game. The interim tag was removed the day after the MWC title game.

The 2024 MWC Coach of the Year and AFCA Region 5 Coach of the Year, Danielson holds a 15-3 career record with the Broncos. His 83.3 winning percentage is second only to Chris Petersen (92-12 overall, 88.5 percent) in program history.

Here are Nakos’ 10 best head coaching bargains of 2024:

1. Spencer Danielson, Boise State, $1.1 million

2. Rhett Lashlee, SMU, $2.3 million

3. Curt Cignetti, Indiana, $4.2 million

4. Kenny Dillingham, Arizona State, $3.9 million

5. Clark Lea, Vanderbilt, $3.1 million

6. Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame, $6.6 million

7. Matt Campbell, Iowa State, $4 million

8. Barry Odom, UNLV, $1.75 million

9. Ryan Silverfield, Memphis, $2.2 million

10. Fran Brown, Syracuse, $4 million