Keith Bhonapha | Michigan State University

Keith Bhonapha (BONE-uh-fuh) was named Michigan State's assistant head coach/running backs coach in December 2023. He comes to East Lansing with 20 years of collegiate experience, most recently with Jonathan Smith at Oregon State in 2023. Bhonapha will also serve as the program's co-special teams coordinator and hold play-calling responsibilities for that unit.

 

"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. "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."

 

By helping Oregon State to an 8-4 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. Washington), becoming the first Beaver to do that since Jacquizz Rodgers in 2010. Martinez finished the regular season with 1,185 rushing yards, ranking him at No. 13 in the Oregon State single-season record books. He also has 2,167 career rushing yards, putting him at No. 10 in the Oregon State career record books in just two seasons.

 

Additionally during the 2023 regular season, Oregon State was second in the Pac-12 in yards per carry (5.06), while ranking third in rushing TDs (26), fourth in rushing attempts per game (35.8) and fifth in rushing yards per game (180.8).

 

Before his stint with Oregon State, Bhonapha was associate head coach and running backs coach at Boise State in 2022, also overseeing BSU's special teams during his second stint in Boise, helping the Broncos to the 2022 Frisco Bowl.

 

In 2022, BSU was second in the Mountain West in both rushing (196.4 ypg) and rushing yards per carry (5.0), while ranking third in rushing TDs (27). Bhonapha helped coach running back George Holani to second-team All-Mountain West honors, after ranking third in the MW in rushing yards (1,157) and fourth in both rushing average (89.0 ypg) and rushing TDs (10). Under Bhonapha's mentoring, running back Ashton Jeanty and placekicker Jonah Dalmas also earned honorable mention All-MW accolades.

 

Bhonapha coached at Washington from 2014-2021 as the Huskies' running backs coach and also oversaw UW's special teams in 2021, working with then-UW offensive coordinator Jonathan Smith for the first four seasons with the Huskies. Bhonapha was also Washington's recruiting coordinator from 2014-19, helping the Huskies land three Top 25 recruiting classes. While at Washington, Bhonapha coached in five bowl games, including three New Year's Six appearances (2015 Cactus Bowl, 2016 CFP Semifinal at the Peach Bowl, 2017 Fiesta Bowl, 2019 Rose Bowl, 2019 Las Vegas Bowl).

 

In 2019, Bhonapha mentored a group of running backs sharing time and combined for nearly 2,000 rushing yards. They were led by then-junior Salvon Ahmed, who became the ninth Husky in the previous 10 seasons to rush for 1,000 yards, finishing the year with 1,020, to go with 11 touchdowns. Additionally, then-redshirt freshman Richard Newton ran for 498 yards and 10 TDs. During that span, Washington's running backs lost just one fumble in 13 games.

 

At UW, Bhonapha also coached Myles Gaskin, who became just the 10th player in FBS history to rush for four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons (2015-18). Gaskin was also just the second player in NCAA history to eclipse 1,200 yards for four straight years, joining Wisconsin's Ron Dayne to accomplish that feat. Gaskin completed his career at Washington with a school-record 62 touchdowns and 5,323 rushing yards. He also held school records for 100-yard rushing games (26), rushing attempts (945), rushing yards per game (102.4), rushing touchdowns (57), rushes of 50-plus yards (10), and all-purpose yards (5,878). A 2016 first-team All-Pac-12 honoree, Gaskin was selected in the seventh round of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins and is currently in his fifth season in the NFL.

 

Bhonapha's first stint at Boise State was from 2006-13, where he oversaw the Broncos' running backs from 2009-13 and was BSU's director of operations from 2006-08. He helped Boise State to the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and the legendary thrilling victory over Oklahoma, as BSU became just the second team from a non-automatic qualifier conference team to both play in and win a BCS bowl game.

 

Additionally, he helped Boise State to the 2007 Hawai'i Bowl, 2008 Poinsettia Bowl, 2010 Fiesta Bowl, the 2010-12 Las Vegas Bowls, and the 2013 Hawai'i Bowl.

 

During his first tenure with the Broncos, BSU running backs surpassed the 1,000-yards mark five times, starting with Jeremy Avery rushing for 1,151 yards in 2009. Doug Martin then rushed for 1,260 yards in 2010 and 1,299 yards in 2011, getting drafted in the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft by Tampa Bay Buccaneers; Martin went on to play seven seasons in the NFL, earning Pro Bowl honors twice (2012, 2015). In 2012, D.J. Harper went for 1,137 yards, before two-time first-team All-MW honoree Jay Ajayi amassed 1,425 yards in 2013.

 

Ajayi finished his collegiate career with 678 rushes for 3,796 yards and 50 rushing touchdowns, which all ranked in the top three spots on the Boise State career lists. He is the only player in Boise State history with three games of 200-plus yards rushing. Ajayi was later drafted by the Miami Dolphins in 2015 and was a member of the Super Bowl LII champion Philadelphia Eagles in 2017, before retiring at the end of the 2022 season.

 

Bhonapha coached at Hawai'i, his alma mater, from 2003-05, working with UH's defensive backs and special teams.

 

A four-year letterwinner at Hawai'i (1999-2002), Bhonapha was a defensive back for the Rainbow Warriors, playing 35 games in his career, posting 55 tackles and scored a touchdown on a blocked punt. He helped UH to the 1999 Oahu Bowl game vs. Oregon State and the 2002 Hawai'i Bowl vs. Tulane.

 

A native of Oakland, California, Bhonapha earned his bachelor's degree from Hawai'i in liberal studies with a focus in criminology in 2003, and his master's degree from Hawai'i in public administration in 2005.

 

Bhonapha and his wife Julia, have four children, Isaiah, Emery, Odin and Ellison.

 

THE BHONAPHA FILE

 

PREVIOUS COACHING/ADMINISTRATIVE EXPERIENCE:

• Defensive backs and special teams coach at Hawai’i (2003-05)

• Director of operations at Boise State (2006-08)

• Running backs coach at Boise State (2009-13)

• Running backs coach Washington (2014-21)

• Associate head coach and running backs coach at Boise State (2022)

• Assistant head coach and running backs coach at Oregon State (2023)

• Assistant head coach/running backs coach/co-special teams coordinator at Michigan State (2024-)

PLAYING EXPERIENCE:

College – Four-year letterwinner as a defensive back at Hawai’i (1999-2002)

 

POSTSEASON EXPERIENCE:

Coach:

• 2010 Fiesta Bowl (Boise State)

• 2010 Las Vegas Bowl (Boise State)

• 2011 Las Vegas Bowl (Boise State)

• 2012 Las Vegas Bowl (Boise State)

• 2013 Hawai’i Bowl (Boise State)

• 2015 Cactus Bowl (Washington)

• 2016 CFP Semifinal at the Peach Bowl (Washington)

• 2017 Fiesta Bowl (Washington)

• 2019 Rose Bowl (Washington)

• 2019 Las Vegas Bowl (Washington)

• 2022 Frisco Bowl (Boise State)

Player:

• 1999 Oahu Bowl

• 2002 Hawai’i Bowl

NFL DRAFT PICKS (3):

2019: RB Myles Gaskin (Washington; 7th round, No. 234 overall, Miami)

2015: RB Jay Ajayi (Boise State; 5th round, No. 149 overall, Miami)

2012: RB Doug Martin (Boise State; 1st round, No. 31 overall, Tampa Bay)

 

FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE PLAYERS (7 PLAYERS; 8 SELECTIONS):

2023 (1, Oregon State, Pac-12): RB Damien Martinez

2016 (1, Washington, Pac-12): RB Myles Gaskin

2013 (1, Boise State, MWC): RB Jay Ajayi

2011 (1, Boise State, MWC): RB Doug Martin

2010 (1, Boise State, MWC): RB Doug Martin

2005 (1, Hawai’i, WAC): DB Lono Manners

2004 (1, Hawai’i, WAC): CB Abraham Elimimian

2003 (1, Hawai’i, WAC): CB Kevin Millhouse

 

ADDITIONAL ALL-CONFERENCE HONOREES (10 SELECTIONS):

2022 (1; Boise State, Mountain West): RB George Holani (2nd)

2021 (1, Washington, Pac-12): RB Sean McGrew (HM)

2019 (1, Washington, Pac-12): RB Salvon Ahmed (HM)

2018 (1, Washington, Pac-12): RB Myles Gaskin (2nd)

2017 (2, Washington, Pac-12): RB Myles Gaskin (2nd), RB Salvon Ahmed (HM)

2015 (1, Washington, Pac-12): RB Myles Gaskin (HM)

2012 (1; Boise State, Mountain West): RB D.J. Harper (HM)

2009 (1; Boise State, WAC): RB Jeremy Avery (2nd)

2004 (1; Hawai’i, WAC): RS Chad Owens (2nd)