BYU Football Hires Former SUU Head Coach Demario Warren To Staff
Jan 7, 2026, 6:05 PM | Updated: Jan 8, 2026, 2:12 am
PROVO, Utah – BYU football tabbed Demario Warren, a veteran coach, to join the retooled defensive staff under new defensive coordinator Kelly Poppinga.
Warren, most recently at Boise State as a cornerbacks coach since 2022, is also a former head coach at Southern Utah.
Demario Warren joins the BYU football staff as Defensive Passing Game Coordinator
He will be BYU’s new defensive pass game coordinator and cornerbacks coach. Warren replaces Jernaro Gilford, who took the defensive backs position at Michigan on Jay Hill’s defensive staff.
“Demario is an outstanding coach with great experience in all phases of the game, including six years as the head coach at Southern Utah and a ton of experience coaching defensive backs.” BYU football head coach Sitake said. “He was the defensive coordinator when Jernaro (Gilford) became the SUU corners coach. I’m excited to have Demario coming to BYU to coordinate our pass game defense and continue our outstanding coaching and player development at the cornerback position.”
Warren was the head coach at Southern Utah from 2016 to 2021
Warren coached at Southern Utah for 14 seasons, including six as head coach, posting a 21-42 record.
“I have grown so much as a coach and person in Boise, and I am grateful for Coach Danielson and the Bronco Family for an amazing experience,” Demario Warren said. “I have admired Kalani for a long time. When he called to explain his vision for the BYU program and the opportunities ahead, my family and I knew this was a situation we could not pass up. We are blessed to have the opportunity to be part of this prestigious university and football program.”
Sione Po’uha elevated to Associate Head Coach
Another defensive staff move that paired with the announcement of Demario Warren was the elevation of defensive tackles coach Sione Po’uha to associate head coach.
Po’uha, a former University of Utah and NFL standout along the defensive line, has been at BYU since 2022.
“Sione is an exceptional coach and advisor who I’m eager to have in this overall leadership role in our program,” Kalani Sitake said. “Sione is a great man and a natural leader for our young men on and off the fieldI’m’m excited about having Sione in this expanded role, not only because of his football knowledge and expertise as a coach and NFL player, but also because he is one of the best teachers of program culture that I know and is extremely capable of leading our progra”.”
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and hosts the Cougar Tracks Podcast daily on KSL Sports YouTube and KSL NewsRadio (SUBSCRIBE). Harper also co-hosts Cougar Sports Saturday (12–3 p.m.) on KSL NewsRadio.
Follow Mitch’s’s coverage of BYU athletics in the Big 12 Conference on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram: @Mitch_Harper.
