BEMIDJI 鈥� Bemidji State football head coach Brent Bolte announced the addition of defensive line coach Brendan Hopkins to the Beavers鈥� roster for 2025.
Prior to his move to Bemidji State, Hopkins spent time on the Black Hills State coaching staff from 2022-24, where he spent one season as the defensive line graduate assistant coach. During his first year, he helped to develop the 2022 RMAC Defensive Freshman of the Year, defensive end Cooper Brown.
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In the spring of 2023, Hopkins moved into the role of defensive line coach, travel coordinator and recruiting coordinator. In his time working with the defensive line, he saw two all-conference selections and two honorable mentions. Under Hopkins鈥� leadership, BHSU moved to 12th in the NCAA for rushing yards allowed per game, 20th in tackles for loss, 31st in sacks, eighth in blocked kicks and 30th in third-down defense.
Prior to BHSU, Hopkins spent the spring of 2022 at Jamestown as an outside linebackers graduate assistant.
Hopkins is a 2021 graduate of Chadron State, where he was a four-year starter on the defensive line, earning All-Conference Honorable mentions in 2019 and 2021. From 2017 until 2021, Hopkins played 40 games with an average of two tackles per game. He finished his career with 24 solo and 56 assisted tackles, adding 17.5 tackles for a loss of 57 yards and 7.5 sacks for 30 yards.
The Green River, Wyoming, native graduated from Chadron State with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in health and physical education.
The Beavers kick off the 2025 campaign with a trip to Houghton, Michigan, to take on the Michigan Tech Huskies on Aug. 28 at 5 p.m. Home football starts at Chet Anderson Stadium on Sept. 13 against Sioux Falls for the annual Lion鈥檚 Game and Senior Day.
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