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Provo • School's in for Brigham Young's newest coach Kelly Poppinga.

With jobs scarce in the NFL, the former BYU standout linebacker, an intense performer who was a leader on back-to-back Mountain West Conference champions, wanted to coach. Specifically, he wanted to glean everything possible from Cougars head coach Bronco Mendenhall.

However, as BYU (2-5, 1-2 MWC) prepares for Wyoming on Saturday, the learning curve has definitely changed for the Evanston, Wyo., native.

"One thing I've learned, there is adversity everywhere," Poppinga said. "But there's a different type of adversity that comes with a winning season and losing season. You have to be ready to react and be able to take in anything that coach Mendenhall, or whoever is the head coach, is willing to give you.

"There are guys who have to step into roles they're not comfortable with and maybe not ready for, but you got to get ready.

"It's turned into a real good experience for me, and hopefully it turns into something more permanent here."

First, Poppinga, an All-MWC performer, knows how to work and win.

"He's been a captain here," Mendenhall said. "He's played middle linebacker, which is similar to being a coach. He's absolutely loyal and believes in the way that I coach and philosophy, so that carried a lot of weight."

Hired as a graduate assistant in 2009, Poppinga was among those who were thrown a new playbook five games into what had so far been a disappointment for players and coaches in 2010.

Mendenhall fired defensive coordinator Jaime Hill. Included among the staff changes was moving coach Nick Howell from outside linebackers to the secondary. Howell was replaced by Poppinga, who became a full-time staff member.

As a graduate assistant, Poppinga's primary responsibility was breaking down film for all of the defensive assistant coaches. Now he's more focused on his own group.

"He's done a really nice job, he knows the defense really well," Mendenhall said. "The players like him. He's really knowledgeable and is a great example of what we want linebackers to play like here."

Still fit and muscular, though a bit slimmer than when he was bashing backs for BYU in 2006 and 2007, Poppinga is intent on passing on the philosophy and work ethic that helped him lead the Cougars with 113 tackles as a senior.

It's been sort of an uphill battle. The outside linebackers have had three coaches now in a year's period. Howell replaced Barry Lamb, who took a health-related leave of absence.

"There were some [players] with mixed emotions because they had gotten close with coach Howell," Poppinga said. "So it's kind of hard for me because they built a good relationship with him. So, I'm still trying to win the hearts of the some of the guys."

For outside linebacker Jordan Pendelton, "K-Pop" has the credibility to make the group his own.

"I've always respected him as player, and now that he's coaching the outside linebackers I respect the heck out of him 'cause he actually played here," Pendelton said. "He's really intense and really smart. So it's been fun."

As a player, Poppinga only knew one speed. As a coach, that's had to change, and believes he has had the best mentor.

"Just seeing how he's handled the different adversity that affected program last two month, it showed me a guy who's very patient first of all," Poppinga said. "And a guy who doesn't panic, either."

Poppinga file

• A two-time All-Mountain West Conference linebacker in 2006 and 2007.

• Hired as a graduate assistant in 2009, named outside linebackers coach midway through this season.

• His brother, Brady, and father, Dennis, played football at BYU. —

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