BYU defensive staff taking shape under Poppinga, adds former Utes DB Lewis Walker

PROVO — Former BYU linebacker Kelly Poppinga continued to round out his staff as first-year defensive coordinator at his alma mater.

The former All-Mountain West linebacker finalized the addition of former Utah defensive back Lewis Walker as cornerbacks coach Monday afternoon, and also promoted linebackers coach Justin Ena to Poppinga's old position as special teams coordinator while moving defensive analyst Chad Kauha'aha'a to outside linebackers coach.

With the new additions, Poppinga will also coach inside linebackers, newly announced cornerbacks coach Demario Warren will be placed over the safeties, and associate head coach Sione Po'uha's role expanded to coach the defensive line from defensive tackles.

Gary Andersen, the former head coach at Utah State, Oregon State and Wisconsin, who has been at BYU as a senior defensive analyst since 2024, will also be heavily involved in the Cougars' defense, according to several team sources.

Walker, who grew up in Salt Lake City, returns to his home state after coaching 11 seasons at Football Championship Subdivision power North Dakota State and FCS playoff contender Monmouth.

The Judge Memorial graduate helped the Bison to a 23-7 record and FCS title game appearances in two seasons in Fargo, while also coaching the Monmouth defensive backs from 2017-21 en route to three playoff appearances and a pair of Big South titles.

Walker began his coaching career as the secondary coach and special teams coordinator at Copper Hills High in West Jordan before accepting his first collegiate job at Columbia in 2014.

He played three seasons at the University of Hawaii fro 2008-10 before finishing his final two years of college football at Utah in 2011-12, playing in 10 games with one start and totaling 14 tackles, two pass breakups and a forced fumble as a redshirt senior.

"I am excited for the opportunity to join this BYU program," Walker said in a statement. "I'm really looking forward to being with a lot of familiar people at this elite level and a chance to learn and grow from a great administration and staff here. I can't wait to get in and develop our cornerbacks and build relationships with all of them."

Kauha'aha'a was moved to a full-time position coach opening after spending the past two years as a senior analyst in Provo. The former All-WAC defensive lineman and linebacker at Utah came to BYU in 2024, and assumes a similar position he held at UCLA, UNLV, USC, Boise State, Oregon State and Wisconsin, in addition to his alma mater.

"Chad is a great recruiter and defensive coach with a ton of experience," BYU head coach Kalani said. "He has an extensive coaching resume and excels mentoring ends and outside backers. I've been around Chad my entire career, so I know he has coached a lot of sacks in his career and helped a lot of guys get to the NFL."

Ena moves into a strictly coordinator role after the former three-time all-conference linebacker at BYU from 1997-2001 worked with special teams for three years under former coach Kyle Whittingham at Utah (2016-18) and two seasons at Southern Utah (2008-09) under former BYU assistant Ed Lamb.

He also coached at San Diego State, Utah Tech, Eastern Washington, Utah State and Weber State.

"Before we undertook the recent changes to our defensive staff," Poppinga said in a statement, "I intended to emphasize special teams even more within our staff structure heading into 2026."

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