Brendan Hopkins joins the Beavers for his first season in 2025 after spending the past three seasons at Black Hills State University.
Hopkins joined the BHSU coaching staff in 2022 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. In the spring of 2023, Hopkins moved into the role of defensive line coach, travel coordinator and recruiting coordinator. His time at defensive line coach saw two all-conference selections and two honorable mentions. Under Hopkins’ leadership, BHSU moved to 12th in the NCAA for rushing yards allowed per game, 20th in tackles for loss, 31st in sacks, 8th in blocked kicks and 30th in third-down defense.
Prior to BHSU, Hopkins spent the spring of 2022 at the University of Jamestown as an outside linebackers graduate assistant.
Hopkins is a 2021 graduate of Chadron State College 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 marked 40 games played 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, Wyo. Native graduated from Chadron State with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education.
