Idaho football: Former T-Wolf Endsley, Dennison added to Vandal staff
MOSCOW — New Idaho football coach Thomas Ford Jr. on Tuesday announced a pair of hires to his coaching staff, including former Lake City High product Loren Endlsey as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach.
Ford also announced the hiring of former Power Five defensive coordinator and All-Pac-12 linebacker Cort Dennison as Idaho's defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
Endsley has coached at nearly every level from high school to FBS, but comes to Idaho from NCAA DII Minnesota Duluth where he was also the run game coordinator and the offensive line coach.
"As a guy who grew up in North Idaho, Joining the University of Idaho's football program is an incredible honor," Endsley said in a news release. "I'm excited to work with a great group of athletes and a talented coaching staff. The passion for Vandal football is unmatched and I can't wait to be a part of continuing the culture of excellence in Moscow."
Endsley joined UMD before the 2022 season and helped the Bulldogs become one of the best offenses in the DII ranks. Duluth led the Northern Sun in nearly every offensive category in 2024. The last three seasons, the Bulldogs have ranked in the top 15 in DII in rushing, yards per carry and third-down percentage.
During his time at Duluth, Endlsey took time to travel to Moscow and learn from former head coach Jason Eck and the Vandal offensive staff.
"Loren Endsley brings a wealth of knowledge not only in offensive line play, but also with recruiting and overall offensive philosophy," Ford said. "He's a guy who's gonna work really hard in everything he does and is a true developer. Loren has coached multiple guys at the DII level that were East-West Shrine Game invitees and has always been able to do more with less throughout his career. He's also an Idaho guy who's been around the program the last few years so has a great understanding of what we've been building since 2022. He brings toughness to the position group and is a great addition to the staff."
Prior to joining the UMD staff, Endsley spent the 2021 season at FBS Ohio University, where he was an assistant offensive line coach. In 2020, Endsley was a quality control coach at the University of South Dakota.
From 2018-19, Endsley was the offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator at NAIA Dakota Wesleyan University. There, his offense set program records for total yards in a game (822 yards, third-most in NAIA history), passing yards in a game (510) and first downs (45).
Previously, Endsley at NAIA Eastern Oregon University in La Grande, and was the head coach at Lake Roosevelt (Wash.) High, leading the program to two state playoff appearances.
Endsley played on the offensive line at Idaho State and Eastern Oregon, where he earned USA Football All-American recognition. He earned degrees in history and exercise science at Eastern Oregon in 2013 and then received his master's degree in education in 2014.
Endsley is married to his wife Cassie and has two young boys, Cooper and Payton.
Dennison comes to Idaho from Missouri State where he served as the linebackers coach this past season.
"I am thrilled to work for coach Ford and the University of Idaho," Dennison said in a news release. "I can't wait to get to Moscow and continue to build on the success of this storied program. We will work relentlessly to put a defense on the field that will make the Vandal family proud."
Prior to coming to Springfield, he served as a defensive quality control assistant at Utah during the 2023 season.
Before his return to his hometown of Salt Lake City, Dennison spent two stints at Louisville where he was defensive coordinator from 2019 until 2021.
He also worked four years on the Louisville staff from 2014-17 in a variety of coaching roles, including defensive graduate assistant (2014), director of on-campus recruiting (2015), assistant secondary coach and recruiting coordinator (2016), and inside linebackers coach and co-special teams coordinator (2017).
In 2016, Dennison led the Cardinals to a No. 14 national ranking in total defense (322.2), No. 22 ranking in interceptions (15), and No. 37 in pass defense (207.1).
"Cort Dennison is a real ball coach," Ford said. "He has a phenomenal understanding of defensive football and knows how to adjust the scheme to fit his players. Cort has the ability to build relationships with everyone around him and cares about his players. He has never been a part of a losing season anywhere he's been as a coach or player and will bring a winning attitude to Moscow."
Dennison coached one season at the University of Oregon as an outside linebackers coach for the 2018 Redbox Bowl champions.
Dennison starred at Judge Memorial High in Salt Lake City where the standout tight end and linebacker was named Utah Athlete of the Year by The Salt Lake Tribune his senior year.
He went on to play at the University of Washington, where he started all 13 games at inside linebacker as a senior (2011), including a 15-tackle performance in the Alamo Bowl against Baylor. He earned All-Pac-12 second-team honors after posting 128 tackles in his final season.
Dennison graduated from Washington with a degree in Communications in 2011. He later earned his master's in Sports Administration from Louisville (2015).
Cort Dennison