Walden and UTEP announce staff additions of Bobby Daly, Brandon Butcher

EL PASO – UTEP Football Head Coach Scotty Walden named Bobby Daly the Miners’ defensive coordinator and Brandon Butcher as linebackers coach on Wednesday.

BOBBY DALY – DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR

Daly comes to UTEP from Montana State, where he served as the Bobcats’ assistant head coach, along with defensive coordinator and linebackers coach during the last six seasons (2019-2024).

“I am really excited to hire a leader who is the caliber of Bobby Daly,” Walden said. “When identifying a defensive coordinator, I was looking for a strong leader first, then someone who had a winning pedigree. Coach Daly checked those boxes and then some. He connected really well with our players and staff in the interview process. In addition, he helped lead Montana State to one of its strongest years in school history by leading one of the best defenses in the country. Coach Daly brings a blue-collar, gritty mindset that reflects our culture here in West Texas. I am fired up to have him lead the Orange Swarm!”

Montana State finished 15-1 overall and 8-0 in Big Sky Conference play. The Bobcats claimed a ’24 conference championship while also appearing in the FCS National Championship game. Montana State concluded the campaign ranked no. 2 in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll and STATS Perform FCS Poll. It was the first undefeated regular season in program history, while the 14 consecutive wins marked a program record and the most overall wins (15) in a single season.

In 2024, the Bobcats’ defense ranked no. 11 in the FCS in scoring defense (18.3 ppg), no. 15 in total defense (311.9 yards per game), no. 17 in third-down conversion percentage defense (0.340), no. 24 in rushing defense (121.2 ypg), no. 27 in team passing efficiency defense (120.7), no. 31 in passing defense (190.8 ypg) and no. 35 in fumbles recovered (eight).

Daly mentored DE Brody Grebe who was named the Big Sky Defensive Player of the Year. Grebe also earned Phil Steele All-American first team and All-Big Sky first team honors in 2024 and tallying 25 tackles, 6.5 tackle for loss, 5.5 sacks, four pass breakups and a forced fumble.

LB McCade O’Reilly garnered Phil Steele All-American third team and All-Big Sky first team honors in 2024 after posting 42 tackles with 4.5 TFLs, three breakups, a sack and a forced fumble.

In 2023, Montana State finished 8-4 overall (6-2 in conference) and ranked no. 9 in the FCS STATS poll. The Bobcats ranked first in the FCS at 3.4 sacks per game. The defense added three touchdowns, ranking no. 12 in FCS’ defensive scores.

Montana State finished 12-2 (8-0 Big Sky) in 2022, 12-3 (7-1 Big Sky) in 2021 and 11-4 (6-2 Big Sky) in 2019. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19.

Before Montana State, Daly coached at Idaho for six seasons – starting as a graduate assistant in 2013-2014. He was then hired as director of football operations for the 2015 and 2016 seasons while being elevated to linebackers coach in 2017 and 2018.

Daly is considered one of the best linebackers to play at Montana State (2005-2008). His 382 career tackles remain fourth in MSU history. Daly was an honorable mention All-American and second team All-Big Sky as a senior in 2008, and was first team All-American and All-Big Sky in 2007.

Daly received his degree in business finance from Montana State University in 2008.

He went on to play professional football in the Arena Football League (AFL) for the Central Valley Coyotes in 2009, and in the Indoor Football League (IFL) for the Billings Outlaws in 2010 and Wenatchee Venom in 2011.

Daly and his wife, Jasmine, have a daughter - CJ.

BRANDON BUTCHER – LINEBACKERS

Butcher previously coached at the University of Tennessee at Martin for the last four seasons. He served as co-defensive and special teams coordinator for the Skyhawks for the first two years and was elevated to defensive coordinator/linebackers coach before the 2023 season.

“I am fired up to have Brandon Butcher come in to coach and lead our linebackers,” Walden said. “He and I worked together at Southern Miss back in 2019 and 2020, and I always thought he was one of the hardest workers and brightest minds in the building. He will bring an edge to our linebacker room and our defense. Coach Butcher is one of the up-and-coming stars of our profession. I have not met many better defensive minds than Coach Butcher. He led UT Martin to multiple conference titles in his tenure there and his defenses never allowed over 100 yards rushing with him at the helm. I am excited for him to take over our linebacker room and add value to the Orange Swarm!”

UT Martin is coming off back-to-back Big South-OVC conference championships in 2023 and 2024. The no. 17 Skyhawks finished 9-5 overall and 6-2 in Big South-OVC play this past season. UT Martin dismantled no. 16 New Hampshire 41-10 in the first round of the FCS Playoffs but fell to no. 1 Montana State in the second round.

Under Butcher, in 2024, UTM ranked fifth in FCS in rushing defense, seventh in third-down defense, 15th in turnovers and fifth in defensive touchdowns. Six players on the defensive side of the ball were named Big South-OVC All-Conference first team members – S Oshae Baker (48 tackles, seven pass breakups), NG Christian Dowell (26 tackles), CB JaMichael McGoy Jr. (38 tackles, 17 pass breakups), DE Charles Perkins (38 tackles, 8.5 TFL), LBs Jaylon Sharpe (75 tackles, 14.5 TFL) and Tevin Shipp (75 tackles, 3 INT). LB Chris Hunter Jr. (72 tackles, 7.0 TFL) was named to the second team.

While at Southern Miss with Walden, Butcher was the assistant coach for the nickels in 2020, while being a defensive assistant/defensive graduate assistant in 2019.

Before coaching in Hattiesburg, Butcher served as a defensive grad assistant/defensive analyst at Coastal Carolina for three seasons (2016-2018). He got his start as a defensive graduate assistant/student assistant at East Carolina in 2014 and 2015.

Prior to his work in the college ranks, he spent one year as defensive coordinator with the Palmetto Havoc – a semi-pro football team in Myrtle Beach, S.C., from 2013-14.

Butcher received his Bachelor of Science in Sports Management from Coastal Carolina University in 2014.

The Wooster, Ohio, native is married to Rebecca Butcher. The couple has one son – Cal.