BOISE, Idaho >> New Boise State coach Bryan Harsin has filled two key coaching vacancies on offense and defense.

Harsin announced this week that former Broncos assistant Marcel Yates will return to be the defensive coordinator. On the other side of the ball, Harsin tapped former Boise State quarterback Mike Sanford Jr. to be the offensive coordinator.

Yates played defensive back at Boise State and joined the coaching staff from 2003 to 2011 before taking the job of co-defensive coordinator at Texas A&M.

Sanford was a backup through 2004 and has spent the last three years at Stanford, where he coached receivers and quarterbacks. This year he served as the team’s recruiting coordinator.

Harsin praised both as savvy coaches and recruiters.

So far, Harsin has officially announced the hiring of four assistants.