Colorado School of Mines Athletics

Recruiting Areas: Transfer Portal, Highlands Ranch, Centennial, Longmont, Northern Colorado (Erie, Fort Collins, Loveland), Dallas/Fort Worth area

Yon Boone returned to Golden for his second tenure with Mines Football in the spring of 2024 as the program's special teams coordinator and running backs coach.

Boone, who had previously been the Orediggers' defensive backs coach in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, spent the previous four seasons at Murray State as the Racers' defensive backs coach. His tenure at Murray State was highlighted by the development of All-American Marcis Floyd, and the Racers led the OVC in passing defense in the spring 2021 season. He led a defensive back group that produced 42 interceptions and 171 pass breakups during his tenure. 

In his first tenure at Mines, Boone was part of the coaching staff that won back-to-back RMAC titles in 2018 and 2019. He coached Academic All-American Geoff Keating and current Mines DBs coach Anthony Makransky among six all-RMAC selections as Mines went 23-3 in those two seasons.

In the 2024 season, Boone coached a productive running backs room led by all-RMAC selection Landon Walker, who ran for 741 yards and 11 touchdowns, and coordinated one of the nation's best special teams units that produced D-II's #1 net punting average. 

Boone arrived in Golden from Lawrence University (Wisc.), where had held a variety of responsibilities, including defensive coordinator, since the 2015 season. Boone also coached the defensive backs and coordinated special teams and recruiting while overseeing football operations for the Vikings. Among his defensive highlights at Lawrence were seven all-Midwest Conference selections and NCAA Division III's #14-rated pass defense in 2016. As recruiting coordinator he oversaw the three largest classes in program history and was responsible for recruiting nationally, including in Colorado.

Prior to his time at Lawrence, Boone was assistant head coach for defense and special teams coordinator at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire from 2012 to 2015. He has also been a defensive assistant at Eastern Kentucky, working with safeties and outside linebackers, from 2010-12; a defensive quality control coach at Wofford from 2008-10 assisting with the defensive backs; and he began his career as a student assistant at Hamline from 2006-08.

Boone is a graduate of Hamline University with a B.A. in social studies education in 2008, and earned his M.S. in physical education and sport administration from Eastern Kentucky in 2011. Boone and his wife, Brittany, are both natives of Naples, Fla., and have two daughters, Emma-Kate and Baylor.