The Broncos are going back to the college-football ranks to replace Jim Leonhard on their defensive staff.

Denver is expected to hire USC defensive-backs coach Doug Belk as its secondary coach, replacing Leonhard, who assumed the defensive-coordinator responsibilities with the Buffalo Bills late last month. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz was first to report the move.

Two of Belk’s players from this past season’s Trojans roster were invited to the NFL Scouting Combine: Bishop Fitzgerald and Kamari Ramsey.

The 38-year-old Belk also has five seasons of collegiate defensive-coordinator experience at the University of Houston — two as a co-defensive coordinator (2019-20) and three guiding the Cougars defense on his own. The Cougars ranked No. 6 in FBS in total defense in 2021, but sagged to 105th in 2022 and 115th in 2023.

Belk also has experience at West Virginia (cornerbacks coach, 2017-18), Alabama (graduate assistant, 2014-16) and Division II Valdosta State (defensive assistant and special-teams coach, 2011; defensive-backs coach, 2012-13).

BELK FITS WITH A BRONCOS HIRING TREND

Belk will be the fifth Broncos position coach on the current staff who came aboard directly from the college ranks without any prior NFL coaching experience, joining running backs coach Lou Ayeni, quarterbacks coach Logan Kilgore, defensive-line coach Jamar Cain and inside-linebackers coach Jeff Schmedding.

Leonhard also joined the staff without previous NFL coaching experience. Offensive coordinator Davis Webb, special-teams quality-control coach Zach Line, defensive quality-control coaches Todd Davis and Brian Niedermayer and offensive quality-control coach Favian Upshaw also initially joined the Broncos without prior NFL coaching experience.

Webb and Kilgore have worked their way into higher positions over their years on the staff.

“We try to have a couple of young coaches on each side of the ball and maybe one in the kicking game that are in entry-level positions,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said last year.

“Obviously, coaching ability is important, passion is important and compatibility is important. All of those traits, as you are building a team, you are counting on from your coaches.”