It’s official: Vance Joseph is the 16th head coach in Broncos history, taking over for Gary Kubiak. The former Dolphins defensive coordinator and Colorado alumnus was named the Broncos’ new coach Wednesday, a day after interviewing and dining with the team.

The job is Joseph’s first as head coach, but those who know him well say he’s been primed for this job for years:

Gary Kubiak, former Broncos head coach: “Vance has been in preparation for this opportunity for many years. He is a leader of men who gets the most out his players. V.J. is demanding yet passionate in his relationship with them. He is a tremendous addition to the Bronco family. I am so proud of him. His future and the future of the Denver Broncos is very bright. I congratulate V.J. and it’s well deserved.”

Marvin Lewis, Bengals head coach: “When you sit in staff meetings and in game plan meetings and his ability to interject and have an opinion on things — a well thought-of and researched opinion — I think there’s no question in my mind that he has the ability to lead the room and lead men and get them pointed in the right direction and take those steps to be a head coach.”

Ndamukong Suh, Dolphins defensive tackle: “I think I learned a lot from him, just in regards to how he views putting the defensive line and the back seven together, and the front seven and the back four together. … There is no question that those players are going to definitely be happy with the way that he runs things and with the way he likes things set up. I’ve gotten to see him in action at all levels over these past 12 months.”

Adam Jones, Bengals cornerback: “Great dude. A player’s coach. He was good for us here. He’s very smart. Taught us a lot of things as a group as far as different routes and playing different things. I’ve played with a lot of good coaches, but V.J. was one of the best coaches I’ve been coached by. He just has a knack of getting to the inner person. He knows the right things to say. He’s going to tell you wrong or right what you need to step up on and you can respect a person like that.” Related Articles October 12, 2016 Broncos Mailbag Form: Submit questions here

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Charles Johnson, former CU quarterback: “He is a leader. We were teammates. He was a freshman, my senior year. But what makes us closer is we’re frat brothers – Omega Psi Phi or Que Dogs. If you talk to anybody that was a part of those teams from 1991-94, he is one of the key figures from whatever the success the team had from a leadership perspective.”

“He was the baby of the group. It was (Darian) Hagan, myself and Vance. Kind of by nature, he conceded. He was learning. He kind of hitched his wagon onto me because we were closer in proximity and his brother, who was the starter QB at Nebraska, was also pledging the same fraternity as I was at the same time.”

“We used to have these fraternity basketball fundraiser charity games. We were playing a team in Denver. This guy was hitting 30-footers on us. We couldn’t stop him. V.J. said, ‘Let me get him, I got him.’ He’s not a trash talker, he’s just real competitive. This guy went up for a jump shot, V.J. hit him so hard he hit him under the bleacher. He didn’t take another shot and we won the game. He didn’t say anything else. He just ended that. Ultra competitive.”

Chad Brown, former CU and NFL linebacker: “He was younger than I was so my memories of Vance was much more of a guy who part of the scout team, particularly the scout team quarterback. What a great job he did preparing us for our games and how seriously he took that job. I can certainly remember times when — and obviously he was a quarterback, so he’s a leader — but he would get on the other guys, the other freshman on the scout team and try to get them to act or do the scout team look right so the defense would had a great chance to play well on Saturday.”

Michael Westbrook, former CU and NFL receiver: “This guy was an offensive player. He happens to be an awesome defensive coordinator. That ought to tell you something. He was the brains on offense and he ends up being an NFL defensive coordinator. That ought to tell you something about him right there.”

Matt McChesney, former CU, Broncos and NFL lineman: “He’s a guy that can put your arm around or welcome you into his office shut the door and hear your problems about life without judging you.

“He’s a very, very smart football guy. It’s not surprising to me for him to be regarded highly for this job. Everywhere he goes, guys will praise him.”

“Coach V.J. is one of the guys that you don’t want to let down. It doesn’t piss you off to play for him. It’s not a drag to be in the meeting room with him. He inspires you to be your best.”

“He has a ton of roots here. And he has a ton of people rooting for him in Boulder.”

Congrats to coach VJ he's going to be awesome! I knew he would be a HC one day from our time Houston. — Justin Forsett (@JForsett) January 11, 2017

I was with VJ in Cincy. Great hire by @johnelway! Smart, calculated, creative defensive mind. Holds guys accountable. #BurkeDCMiami https://t.co/Xmkahp7Ooo — AJ Hawk (@OfficialAJHawk) January 11, 2017

Wow…So proud of my former coach and fellow #Buff Vance Joseph on becoming the Head Coach of the @Broncos #awesome https://t.co/N4kGDGh2VP — Joel Klatt (@joelklatt) January 11, 2017