Cowboys' Kellen Moore Reportedly Has 'High Interest' in Boise State HC Job
Dec 26, 2020
Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore stands of the field before an NFL football game against the New York Giants in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore reportedly has "high interest" in Boise State's open head coach position, per Mike Prater of KTIK Sports Radio and the Idaho Press:
Can confirm, through multiple sources, that Kellen Moore & Andy Avalos have high interest in #BoiseState job. Both families on board. Both have interviewed. Process has included Chris Petersen, per sources. I expect one to be hired this week. More details Sunday in @TheIdahoPresspic.twitter.com/hoDvbHdVP3
Moore, 32, started at quarterback for Boise State from 2008 to 2011. He was a two-time WAC Offensive Player of the Year, one-time Mountain West Player of the Year and a Heisman Trophy finalist during his Broncos tenure. In addition, Moore completed 69.8 percent of his passes for 14,667 yards and 142 touchdowns.
The Broncos also went 50-3 with Moore, who guided them to three Top 10 Associated Press poll finishes and a high of No. 4 in 2009, when the team went 14-0 and won the Fiesta Bowl.
Moore went undrafted but landed with the Detroit Lions in 2012. He stayed with the organization until 2015 before it released him. He then signed with the Dallas Cowboys and started the team's last two games of the 2015 season.
He missed the entire 2016 campaign with a fractured fibula and was on the active roster and practice squad in 2017 before retiring.
Moore rejoined Dallas as its quarterbacks coach in 2018. He was promoted to offensive coordinator in 2019 and stayed on staff for 2020 despite Jason Garrett's firing and Mike McCarthy's hiring.
As Prater noted, Moore isn't the only person interested in the job. Andy Avalos, a former Boise State linebacker who works as Oregon's defensive coordinator, is also up for the gig. Avalos was a first-team All-WAC player in 2003 and 2004 and had 365 career tackles.
Avalos coached at Colorado, Nebraska-Kearney and Sacramento State before returning to Boise State in 2012. He coached defensive linemen in 2012 and 2013 and linebackers in 2014 and 2015 before adding defensive coordinator responsibilities in 2016. He left Boise State for Oregon in 2019.
Whomever takes over the Boise State gig will be replacing Bryan Harsin, who resigned to lead Auburn. The Broncos went 5-2 in 2020 and lost to San Jose State in the Mountain West Conference Championship Game.
Boise State Coaches Will Be Required to Take Furloughs Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
Apr 21, 2020
Boise State coach Bryan Harsin watches his players warm up for the Las Vegas Bowl NCAA college football game against Washington at Sam Boyd Stadium, Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)
Boise State coaches are included in the employee furloughs announced by university president Marlene Tromp on Tuesday afternoon, according to the Idaho Statesman's Ron Counts.
The Idaho Statesman's Katherine Jones had relayed Tromp's internal email disclosing the furloughs for all university faculty and staff, including those on contracts, earning more than $40,000 on Monday.
"I hope our swift action now can help us avoid what could be more grave action later and provide for the long-term well-being of both our community and the institution," Tromp wrote.
Per Jones, "The highest-paid employees, those who make more than $150,000 a year, will take 10 furlough days. The lowest-paid full-time employees ($40,000-$74,999) will take four furlough days. Those making $100,000-$149,999 will take seven furlough days and those making $75,000-$99,999 will have five."
Per Counts, football coach Bryan Harsin, men's basketball coach Leon Rice and women's basketball coach Gordy Presnell each fall under the salary category dictating 10 furlough days, as do most of the Broncos assistant football coaches. Baseball coach Gary Von Tol will be required to take five furlough days.
Tromp outlined a "nearly $10 million impact" from losses related to canceling "millions of dollars in revenue-generating events through the school year and into the summer" because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Boise Statecanceled its spring sports on March 12 as a result of the pandemic.
Boise State outside linebackers coach and co-special teams coordinator told The Athletic's Dave Southorn on April 7 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Boise State LB Coach Zac Alley Announces He Tested Positive for COVID-19
Apr 7, 2020
BOISE, ID - SEPTEMBER 20: Detail view of a end zone pylon with the Boise State Broncos logo and the Mountain West Conference logo before the game between the Air Force Falcons and the Boise State Broncos on September 20, 2019 at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. Boise State won the game 30-19. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)
Boise State outside linebackers coach and co-special teams coordinator Zac Alley said on Tuesday that he is "feeling good" after testing positive for COVID-19 last week, per The Athletic's Dave Southorn.
Alley told Southorn that "every breath was like taking a knife and sticking it through your ribs" while he was battling COVID-19.
The 26-year-old added: "I had no symptoms, anything, and in about a 24-hour period, I went from zero to 100. I didn't think it was a big deal throughout the day and next thing I know, it was like, 'All right, we probably need to go to the hospital.' I don't recommend it to anybody, it was definitely one of the worst pains I've felt in my life."
Boise State partnered with St. Luke's Health, where Alley was tested and treated, on March 25:
Southorn noted that "Boise State had vacated the football facilities more than a week" before Alley started experiencing symptoms.
Alley was hired by Boise State in March 2019 after serving as a graduate assistant at Clemson from 2015-18 and a nickels coach at Charlotte in 2018-19.
There is growing uncertainty that the 2020 college football season will be able to start on time because of COVID-19. The Athletic's Bruce Feldman reported on April 3 that the possibility has been "kicked around" to play next season in spring 2021.
Former Boise State RB Jack Fields Jr. Killed at Age 25 After Stabbing Deputy
Nov 16, 2018
Boise State running back Jack Fields (21) in the first half during the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football game against Arizona, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Former Boise State Broncos running back Jack Fields Jr. died Thursday night after reportedly stabbing a Richmond County sheriff multiple times before the officer used his service weapon to shoot Fields. He was 25.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation released details Friday from its initial investigation, which alleges Fields resisted arrest and became engaged in a confrontation with deputy Stephan Psillos.
"Fields pulled a knife from his coat pocket and attacked deputy Psillos, stabbing him multiple times," the report reads. "Deputy Psillos fired his service weapon striking Fields."
Fields was pronounced dead at the scene. Psillos is currently being treated for his injuries at the Augusta University Medical Center.
Police were called to the scene, a Residence Inn in Augusta, on a "trouble with subject" call. No further information about what led to the incident was immediately released.
Patrick Morgan, special agent in charge for the GBI, told Scott Gleeson of USA Today they are planning to interview 10 eyewitnesses as well as Psillos when he recoveries from the stab wounds.
Fields appeared in 34 games across four seasons at Boise State.
Brett Rypien, Boise State Defeat Oregon 38-28 in Las Vegas Bowl
Dec 16, 2017
Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien attempts a pass against Oregon during the first half of the Las Vegas Bowl NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 16, 2017, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
The No. 25 Boise State Broncos dominated the Oregon Ducks in nearly all facets Saturday to win the 2017 Las Vegas Bowl 38-28at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas.
Boise State out-gained Oregon 481-285, won the time of possession battle by more than 13 minutes and had 28first downs in the game compared to 14for the Ducks.
Oregon didn't run a single play in Boise State territory during the first half, and the only thing that kept the Ducks in it was a pair of long return touchdowns on defense in the final minute of the second quarter.
Offensively, Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien had a strong day with 362 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, and wide receiver Cedrick Wilson was the main beneficiary, as he made 10 receptions for 221 yards and one score.
The Ducks couldn't get anything going on offense, as evidenced by quarterback Justin Herbert's stat line of 233 passing yards, two touchdowns and two picks.
By virtue of Saturday's win, Boise State finished the season with an 11-3 mark. Oregon fell to 7-6 by losing its first game under new head coach Mario Cristobal.
Oregon entered the game short-handed, as all-time school rushing leader Royce Freeman decided toskipthe game seemingly to protect against an injury before the 2018 NFL draft.
Freeman was on the sidelines and gave his team a pep talk prior to the game, which didn't sit well with the ESPN halftime broadcast team, according to Scout.com's Kevin Wade:
Man, ESPN halftime crew just ROASTING Royce Freeman right now.
Said he has no right to address the team if he's not playing
The speech seemingly did little to pump up the Ducks, as Boise State was all over them from the onset.
Boise State scored first midway through the opening quarter when Ryan Wolpin rushed for a one-yard touchdown.
That advantage was doubled on a 26-yard catch and run by Wilson, as seen in the following video courtesy of the Las Vegas Bowl's official Twitter account:
After a field goal made it 17-0, the Broncos defense got in on the scoring act with a pick-six.
Boise State true freshman safety Kekaula Kaniho intercepted Herbert in the second quarter and took it back 53 yards to the house to help extend the lead to 24-0:
The Broncos were in position to add to that lead even more late in the first half, as they drove the ball down to the Oregon 10-yard line with less than one minute remaining.
Boise State may have outsmarted itself, though, as a botched Statue of Liberty play resulted in a fumble that Oregon linebacker Troy Dye picked up and returned 86 yards for a touchdown:
Rather than being happy with a 24-7 lead and kneeling on the ball, Boise State got aggressive after receiving the ensuing kickoff.
Rypien hooked up with Wilson for a 65-yard gain, but he was intercepted by Tyree Robinson in the end zone on the next play, and Robinson went all the way for a 100-yard pick-six:
Without even coming close to breaking 100 yards of offense or running a play in Boise State territory, the Ducks trailed by just 10 points at the half.
Benjamin Allbright of 104.7FM in Denver expressed his belief that the Broncos should have been a bit more conservative:
As seen in the following rundown of the first-half stats from CBS Sports' Tom Fornelli, nearly everything suggested Boise State should have had a big lead:
Oregon has turned the ball over four times, has yet to cross the 50 yard line, and trails Boise State only 24-14 at halftime. pic.twitter.com/fnPBSYQGXe
Remarkably, the teams combined for seven turnovers in the first half, and careless play by Boise State in the latter stages is primarily what kept Oregon afloat.
The opening drive of the second half was key for the Broncos in terms of reversing momentum.
Boise State's offense was up to the challenge, as it marched 75 yards in 12 plays, culminating in a 13-yard touchdown pass from Rypien to senior tight end Alec Dhaenens to help make it 31-14:
Here's a clip of @broncosportsfb's Alec Dhaenens 13-yard TD reception from Brett Rypien that pushes Boise State's lead to 17 with 9:41 left in the 3rd Q. #LVBowl Score Update: BSU 31, Oregon 14 pic.twitter.com/A0BVzUDjMn
Oregon once again tightened the score early in the fourth quarter, though, when Herbert connected with Brenden Schooler for a 24-yard touchdown.
The Ducks were unable to pull any closer, and Boise State put the game away with 2:22 remaining when Wolpin scored once again from one yard out to help restore the 17-point lead at 38-21.
Oregon tacked on a garbage-time touchdown with 1:12 remaining when Herbert hit Jaylon Redd from eight yards out, but the game had already essentially been decided.
With Saturday's win, Boise State finished a season with at least 11 wins for the first time since 2014. It also improved its bowl record over its past nine appearances to 7-2.
The Cristobal era got off to a rocky start, but the Ducks managed to keep the score fairly close despite being thoroughly outplayed.
Boise State DL David Moa Arrested on Charges of Disturbing the Peace
Sep 16, 2017
Boise State nose tackle David Moa (55) looks over to the sidelines in the third quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, in Honolulu. (AP Photo/Eugene Tanner)
Boise State defensive lineman David Moa was arrested early Saturday morning in Boise, Idaho, on suspicion of disturbing the peace.
According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com), Moa is no longer in custody and is scheduled to appear in court Monday.
Specifics regarding the location and details behind the arrest aren't yet available.
Moa is a junior defensive tackle from San Diego who has registered eight tackles and one sack for the Broncos so far this season.
As a sophomore in 2016, he set career highs with 30 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and a team-high 8.5 sacks en route to being named an All-Mountain West first-team performer.
Boise State's next game is Friday against Virginia. It isn't yet known if his arrest will impact his eligibility for the game, but senior Daniel Auelua is listed behind Moa on Boise State's depth chart.
Montell Cozart Announces Transfer to Boise State from Kansas
May 4, 2017
MORGANTOWN, WV - NOVEMBER 05: Montell Cozart #2 of the Kansas Jayhawks in action against the West Virginia Mountaineers at Mountaineer Field on November 5, 2016 in Morgantown, West Virginia. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
Former Kansas quarterback Montell Cozart announced on Thursday he will be transferring to Boise State.
Grateful to announce today that I will be committing to Boise State University! It's a blessing to know God always has a plan! BLEED BLUE 🔷🔶 pic.twitter.com/St6U6QRfyU
In seven games in 2016, Cozart threw for 1,075 yards, seven touchdowns and nine interceptions for the Jayhawks. In total, he started 18 games for Kansas and was a team captain last season. Kansas went just 1-6 in his starts in 2016 and 2-10 overall.
Cozart announced his intention to transfer from Kansas in February:
Because of his status as a graduate transfer, Cozart will be free to play for the Broncos immediately.
He'll be competing with junior Brett Rypien, redshirt freshman Jake Constantine and freshman Chase Cord for the starting job with the Broncos in the 2017 season. The Broncos are coming off a 10-3 season, and Rypien had a solid season for the team, throwing for 3,646 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Kameron Miles Arrested: Latest Details, Mugshot and More on Boise State LB
Feb 8, 2017
Boise State linebacker Kameron Miles (24) during the Cactus Bowl NCAA college football game against Baylor, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Boise State linebacker Kameron Miles was arrested and charged with domestic battery early Wednesday morning, according to B.J. Rains of the Idaho Press-Tribune.
Boise State announced Miles has been dismissed from the team, per KBOI 2News.
Miles was taken to and booked at the Ada County Jail, according to Rains. This latest incident is the second in a week for the linebacker, who pleaded guilty to a drug paraphernalia charge last week.
Miles, who was set to be a redshirt senior this fall, spent the past two seasons with the Broncos after transferring from Butler County Community College. He started his career at Texas A&M but was dismissed from the team after redshirting his first year.
He appeared in 23 games for Boise State.
Neither the police nor the university has made a statement on the matter at this time.
Boise State QB Brett Rypien Gets Buckets on Gridiron with Long-Range Trick Shot
Whether it's on the basketball court or on the football field, Boise State Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien has no problem getting buckets.
Boise State coach Bryan Harsin took to Twitter on Sunday to show off an impressive trick shot performed by his sophomore quarterback. In it, Rypien knocks down a "three" from waaaaay downtown.
As in from the midfield logo—with the hoop all the way on the sideline.
It's not often that a quarterback has a chance to make a field goal out on the gridiron, but Rypien was ready for his moment.
Poinsettia Bowl Betting: Boise State vs. Northern Illinois Odds, Pick
Dec 16, 2015
Boise State quarterback Brett Rypien (4) an NCAA college football game against San Jose State Friday, Nov. 27, 2015, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Boise State is 5-1 straight up and 4-2 against the spread over its last six bowl games; Northern Illinois is 0-3 both SU and ATS over its last three bowl appearances. As a result, the Broncos will try to continue their postseason run, while the Huskies will try to put a halt to it when the teams meet in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 23 in San Diego.
Poinsettia Bowl point spread: Broncos opened as eight-point favorites, according to sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark. (Line updates and matchup report)
College football pick, via Odds Shark computer: 40.2-30.2 Broncos
Why the Broncos can cover the spread
Boise State started this season 7-2, including a win over Washington and a loss at BYU, then fell out of contention in the Mountain West with consecutive defeats against New Mexico and eventual Mountain Division champion Air Force. But the Broncos picked themselves up to win their season finale against San Jose State 40-23, finishing at 8-4 overall and 5-3 in conference play.
Boise State spotted the Spartans an early 10-6 lead, then scored the next 20 points of the game to take control, going on to cover as an eight-point favorite on the road.
The Broncos outgained and outrushed San Jose State, and have now outgained eight of their last 10 opponents and outrushed seven of their last 10 foes.
Why the Huskies can cover the spread
Northern Illinois started just 2-3 this season, but two of those losses came at Ohio State and at Boston College (owner of the top-ranked defense in the nation) by a total of 10 points. The Huskies then won six games in a row before losing at home to Ohio 26-21. But NIU backed into the MAC West title when Western Michigan upset Toledo. The Huskies then ran into a pretty good Bowling Green State team in the MAC Championship Game and lost 34-14.
Northern Illinois, playing with its third-string quarterback in Tommy Fiedler, fell down to the Falcons 28-0, but rallied to push the spread as a two-touchdown underdog at 28-14. However, the Huskies gave up the game's next score early in the fourth quarter and couldn't get any closer.
Still, that was the first time in four spots this season as underdogs that the Huskies lost against the spread.
Smart pick
Boise State ranks 18th in the country in total offense and 24th in total defense, and rankings like that seem more applicable to a 10-2 or even an 11-1 team, rather than an 8-4 outfit. Northern Illinois, meanwhile, is playing with a banged-up backup quarterback. The smart money here backs the Broncos.
Betting trends
Northern Illinois is 1-5 ATS in its last six games in December.
Boise State is 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS in last six bowl games.
The total has gone under in six of Northern Illinois' last eight bowl games.
The favorite is 5-1 SU and 4-2 ATS in the last six Poinsettia Bowls.
All point spread and lines data courtesy of Odds Shark, all quotes gathered firsthand unless otherwise noted. Check out Twitter for injury and line movement updates and get the free odds tracker app.
