Boise State Football: A Brief History

Boise State Broncos:

First Season: 1932

Head Coach: Chris Peterson (7 seasons, 84-8)

All-Time Record: 388-147-2

Bowl Record: 9-4 (Humanitarian Bowl 3X, Fort Worth Bowl, Liberty Bowl, MPC Computers Bowl, Fiesta Bowl 2X, Hawaii Bowl, Poinsettia Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl 3X).

Playing Field: Bronco Stadium Lyle Smith Field (Capacity of 37,000)

Conference Affiliations:

• JUCO: 1932-1968
• Independent: 1968-1969 (NAIA)
• Big Sky: 1970-1995 (D-II and I-AA)
• Big West: 1996-2000
• Western Athletic Conference: 2001-2010
• Mountain West Conference: 2011-Current

Attendance: 33,549 (5-year average)

Claimed National Titles: Two

• 1958 JUCO National Championship
• 1980 I-AA National Championship

Conference Titles: 17

• 1973 Big Sky Conference Champions D-II
• 1974 Big Sky Conference Champions D-II
• 1975 Big Sky Conference Champions D-II
• 1977 Big Sky Conference Champions D-II
• 1980 Big Sky Conference Champions I-AA
• 1994 Big Sky Conference Champions I-AA
• 1999 Big West Conference Champions I-A
• 2000 Big West Conference Champions I-A
• 2002 Western Athletic Conference Champions
• 2003 Western Athletic Conference Champions
• 2004 Western Athletic Conference Champions
• 2005 Western Athletic Conference Co-Champions
• 2006 Western Athletic Conference Champions
• 2008 Western Athletic Conference Champions
• 2009 Western Athletic Conference Champions
• 2010 Western Athletic Conference Co-Champions
• 2012 Mountain West Conference Co-Champions

Record Versus Rivals (10+ meetings):

• Fresno State: 11-4
• Hawaii: 10-3
• Idaho: 16-3
• Louisiana Tech: 9-4
• Nevada: 26-13
• New Mexico State: 11-0
• San Jose State: 11-0
• Utah State: 13-4

Year-By-Year Record (Since 2001, Division I FBS Era, Joining the Sun Belt)

• 1968: 8-2
• 1969: 9-1
• 1970: 8-3
• 1971: 10-2
• 1972: 7-4
• 1973: 10-3
• 1974: 10-2
• 1975: 9-2
• 1976: 5-5
• 1977: 9-2
• 1978: 7-4
• 1979: 10-1
• 1980: 10-3
• 1981: 10-3
• 1982: 8-3
• 1983: 6-5
• 1984: 6-5
• 1985: 7-4
• 1986: 5-6
• 1987: 6-5
• 1988: 8-4
• 1989: 6-5
• 1990: 10-4
• 1991: 7-4
• 1992: 5-6
• 1993: 3-6
• 1994: 13-2
• 1995: 7-4
• 1996: 2-10
• 1997: 5-6
• 1998: 6-5
• 1999: 10-3 Humanitarian Bowl (Beat Louisville 34-31)
• 2000: 10-2 Humanitarian Bowl (Beat UTEP 38-23)
• 2001: 8-4
• 2002: 12-1 Humanitarian Bowl (Beat Iowa State 34-16)
• 2003: 13-1 Fort Worth Bowl (Beat TCU 34-31)
• 2004: 11-1 Liberty Bowl (Lost to Louisville 44-40)
• 2005: 9-4  MPC Computers Bowl (Lost to Boston College 27-21)
• 2006: 13-0 Fiesta Bowl (Beat Oklahoma 43-42)
• 2007: 10-3 Hawaii Bowl (Lost to East Carolina 41-38)
• 2008: 12-1 Poinsettia Bowl (Lost to TCU 17-16)
• 2009: 14-0 Fiesta Bowl (Beat TCU 17-10)
• 2010: 12-1 Las Vegas Bowl (Beat Utah 26-3)
• 2011: 12-1 Las Vegas Bowl (Beat Arizona State 56-24)
• 2012: 11-2 Las Vegas Bowl (Beat Washington 28-26)

Coaching/Team History:

While starting football at Boise State in 1932, the modern era of Bronco football started in 1968 when coach Tony Knap brought the program up to the NAIA level from the JUCO ranks. Knap was 17-3 in two years at the NAIA level before bringing the Broncos up once again, this time to the D-II level where he coached 6 more years with three 10-win seasons, a Camellia Bowl win, and three Division II playoff berths. Knap left after the 1975 season after a quarterfinal appearance to go to fellow Division II squad UNLV.

Looking for a solid replacement for Knap, the Broncos headed to UCLA to hire linebackers coach Jim Criner. Criner struggled to a 5-5 first season but then went 9-2 in 1977 and 7-4 in 1978 before deciding to make a move to the I-AA level. Boise State went 10-1 during an ineligible season before backing that with a 10-win season and a I-AA National Championship. Criner led the Broncos to a semifinal spot in 1981 and another solid season before leaving Boise to the Big Eight Conference and Iowa State.

After two homerun hires right out of the gates, the Broncos promoted from within to replace Criner. Lyle Setencich took over the Broncos in 1983 and was considered a disappointment despite leading the Broncos over .500 in three of four seasons. Setencich then left after the 1986 season to take over the Cal Poly Program.

Looking for another good hire, the Broncos headed back west to hire Washington assistant Skip Hall as head coach. Hall had a solid six seasons with the Broncos leading them to two playoff berths getting as far as the semifinals in 1990. Hall left the Broncos after the 1992 season to take an assistant job with the Missouri Tigers.

The Broncos needed another after Hall's resignation and looked at Portland State head coach Pokey Allen. Allen took the job and struggled in his first season going 3-8 to start his career but turned things around going 13-2 and making it to the I-AA finals succumbing to Youngstown State 28-14. During the playoff run, Allen found out he had a form of muscle cancer. Allen coached the Broncos to a 7-4 season in 1995 and started the 1996 season 1-1 before leaving the program for medical reasons. Allen passed away in December of 1996.

With loads of distraction from Allen's illness, the Broncos struggled to a 2-10 season under interim Tom Mason. Mason was replaced by Murray State coach Houston Nutt with Nutt only staying one season as head coach going 5-6 on the season. Nutt then left to coach Arkansas making 8 bowl games in 10 years with the program.

After the quick exit of Nutt to Arkansas, the Broncos hired Oregon offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter to take over the program. Koetter was immediately successful at Boise State going 6-5 in his first season followed by two straight 10-win seasons making and winning the Humanitarian Bowl both times. With a 26-10 three year record and lots of national exposure, Koetter resigned from Boise State to take the Arizona State job coaching 6 seasons with program.

Needing a replacement for Koetter, the Broncos decided to go in-house and hired assistant Dan Hawkins. Hawkins picked up where Koetter left off leading the Broncos to an 8-4 season in 2001 followed by four consecutive bowl berths from 2002-2005 with the Broncos finishing in the top 16 nationally in three of those seasons. Hawkins then left the Broncos for the Colorado Buffaloes on the heels of a 53-11 five year record.

With the in-house hire working so well after Koetter, the Broncos did the same thing with hiring offensive coordinator Chris Peterson to run the program. While the Hawkins hire was a home run, the Peterson hire was a grand slam with Peterson going undefeated (13-0) with a Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma finishing 5th nationally in the AP poll and 6th nationally in the Coaches poll. Boise again went undefeated (14-0) in 2009 with a Fiesta Bowl win over TCU and #4 final ranking in both polls. Peterson has coached the program for 7 seasons with 2007 being the worst record at 10-3. Peterson is 84-8 in his career with the program and is widely believed to be one of the top 3 coaches in college football.

All-Americans:

• Billy Winn, 2010 3rd team DT
• Titus Young, 2010 3rd team WR
• Nate Potter, 2010 3rd team OT
• Kyle Wilson, 2009 2nd team S
• Kellen Moore, 2009 3rd team QB & 2010 3rd team QB
• Ryan Clady, 2007 1st team OT
• Ian Johnson, 2006 3rd team RB (1st team on SI, 2nd team on Sporting News)
• Tyler Jones, 2004 2nd team K
• Joe O'Brien, 1994 1st team DE
• Rashid Gayle, 1994 2nd team DB
• K.C. Adams, 1994 2nd team AP
• Frank Robinson, 1991 1st team CB
• Erik Helgeson, 1990 1st team & 1989 2nd team DE
• Peter Kwiatkowski, 1987 1st team DE
• Tom DeWitz, 1987 1st team & 1986 2nd team OG
• Markus Koch, 1985 1st team DE & 1983 1st team DT
• Carl Keever, 1984 1st team DE & 1982 1st team LB
• John Rade, 1982 1st team DE & 1981 2nd team LB
• Randy Trautman, 1981 & 1980 1st team DT
• Rick Woods, 1981 2nd team SS
• Kipp Bedard, 1981 2nd team WR
• Rodney Webster, 1981 2nd team TB
• Cedric Minter, 1980 2nd team & 1978 3rd team RB
• Joe Aliotti, 1979 1st team QB
• Doug Scott, 1979 1st team DT
• Bob McCauley, 1978 2nd team LB
• Mark Villano, 1978 3rd team OC
• Terry Hutt, 1977 1st team WR
• Harold Cotton, 1977 1st team OT
• Chris Malmgren, 1977 2nd team DT
• Jim McMillan, 1974 1st team QB
• Don Hutt, 1973 1st team WR
• Steve Svitak, 1969 1st team LB

College Hall of Fame Members:

• Randy Trautman--DT, 1978-1981.

NFL Players:

• Shea McClellin – DE, Chicago Bears, 2012 1st Round, 19th Pick Overall
• George Iloka – FS Cincinnati Bengals
• Ryan Clady – OT, Denver Broncos, 1st Round, 12th Pick Overall, 2009 Pro Bowl
• Billy Winn – DT Cleveland Browns
• Doug Martin – RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2012 1st Round, 31st Pick Overall
• Daryn Colledge – OG, Arizona Cardinals
• Nate Potter – OT Arizona Cardinals
• Tyrone Crawford – DE Dallas Cowboys
• Orlando Scandrick – CB, Dallas Cowboys
• Legedu Naanee – WR, Miami Dolphins
• Jarrell Root – DE Miami Dolphins
• Tommy Gallarda – TE, Atlanta Falcons
• Kyle Wilson – CB, New York Jets, 2010 1st Round, 29th Pick Overall
• Kellen Moore – QB Detroit Lions
• Titus Young – WR, Detroit Lions
• Richie Brockel – FB, Carolina Panthers
• Kyle Efaw – TE, Oakland Raiders
• Quintin Mikell – FS, St. Louis Rams, 2009 Pro Bowl
• Austin Pettis – WR, St. Louis Rams
• Korey Hall – FB, Arizona Cardinals (retired)
• Aaron Tevis – LB New Orleans Saints
• Jeron Johnson – CB, Seattle Seahawks
• Chase Baker – DT Minnesota Vikings
• Chris Carr – CB, San Diego Chargers