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Boise State Picks A Freshman - August 21st, 2008

By Jordan Walters
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Sports Betting at WagerWeb Online Sportsbook

Boise State has named freshman Kellen Moore as its starting quarterback, which is significant in that Moore will be the first freshman quarterback to start the season opener for the Broncos and the first freshman to start a game since Bart Hendricks in 1997.

Moore had been in a battle with senior Bush Hamdan, and Hamdan seemed ahead after completing nine of his 14 passes for 214 yards and three touchdowns during the team's second scrimmage on Aug. 16. Moore finished the day 13 of 21 for 159 yards and a touchdown.

But coach Chris Petersen and offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin said Moore’s feel for the game (he’s a coach’s son) and knack for making the right decision gave him the edge over Hamdan.

“He’s got a very good feel for playing quarterback and how a guy can use his tools to manipulate a defense and take advantage of a defense,”

Harsin said. “That showed. He’s obviously got a grasp of what we do.”

Petersen said it came down to a “gut” decision. Hamdan also lost a tight battle last year with Taylor Tharp, who became the first senior first-year starting quarterback in school history.

Hamdan will be the backup. Junior Nick Lomax and sophomore Mike Coughlin will compete for the third-team job and Coughlin may play as a dual-threat quarterback in some situations, Harsin said.

 

Harsin said each quarterback had the best fall camp of his career, but Moore led the way with a completion percentage in the mid- to high 60s.

“Kellen has just got great football savvy" Petersen said. "He understands our offense extremely, extremely well and he has performed very consistently throughout spring ball and fall camp."

Moore's debut is set for Aug. 30, when the Broncos host Idaho State in the season opener. His first major test comes Sept. 20 at Oregon.

“It’s all about now,” Moore said. “We got to take back the WAC.”