At this time last year there was a great deal of discussion and debate on
Scout.com/BroncoCountry.com regarding who the starting quarterback would be for
the Broncos in 2008. Redshirt freshman Kellen Moore eventually earned the
starting position over senior Bush Hamdan.
Moore
went on to have a season that was spectacular when judged by any criteria and
led the Broncos to an undefeated regular season before losing to TCU in the
Poinsettia Bowl.
Spectacular you say? Yes indeed! The numbers tell part of the
story: Kellen finished 12th in the nation in passing efficiency
with a completion percentage of 69.38% and an overall rating of 157.12.
The next highest rated freshman QB was 27th. Kellen attempted
405 passes completing 281; as a comparison, former senior Bronco QB Jared
Zabransky attempted only 288 passes during the Bronco’s magical 2006
undefeated season.
Why the huge difference in pass attempts between 2006 and 2008 you ask?
Well let’s dig a little deeper into the numbers. During the 2008 season
the Broncos rushing offense finished 54th in the nation and fourth in
the Western Athletic Conference. By
comparison, the 2006 rushing offense finished sixth in the nation and first in
the WAC. The 2008 offensive line was one of the youngest and least
experienced in the nation and had 11 different combinations of starting
offensive line players out of 13 games played. The 2006 offensive line was
comprised mainly of juniors and seniors, with super sophomore Ryan Clady leading
the charge of one of the better offensive lines in the nation.
What the numbers don’t tell is the character, maturity, football IQ, and
dedication to excellence that Kellen Moore embodied during the 2008 season.
As the son of a high school football coach Kellen immersed himself in the game
of football at a young age and soaked up as much as he could from his father and
other coaches prior to ever stepping foot on a football field as the Bronco’s
starting QB. A young life’s worth of preparation is the only way that a
freshman QB pulls off the kind of season that Kellen produced in 2008.
There is no debate this season about who will be starting for the Bronco’s
on September 3rd when
Oregon
comes to Bronco Stadium to play on the famed blue turf. When
Boise
State
and
Oregon
played last year at
Oregon
’s Autzen Stadium, Kellen passed for 386 yards and three touchdowns.
Boise
State
fans are hoping for a repeat performance from Kellen this year. If the
running game gains its old form and the offensive line matures and gels as a
unit then Kellen and the Broncos are going to put a lot of points on the
scoreboard this season. When you throw in a Bronco defense that is going
to be nightmarish to opposing offenses this year you can expect
Boise
State
to be one of the elite football programs in the nation