Choate to interview for Boise State job

[catatac]

If his son graduated college this spring, maybe. I don't think he is done here. He still has at least two more years here, if not 5 more. And he wants a nati.
Say no to this....

That guy is an idiot... # ChoateMentum

JK. But boots on the ground here in Boise. You all will be happy to hear, choates name has cooled off. Somehow Dirk Koetter and Jim Mora have snuck in to the 3 & 4 spot behind Kellen Moore & Andy Avalos

So Choate is currently in 5th place... according to a bunch of fans on message boards? Just kidding you Chris, I really hope you're right, but whoever interviews Choate will have no choice to seriously consider him for the position... so I'll be holding my breath.

Bump - Hey Boots on the Ground Guy... give us an update!

[ibleedblue]

Technically, when they say “another alum” could that still count Choate in the running as an alum of their past teams and as a past coach?

[imacat]

Will it be Keelen Moore??

https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/sec-f ... an-harsin/

[Cataholic]

I gotta say I'd be far beyond shocked if BSU hires Choate.

BSU might not be a Top 10 coaching spot...but they are probably a Top 25, with expectations of playing in a New Years Six game year in and out. I'm trying to think of ANY other FCS head coach that has been hired into that sort of slot. Craig Bohl got hired at Wyoming, Chris Klieman went to K-State. Jim Harbaugh went to a 1-11 Stanford team.

The closest I can think of is Jim Tressel 20 years ago at Ohio State. That said, Tressel coaches Youngstown to 6 or 7 National Championships, winning at least 4 of them.

Choate is a damn fine coach, but he hasn't been within sniffing distance of a national championship, let alone won any. (No, getting blown out by NDSU in the Semis doesn't count IMO). And, as other posters have pointed out, Choate's record on paper is less than impressive (I'm not really interested in getting into the discussion of 'Is a 28-23 record indicative of a great coach or not?'). I just don't see a team with BSUs goals making a hire that risky.

That said, if Choate is offered the job, he 100% should jump at it. It would be an unprecedented FCS to FBS hire, and unless the Cats go on to a NDSU style championship run, Choate will probably never have that kind of opportunity again.

Selfishly, I hope he stays. But I wish him the best of luck-it would be an amazing career move.

About 4 games into Choate’s first season, my dad expressed disappointment in the Cats hire. He said aren’t you concerned with his results? I responded “this guy is going to win a lot of games and go onto bigger things”. He was a true leader who identified problems, focused on solutions, charismatic when needed, preached and lived chemistry/family all part of building a new culture. It wasn’t about the early losses or setbacks, it was about believing in the process. He had so many stories that just hit home and made me feel like he was actively working on the issues. I recall him discussing one of the first meetings he had with the team. He recognized that the offense was sitting in a group on one side of the room and the defense was sitting on the other side of the room. If you recall at that time, there were rumors of a divide between the historic offense and the struggling defense. He told the team that this must change and that they all play for the same team. There is no finger pointing and we all have the same goals: to win as a team. That sounds like the stuff of Disney movies, but he was 100% accurate.

I mentioned in an earlier post that it is hard to even imagine the Bobcat program without Choate. Can you imagine where this would have been if Prukop would have stayed? Would Brugman or Murray have been better if they had a year to learn the system with no expectations while Prukop did his magic?

My point is don’t get fixated on the record. Choates impact runs much deeper than wins and losses. If you look at the whole body of work, it is easy to understand why he is being considered at such a prominent program.

I was really looking forward to this year being a sort of moment of truth. I 100% agree with all the positive qualities you listed in regards to Choate, and I think this year would have told us if his teams are going to compete for a natty.

But to say to a hiring committee at a Top 25 program “Don’t get fixated on the record” is pretty silly.

The ONLYthing football coaches are judged on (at that level) is wins & losses. Everything else is window dressing.

Given that neither Avalos or Kellen Moore even have a record as a head coach and are currently rumored as top candidates with Choate, it would seem that the hiring committee is not fixated on records. I think Kellen Moore is actually only in his second year of coaching.

[Common Cat]

[onceacat]

I gotta say I'd be far beyond shocked if BSU hires Choate.

BSU might not be a Top 10 coaching spot...but they are probably a Top 25, with expectations of playing in a New Years Six game year in and out. I'm trying to think of ANY other FCS head coach that has been hired into that sort of slot. Craig Bohl got hired at Wyoming, Chris Klieman went to K-State. Jim Harbaugh went to a 1-11 Stanford team.

The closest I can think of is Jim Tressel 20 years ago at Ohio State. That said, Tressel coaches Youngstown to 6 or 7 National Championships, winning at least 4 of them.

Choate is a damn fine coach, but he hasn't been within sniffing distance of a national championship, let alone won any. (No, getting blown out by NDSU in the Semis doesn't count IMO). And, as other posters have pointed out, Choate's record on paper is less than impressive (I'm not really interested in getting into the discussion of 'Is a 28-23 record indicative of a great coach or not?'). I just don't see a team with BSUs goals making a hire that risky.

That said, if Choate is offered the job, he 100% should jump at it. It would be an unprecedented FCS to FBS hire, and unless the Cats go on to a NDSU style championship run, Choate will probably never have that kind of opportunity again.

Selfishly, I hope he stays. But I wish him the best of luck-it would be an amazing career move.

About 4 games into Choate’s first season, my dad expressed disappointment in the Cats hire. He said aren’t you concerned with his results? I responded “this guy is going to win a lot of games and go onto bigger things”. He was a true leader who identified problems, focused on solutions, charismatic when needed, preached and lived chemistry/family all part of building a new culture. It wasn’t about the early losses or setbacks, it was about believing in the process. He had so many stories that just hit home and made me feel like he was actively working on the issues. I recall him discussing one of the first meetings he had with the team. He recognized that the offense was sitting in a group on one side of the room and the defense was sitting on the other side of the room. If you recall at that time, there were rumors of a divide between the historic offense and the struggling defense. He told the team that this must change and that they all play for the same team. There is no finger pointing and we all have the same goals: to win as a team. That sounds like the stuff of Disney movies, but he was 100% accurate.

I mentioned in an earlier post that it is hard to even imagine the Bobcat program without Choate. Can you imagine where this would have been if Prukop would have stayed? Would Brugman or Murray have been better if they had a year to learn the system with no expectations while Prukop did his magic?

My point is don’t get fixated on the record. Choates impact runs much deeper than wins and losses. If you look at the whole body of work, it is easy to understand why he is being considered at such a prominent program.

I was really looking forward to this year being a sort of moment of truth. I 100% agree with all the positive qualities you listed in regards to Choate, and I think this year would have told us if his teams are going to compete for a natty.

But to say to a hiring committee at a Top 25 program “Don’t get fixated on the record” is pretty silly.

The ONLYthing football coaches are judged on (at that level) is wins & losses. Everything else is window dressing.

Given that neither Avalos or Kellen Moore even have a record as a head coach and are currently rumored as top candidates with Choate, it would seem that the hiring committee is not fixated on records. I think Kellen Moore is actually only in his second year of coaching.

Completely different situations. Avalos’ teams have won 2 power 5 championships in 2 years. That’s a better resume than ANY coach currently working in FCS (including Matt Entz) by a long shot.

Moore would be a bit of a surprise IMO. Going from NFL position coach to BSU head coach would be a big jump. I honestly think he’s similar to Choate (I.e highly respected up and comer with a really thin resume, but with at ton of goodwill at BSU).

But even Moore would be a “safer” pick, because the fan base loves him.

None if this is being down on Choate, it’s just a reality of any hiring situation. I think it’s only a matter of time til he gets a promotion, because he’s really good. I’d just be beyond shocked to see any FCS coach anywhere get hired as HC of ANY top 25 team.

That kind of thing just doesn’t happen.

[PapaG]

I gotta say I'd be far beyond shocked if BSU hires Choate.

BSU might not be a Top 10 coaching spot...but they are probably a Top 25, with expectations of playing in a New Years Six game year in and out. I'm trying to think of ANY other FCS head coach that has been hired into that sort of slot. Craig Bohl got hired at Wyoming, Chris Klieman went to K-State. Jim Harbaugh went to a 1-11 Stanford team.

The closest I can think of is Jim Tressel 20 years ago at Ohio State. That said, Tressel coaches Youngstown to 6 or 7 National Championships, winning at least 4 of them.

Choate is a damn fine coach, but he hasn't been within sniffing distance of a national championship, let alone won any. (No, getting blown out by NDSU in the Semis doesn't count IMO). And, as other posters have pointed out, Choate's record on paper is less than impressive (I'm not really interested in getting into the discussion of 'Is a 28-23 record indicative of a great coach or not?'). I just don't see a team with BSUs goals making a hire that risky.

That said, if Choate is offered the job, he 100% should jump at it. It would be an unprecedented FCS to FBS hire, and unless the Cats go on to a NDSU style championship run, Choate will probably never have that kind of opportunity again.

Selfishly, I hope he stays. But I wish him the best of luck-it would be an amazing career move.

About 4 games into Choate’s first season, my dad expressed disappointment in the Cats hire. He said aren’t you concerned with his results? I responded “this guy is going to win a lot of games and go onto bigger things”. He was a true leader who identified problems, focused on solutions, charismatic when needed, preached and lived chemistry/family all part of building a new culture. It wasn’t about the early losses or setbacks, it was about believing in the process. He had so many stories that just hit home and made me feel like he was actively working on the issues. I recall him discussing one of the first meetings he had with the team. He recognized that the offense was sitting in a group on one side of the room and the defense was sitting on the other side of the room. If you recall at that time, there were rumors of a divide between the historic offense and the struggling defense. He told the team that this must change and that they all play for the same team. There is no finger pointing and we all have the same goals: to win as a team. That sounds like the stuff of Disney movies, but he was 100% accurate.

I mentioned in an earlier post that it is hard to even imagine the Bobcat program without Choate. Can you imagine where this would have been if Prukop would have stayed? Would Brugman or Murray have been better if they had a year to learn the system with no expectations while Prukop did his magic?

My point is don’t get fixated on the record. Choates impact runs much deeper than wins and losses. If you look at the whole body of work, it is easy to understand why he is being considered at such a prominent program.

I was really looking forward to this year being a sort of moment of truth. I 100% agree with all the positive qualities you listed in regards to Choate, and I think this year would have told us if his teams are going to compete for a natty.

But to say to a hiring committee at a Top 25 program “Don’t get fixated on the record” is pretty silly.

The ONLYthing football coaches are judged on (at that level) is wins & losses. Everything else is window dressing.

Given that neither Avalos or Kellen Moore even have a record as a head coach and are currently rumored as top candidates with Choate, it would seem that the hiring committee is not fixated on records. I think Kellen Moore is actually only in his second year of coaching.

Completely different situations. Avalos’ teams have won 2 power 5 championships in 2 years. That’s a better resume than ANY coach currently working in FCS (including Matt Entz) by a long shot.

Moore would be a bit of a surprise IMO. Going from NFL position coach to BSU head coach would be a big jump. I honestly think he’s similar to Choate (I.e highly respected up and comer with a really thin resume, but with at ton of goodwill at BSU).

But even Moore would be a “safer” pick, because the fan base loves him.

None if this is being down on Choate, it’s just a reality of any hiring situation. I think it’s only a matter of time til he gets a promotion, because he’s really good. I’d just be beyond shocked to see any FCS coach anywhere get hired as HC of ANY top 25 team.

That kind of thing just doesn’t happen.

Kellen Moore has spent the last two years as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator. He was QB coach the previous season.

[KnowledgeCat]

If Choate goes, would others follow?

[onceacat]

I gotta say I'd be far beyond shocked if BSU hires Choate.

BSU might not be a Top 10 coaching spot...but they are probably a Top 25, with expectations of playing in a New Years Six game year in and out. I'm trying to think of ANY other FCS head coach that has been hired into that sort of slot. Craig Bohl got hired at Wyoming, Chris Klieman went to K-State. Jim Harbaugh went to a 1-11 Stanford team.

The closest I can think of is Jim Tressel 20 years ago at Ohio State. That said, Tressel coaches Youngstown to 6 or 7 National Championships, winning at least 4 of them.

Choate is a damn fine coach, but he hasn't been within sniffing distance of a national championship, let alone won any. (No, getting blown out by NDSU in the Semis doesn't count IMO). And, as other posters have pointed out, Choate's record on paper is less than impressive (I'm not really interested in getting into the discussion of 'Is a 28-23 record indicative of a great coach or not?'). I just don't see a team with BSUs goals making a hire that risky.

That said, if Choate is offered the job, he 100% should jump at it. It would be an unprecedented FCS to FBS hire, and unless the Cats go on to a NDSU style championship run, Choate will probably never have that kind of opportunity again.

Selfishly, I hope he stays. But I wish him the best of luck-it would be an amazing career move.

About 4 games into Choate’s first season, my dad expressed disappointment in the Cats hire. He said aren’t you concerned with his results? I responded “this guy is going to win a lot of games and go onto bigger things”. He was a true leader who identified problems, focused on solutions, charismatic when needed, preached and lived chemistry/family all part of building a new culture. It wasn’t about the early losses or setbacks, it was about believing in the process. He had so many stories that just hit home and made me feel like he was actively working on the issues. I recall him discussing one of the first meetings he had with the team. He recognized that the offense was sitting in a group on one side of the room and the defense was sitting on the other side of the room. If you recall at that time, there were rumors of a divide between the historic offense and the struggling defense. He told the team that this must change and that they all play for the same team. There is no finger pointing and we all have the same goals: to win as a team. That sounds like the stuff of Disney movies, but he was 100% accurate.

I mentioned in an earlier post that it is hard to even imagine the Bobcat program without Choate. Can you imagine where this would have been if Prukop would have stayed? Would Brugman or Murray have been better if they had a year to learn the system with no expectations while Prukop did his magic?

My point is don’t get fixated on the record. Choates impact runs much deeper than wins and losses. If you look at the whole body of work, it is easy to understand why he is being considered at such a prominent program.

I was really looking forward to this year being a sort of moment of truth. I 100% agree with all the positive qualities you listed in regards to Choate, and I think this year would have told us if his teams are going to compete for a natty.

But to say to a hiring committee at a Top 25 program “Don’t get fixated on the record” is pretty silly.

The ONLYthing football coaches are judged on (at that level) is wins & losses. Everything else is window dressing.

Given that neither Avalos or Kellen Moore even have a record as a head coach and are currently rumored as top candidates with Choate, it would seem that the hiring committee is not fixated on records. I think Kellen Moore is actually only in his second year of coaching.

Completely different situations. Avalos’ teams have won 2 power 5 championships in 2 years. That’s a better resume than ANY coach currently working in FCS (including Matt Entz) by a long shot.

Moore would be a bit of a surprise IMO. Going from NFL position coach to BSU head coach would be a big jump. I honestly think he’s similar to Choate (I.e highly respected up and comer with a really thin resume, but with at ton of goodwill at BSU).

But even Moore would be a “safer” pick, because the fan base loves him.

None if this is being down on Choate, it’s just a reality of any hiring situation. I think it’s only a matter of time til he gets a promotion, because he’s really good. I’d just be beyond shocked to see any FCS coach anywhere get hired as HC of ANY top 25 team.

That kind of thing just doesn’t happen.

Kellen Moore has spent the last two years as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator. He was QB coach the previous season.

My bad-I should have double checked that...Yeah, 2x conf champ OC from a pier 5 (batting 100%) or a pro OC.

Unless Choate is the best FCS coach ever (news flash, even if he is great, he’s not Tressel/Harbaugh/Bohl....by a long shot...at least not yet).

Heads will roll at BSU if they hire Choate & he doesn’t win a a fiesta bowl within 3 years.

[RobertoGato]

Choate is an excellent coach and program builder, as evidenced by his being considered for this job. But I didn't expect him to be a front runner.

Hopefully the rumors that other guys are ahead of him in the pecking order are true, and he stays put.

And hopefully he will be picky about which jobs he pursues in the future. BSU is an excellent opening.

I could see him being a strong candidate down the road for a job like Utah State or Nevada.

Incidentally, I've been assured that ol' Bobby won't be leaving ever again. Auburn probably offered him the job before they hired Harsin and started this whole process.

[Cataholic]

I gotta say I'd be far beyond shocked if BSU hires Choate.

BSU might not be a Top 10 coaching spot...but they are probably a Top 25, with expectations of playing in a New Years Six game year in and out. I'm trying to think of ANY other FCS head coach that has been hired into that sort of slot. Craig Bohl got hired at Wyoming, Chris Klieman went to K-State. Jim Harbaugh went to a 1-11 Stanford team.

The closest I can think of is Jim Tressel 20 years ago at Ohio State. That said, Tressel coaches Youngstown to 6 or 7 National Championships, winning at least 4 of them.

Choate is a damn fine coach, but he hasn't been within sniffing distance of a national championship, let alone won any. (No, getting blown out by NDSU in the Semis doesn't count IMO). And, as other posters have pointed out, Choate's record on paper is less than impressive (I'm not really interested in getting into the discussion of 'Is a 28-23 record indicative of a great coach or not?'). I just don't see a team with BSUs goals making a hire that risky.

That said, if Choate is offered the job, he 100% should jump at it. It would be an unprecedented FCS to FBS hire, and unless the Cats go on to a NDSU style championship run, Choate will probably never have that kind of opportunity again.

Selfishly, I hope he stays. But I wish him the best of luck-it would be an amazing career move.

About 4 games into Choate’s first season, my dad expressed disappointment in the Cats hire. He said aren’t you concerned with his results? I responded “this guy is going to win a lot of games and go onto bigger things”. He was a true leader who identified problems, focused on solutions, charismatic when needed, preached and lived chemistry/family all part of building a new culture. It wasn’t about the early losses or setbacks, it was about believing in the process. He had so many stories that just hit home and made me feel like he was actively working on the issues. I recall him discussing one of the first meetings he had with the team. He recognized that the offense was sitting in a group on one side of the room and the defense was sitting on the other side of the room. If you recall at that time, there were rumors of a divide between the historic offense and the struggling defense. He told the team that this must change and that they all play for the same team. There is no finger pointing and we all have the same goals: to win as a team. That sounds like the stuff of Disney movies, but he was 100% accurate.

I mentioned in an earlier post that it is hard to even imagine the Bobcat program without Choate. Can you imagine where this would have been if Prukop would have stayed? Would Brugman or Murray have been better if they had a year to learn the system with no expectations while Prukop did his magic?

My point is don’t get fixated on the record. Choates impact runs much deeper than wins and losses. If you look at the whole body of work, it is easy to understand why he is being considered at such a prominent program.

I was really looking forward to this year being a sort of moment of truth. I 100% agree with all the positive qualities you listed in regards to Choate, and I think this year would have told us if his teams are going to compete for a natty.

But to say to a hiring committee at a Top 25 program “Don’t get fixated on the record” is pretty silly.

The ONLYthing football coaches are judged on (at that level) is wins & losses. Everything else is window dressing.

Given that neither Avalos or Kellen Moore even have a record as a head coach and are currently rumored as top candidates with Choate, it would seem that the hiring committee is not fixated on records. I think Kellen Moore is actually only in his second year of coaching.

Completely different situations. Avalos’ teams have won 2 power 5 championships in 2 years. That’s a better resume than ANY coach currently working in FCS (including Matt Entz) by a long shot.

Moore would be a bit of a surprise IMO. Going from NFL position coach to BSU head coach would be a big jump. I honestly think he’s similar to Choate (I.e highly respected up and comer with a really thin resume, but with at ton of goodwill at BSU).

But even Moore would be a “safer” pick, because the fan base loves him.

None if this is being down on Choate, it’s just a reality of any hiring situation. I think it’s only a matter of time til he gets a promotion, because he’s really good. I’d just be beyond shocked to see any FCS coach anywhere get hired as HC of ANY top 25 team.

That kind of thing just doesn’t happen.

Not trying to be argumentative, but you said “don’t be fixated on the win/loss record will not work with the hiring committee”. You then doubled down saying that wons/losses is the ONLY thing that matters. Based on the three finalists rumored to be considered, it would seem that they are looking at much more than just wins/losses. And you have to take into account that Choate actually getting an interview is further verification over the other candidates like Dan Hawkins who had a very successful coaching stint at Boise before. It is not just about the win-loss record.

I do agree that the FCS status will hurt him, but having HEAD coaching experience in D1 football is a big plus that the others don’t have. Kellen Moore is the flashier hire, but he has a huge learning curve with NCAA scholarships, regulations, etc. Avalos will probably get the job as he was the DC at Boise just a couple years ago, but he has to learn how to be administrator and some guys just aren’t cut for that work. Chris Peterson just retired at UW because he was tired of being an “administrator”.

[gtapp]

If Choate does not get the job does the fact that he interviewed have any impact on next years recruiting or on current players transfering? Will recruits start to worry that he will be gone in the next couple of years? I know this happens at most schools but what impact does it usually have?

[onceacat]

I gotta say I'd be far beyond shocked if BSU hires Choate.

BSU might not be a Top 10 coaching spot...but they are probably a Top 25, with expectations of playing in a New Years Six game year in and out. I'm trying to think of ANY other FCS head coach that has been hired into that sort of slot. Craig Bohl got hired at Wyoming, Chris Klieman went to K-State. Jim Harbaugh went to a 1-11 Stanford team.

The closest I can think of is Jim Tressel 20 years ago at Ohio State. That said, Tressel coaches Youngstown to 6 or 7 National Championships, winning at least 4 of them.

Choate is a damn fine coach, but he hasn't been within sniffing distance of a national championship, let alone won any. (No, getting blown out by NDSU in the Semis doesn't count IMO). And, as other posters have pointed out, Choate's record on paper is less than impressive (I'm not really interested in getting into the discussion of 'Is a 28-23 record indicative of a great coach or not?'). I just don't see a team with BSUs goals making a hire that risky.

That said, if Choate is offered the job, he 100% should jump at it. It would be an unprecedented FCS to FBS hire, and unless the Cats go on to a NDSU style championship run, Choate will probably never have that kind of opportunity again.

Selfishly, I hope he stays. But I wish him the best of luck-it would be an amazing career move.

About 4 games into Choate’s first season, my dad expressed disappointment in the Cats hire. He said aren’t you concerned with his results? I responded “this guy is going to win a lot of games and go onto bigger things”. He was a true leader who identified problems, focused on solutions, charismatic when needed, preached and lived chemistry/family all part of building a new culture. It wasn’t about the early losses or setbacks, it was about believing in the process. He had so many stories that just hit home and made me feel like he was actively working on the issues. I recall him discussing one of the first meetings he had with the team. He recognized that the offense was sitting in a group on one side of the room and the defense was sitting on the other side of the room. If you recall at that time, there were rumors of a divide between the historic offense and the struggling defense. He told the team that this must change and that they all play for the same team. There is no finger pointing and we all have the same goals: to win as a team. That sounds like the stuff of Disney movies, but he was 100% accurate.

I mentioned in an earlier post that it is hard to even imagine the Bobcat program without Choate. Can you imagine where this would have been if Prukop would have stayed? Would Brugman or Murray have been better if they had a year to learn the system with no expectations while Prukop did his magic?

My point is don’t get fixated on the record. Choates impact runs much deeper than wins and losses. If you look at the whole body of work, it is easy to understand why he is being considered at such a prominent program.

I was really looking forward to this year being a sort of moment of truth. I 100% agree with all the positive qualities you listed in regards to Choate, and I think this year would have told us if his teams are going to compete for a natty.

But to say to a hiring committee at a Top 25 program “Don’t get fixated on the record” is pretty silly.

The ONLYthing football coaches are judged on (at that level) is wins & losses. Everything else is window dressing.

Given that neither Avalos or Kellen Moore even have a record as a head coach and are currently rumored as top candidates with Choate, it would seem that the hiring committee is not fixated on records. I think Kellen Moore is actually only in his second year of coaching.

Completely different situations. Avalos’ teams have won 2 power 5 championships in 2 years. That’s a better resume than ANY coach currently working in FCS (including Matt Entz) by a long shot.

Moore would be a bit of a surprise IMO. Going from NFL position coach to BSU head coach would be a big jump. I honestly think he’s similar to Choate (I.e highly respected up and comer with a really thin resume, but with at ton of goodwill at BSU).

But even Moore would be a “safer” pick, because the fan base loves him.

None if this is being down on Choate, it’s just a reality of any hiring situation. I think it’s only a matter of time til he gets a promotion, because he’s really good. I’d just be beyond shocked to see any FCS coach anywhere get hired as HC of ANY top 25 team.

That kind of thing just doesn’t happen.

Not trying to be argumentative, but you said “don’t be fixated on the win/loss record will not work with the hiring committee”. You then doubled down saying that wons/losses is the ONLY thing that matters. Based on the three finalists rumored to be considered, it would seem that they are looking at much more than just wins/losses. And you have to take into account that Choate actually getting an interview is further verification over the other candidates like Dan Hawkins who had a very successful coaching stint at Boise before. It is not just about the win-loss record.

I do agree that the FCS status will hurt him, but having HEAD coaching experience in D1 football is a big plus that the others don’t have. Kellen Moore is the flashier hire, but he has a huge learning curve with NCAA scholarships, regulations, etc. Avalos will probably get the job as he was the DC at Boise just a couple years ago, but he has to learn how to be administrator and some guys just aren’t cut for that work. Chris Peterson just retired at UW because he was tired of being an “administrator”.

I get your point. But at this level the expectation is that you can get BOTH the winning record AND the great culture. Choate has proven one, but doesn’t have the wins to go along with it. FWIW, I said Moore was a long shot too.

The more I think it through, the more I think Avalos is a done deal. Choate & Moore are just WAY too thin on the resume (Avalos’ is thin too, but it’s head & shoulders above). I’m guessing the Moore/Choate interviews are about politics...keeping keeping a lot of people happy, including Moore & Choate when they are a little better seasoned.

This sums it up pretty well.

https://www.obnug.com/2020/12/26/222006 ... -down-to-3

[TomCat88]

I’m hearing it’s between Choate and Avalos. And that Boise isn’t overly concerned with Choate’s on-field record here. They know him well enough and the situation here that it isn’t too concerning.

So it’s about 50-50 MSU is going to be getting a new coach.

Mr self appointed expert has spoken...

I can’t tell if you’re just kidding, but I have never ever claimed to be an expert at anything. I sincerely hope no one on this board thinks I consider myself a football, of all things, expert. I don’t even know how many offensive players can be on the line of scrimmage, or care to know. What I heard appears to be wrong. This still isn’t a done deal. Footballscoop has been wrong before, I think. I haven’t called the person I heard this from Mr. Self Appointed expert. I’ll ask again though and post it here again despite the risk of causing someone to believe that I think I’m an expert.


I have three good sources on this. One is a DI head coach, another is a DI assistant at a perennial top 25 team and another who is the dad of a top DI assistant coach. All three have close ties to the BSU program. The information I’m getting is from them.

[Cataholic]

I gotta say I'd be far beyond shocked if BSU hires Choate.

BSU might not be a Top 10 coaching spot...but they are probably a Top 25, with expectations of playing in a New Years Six game year in and out. I'm trying to think of ANY other FCS head coach that has been hired into that sort of slot. Craig Bohl got hired at Wyoming, Chris Klieman went to K-State. Jim Harbaugh went to a 1-11 Stanford team.

The closest I can think of is Jim Tressel 20 years ago at Ohio State. That said, Tressel coaches Youngstown to 6 or 7 National Championships, winning at least 4 of them.

Choate is a damn fine coach, but he hasn't been within sniffing distance of a national championship, let alone won any. (No, getting blown out by NDSU in the Semis doesn't count IMO). And, as other posters have pointed out, Choate's record on paper is less than impressive (I'm not really interested in getting into the discussion of 'Is a 28-23 record indicative of a great coach or not?'). I just don't see a team with BSUs goals making a hire that risky.

That said, if Choate is offered the job, he 100% should jump at it. It would be an unprecedented FCS to FBS hire, and unless the Cats go on to a NDSU style championship run, Choate will probably never have that kind of opportunity again.

Selfishly, I hope he stays. But I wish him the best of luck-it would be an amazing career move.

About 4 games into Choate’s first season, my dad expressed disappointment in the Cats hire. He said aren’t you concerned with his results? I responded “this guy is going to win a lot of games and go onto bigger things”. He was a true leader who identified problems, focused on solutions, charismatic when needed, preached and lived chemistry/family all part of building a new culture. It wasn’t about the early losses or setbacks, it was about believing in the process. He had so many stories that just hit home and made me feel like he was actively working on the issues. I recall him discussing one of the first meetings he had with the team. He recognized that the offense was sitting in a group on one side of the room and the defense was sitting on the other side of the room. If you recall at that time, there were rumors of a divide between the historic offense and the struggling defense. He told the team that this must change and that they all play for the same team. There is no finger pointing and we all have the same goals: to win as a team. That sounds like the stuff of Disney movies, but he was 100% accurate.

I mentioned in an earlier post that it is hard to even imagine the Bobcat program without Choate. Can you imagine where this would have been if Prukop would have stayed? Would Brugman or Murray have been better if they had a year to learn the system with no expectations while Prukop did his magic?

My point is don’t get fixated on the record. Choates impact runs much deeper than wins and losses. If you look at the whole body of work, it is easy to understand why he is being considered at such a prominent program.

I was really looking forward to this year being a sort of moment of truth. I 100% agree with all the positive qualities you listed in regards to Choate, and I think this year would have told us if his teams are going to compete for a natty.

But to say to a hiring committee at a Top 25 program “Don’t get fixated on the record” is pretty silly.

The ONLYthing football coaches are judged on (at that level) is wins & losses. Everything else is window dressing.

Given that neither Avalos or Kellen Moore even have a record as a head coach and are currently rumored as top candidates with Choate, it would seem that the hiring committee is not fixated on records. I think Kellen Moore is actually only in his second year of coaching.

Completely different situations. Avalos’ teams have won 2 power 5 championships in 2 years. That’s a better resume than ANY coach currently working in FCS (including Matt Entz) by a long shot.

Moore would be a bit of a surprise IMO. Going from NFL position coach to BSU head coach would be a big jump. I honestly think he’s similar to Choate (I.e highly respected up and comer with a really thin resume, but with at ton of goodwill at BSU).

But even Moore would be a “safer” pick, because the fan base loves him.

None if this is being down on Choate, it’s just a reality of any hiring situation. I think it’s only a matter of time til he gets a promotion, because he’s really good. I’d just be beyond shocked to see any FCS coach anywhere get hired as HC of ANY top 25 team.

That kind of thing just doesn’t happen.

Not trying to be argumentative, but you said “don’t be fixated on the win/loss record will not work with the hiring committee”. You then doubled down saying that wons/losses is the ONLY thing that matters. Based on the three finalists rumored to be considered, it would seem that they are looking at much more than just wins/losses. And you have to take into account that Choate actually getting an interview is further verification over the other candidates like Dan Hawkins who had a very successful coaching stint at Boise before. It is not just about the win-loss record.

I do agree that the FCS status will hurt him, but having HEAD coaching experience in D1 football is a big plus that the others don’t have. Kellen Moore is the flashier hire, but he has a huge learning curve with NCAA scholarships, regulations, etc. Avalos will probably get the job as he was the DC at Boise just a couple years ago, but he has to learn how to be administrator and some guys just aren’t cut for that work. Chris Peterson just retired at UW because he was tired of being an “administrator”.

I get your point. But at this level the expectation is that you can get BOTH the winning record AND the great culture. Choate has proven one, but doesn’t have the wins to go along with it. FWIW, I said Moore was a long shot too.

The more I think it through, the more I think Avalos is a done deal. Choate & Moore are just WAY too thin on the resume (Avalos’ is thin too, but it’s head & shoulders above). I’m guessing the Moore/Choate interviews are about politics...keeping keeping a lot of people happy, including Moore & Choate when they are a little better seasoned.

This sums it up pretty well.

https://www.obnug.com/2020/12/26/222006 ... -down-to-3

That is a great article. Thanks for posting. I Iove the quote from Austin Pettis. That is player perspective that will help recruiting down the road.

I didn’t think the comparison to Bohl was really fair though. Choate took over an MSU program in disarray versus the situation Bohl had at NDSU.

I want Choate to succeed and he deserves a chance, but I would miss really him at the helm. I really think we have a legit shot at a national championship in fall of 2021.

[Cataholic]

If Choate does not get the job does the fact that he interviewed have any impact on next years recruiting or on current players transfering? Will recruits start to worry that he will be gone in the next couple of years? I know this happens at most schools but what impact does it usually have?

I heard one of the regular questions from recruits this year was how long he would Choate be in Bozeman. But just like anything, success breeds success. Players want to be part of this program and culture. His assistants are very capable and cut from a similar persona. I really think Kane Ioane will be the future successor (hopefully years away) and players love him as well.

[superbobcat]

When this is all done, something tells me that we are going to continue to be thrilled about having Boise’s third choice! Coach Choate can flat build and maintain a program. He has unfinished work to do at MSU and while this was a dream job for him, I’ll bet he would tell you that the timing of the opening surprised him a little. He will get his chance down the road, but for now he will build our program into a perennial contender and one that has an established culture and can absorb the loss of a coach and still win! I am proud to have choice number 3!!! GO CATS!!

[lutecat]

Incidentally, I've been assured that ol' Bobby won't be leaving ever again. Auburn probably offered him the job before they hired Harsin and started this whole process.

Probably true. And to add to it, Bobby probably asked them to offer the job to Harsin so that Choate would hired so that in BH's thinking, he might have a chance at beating the Cats.

[TomCat88]

Incidentally, I've been assured that ol' Bobby won't be leaving ever again. Auburn probably offered him the job before they hired Harsin and started this whole process.

Probably true. And to add to it, Bobby probably asked them to offer the job to Harsin so that Choate would hired so that in BH's thinking, he might have a chance at beating the Cats.

I know you’re kidding, but the last 6.5 quarters of Cat-Griz games have been very decisive in MSU’s favor.

[TomCat88]

https://www.idahopress.com/blueturfspor ... 679f8.html

This more recent column doesn’t even mention Choate. Just Moore and Avalos. Apologize if it was already posted.