Kellen Moore

BOISE - Boise State head football coach Chris Petersen today named Kellen Moore as starting quarterback as the season starts later this month.

  Was Kellen the right pick?

"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."

This marks the first time that a freshman has ever served as starting quarterback for the team in the season opener. Moore has four years of eligibility left.

Moore was a high school standout in Washington - where he was Gatorade Player of the Year and Washington Player of the Year in 2006. At Prosser High School he set a state record for competitions with 787 - and touchdown passes. He also broke a number of single season high school records as well.

"I'm just pretty fortunate to be in the situation I am in," Moore said in a prepared statement. "Coach Petersen and Coach Harsin obviously think I am capable of doing it. I'm just excited at the opportunity."

Moore redshirted with the team in 2007 when senior Taylor Tharp led the team at QB. He beat out Bush Hamden, Nick Lomax and Mike Coughlin for the job.

The freshman says he is ready to lead the team.

"I think there are different ways of being a leader. I may not be the most vocal, but hopefully I can lead by example," Moore told 7 Sports last week.

"I always make it a goal to be the most prepared guy and hopefully go out there and be ready to go out there and be ready to go," he said. "I think that builds confidence."

Boise State will hold a 3pm news conference to introduce Moore - KTVB.COM will carry it live.

The Broncos will open the season against Idaho State on August 30th in the newly renovated Bronco Stadium.

Earlier: Moore talks about the QB gig

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