The beauty of Boise State sophomore quarterback Kellen Moore's burgeoning Heisman Trophy campaign is that it didn't originate in Boise.
In fact, until the local media started pushing it this week, the Heisman hype was emanating from everywhere but Boise.
And that's just the way the Boise State football program and Moore like it.
Moore leads the nation in pass efficiency and touchdown passes and is second in touchdown-to-interception ratio with 21 TDs and two picks. He threw a career-high five touchdown passes last week and teammates didn't hear a self-congratulatory peep out of him.
"All he does is that little smile that's all he'll give you," said junior linebacker Derrell Acrey, one of Moore's roommates. "He won't talk. He won't brag. He won't boast. I guess that's why he is as good as he is."
Moore popped onto the Heisman scene two weeks ago when he became the nation's most efficient passer. His rise was aided by the struggles of some of the top candidates guys like 2007 winner Tim Tebow of Florida and 2008 winner Sam Bradford of Oklahoma.
This week, Moore ranks fifth on ESPN.com's Heisman Watch, seventh in ESPN.com's Heisman Predictor standings and tied for eighth in the HeismanPundit.com poll.
He's got an outside chance to become the first Bronco invited to New York as a finalist, like Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan in 2007. Boise State tailback Ian Johnson finished a school-record eighth in voting in 2006. If nothing else, Moore can establish himself as a top candidate for 2010.
None of it fazes the humble, 6-foot coach's son from Prosser, Wash., whose eye-popping high school stats were dismissed by most of the major programs in the West.
You could almost see him squirm this week as the media quizzed him about college football's most storied prize.
"That's weird," Moore said. "... I think it's pretty cool, but there's still some work to be done." Boise State, which promoted Johnson's candidacy in 2006 and 2007, has taken a protective approach with Moore.
He was allowed to do interviews only after games last season, when he was the first freshman quarterback to start a season opener in school history.
He will talk to the media during half of the game weeks this year and only early in the week. The New York Times sent a reporter to Boise this week to do a profile, which will be Moore's first major national splash.
Moore's media commitments are about 60-65 percent less than what Johnson experienced, said sports information director Max Corbet, whose staff coordinates media requests.
Coach Chris Petersen wishes he had taken a similar approach with Johnson.
"That stuff wears on you," Petersen said.
Petersen even has limited Moore's availability to Boise State's marketing department. You'll notice his face is not on any of the player Halloween masks that will be distributed at Saturday's game.
And Boise State doesn't plan any kind of publicity push for Moore's Heisman candidacy.
Moore might not need one, anyway. The Broncos play four straight games on ESPN channels beginning Friday at Louisiana Tech a stretch during which ESPN likely will promote Moore for free.
Moore, who is 19-1 at Boise State, also will benefit if he can hang onto the national lead in pass efficiency.
"He just needs to play at that high level," Petersen said. "Whoever's ranked where, who cares? He hasn't lost very many football games. That's the bottom line." That also is a much-debated but never-doubted component to any Heisman campaign. Moore is in a tight three-way race for the WAC Offensive Player of the Year award, but he's the league's only viable Heisman candidate because he has the Broncos ranked No. 6 and in contention for a Bowl Championship Series berth.
"He's a perfect guy for their offense," San Jose State coach Dick Tomey said, "and somebody you really have to admire because he makes so few mistakes." That extends to the huddle, the locker room and beyond.
"He's such a humble guy, such a great friend and great teammate," freshman tailback Matt Kaiserman said. "... The bottom line is he's as nice as they come. That's what makes Kellen Moore truly a great player in my mind."
(c) 2009, The Idaho Statesman (Boise, Idaho).
Visit The Idaho Statesman online at http://www.idahostatesman.com.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
In fact, until the local media started pushing it this week, the Heisman hype was emanating from everywhere but Boise.
And that's just the way the Boise State football program and Moore like it.
Moore leads the nation in pass efficiency and touchdown passes and is second in touchdown-to-interception ratio with 21 TDs and two picks. He threw a career-high five touchdown passes last week and teammates didn't hear a self-congratulatory peep out of him.
"All he does is that little smile that's all he'll give you," said junior linebacker Derrell Acrey, one of Moore's roommates. "He won't talk. He won't brag. He won't boast. I guess that's why he is as good as he is."
Moore popped onto the Heisman scene two weeks ago when he became the nation's most efficient passer. His rise was aided by the struggles of some of the top candidates guys like 2007 winner Tim Tebow of Florida and 2008 winner Sam Bradford of Oklahoma.
This week, Moore ranks fifth on ESPN.com's Heisman Watch, seventh in ESPN.com's Heisman Predictor standings and tied for eighth in the HeismanPundit.com poll.
He's got an outside chance to become the first Bronco invited to New York as a finalist, like Hawaii quarterback Colt Brennan in 2007. Boise State tailback Ian Johnson finished a school-record eighth in voting in 2006. If nothing else, Moore can establish himself as a top candidate for 2010.
None of it fazes the humble, 6-foot coach's son from Prosser, Wash., whose eye-popping high school stats were dismissed by most of the major programs in the West.
You could almost see him squirm this week as the media quizzed him about college football's most storied prize.
"That's weird," Moore said. "... I think it's pretty cool, but there's still some work to be done." Boise State, which promoted Johnson's candidacy in 2006 and 2007, has taken a protective approach with Moore.
He was allowed to do interviews only after games last season, when he was the first freshman quarterback to start a season opener in school history.
He will talk to the media during half of the game weeks this year and only early in the week. The New York Times sent a reporter to Boise this week to do a profile, which will be Moore's first major national splash.
Moore's media commitments are about 60-65 percent less than what Johnson experienced, said sports information director Max Corbet, whose staff coordinates media requests.
Coach Chris Petersen wishes he had taken a similar approach with Johnson.
"That stuff wears on you," Petersen said.
Petersen even has limited Moore's availability to Boise State's marketing department. You'll notice his face is not on any of the player Halloween masks that will be distributed at Saturday's game.
And Boise State doesn't plan any kind of publicity push for Moore's Heisman candidacy.
Moore might not need one, anyway. The Broncos play four straight games on ESPN channels beginning Friday at Louisiana Tech a stretch during which ESPN likely will promote Moore for free.
Moore, who is 19-1 at Boise State, also will benefit if he can hang onto the national lead in pass efficiency.
"He just needs to play at that high level," Petersen said. "Whoever's ranked where, who cares? He hasn't lost very many football games. That's the bottom line." That also is a much-debated but never-doubted component to any Heisman campaign. Moore is in a tight three-way race for the WAC Offensive Player of the Year award, but he's the league's only viable Heisman candidate because he has the Broncos ranked No. 6 and in contention for a Bowl Championship Series berth.
"He's a perfect guy for their offense," San Jose State coach Dick Tomey said, "and somebody you really have to admire because he makes so few mistakes." That extends to the huddle, the locker room and beyond.
"He's such a humble guy, such a great friend and great teammate," freshman tailback Matt Kaiserman said. "... The bottom line is he's as nice as they come. That's what makes Kellen Moore truly a great player in my mind."
(c) 2009, The Idaho Statesman (Boise, Idaho).
Visit The Idaho Statesman online at http://www.idahostatesman.com.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
