Jeff Choate Joining Mike Leach's Staff, According To Report
by Brian Floyd on Jan 10, 2012 6:48 PM PST
in 2011 WSU Football News
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PrintThe ninth, and final, assistant under Mike Leach at Washington State will reportedly be Jeff Choate, currently at Boise State. Choate is a jack-of-all-trades type of assistant, working primarily with the Broncos' special teams while also dabbling in the nickel backs, linebackers and running backs previous. It's assumed Choate will be working on the defensive side of the ball, but whether he works with the secondary or linebackers -- or both! -- is yet unknown.
The news comes, again, from Football Scoop on Twitter.
Heard tonight that Boise State's Jeff Choate is leaving to join Mike Leach's staff. Confirmed.
— FootballScoop Staff (@footballscoop) January 11, 2012
This is where I note that we've now cornered the St. Maries market, y'all. Choate graduated from St. Maries in Idaho, which should sound familiar: It's the same school Eric Russell graduated from (Russell is a few years older; I'm assuming they know each other well!).
In addition to the obvious connection, Choate began his coaching career in Idaho, working at Post Falls high school. He eventually went to Utah State, then Eastern Illinois, and finally Boise State, where he's been since 2006. He knows the area, has a connection to the staff in Russell, and seems like a solid fit. And for some strange reason, I get the feeling special teams will be a big emphasis under Leach. Call it a hunch, or something.
Choate rounds out the assistant coaching staff, which we assume will be announced shortly. The ninth spot has remained vacant, following Mike Smith's decision to stay with the New York Jets after being offered an assistant coaching decision.
While we're at it, click the links below to learn more about all the reported hires!
Offensive line: Clay McGuire
Inside Receivers: Eric Morris
Outside Receivers: Dennis Simmons
Running Backs: Jim Mastro
Defensive Line or Linebackers: Paul Volero
Defensive Line: Joe Salave'a
Defensive Coordinator: Mike Breske
Special Teams: Eric Russell
Edit: Added a video interview after the jump (ht footballin)
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And yet another coach with special teams experience.
It seems like that is four or five with ST experience, I’m expecting to have awesome return and coverage units.
by Mark Sandritter on Jan 10, 2012 6:53 PM PST reply actions
Plus, we are going to be kicking off between 8-10 times a game
The blood of "The Five" cries for justice.
If memory serves
Hasn’t it been a couple about a century (slight exaggeration but it feels that way) since WSU returned a kick for a TD?
Two in the cake, one in the puddin'! -Kevin Calabro, Twitter: MichaelTheCoug
by Michael The Coug on Jan 10, 2012 6:58 PM PST up reply actions
was Sammy Moore @ Colorado '03 the last time?
by Blackie1829 on Jan 10, 2012 7:15 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Yep.
And I don’t remember the date of the last punt return but it was Bumpus.
"Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can!" | Herb Brooks
I put it to the CougCenter community:
Is there anything more thrilling in football than a punt/kick return for a TD?
Two in the cake, one in the puddin'! -Kevin Calabro, Twitter: MichaelTheCoug
by Michael The Coug on Jan 10, 2012 7:51 PM PST up reply actions
Any defensive TD, but especially a fat guy defensive TD.
CougCenter In Reid We Trust, Twitter!
by Craig Powers on Jan 10, 2012 8:09 PM PST up reply actions 4 recs
The Fat Guy Defenseive TD
Is a worthy candidate. Especially Red Bryant’s earlier this year.
I don’t know why this is such a vivid memory, but I was watching a Cowboys game when I was about 8 and a defensive end (no idea on his name0 intercepted a pass on their own 5 or so and ran it the distance of the field for the touchdown. By the time he’d gotten 30 yards from pay dirt, he’d slowed to almost a jog and the announcer, as he flops into the endzone, yells “SOMEONE GET THAT MAN SOME OXYGEN!”
Two in the cake, one in the puddin'! -Kevin Calabro, Twitter: MichaelTheCoug
by Michael The Coug on Jan 10, 2012 8:24 PM PST up reply actions
Fake punt or kick for me
but punt/kick returns are right there
by Kyle Rancourt on Jan 10, 2012 9:04 PM PST up reply actions
Example
This wasn’t a touchdown, but it was incredible.
by Brian Floyd on Jan 10, 2012 9:38 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs
Best of both worlds
Isn’t this a fat guy with a football combined with a kick return for a (near) touchdown?
Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.
Thomas Jefferson
I have always liked blocked punts and kicks that get returned for TD
but maybe not so much after this past year since we had two brutal ones go against us.
The blood of "The Five" cries for justice.
Black pants?
#CougHarmonyOnTwitter #teamnopants
by TiltingRight on Jan 10, 2012 11:53 PM PST up reply actions
Man, we are going to have the market cornered on all those St. Maries High recruits!
Do we know what areas these assistants recruited as their previous stops? The past few recruits committed and visiting seem to be from the LA area, not a place we made a lot of stops under Wulff. Any assistant in particular have ties to the area?
Mastro is from UCLA
Also, they were poaching all of Adrian Klemm’s SMU recruits (Klemm’s area was LA, but he left SMU).
Feels wierd to be on the other side
Hopefully we’ll get a few to commit. I can’t remember seeing this many higher rated prospects coming for visits. How could you not like Pullman once u visit?
Ouch
This loss hurts. Coach Choate did a great job this year for special teams, with the only problem being field goals and extra points (no kicker coach at BSU, nor most other schools). The BSU punt and kickoff return game was excellent and coverage even more so, including foiled fakes, blocks and run fakes. He will fit right in. :(
Boise State football is akin to molten lava. You can see it and perhaps run from it, but you can't stop it.
Ouch
Hey, you’re welcome to join us in Martin Stadium and enjoy what Coach C does as well as the rest of our staff!
by TheOriginalCougMan on Jan 11, 2012 7:23 PM PST reply actions
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