Brian Murphy
bmurphy@idahostatesman.com

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Boise State coach Chris Petersen and TCU coach Gary Patterson addressed the media for a final time before Monday’s Fiesta Bowl during a Sunday press conference.

Here are some highlights:

Petersen cracks one liners

• On keeping players humble: “One of the things we kind of talk about which I think is one of the tricks in life, so to speak, is to stay hungry and humble all at the same time. What a difficult concept to get, and I think it's hard sometimes for anybody, let alone 18, 19-year-old kids who are having a lot of success and everybody's patting them on the back the whole time and telling them how great they are. One of the things we just always tell our guys is just, Hey, listen to your coaches. Love your mom, but don't listen to her when it comes to football. If you listen to us, we'll keep it real. We'll keep you grounded. We'll be honest. We'll tell you how it is.”

• On TCU’s defense: “But (Patterson) lied to me last year when he told it was going to be three alligators. And I guarantee it was a lot quicker than that with that D-line coming after Kellen.”

• On the media: “I just took a pass through your guys’ hospitality room. I know you’re not here for me.”

• On trick plays: “You don’t have to have all these smoke and mirrors. I shouldn’t say that because I guess that’s what we’re all about.”

Patterson can joke, too

• On the return of Boise State wide receivers Austin Pettis and Tyler Shoemaker: “We expect them to play. I expect Ian Johnson maybe to come back and have one more game. I mean, coach Petersen, I have watched him throw the ball. He may throw a couple passes. I’m not sure he is as good as Kellen Moore.”

Petersen excited for Kirby Moore

Wide receiver Kirby Moore played in 12 games and caught 17 passes, including two touchdowns, during his freshman season. But Petersen believes Moore, the younger brother of quarterback Kellen Moore, is just scratching the surface.

“It’s hard playing as a freshman, a true freshman. I don’t care how many balls you caught in high school. I don’t care if your dad’s one of the top high school coaches in America, if you brother is a quarterback. It is still tough and hard and a lot of adjustments. And he has done a tremendous job, he really has. We wouldn’t be here without him,” Petersen said.

“But it will be interesting when we have a full year of Kirby, of teaching him kind of how we do things and developing him in the weight room and those types of things. There is no question his best year are in front of him.”

Moore is expected the start in the Fiesta Bowl.

Patterson says he’ll know if offseason meetings with Boise State matter in the game

Much has been made of the fact that Boise State coaches visited TCU in the offseason for some ideas to improve their defense. Both head coaches have downplayed the impact of the meetings on Monday’s Fiesta Bowl.

“I’ll know as I watch on the field. If it hurts us, I will probably be mad at myself, but I would bet it would not make any difference at all,” Patterson said.

Patterson said the offseason meetings are a way to help the profession grow. He said the Horned Frogs have hosted 600 to 1,000 high school coaches in the last four years and 15 to 20 college staffs in the last five years.

“The only way I can help this profession is to go out and help people,” Patterson said.

Petersen said he does not think the meetings will “have a whole lot to do with the outcome of this game,” but that if the teams knew they were going to play each other so soon, the coaches would not have met.

Patterson not enthusiastic about Boise State possibly joining the Mountain West

TCU coach Gary Patterson did not endorse the idea of Boise State joining the Mountain West Conference. The Broncos have long lobbied for a spot in the nine-team league, which has established itself as the best of the non-automatic qualifying leagues in recent years.

“I have heard it would raise our standards of our conference as far as being an automatic qualifier. But to be honest with you, I think we have already done that,” Patterson said, referencing the possibility of the Mountain West gaining an automatic berth in the BCS.

“If Boise did join the conference, would it be tougher for TCU, Boise, Utah, BYU and the other people in our conference to be able to get to a BCS game every year?”

TCU cornerback out for game

TCU senior cornerback Rafael Priest will not play in the Fiesta Bowl, several media outlets reported. Priest sprained his left foot during bowl practices. His status has changed several times this week.

Sophomore Greg McCoy will replace Priest in the starting lineup.

Another award for Patterson

Patterson collected yet another national coaching award Sunday, when he won the Eddie Robinson Award. Patterson has won seven national coach of the year awards.

“I haven’t seen too many 0-12 coaches receive those awards, so it means you must have a great staff, you must have great players and you must have a great administration and a great fan base to do that,” Patterson said. “I think it is a big group award.”

Petersen was a finalist for the award.

Brian Murphy: 377-6444