Despite what the New York Times says ( and by the way, Lyle Smith did more for Boise State than any other coach NYT),  I know there are going to be some haters in Albertsons Stadium.

I know you are out there. Not a lot but some. I have read your posts, heard your calls and had to bite my tongue when you bitched about him to me personally.

You are bitter about Coach Pete leaving Boise for Seattle.

He stole coaches and recruits from Boise State.

He lost interest here and gave up.

He ruined the offense by sticking with Robert Prince as offensive coordinator.

He voted in a survey that Power 5 teams, like his at Washington, shouldn’t play non Power 5 teams like Boise State.

You are probably a very loyal Bronco and see things one way. You are not like Gene Bleymaier who said “…I don’t think anybody begrudges his decision …I think he’ll get a tremendous reception.”

Only those who worked around Pete really knew him.

And that’s the biggest difference. You never did.

I was lucky to get to know him. Before he was the head coach, and then after but prior to his support staff increasing. Starting about 2012, Pete cut himself off from certain things and focused on his players and building a new football complex.  He focused his efforts on what he saw as important.

So, before you boo him at the game Friday or talk bad about him to other fans, consider my reasons why you shouldn’t.

He left Boise State because he was burned out and needed a change. He tired of fighting the same fights and needed to challenge himself with a new set of problems. It wasn’t one thing. His plate got too big here and he wanted less to do with anything but football.

He took his friends with him to Seattle. They left because they wanted to. With the exception of Bronco Alum Pete Kwiatkowski, they had no ties to Boise except their job and everybody for $50,000-$100,000 plus raises and 2 year contracts. Put yourself in their shoes.

He was always recruiting Pac 12 kids. He didn’t just stop when he took the UW job. He just told them he now had a different place he wanted ’em to play at and it was in the PAC 12. His number #1 objection in recruiting was now solved. DL Greg Gaines, OL Jesse Sosebee, WR Dante Pettis, and DE Jaylen Johnson were all recruited by Pete to Boise State and they will see time Friday night. The lure of a coach was more important to them than playing at Boise State.  Feel free to boo them.

The change in Boise State’s offense was Coach Pete’s idea. Prince just executed it. Pete wanted simpler plays and better execution. Then, he kept adding back in plays he liked. He changed his mind a lot. He stood by Prince because he was partially responsible. He and Prince didn’t click.

He thought by telling ESPN that he didn’t think Pac 12 schools should play non Power 5 schools he was voting for a level playing field. He didn’t think it was fair some teams did it and others didn’t. He was thinking about non Power 5 schools that just collect a paycheck, have no chance of winning and are scheduled to give Power 5 teams a break. Pete knows Boise State is not such a school.

So don’t hate, he was great.