Boise State senior quarterback Kellen Moore completed a school-record 71.3 percent of his passes last season.
He’s on pace to smash that mark this year — completing 75.9 percent and challenging the Football Bowl Subdivision record.
Take out that ugly Nevada game and Moore has completed an eye-popping 79.5 percent of his passes. He hit 18 straight to open last week’s game at Colorado State and will try to stay hot Saturday at Bronco Stadium against Air Force’s funky defense.
“I feel like I’m throwing better,” Moore said. “Certainly that extra year gives you a little better experience and understanding of everything.”
Moore is part of a growing trend in college football. Nine quarterbacks have completed at least 70 percent of their passes this season and quarterbacks nationwide set an NCAA record with a 59.7 completion rate last year.
Moore is second — behind Baylor’s Robert Griffin III (78.0 percent). The record is 76.7 by Texas’ Colt McCoy in 2008.
“Every year quarterbacks are getting better, you learn from others,” Moore said. “Certainly I think the schemes are getting very good at getting guys open and creating mismatches. And there’s a lot of smart quarterbacks around the country who get completions.”
Here are some other Moore stat notes, including where he stands in several record pursuits:
• Moore (44-2) can tie McCoy’s all-times wins record Saturday.
• Moore needs to break McCoy’s single-season record for completion percentage to reach the career record. Moore is at 69.3; the career record is 70.4.
• Moore is on pace to break the record for lowest percentage of passes intercepted in a career.
• The 2011 NCAA record book has removed Moore’s record for completion percentage by a freshman (69.4 in 2008). Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford completed 69.5 percent in 2007 and his mark apparently had been overlooked.
• Moore has been removed from the Broncos’ six games this season with a total of 87 minutes, 34 seconds left — almost a quarter a game. He has finished one game, played in the fourth quarter in two others and thrown 14 fourth-quarter passes. The Broncos have outscored opponents 231-46 before he exits.
The State Board of Education on Thursday approved several tweaks to coach Chris Petersen’s five-year contract. The vote was 6-0 with two members absent.
Petersen’s automatic one-year extensions for every season in which the Broncos win eight games now will include a $100,000 raise, double the previous contracted amount. His bonus for a Bowl Championship Series berth (now $150,000) or a conference championship (now $100,000) has been increased by $25,000.
Petersen’s total compensation, including longevity bonuses and supplemental retirement contributions, will be $1.525 million this year. That amount increases by $100,000 every subsequent year.
The first year in which Thursday’s action increases Petersen’s salary is 2015, the year added to his contract when the Broncos earned their eighth win last year.
Boise State held three full-pads practices this week so it could prepare for Air Force’s cut-blocking. Senior linebacker Aaron Tevis said it’s the first time in his career that the Broncos have worn full pads for a Thursday practice.
“It’s probably the most difficult thing I’ve seen in a while,” junior defensive tackle Mike Atkinson said. “We’re really trying to hone in on our new skills we’re going to have to develop in a week to be able to play the blocks we’re going to get.”
Boise State senior center Thomas Byrd has missed four straight starts after starting 41 of 42 games to begin his career. He sat out all three games but rotated into last week’s game at Colorado State.
Byrd has knee problems that have limited his mobility and practice time. Offensive line coach Chris Strausser hopes to get him back into the starting lineup at some point this season.
“We haven’t had any certain plan,” he said. “He’s kind of day to day, how he feels. … He’s handled it like a champion. He’s been so awesome.”
When Byrd, a coach’s son, isn’t on the field, he’s helping Strausser teach those who are.
“He’s another set of eyes on the sideline and that’s been a big help for me,” Strausser said. “… Football is in his blood. He’s passionate about it. He sees this as an opportunity to learn. He definitely wants to be a coach, and he definitely will be a coach.”
Boise State scout team wide receiver Hilton Richardson hadn’t played on a football team until last month, when he joined the Broncos as a walk-on.
He spent the past five seasons playing outfield in the Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves organizations and hit .229 for his career. When his career fizzled in Single-A this year, the scout who signed him — Scott Ramsay — called Boise State special teams coach Jeff Choate.
Ramsay was Choate’s high school baseball coach.
“He keeps saying he wants to play football at Boise State,” Ramsay told Choate. “I don’t know why, but that’s what he keeps saying.”
Richardson (6-foot-3, 215 pounds) is beyond raw, but his athleticism and personality earned him a shot. The Royals drafted the 22-year-old in the seventh round in 2007.
“It’s completely experimental,” Choate said. “It’s pretty tough sledding to say this is the first time he ever put on a pair of shoulder pads and a helmet and he’s playing on a Top 5 team in the country. He seems committed to it.”
Richardson, of Kirkland, Wash., was unavailable for comment. The Broncos aren’t allowing true freshmen to speak to the media.
QUICK HITS
Boise State has won 14 of its past 16 games by at least 20 points. … The Broncos are the only team to start in the Top 5 of the BCS standings each of the past three years. … Boise State released 200 tickets for the Air Force game Thursday afternoon. Check idahotickets.com for availability. … Four F-15Es from Mountain Home Air Force Base will provide a flyover at Saturday’s game.
Chadd Cripe is in his 10th season covering Boise State football for the Idaho Statesman. He also is a voter in The Associated Press Top 25. Contact him at ccripe@idahostatesman.com or 377-6398.
