Montana State hires former Boise State assistant Choate; Pease fired at Washington
Former Boise State football assistant coach Jeff Choate was hired as Montana State’s head coach Friday after two seasons as an assistant at Washington under former Boise State coach Chris Petersen.
Choate was the Huskies’ defensive line coach and special teams coordinator, prior to that spending the 2013 season at Florida as linebackers/special teams coordinator and 2012 as Washington State’s linebackers coach. He was at Boise State from 2006 to 2011, serving as special teams coordinator, linebackers coach and running backs coach.
A St. Maries native, he played collegiately at Montana Western and coached at Challis, Twin Falls and Post Falls high schools from 1994 to 2001.
“This is what I’ve worked my entire career for, to lead a college football program,” Choate said in a statement.
Athletic Director Peter Fields said, “He impressed everyone who came in contact with him during this process with his energy and integrity, as well as his ability as a football coach. He knows our state, and his background suits him for this job.”
Choate interviewed at Eastern Illinois after the 2011 season before current Bowling Green coach Dino Babers was chosen. Montana State opens the 2016 season at Idaho. The Bobcats went 5-6 this season, firing coach Rob Ash after nine seasons in which he went 70-38.
Also in former Bronco assistant news, Washington announced receivers coach Brent Pease’s contract will not be renewed and he will not coach in a bowl game. He was Boise State’s receivers coach from 2006 to 2010 and the offensive coordinator in 2011.
Pease was hired by Petersen from Florida, spending the last two seasons in Seattle, but only once in his tenure did a Husky receiver finish in the top 35 of the Pac-12 in receiving yards.
Petersen said a “fresh start with the position group” was needed moving forward.
Dave Southorn: 208-377-6420, @IDS_southorn
This story was originally published December 4, 2015 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Montana State hires former Boise State assistant Choate; Pease fired at Washington."