Chris Petersen Chris Petersen ( born October 13 , 1964 ) is an American football coach , currently the head coach at Boise State University , a position he has held since the 2006 season . Petersen has guided the Broncos to two BCS bowl wins , in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and the 2010 Fiesta Bowl . He is the first and only two - time winner of the Paul " Bear " Bryant Award , which he won in 2006 and 2009 . He also won the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award in 2010 . Playing career and education . Born and raised in Yuba City , California , Petersen played safety and quarterback for the Honkers at Yuba City High School . After graduation in 1983 , he played quarterback for the Sacramento City College Panthers for two seasons , then transferred to non - scholarship UC Davis , then in Division II . He earned a bachelor ' s degree in psychology in 1988 and a master ' s degree in education from UC Davis . Coaching career . Assistant coach . Petersen began his coaching career in 1987 as the head freshman coach at UC Davis under Hall of Fame coach Jim Sochor . In 1989 he became the receivers coach for the varsity , departing in 1992 to become the quarterbacks coach at Pittsburgh . He moved back west in 1993 to coach the quarterbacks at Portland State under Tim Walsh ; the Vikings advanced to the Division II playoffs in both 1993 and 1994 . Peterson moved over to Oregon in 1995 as the receivers coach , and spent six years as an assistant for the Ducks under head coach Mike Bellotti . In 2001 , he became the offensive coordinator at Boise State under first - year head coach Dan Hawkins . Head coach . Petersen was promoted to head coach at Boise State on December 16 , 2005 , succeeding Hawkins , who left for Colorado . Sophomore tailback Ian Johnson said about the transition , " We trusted him and knew he was going to take care of us . We knew he was a great person . He was going to recruit people just like himself . We waited for him to get everybody here and he got in the perfect people . " Petersen had served as offensive coordinator at Boise State for five seasons and was twice nominated for the Broyles Award , given to the nation ' s best assistant coach . 2007 Fiesta Bowl . In his first year as head coach , Petersen led the Broncos to an undefeated regular season and the program ' s first ever BCS bowl game berth . He became the fourth rookie head coach to lead a team to a BCS bowl game . Boise State was the only undefeated team in Division I FBS for the 2006 season . The Broncos defeated Big 12 Champion Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl as only the second non - BCS conference school to play in a BCS bowl , after Utah in 2004 . In the 43 – 42 overtime win , Petersen drew particular attention for his bold play calling at the end of the game : A 50 - yard hook - and - lateral play on 4th - and - 18 described as " stunning " for a tying touchdown with just 7 seconds left in regulation , an option pass ( off a direct snap to a wide receiver ) on 4th - and - 2 in overtime , and a " Statue of Liberty " misdirection play for the two - point conversion to win the game in overtime . Petersen stated , " We were trying to get to it earlier , to tell you the truth . We needed a play like that to get it over with . " Improved contracts . On February 22 , 2007 , the Idaho State Board of Education approved a new contract for Petersen , paying him $ 4 . 25 million for five years , or $ 850 , 000 per year . Petersen ’ s salary will be paid mostly by revenue from the Football Coaches Club , the Bronco Athletic Association booster club and media and public appearances . State - appropriated funds will cover $ 150 , 000 per year . On January 1 , 2010 , after leading Boise State to another undefeated regular season , Petersen was rewarded with a new five - year contract extension , with other terms of the contract to be announced later . On April 22 , 2010 , the State Board of Education approved the new contract , which would pay Petersen $ 8 million over the course of the five - year deal , or $ 1 . 6 million per year . The contract also included automatic one - year extensions to the contract each time Petersen won at least eight regular season games . Petersen ' s newest contract , awaiting final approval by the State Board of Education in February 2012 , was agreed to on January 3 of that year . The five - year deal calls for Petersen to receive a base salary of $ 2 million for the 2012 season , with $ 200 , 000 raises in each subsequent season . Assuming he remains at Boise State at the end of the relevant seasons , Petersen will receive retention bonuses of $ 100 , 000 after two years and $ 200 , 000 in each of the final three years of the deal . Personal life . Petersen and his wife , Barbara , are the parents of two sons , Jack and Sam . His father , Ron Petersen , still lives in Yuba City .