Set the wayback machine for summer 2008. Your life was not yet full of Kellen Moore. In fact, it might have been full of Michael Coughlin. In 2008, Coughlin was a highly regarded sophomore, locked in a fight for the QB job with Moore, Bush Hamdan, and Nick Lomax. And Coughlin was doing pretty well.

Obviously, he didn't do well enough, and he was resigned to backup duty for that season and the rest of his seasons, barring injury or the NFL having a run on six-foot left-handed quarterbacks. But that's where Coughlin made me a fan of his.

Lomax, if you'll remember, packed his bags and got out of town once he saw the writing on the wall and the writing read, "Nick Lomax, you are no Kellen Moore." Coughlin saw the same writing - except with his name in place of Lomax's, obviously. Yet Coughlin stuck it out.

His career numbers:

Season	Complete	Attempts	INT	Comp. %	TDs	Yards	QB Rating
2007	6	14	1	42.9	1	95	109.14
2008	3	5	0	60	1	13	168
2009	12	19	0	53.2	0	50	82.56
2010	3	7	0	42.9	0	22	69.3
TOTALS	24	45	1	53.3	2	180	107.25

 

Probably not what he expected, but no matter to him. Coughlin embraced the team-first spirit of the Broncos without causing a fuss, pining for playing time, or going all diva on the team. His reward: mop-up duty and some Coughlin-specific running plays in each week's gameplan.

Not what he signed up for, but nothing he would ever complain about, either.

Thanks for being you, Michael Coughlin.