Zak Hill gets the final OC rose

Last season’s four-headed OC experiment is over and Zak Hill has the lone set of keys to the Boise State offense—so we know who to blame if it comes back scratched and low on gas. The old adage states that too many cooks spoil the broth and while Boise State’s broth was hearty in 2016, there were definitely chunks of halfback dives and wheel routes that made many lose their appetite. Overall, I don’t think the experiment was a complete disaster and the idea that the four OCs were all actively calling plays in-game and wearing one giant, comical headset is probably false. Still, I think everyone’s two cents, at times, still left us far short of a dollar and allowing one man to direct the offensive ship is probably the best way to avoid goal-line icebergs (like, say at Air Force por ejemplo).

Prior to joining Boise State (by way of Hawaii) Hill spent seven years at Eastern Washington where he helped guide the Eagles to five FCS playoff appearances and the 2010 FCS national title. On top of that, during Hill’s tenure, EWU won or shared the Big Sky crown six times. In his first season as co-OC, the Broncos ranked 21st in total offense and Brett Rypien landed on his second-straight MWC first-team.

Hill’s ascension was helped along by the offseason departures of his 2016 co-OCs (Junior Adams and Scott Huff) and the writing appeared to be on the wall when Eric Kiesau joined the program in January but carried no such coordinator tag. It’s hard to say whether Scott Huff would’ve been “demoted” as it were, had he not left for UW, but my feeling is that he'd have kept his nameplate. This also seems to dispel the rumor that Coach Harsin is a control freak who refuses to delegate to his assistants. Harsin was wearing the co-OC cap last season as well, but will allow Hill to hold the reins so he can ride shotgun in 2017.