Dirk Koetter has been coaching football for 42 seasons, which means he’s been doing press conferences for roughly 42 seasons.
Maybe longer, going back to his quarterback days at Highland High and Idaho State, both in his hometown of Pocatello. He doesn’t remember his first press conference.
“I don’t. You even said I was a player at one time. I don’t even remember that.’’
That was Koetter being Koetter this past Thursday, smart and snarky with a businesslike smile, standing behind a podium and playing his favorite game of media cat-and-mouse.
It was potentially a historic moment.
It was potentially the final press conference of his 42-year coaching career.
Mike Prater
Once Boise State’s head coach, now the Broncos’ beloved offensive coordinator, Koetter’s future in coaching depends on Tuesday’s quarterfinal CFP game against Penn State.
If Boise State wins the Fiesta Bowl, as an 11-point underdog, it will play Georgia or Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl. National semifinal. For the right to play for a national championship. More press conferences.
If Boise State loses, Koetter is expected to retire, this time for good, though we’ve heard that song and dance before.
This time, I think it’s real. That’s why I asked him Thursday if he thought it could be his final press conference.
“I did think about that, actually just a few minutes ago. I said I might be doing my last ever press conference and, man, how will I ever be able to survive,’’ he said with that trademark smirk. “Will life go on? That is a question for us all to ponder today.
“This might be it. I hope it’s not, I hope we keep going for a while. I know our players believe in what we’re doing and I know they’re going to go down there and give it their best shot, but other than that, I’m not giving it too much thought.
“I’ve done enough press conferences – I’m perfectly satisfied with my press conference career.’’
Another smirk.
Koetter’s weekly pressers this season have lasted about 15 minutes, or about 12 minutes too long for him. This one stretched a shocking 26 minutes.
The former NFL head coach talked about NFL talent on Penn State’s roster.
He talked about the Xs and Os of beating a team with NFL talent.
He talked about Oregon being a common opponent between Boise State and Penn State.
He bragged even more about Maddux Madsen, the Broncos’ controversial QB who has made Koetter and his decision-making look brilliant.
Koetter also had an awkward exchange concerning star running back Ashton Jeanty getting rest during a 24-day layoff between games.
“I think you guys are making too big a deal of that. That’s just my opinion. You asked me, I told you. … The time off scares me more than I think it helps us.’’
He talked about trick plays – and Boise State’s tradition of Fiesta Bowl magic. Not his style, he said.
“It’s weird, I was at one time, I was a trick-play guy as much as anybody but I think the NFL kind of humbles you on that a little bit,’’ Koetter said.
Not a popular answer in Boise. Then again, Koetter has never worried about being popular. Just being good.
Then came the second-to-last question – about the growth of Boise State football. My first interview with Koetter happened in December 1997 when he was Oregon’s offensive coordinator, coaching his last game with the Ducks against Air Force in the Vegas Bowl.
A few days later, he was in Boise to begin his first head coaching gig. He spent three seasons with the Broncos – winning bowl games, producing MVPs, planting a coaching tree and launching a new golden era of Boise State football that thrives today.
Standing behind a podium, he once famously scolded local fans because he wanted Boise to become a more serious college football town.
In 1999, he held another famously important press conference, this time with no podium and nothing but raw emotions. It happened on the outside patio of the Boise State Hall of Fame, where he announced the death of player Paul Reyna following a head injury in fall camp. Standing less than 100 yards away from where the incident happened on the blue turf, Koetter broke the news of Reyna’s death. No smirk. Nothing but tears.
Back to that second-to-last question, about the growth of Boise State, with Koetter giving a sincere, heartfelt answer …
“It’s very cool and I’ve said to several of my friends, when I came here in 1998, I think I was staying at one of the Rodeway Inns. I was in my little tiny office down there in the corner of the Varsity Center. It was snowing and raining outside and there were people walking by on their way to a basketball game. One of the players I inherited got caught stealing books from the bookstore that day and I was thinking to myself, ‘Why did I leave Eugene, Oregon, to come to this?’
“That pressbox wasn’t there. This theater (football’s team room) wasn’t here. That indoor (facility) wasn’t there. Boise State was probably averaging about 19,000 fans a game and I’m very proud of where this program has gone and how we’ve been able to keep the chain of coaches and the way the culture in this program, where it’s gone from that second year in 1999 to 2024. To be in this playoff just speaks volumes about the administration here, the fans here, the players here and the coaches here. It’s really cool to see. I’m very proud of it.’’
And then one potentially final press conference question: Are you pleased that college football finally has a true playoff format?
And his potentially final press conference answer:
“I think college football has a lot of problems right now, but the best thing they’ve got going is this playoff. That’s huge. They’re going to change the way they seed the teams, maybe how they pick the teams and all that, but the fact that it’s a tournament right now and somebody’s going to come out, proving it on the field as a national champion. … Whoever wins this thing by winning three or four in a row to get there, that’s big time and I think it’s awesome for the sport.’’
He left the podium. He walked up the steep stairs of the team room that didn’t exist in 1998. He presumably went back to his office, now with a window view of the blue turf. He was done with press conferences.
At least for the day. Possibly forever.
Dirk Koetter won’t miss the media.
The media will miss Dirk Koetter.
Mike Prater is the Bronco Nation News columnist who co-hosts Idaho Sports Talk (KTIK 95.3 FM on Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m.) and the Boise State football postgame show (KBOI 670 AM). He is on Twitter @MikeFPrater and can be reached at mikefprater@gmail.com
