From Broncos to Bulldogs: DeBoer brings a handful of former Boise State players to coaching staff

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- For weeks Kalen DeBoer talked about the continuity that he wanted to bring in with his new football staff.

Keeping guys like Kirby Moore and Ryan Grubb around certainly do that, but that same word - 'continuity' - can also be used to describe some of his other coaches, especially those who come from Fresno's most heated rival.

Right after DeBoer took over as the Bulldogs newest head coach, he started assembling his staff with friends and colleagues he'd come across in his time coaching.

The Dogs' newest running backs coach, Lee Marks, crossed paths with DeBoer in Sioux Falls. "If I ever have the chance to work with this guy, I would really love that opportunity," Marks remembers thinking at the time.

Well, opportunity came knocking in this year and Marks made the decision to not only leave a place he'd been coaching for six years but also his alma mater in Boise State.

"Obviously the last meeting they were celebrating on our field at the time when I was there," Marks said of the Fresno State/Boise State rivalry. "Now the cool part is watching film I get to talk about, 'Hey, this is what we want to do again'."

Incredibly, Marks isn't the only former coach or player on DeBoer's staff.

"For me I know the tradition that Fresno has," said Julius Brown, the Dogs' new recruiting coordinator.

"I've played in that stadium when it's packed and loud and I've been one of the guys getting booed in there and it's one of the best environments in the Mountain West if not the best."

Brown worked for the Broncos for eight seasons and was a player for three.

Likewise, prior to becoming the Bulldogs wide receiver coach for the past three years, Kirby Moore was a four varsity letterman on the blue turf.

"I think Coach has done a heck of a job putting together an unbelievable staff and it's different personalities but everybody has the same goal and that's to win a Mountain West championship," Brown said.

While it's all in good fun, Marks says not a day goes by where coaches don't make a joke about his alma mater.

"It's a hard decision to make," DeBoer said. "I think about how proud I am about my alma mater and how hard it would be to do what he's doing and we're just very blessed and fortunate to be able to have him be a part of this staff."

Now, Marks and others all in on the Bulldog program with Lee buying a house in Clovis and making sure his 4-year-old son is wearing the right colored shirt. As for his wardrobe - "A lot of it I gave away but the stuff I kept was from when I played there."