The Associated Press did a really nice piece on Washington's Chris Petersen today that took a closer look at the man behind one of the best stories in college football this season. Under Petersen, Washington has a great chance of reaching the College Football Playoff with a win over a red-hot Washington State squad and a win the Pac-12 title game.
In the piece were a couple nuggets worth sharing, including Petersen talking about going to watch his father coach growing up and thinking that he didn't want to follow in his footsteps.
"I would go to his games and I think I would care more about winning and losing more than half the players that I saw on the sidelines," Petersen remembers thinking as a youngster. "I would tell my Mom, like, there is no way I would coach and let 18-year-olds control my happiness."
Prior to taking the Washington job, Petersen built the Boise State program into the standard that all non-Power Five schools now use as a measuring stick, and many thought Petersen would never leave the program after turning down a number of high-profile opportunities.
Petersen explained the logic behind taking the Washington job, and every other job he's taken for that matter.
"Every job I've taken I've not wanted to go, but just felt like I need to do this."
Read more on Petersen here, including his approach at Boise State that aimed at keeping players humble and hungry, and what Washington players say about his leadership and approach now.