Chris Petersen and Boise State Agree to New Contract

Boise State University and Chris Petersen have agreed to a new contract that will run through the 2014 season according to the Idaho Statesman.

BSU made the announcement Friday during the Fiesta Bowl media day in Glendale, Arizona.

No financial terms of the contract were released according to the story.

Petersen agreed in principle to the new five-year deal about a week ago but the deal still needs to be approved by the Idaho State Board of Education which meets February 16-17 in Boise.

"Every place their ceiling on what they can pay and we understand that at Boise State, but we also understand what a special place it is and what great people we work with" Petersen was quoted as saying in the Statesman article. "I think it's a win-win for all sides."

The new deal is reported to also include the assistant coaches as Petersen negotiated consideration for his assistants during contract discussions.

"We want to keep this team together" Gene Bleymaier BSU's athletic director was quoted as saying in the story.

The Statesman reported that BSU President Bob Kustra said the contract is more about years than dollars.

Petersen was due to make $1.3 million in 2010 on his existing contract which was to run through 2011 and also included other performance bonuses.

It was reported that Petersen had said he was "nervous" about this time of year in fear of losing any assistant coaches.

Recently Brent Pease, BSU's wide receivers coach, had interviewed for the offensive coordinator job at Arizona State.

Pease was also rumored to be a finalist for the head coaching position at the University of Montana where he played his college football.

According to the story the latest negotiations will make it difficult for assistant coaches to leave.

"For them to go somewhere else it will have to be somewhere special" Petersen was quoted as saying.

To Bronco fans this was great news as the past few years have been an emotional roller coaster.

Every time a major head coaching job opens, Petersen's name is one of the first to surface as a candidate.

Petersen is 48-4 at Boise State with three WAC titles and two Fiesta Bowl appearances.

Monday night Boise State will face Texas Christian University in the second appearance for BSU in the Fiesta Bowl.

Both TCU and Boise State are undefeated and ranked No. 4 and No. 6 respectfully in the BCS poll.

Boise State beat Oklahoma in their first Fiesta Bowl in a game that many college football experts claim to be the best game in college football history.