Warszawski: First taste of new Fresno State coordinator Eric Kiesau turns a little sour

For a while there, it looked as if Eric Kiesau’s first play-call as Fresno State offensive coordinator would be an audible.

As in, hitting the eject button.

Saturday afternoon, Kiesau sounded like a Bulldog through and through. After being introduced to the Red Wave at Save Mart Center, the 43-year-old coach met the local media and said all the right things.

Kiesau brought up Fresno State’s “tradition of winning” as one of the primary reasons he took the job. He spoke enthusiastically about the offensive staff he had “a big hand” in assembling. He zeroed-in on the Bulldogs’ lack of physicality in the run game and pledged to toughen it up.

“It’s a good match,” Kiesau said. “I’m fired up.”

Judging by the response in my email inbox and on social media, Bulldogs fans were equally fired up about Kiesau. Then came Monday, when several Idaho media outlets reported that Fresno State’s newly minted offensive coordinator was a candidate for the same position at Boise State.

These weren’t bogus reports, either. Boise State had serious interest in Kiesau according to my sources – and Kiesau had serious interest in joining the Broncos.

Just as the story gained steam, a Fresno State source told The Bee late Monday night that Kiesau would remain with the Bulldogs before the coach himself quashed it Tuesday morning on Twitter.

“Wanted to thank Fresno State football, (Athletic Director Jim) Bartko, Coach (Tim) DeRuyter & Staff, & our fans,” Kiesau tweeted. “Special place, that’s why I’m staying at FSU! Go Dogs!”

First off, someone needs to tell Kiesau that Fresno State dislikes being called “FSU.” (He may also want to update his profile pic wearing an Alabama cap.)

Second, what in the heck was that about?

I know everyone wants concrete answers, but the primary subjects aren’t talking. Kiesau was out of town recruiting Tuesday – for Fresno State, one would presume – and declined an interview request through the school’s media relations department. So did DeRuyter. And Bartko was said to be “laying low” after undergoing sinus surgery earlier this week.

Here’s what can be said for certain: The athletic department does, in fact, have a contract with Kiesau for the 2016 season that has been signed and executed. While Kiesau and defensive coordinator Lorenzo Ward are both expected to receive two-year contracts, the athletic department has yet to receive final approval to do so.

Another fact: When Fresno State announced Kiesau’s hiring Dec. 31, Boise State was not looking for an offensive coordinator. That changed Jan. 11 when Eli Drinkwitz left the Broncos to become offensive coordinator at North Carolina State.

Similar to the days when Pat Hill lost his offensive coordinators to larger programs on an almost annual basis, the position at Boise State has been a revolving door. Drinkwitz was the Broncos’ fifth offensive coordinator in six seasons.

While Fresno State (and Bulldogs fans) has every right to be peeved about Boise State trying to poach Kiesau, there is nothing in the rulebook to prevent that sort of thing from happening. College football is a cutthroat enterprise.

And let’s be frank: Boise State is a better job. For all their recent coaching tumult, the Broncos are coming off a 9-4 campaign that was disappointing by their lofty standards. Fresno State was 3-9 a year ago and 6-8 the year before, placing DeRuyter squarely on the hot seat entering his fifth season.

There’s also a question of comfort and familiarity. Kiesau interviewed for the position on Bartko’s recommendation; he and DeRuyter did not have a prior relationship. Nor did Kiesau personally know other members of the Bulldogs’ staff. He knew offensive line coach Mark Weber and tight ends coach Joe Bernardi only by reputation.

Going through the Boise State coaching staff, I can point out at least five Broncos coaches that Kiesau worked alongside either at Colorado (under former Broncos coach Dan Hawkins) or Cal.

Since no one’s talking, here’s where the facts start to peter out and conjecture takes over.

For example, I can’t tell you whether Kiesau sat at the podium Saturday afternoon answering questions about his plans for the Bulldogs offensive knowing full well he may never carry them out.

Perhaps Kiesau told the folks in Boise he wasn’t interested but they floated his name regardless hoping to knock a conference rival off course two weeks before National Signing Day.

Perhaps Fresno State had to sweeten the pot to get Kiesau to stay. (If so, we’ll find out eventually.)

Or perhaps Kiesau had a crisis of conscience. Most people, after signing a contract, would feel obligated to honor it. In my experience college football coaches, especially those who have bounced around, don’t tend to think that way. But maybe he’s an exception.

Boise State’s interest in Fresno State’s new offensive coordinator can also be taken as a compliment. If the Broncos wanted Kiesau to formulate game plans and call plays, he must be a pretty good coach.

Kiesau spent 2015 as an offseason analyst at national-champion Alabama and said the experience working under Nick Saban gave him “my PhD in coaching and my master’s in organization.”

Fresno State’s new offensive coordinator may turn out to be a great hire – and a fan favorite. But this dalliance with Boise State, the program that has already taken plenty from the Bulldogs, shows his public-relations skills are at a remedial level.

This story was originally published January 19, 2016 at 6:12 PM with the headline "Warszawski: First taste of new Fresno State coordinator Eric Kiesau turns a little sour."