History of Chris Petersen in Timeline
Chris Petersen is a highly successful former American college football coach, best known for his tenure at Boise State University and the University of Washington. At Boise State, he achieved two BCS bowl victories in the Fiesta Bowl (2007, 2010), becoming the first coach to win the Paul "Bear" Bryant Award twice. His success continued at Washington, where he led the Huskies to the College Football Playoff in 2016. Petersen resigned from coaching in 2019.
October 13, 1964: Birth of Chris Petersen
Chris Petersen was born on October 13, 1964.
1983: Graduation from Yuba City High School
Chris Petersen graduated from Yuba City High School in 1983, where he played football as a safety and quarterback.
1987: Start of Coaching Career at UC Davis
Chris Petersen began his coaching career in 1987 as the head freshman coach at UC Davis under the guidance of Hall of Fame coach Jim Sochor.
1988: Graduation from UC Davis
Chris Petersen earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from UC Davis in 1988. He later obtained a master's degree in education from the same university.
1989: Promotion to Receivers Coach at UC Davis
In 1989, Chris Petersen was promoted to receivers coach for the varsity team at UC Davis.
1990: Back-to-Back 10-Win Seasons at Washington
The Washington Huskies, under Chris Petersen, achieved back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since 1990-91 with their 10-3 record in 2017. This achievement highlighted the program's resurgence under Petersen's leadership.
1992: Move to Pittsburgh as Quarterbacks Coach
Chris Petersen moved to the University of Pittsburgh in 1992 to become their quarterbacks coach.
1993: Quarterbacks Coach at Portland State
Chris Petersen returned west in 1993 to coach the quarterbacks at Portland State University under head coach Tim Walsh. The Vikings reached the Division II playoffs in both 1993 and 1994.
1994: Second Playoff Appearance with Portland State
Chris Petersen and the Portland State Vikings made their second consecutive appearance in the Division II playoffs in 1994.
1995: Joining Oregon as Receivers Coach
Chris Petersen joined the University of Oregon in 1995 as the receivers coach.
1996: Success with Receivers at Oregon
In 1996, while Chris Petersen was the receivers coach at Oregon, WR Cristin McLemore surpassed 1,000 receiving yards.
1997: Continued Success with Receivers at Oregon
Chris Petersen continued to see success with his receivers at Oregon in 1997, with WR Pat Johnson achieving over 1,000 receiving yards.
1998: Remarkable Achievement with Two 1,000-Yard Receivers
In 1998, Chris Petersen's coaching led to a remarkable achievement at Oregon, with WRs Damon Griffin and Tony Hartley both surpassing 1,000 receiving yards in the same year.
January 2001: Joining Boise State as Offensive Coordinator
Chris Petersen was hired as the offensive coordinator at Boise State University in January 2001 by newly appointed head coach Dan Hawkins.
2003: Record-Breaking Offensive Season at Boise State
Chris Petersen's offense at Boise State peaked in 2003, setting a school record with 602 points and achieving a 13-1 season.
2004: Boise State's Historic Fiesta Bowl Victory
Boise State, under Chris Petersen's leadership, defeated Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. This victory marked a significant milestone as they became only the second BCS non-AQ conference school to win a BCS bowl game, following Utah's win in 2004.
2005: Promotion to Head Coach at Boise State
Following Dan Hawkins' departure to Colorado, Chris Petersen was promoted to head coach at Boise State in 2005. He had previously served as the offensive coordinator for five seasons.
2006: Undefeated Season and First-Ever BCS Bowl Game for Boise State
In his debut year as head coach, Chris Petersen led Boise State to an undefeated regular season in 2006, securing the program's first-ever BCS bowl game berth. This achievement made Boise State the sole undefeated team in Division I FBS for that season.
2006: First BCS Bowl Game Appearance as Head Coach
In 2006, Chris Petersen led Boise State to an undefeated regular season and the program's first-ever BCS bowl game berth. This made him the fourth rookie head coach to achieve this feat.
2006: Undefeated Season Leads to Improved Contract
After leading Boise State to an undefeated season in 2006, Chris Petersen's contract was significantly improved, reflecting his success with the team.
February 22, 2007: New Contract with Boise State
Following the undefeated 2006 season, the Idaho State Board of Education approved a new contract for Chris Petersen on February 22, 2007, worth $4.25 million over five years.
2007: First Fiesta Bowl Victory as Boise State Head Coach
Chris Petersen led Boise State to victory in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, marking his first BCS bowl win as a head coach.
2009: Second Undefeated Regular Season at Boise State
Chris Petersen led Boise State to another undefeated regular season in 2009.
2009: Another Successful Season Leads to Contract Extension at Boise State
Chris Petersen's success continued at Boise State in 2009 with another undefeated regular season, leading to a contract extension.
January 1, 2010: Five-Year Contract Extension with Boise State
On January 1, 2010, Chris Petersen was rewarded for leading Boise State to another undefeated regular season in 2009 with a new five-year contract extension.
2010: Second Fiesta Bowl Victory and National Coaching Awards
Chris Petersen achieved a second Fiesta Bowl victory with Boise State in 2010. He also received prestigious coaching awards, including his second Paul "Bear" Bryant Award and the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award.
January 3, 2012: Lucrative Contract Extension with Boise State
Chris Petersen signed his final contract with Boise State on January 3, 2012. This five-year, $18 million deal included a base salary of $2 million for 2012, with annual raises of $200,000.
December 6, 2013: Becoming Head Coach at Washington
Chris Petersen agreed to a five-year, $18 million contract to become the head coach at the University of Washington on December 6, 2013. He replaced Steve Sarkisian, who left for USC.
2014: First Season at Washington and 100th Win Milestone
In his first season at Washington in 2014, Petersen achieved his 100th win as a head coach, becoming the fastest active FBS coach to reach this milestone in just 117 games. However, the team finished 8-6 and lost in the Cactus Bowl.
2015: Upset Victory and Contract Extension at Washington
During the 2015 season, Chris Petersen led a young Washington team to a 7-6 record, including a notable upset victory against USC. This success led to a two-year contract extension towards the end of the season.
2016: Pac-12 Championship and First College Football Playoff Appearance with Washington
In 2016, Chris Petersen guided the Washington Huskies to a Pac-12 championship and their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. However, they lost to Alabama in the Peach Bowl.
December 31, 2016: Peach Bowl Loss After Historic Season
Despite a historic season that included a Pac-12 championship and a place in the College Football Playoff, Chris Petersen's Washington Huskies lost 24-7 to Alabama in the Peach Bowl on December 31, 2016.
2017: Second Consecutive 10-Win Season and Fiesta Bowl Appearance
Chris Petersen led Washington to a 10-3 record in 2017, marking their second consecutive 10-win season and earning a spot in the Fiesta Bowl, which they lost to Penn State.
2018: Pac-12 Championship and Rose Bowl Berth
In 2018, Chris Petersen guided Washington to another Pac-12 title, defeating Utah 10-3 in the championship game. This victory secured their place in the Rose Bowl against Ohio State.
December 2, 2019: Chris Petersen Resigns from Coaching
On December 2, 2019, Chris Petersen announced his resignation as head coach at the University of Washington, effective after the team's bowl game.
2019: Chris Petersen Steps Down as Head Coach at Washington
In 2019, despite winning their seventh consecutive Apple Cup, the Washington Huskies, under the leadership of Chris Petersen, experienced a decline in performance following the departure of key players to the NFL Draft. On December 2, 2019, Petersen announced his decision to resign from his position as head coach, transitioning into a leadership advisory role within the athletics program. In his final game as coach, Washington triumphed over Petersen's former team, Boise State, in the Las Vegas Bowl.
2023: Contract Extension and Highest Paid Coach in the Pac-12
Following the 2016 season, Chris Petersen's contract was extended through 2023, making him the highest-paid coach in the Pac-12 at that time, with an average annual salary of $4.875 million.