For the second consecutive season, Boise State quarterback Bush Hamdan learned near the end of fall camp that he would remain on the sidelines.

The senior (who graduated last December and is working on a master's degree in athletic administration) did everything he could to earn the job, did everything asked of him by his coaches. And still the job is not his.

"It makes it tougher," said Hamdan, who learned last Wednesday that freshman Kellen Moore had beaten him out for the starting nod. "Every guy feels like if they are playing their best they are going to be the guy. It's tough when you feel it's some things that are out of your control.

"I think that if I had played below what I could have played then I would have looked back and had a little bit more answers. But it is what it is. (The coaches) have a lot of pressure on them. They gotta make a decision and they made the decision they think was best."

Hamdan primed himself to take control of this team, to be the leader he wanted to become, but he said that role is impossible to fully accept without hitting the field with his teammates.

"I don't think you really can to be really honest," Hamdan said. "People may disagree with that, but I think it's really important to be on the field and be a leader in that way. Those guys do know that I will always be there if they need somebody to talk to and I think I can be a good friend for them. It is really important to be on the field and doing your thing there to truly become a leader."

That role now rests in the hands of Kellen Moore, a man three years his younger, a high-school standout and a friend he found on the football field.

"(Moore) and I have had a solid relationship from Day 1," Hamdan said. "I think he's helped me out a lot and would hope to think I have helped him."

Hamdan takes on his knew role as a backup, knowing that it is his job to help his teammate prepare. Gut-wrenching as it is, Hamdan has already begun that duty.

"The backup role is what it is," Hamdan said. "Your job is to make sure he's ready. As tough as it is, already in this first week, anytime anything's slipping in his game, just make sure he knows about it."

Hamdan came in last Wednesday at 9 a.m., a day off for the team, and was told by his coaches the decision to start Moore. By the end of the afternoon, most of the people in Idaho knew as well.

"I had to get up early on the day off and to get that news wasn't great," Hamdan said. "Obviously I was disappointed. I really appreciate all the thoughts from the players. I felt like wherever I went, whether it was the bank or the grocery store, people were kind of trying to see what my reaction was. I just tried to stay inside as much as possible, talk to the (family)."

He said his family, too, waited for the news, waiting to see if Bush would play next week so they could come see him fulfill one of his greatest goals as an athlete.

"Your families are on hold," Hamdan said. "They don't know if they're going to get the call for Idaho State. I think it's a thing most guys want for their family as much as themselves, to be able to give them that call to head up and come see the game."

Hamdan said he harbors no resentment and owns no regrets for his five years in Boise, despite the fact he has not yet started a game at his position. He swallows this gut-check with a big gulp.

"The reason it's so tough is because of how great this place really is," Hamdan said. "This is a place you come from wherever you are and you really want to be a leader not only of the great guys here, but of the great community, be able to really impact the young kids here."

Last season Hamdan injured his wrist toward the end of fall camp, giving the job to Taylor Tharp. This season he was passed by a highly-skilled freshman.

"You gotta take advantage of your window of opportunity," Hamdan said. "I felt good going into last year for fall camp. I got banged up. It's tough. Sometimes your window of opportunity is not as wide as you would like it to be. You just gotta take advantage of your opportunities when they're there, not get hurt, and just keep working man. You never know. You never really know."

Hamdan tried to keep a strong face, but the hurt in his voice appeared through the fog. He's accomplished a lot in his time at BSU, earning one degree and starting on another. He may not have made the impression he wanted to on the field, but he made one nonetheless. His demeanor and class rank him high.

This season is not over. Hamdan may still get that chance he wants so badly.

"I'm going to enjoy this thing as it winds down, the last six months out here," Hamdan said. "I'm going to prepare like I have been and be ready."

Dustin Lapray covers Boise State football for the Times-News. Read his blog at Magicvalley.com/blogs/bsu.