Jim Riggio Although Bob Boller works in...

Jim Riggio

Although Bob Boller works in a demanding profession, he never

misses one of his son’s football games -- even though his son travels

the nation as a starting quarterback in the Pacific 10 Conference.

A 23-year veteran of the Burbank Fire Department, Boller -- former

Burbank High football and track star -- has taken full advantage of a

flexible work schedule, which generally allows him to work just two

days a week.

It has allowed Boller to remain close to his wife and high school

sweetheart, Karen, as well as their three children, Candace, Kyle and

Casey, all of whom followed in their father’s footsteps by earning

All-CIF Southern Section honors in sports at Newhall Hart High.

Kyle is the latest success story, making a name for himself as a

standout senior quarterback at Cal.

“Fortunately with my work schedule, I’ve been able to schedule it

so I don’t miss any of my kids’ games,” said Bob Boller, who

graduated from Burbank in 1975. “They’ve provided me with either

vacation time or I can trade with another member of the department

who can cover for me.”

While volleyball days are over for Candace -- who played at Loyola

Marymount University -- and for Casey, who elected not to play in

college despite several scholarship offers, the family has more time

to rally around Kyle, a Burbank native.

“It’s something that is very important to me as far as family is

concerned, which is to be in the stands whether they are successful

or not,” said Bob, who was a successful athlete himself, high

jumping 7 feet in 1977 at Glendale Community College. “We had three

tough years with Kyle at Cal. I think it means a lot to him to have

that family support. We were there for him whenever he was down and

out.”

Saturday, the four-year starter for the Bears made his final local

appearance of his college career, and was well represented in the

stands at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in a Pac-10 game against

USC.

The Trojans rallied to defeat Cal, 30-28.

“It’s awesome that they’re here, but it’s tough that we lost,”

Kyle Boller said of the 120 fans who all came out with Boller

T-shirts that Bob Boller made.

“It shows you what kind of a family we have. We’ve got a tight

family and I couldn’t ask for better parents to support me and love

me.”

Kyle completed 20 of 30 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns with

one interception, despite suffering a contusion to his nonthrowing

left hand in the first quarter.

“It was pretty painful, but I think it will be fine,” said Kyle,

who said he never considered leaving the game. “They would have had

to carry me off the field.”

Now that his son is nearing the end of his college career, Bob

Boller is enjoying the turnaround the Bears have had, after going

8-25 in Kyle’s first three years at Cal. The Bears are 4-3, going

into Saturday’s home game with UCLA.

Kyle Boller played quarterback for just one season at Hart, but

passed for an amazing 4,841 yards to go along with 56 touchdown

passes and just three interceptions. He helped lead the Indians to a

CIF Division III championship.

“He was just phenomenal,” Hart Coach Mike Herrington said. “He

was the best quarterback we’ve ever had here.”

*

Because of his success at Hart, the colleges came calling for

Kyle. However, Bob Boller said the recruiting process he went through

with his son was a difficult one.

“Kyle had a chance to go to any school in the country, except

UCLA,” said Bob Boller, who noted that UCLA had already offered a

scholarship to J.P. Losman of Venice, who later backed out on the

Bruins. “Kyle and I made that trip to Florida State and unfortunately

we were too close as a family.

“Quite honestly, I probably wouldn’t be able to make it to every

game if he went to Florida State. It was hard. It was 3,200 miles

from home and big-time football, but Kyle’s mother puts more emphasis

on education and there is no better education than Cal Berkeley.”

Academics, the desire to play in the Pac-10 Conference, along with

the fact that Cal was thin at the quarterback position, drew Boller

to former Crescenta Valley star Tom Holmoe’s program.

After Holmoe struggled through his tenure, he resigned at the end

of last season and was replaced by Jeff Tedford, the offensive

coordinator at the University of Oregon. Tedford is known for molding

quarterbacks, as he has worked with Joey Harrington, Akili Smith,

David Carr and Trent Dilfer during his tenure at Oregon and Fresno

State universities

“He’s fought through the tough times, and when Tedford came, these

kids believed,” Bob Boller said.

Tedford said Boller -- who has been named Pac-10 Conference Player

of the Week twice this season -- has been a pleasure to coach.

“Kyle is a very special player and a great person,” Tedford said.

“I’d love to have him another year, but unfortunately I don’t. Kyle

is a tremendous young man. I’m very proud of him.”

*

Remaining focused on the rest of the season is what Kyle Boller is

focused om, despite the fact that Cal might not eligible to play in a

bowl game due to NCAA probation, which the school is appealing.

After college, a place in the NFL might be the next stop for

Boller. With his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame and a rocket arm, Boller

is expected to have a future as a pro.

“He could land in any one of 30 states,” joked Bob Boller.

With the possibility of Kyle Boller playing far from home on

Sundays, chances are Bob Boller will get good use out of his

frequent-flier miles.