As you all know, the Western Athletic Conference handed out their season awards on Monday, and the Boise State Broncos made off like bandits with 11 total players on the first team and 3 on the second team. I thought that whoever makes the decisions on first team, second team, etc. did a really good job. However, there are a couple of changes that I personally would have made, including the awards for Player(s) of the Year. Here is the list of who won what. I will follow that up with what I would have done differently.
WAC top individual awards:
* Offensive Player of the Year: Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State, and Colin Kaepernick, QB, Nevada
* Defensive Player of the Year: Chris Carter, DE, Fresno State
* Freshman of the Year: Keith Smith, LB, San Jose State
* Coach of the Year: Chris Ault, Nevada
First-team All-WAC:
Offense:
* WR-Austin Pettis, Boise State, 6-3, 197, Sr.
* WR-Titus Young, Boise State, 5-11, 168, Sr.
* WR-Greg Salas, Hawai‘i, 6-2, 200, Sr.
* TE-Virgil Green, Nevada, 6-5, 240, Sr.
* OL-Thomas Byrd, Boise State, 5-11, 279, Jr.
* OL-Nate Potter, Boise State, 6-6, 297, Jr.
* OL-Kenny Wiggins, Fresno State, 6-7, 310, Sr.
* OL-Rob McGill, Louisiana Tech, 6-6, 310, Sr.
* OL-John Bender, Nevada, 6-8, 325, Sr.
* QB-Kellen Moore, Boise State, 6-0, 186, Jr.
* QB-Colin Kaepernick, Nevada, 6-6, 215, Sr.
* RB-Doug Martin, Boise State, 5-9, 212, Jr.
* RB-Vai Taua, Nevada, 5-10, 220, Sr.
Defense:
* DL-Shea McClellin, Boise State, 6-3, 258, Jr.
* DL-Ryan Winterswyk, Boise State, 6-4, 267, Sr.
* DL-Chris Carter, Fresno State, 6-2, 230, Sr.
* DL-Logan Harrell, Fresno State, 6-2, 275, Jr.
* DL-Dontay Moch, Nevada, 6-1, 245, Sr.
* LB-Winston Venable, Boise State, 5-11, 218, Sr.
* LB-Ben Jacobs, Fresno State, 6-3, 225, Sr.
* LB-Corey Paredes, Hawai‘i, 5-11, 230, Jr.
* LB-Bobby Wagner, Utah State, 6-1, 230, Jr.
* DB-George Iloka, Boise State, 6-3, 207, Jr.
* DB-Jeron Johnson, Boise State, 5-11, 195, Sr.
* DB-Mana Silva, Hawai‘i, 6-1, 220, Sr.
* DB-Davon House, New Mexico State, 6-0, 178, Sr.
Specialists:
* PK-Kevin Goessling, Fresno State, 6-0, 195, Jr.
* P-Bobby Cowan, Idaho, 6-5, 220, So.
* ST-Phillip Livas, Louisiana Tech, 5-8, 175, Sr.
Second-team All-WAC:
Offense:
* WR-Jamel Hamler, Jr., Fresno State
* WR-Kealoha Pilares, Sr., Hawai‘i
* WR-Eric Greenwood, Sr., Idaho
* WR-Rishard Matthews, Jr., Nevada
* TE-Daniel Hardy, Sr., Idaho
* OL-Bryce Harris, Jr., Fresno State
* OL-Lupepa Letuli, Sr., Hawai‘i
* OL-Adrian Thomas, Sr., Hawai‘i
* OL-Chris Barker, So., Nevada
* OL-Ailao Eliapo, Sr., San Jose State
* QB-Bryant Moniz, Jr., Hawai‘i
* RB-Alex Green, Sr., Hawai‘i
* RB-Lennon Creer, Jr., Louisiana Tech
Defense:
* DL-Billy Winn, Jr., Boise State
* DL-Kaniela Tuipulotu, Jr., Hawai‘i
* DL-Aaron Lavarias, Sr., Idaho
* DL-Matt Broha, Jr., Louisiana Tech
* LB-Byron Hout, Jr., Boise State
* LB-Travis Brown, So., Fresno State
* LB-Adrien Cole, Jr., Louisiana Tech
* LB-James-Michael Johnson, Jr., Nevada
* LB-Keith Smith, Fr., San Jose State
* DB-Brandyn Thompson, Sr., Boise State
* DB-Desia Dunn, Sr., Fresno State
* DB-Shiloh Keo, Sr., Idaho
* DB-Isaiah Frey, Jr., Nevada
* DB-Curtis Marsh, Sr., Utah State
Specialists:
* PK-Scott Enos, Sr., Hawai‘i
* P-Harrison Waid, Fr., San Jose State
* ST-Taveon Rogers, Jr., New Mexico State
There we have it. Like I mentioned, I have no problem with most of what was decided. With that said, here are a few changes that I would have made.
1. Defensive Player of the Year, how in the world could it be anybody besides Dontay Moch of Nevada? It's ridiculous! I don't want to take anything away from Chris Carter. After all, he did have a great season. But Moch single-handedly won the award in when Boise State played them in Reno. That man is a holy terror and a yeti-beast! He should have won it.
2. Offensive Player of the Year. This on is a bit tricky. Kellen Moore is the better player and is going to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation. But Kaepernick beat him head to head. I guess it feels a little bit like a cop out by the WAC, but I guess there wasn't much else they could have done. I would almost lean towards giving it to the senior. Kellen has another year to get another one.
3. Billy Winn. He should have been first team all WAC. That man has been huge for the Broncos, clogging up the middle and wreaking havoc on quarterbacks. I would take Logan Harrell off of the first team and put Winn there. At least Billy didn't get completely shafted like this next player was.
4. Will Lawrence. The Boise State senior offensive lineman has had a stellar season. Not just that, but he has strung together 2 or 3 of them in a row now. How he was left completely off both the first and second team is beyond me. I would put him probably on the second team in place of Ailao Eliapo from San Jose State.
5. Punter. Hawai'i's Alex Dunnachie got shafted. He should have been on at least the second team. I was in person at Bronco Stadium when Dunnachie got off plenty of booming, amazing punts. He should have been mentioned here.
6. I was somewhat surprised to see Winterswyk and George Iloka on the first team. Both are great players, but haven't had stand out years like we were expecting. I guess Winterswyk is in because of his track record. As far as Iloka, maybe there was no one else worthy of it. He did pick up his game towards the end of the regular season (remember the balancing act/interception against Nevada? Beautiful.).
What do you think? Let me know if I've missed anybody or if I am wrong somewhere. As always, Bronco Chase is open for discussion. Let's continue to cheer on our Broncos as they get ready to take on Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl!
Showing posts with label Colin Kaepernick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Colin Kaepernick. Show all posts
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Weekly Player to Watch, 10th Edition
The day has finally arrived and in a mere 9 hours, it all goes down in the biggest little city in the world. That's right, the Boise State vs. Nevada, Reno match up is for all the marbles. Seriously, there is a lot at stake tonight for both teams, but especially for the Broncos. It has been documented over and over again, but the Wolfpack have a really bad defense. But don't be weary, my Pack fans, the defensive players swear that this year will be different. I have my doubts...
Anyway, when I was trying to decide who I would choose as my Weekly Player to Watch, I couldn't get last year's game out of my mind. You know, Boise State's jumps out to a big early lead, Nevada fights back only to see all their efforts go for naught as the Broncos run out the clock and h=get the "W." While i don't expect it to be all that close tonight, the running game for Boise State is going to be huge for controlling the game and eating some clock, keeping "Bird Leg" off the field. Last year on The Blue, a running back physical punished Nevada, especially late in the game. i am foreseeing a whole lot more of that happening. You all know what that means; this week's PTW is none other than the Muscle Hamster himself...Doug Martin!
Martin's numbers have been down a little bit the past couple of games due to the fact that teams are zoning in on Boise State's run game. You would think that they might want to spend a little bit of time trying to defend the pass as well...So Doug is due for a big game. Couple in the fact that the weather is supposed to be pretty bad with some winds (although last week didn't seem to be a problem against Fresno State), and you have a recipe for the Muscle Hamster to be running in the Nevada secondary all night. It happened to Virginia Tech and things didn't go so well for them.
In his senior at Saint Mary's, Martin was named the Best Offensive Back in San Joaquin County by the Stockton Sports Hall of Fame after he led the Tri-City Athletic League in yards per game. It's interesting to know as well that Martin was named second-team All-San Joaquin TV by Comcast Sports, and was named team MVP after rushing for 1,234 yards and 14 touchdowns. He complete his senior season with 1,373 total yards. He also rushed for 1,950 yards and 18 TDs as a junior. He was picked as team MVP, first-team all-section, all-area, and All-San Joaquin TV by Comcast Sports his junior year. Martin was only a 2-star recruit and had just one other scholarship offer, from Cal Poly. It sure looks like other schools missed out on a good one. Boise State is known for getting guys like him. From a 2-star recruit to scoring the winning touchdown at the Fiesta Bowl. That's quite the story.
Since coming to Boise State, Doug has been lighting up defensive backs on a regular basis, just ask that tool Shiloh Keo from Idaho. In fact, as a gray shirt freshman, Martin was named the scout offensive player of the year. He won the award over quarterback Kellen Moore, if that tells you anything about him. His running style is fearless and aggressive, causing pain for any defender who gets in his way. Part way through the season two years ago, Mr. Martin switched to defensive back and was a key part in the Broncos' win over Nevada, being used as a spy on Colin Kaepernick. Last season, after DJ Harper went down with a torn ACL, Doug switched back to his true position as tail back and hasn't looked back since. So let's see some more of this tonight down in Reno, Mr. Muscle Hamster!
As I mentioned above, Doug will be huge tonight in order for Boise State to take care of the Nevada Wolfpack. The offensive line has done great opening up holes for him and he has exploded through them. His success opens up the passing game and the deep bomb to Titus Young. I am picking that Martin will go for over 100 yards tonight and 2 touchdowns. Take it to the bank baby. This will be a great game and you know that the Hamster would love to send the Wolfpack and Kaepernick packing, toting and 0-4 record against the Broncos. He will help get it done. Just look at his face:
So dig in and enjoy tonight. I am really looking forward to it. Come back tomorrow and get my recap of what goes down. As always, let's go Broncos!
Anyway, when I was trying to decide who I would choose as my Weekly Player to Watch, I couldn't get last year's game out of my mind. You know, Boise State's jumps out to a big early lead, Nevada fights back only to see all their efforts go for naught as the Broncos run out the clock and h=get the "W." While i don't expect it to be all that close tonight, the running game for Boise State is going to be huge for controlling the game and eating some clock, keeping "Bird Leg" off the field. Last year on The Blue, a running back physical punished Nevada, especially late in the game. i am foreseeing a whole lot more of that happening. You all know what that means; this week's PTW is none other than the Muscle Hamster himself...Doug Martin!
Martin's numbers have been down a little bit the past couple of games due to the fact that teams are zoning in on Boise State's run game. You would think that they might want to spend a little bit of time trying to defend the pass as well...So Doug is due for a big game. Couple in the fact that the weather is supposed to be pretty bad with some winds (although last week didn't seem to be a problem against Fresno State), and you have a recipe for the Muscle Hamster to be running in the Nevada secondary all night. It happened to Virginia Tech and things didn't go so well for them.
In his senior at Saint Mary's, Martin was named the Best Offensive Back in San Joaquin County by the Stockton Sports Hall of Fame after he led the Tri-City Athletic League in yards per game. It's interesting to know as well that Martin was named second-team All-San Joaquin TV by Comcast Sports, and was named team MVP after rushing for 1,234 yards and 14 touchdowns. He complete his senior season with 1,373 total yards. He also rushed for 1,950 yards and 18 TDs as a junior. He was picked as team MVP, first-team all-section, all-area, and All-San Joaquin TV by Comcast Sports his junior year. Martin was only a 2-star recruit and had just one other scholarship offer, from Cal Poly. It sure looks like other schools missed out on a good one. Boise State is known for getting guys like him. From a 2-star recruit to scoring the winning touchdown at the Fiesta Bowl. That's quite the story.
Since coming to Boise State, Doug has been lighting up defensive backs on a regular basis, just ask that tool Shiloh Keo from Idaho. In fact, as a gray shirt freshman, Martin was named the scout offensive player of the year. He won the award over quarterback Kellen Moore, if that tells you anything about him. His running style is fearless and aggressive, causing pain for any defender who gets in his way. Part way through the season two years ago, Mr. Martin switched to defensive back and was a key part in the Broncos' win over Nevada, being used as a spy on Colin Kaepernick. Last season, after DJ Harper went down with a torn ACL, Doug switched back to his true position as tail back and hasn't looked back since. So let's see some more of this tonight down in Reno, Mr. Muscle Hamster!
As I mentioned above, Doug will be huge tonight in order for Boise State to take care of the Nevada Wolfpack. The offensive line has done great opening up holes for him and he has exploded through them. His success opens up the passing game and the deep bomb to Titus Young. I am picking that Martin will go for over 100 yards tonight and 2 touchdowns. Take it to the bank baby. This will be a great game and you know that the Hamster would love to send the Wolfpack and Kaepernick packing, toting and 0-4 record against the Broncos. He will help get it done. Just look at his face:
So dig in and enjoy tonight. I am really looking forward to it. Come back tomorrow and get my recap of what goes down. As always, let's go Broncos!
Monday, November 22, 2010
WAC Weekend Recap, Week 12
Remember how on Wednesday I said quote "I do not feel nearly as comfortable this time around. I could easily end up 4-2 having picked Utah State to upset Idaho and choosing the Aztecs over the Utes. We will see." Well, my exact fear came to life and both Idaho and Utah won. Suck. Oh well, there is always this week. I did manage to maintain a winning record for the 11th week in a row and boost my stats. Let's go over the games that I picked and get a nice little preview of the showdown in the Biggest Little City in the World (that's right, Reno). I still can't get over how amazing Boise State was on Friday...Anyway...
New Mexico State Aggies at Nevada Wolfpack
My prediction was Nevada wins 45 to 21
Final score: Wolfpack 52, Aggies 6
This was expected. New Mexico State is absolutely terrible and they could not get anything going at all, especially offensively. It seems that the Wolfpack took it a little bit easy on them, maybe saving something for the game with Boise State on Friday. The Aggies were still able to muster 309 total yards, 220 of which came through the air. They just couldn't get anything in the end zone. That pass defense might need to shore up some with Kellen Moore and his group of outstanding receivers coming in. That's right, Nevada hosts Boise State on Friday in what will decide the WAC Championship. Either the Broncos take it all or Nevada earns a share. Excitement abounds! New Mexico State hosts the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors in what will be their 10th loss of the season.
San Jose State Spartans at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 48 to 14
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 41, Spartans 7
Just like the Nevada/New Mexico State game, this particular match up yielded the expected results. San Jose State is absolutely terrible and it clearly shows. Hawai'i quarterback Bryant Moniz threw the ball all over the yard to the tune of 593 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Spartans scored their lone touchdown in the second quarter and didn't do anything beyond that offensively or defensively. Next week the Rainbow Warriors travel to New Mexico State to take on another terrible WAC team. San Jose State will host Louisiana Tech.
Idaho Vandals at Utah State Aggies
My prediction was Utah State wins in an upset special 31 to 28
Final score: Vandals 28, Aggies 6
I had this one as my upset special based on a couple of things that I noticed. The Aggies can play well at times and I figured that at home they would be able to at least show up. But they did not. Also, Idaho's players, specifically Shiloh Keo, were calling each other out about being lazy. There was a lot of turmoil in the locker room and I figured that they would not play as a team. That may have been the case as they only put up 28 points and gaining 355 total yards, but it didn't matter because Utah State played like crap. Coming up for the hapless Aggies is a bye week followed by a trip to Boise. Idaho travels to Fresno State next week and will get destroyed by a pissed off Bulldog team.
Virginia Tech Hokies at Miami Hurricanes
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 35 to 28
Final score: Hokies 31, Hurricanes 17
Miami was playing out of their minds in the first half of this game, starting freshman quarterback Stephen Morris with normal starter Jacory Harris out with concussion symptoms. He did his best but in the end Virginia Tech proved to be too much for him as well as the Hurricane defense. Tyrod Taylor was a beast yet again and running back Ryan Williams showed up with an 84-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. It also helped that the 'Canes turned the ball over 6 times. The Hokies have won the ACC Coastal Division and will play either Florida State or North Carolina State in the ACC Championship game. They still have one last regular season game at home against lowly Virginia next Saturday. They should take care of business there. Miami tries to regroup and hopefully get Harris back at home against the South Florida Bulls.
Utah Utes at San Diego State Aztecs
My prediction was San Diego State wins 35 to 21
Final score: Utes 38, Aztecs 34
This is another one that I expected to go differently than it actually did. Utah had looked terrible the last two weeks and appeared to be heading south. San Diego State had almost upset TCU on the road and was on the way up. The circumstances were perfect for an Aztec win, but it was not to be. After sucking big time in the first quarter offensively, the Utes found themselves and came back from 17 down to stun the home team and squeeze out a close victory. They still couldn't stop San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley, who threw for 528 yards and 4 touchdowns. Utah was lucky that they won and now look ahead to the Holy War against BYU at home. The Aztecs play at home against the UNLV Rebels. They should win that one.
Record coming in: 49-12
This week (including Boise States win over Fresno State): 4-2
Total: 53-14
Overall, my picking hasn't been to bad, as the overall record tells you. After all the fun that we've had, Boise State heads to Reno, Nevada to take on the Wolfpack in a huge game. I feel very confident about the Broncos right now after the beat down that they administered to Fresno State. Nevada is confident as well, but they always are when they play the Broncos. It will be a great game, but I see the BSU defense making plenty of stops and scoring plenty of points offensively to win the game. We will see how I feel when I make my picks on Thursday (Turkey Day!). As for now, Boise State has closed the gap with TCU in the BCS rankings and are behind by a measly .135 in the computers. With a win over Nevada (it probably needs to be at least fairly convincing), they should pass the Horned Frogs and will be sitting pretty should Oregon or Auburn fall in the next couple of weeks. I will be getting more and more excited as this week moves along, as well as more and more nervous. The angry ostrich Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick is always tough to stop. You know he does not want to go 0-4 against Boise State in his career. With that said, he has a tall task in front of him against a tough Bronco defense. It all goes down Friday night on ESPN. Let's get it on!
Keep coming back to see what Bronco Chase has planned for this holiday week. Go Broncos!
New Mexico State Aggies at Nevada Wolfpack
My prediction was Nevada wins 45 to 21
Final score: Wolfpack 52, Aggies 6
This was expected. New Mexico State is absolutely terrible and they could not get anything going at all, especially offensively. It seems that the Wolfpack took it a little bit easy on them, maybe saving something for the game with Boise State on Friday. The Aggies were still able to muster 309 total yards, 220 of which came through the air. They just couldn't get anything in the end zone. That pass defense might need to shore up some with Kellen Moore and his group of outstanding receivers coming in. That's right, Nevada hosts Boise State on Friday in what will decide the WAC Championship. Either the Broncos take it all or Nevada earns a share. Excitement abounds! New Mexico State hosts the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors in what will be their 10th loss of the season.
San Jose State Spartans at Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors
My prediction was Hawai'i wins 48 to 14
Final score: Rainbow Warriors 41, Spartans 7
Just like the Nevada/New Mexico State game, this particular match up yielded the expected results. San Jose State is absolutely terrible and it clearly shows. Hawai'i quarterback Bryant Moniz threw the ball all over the yard to the tune of 593 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Spartans scored their lone touchdown in the second quarter and didn't do anything beyond that offensively or defensively. Next week the Rainbow Warriors travel to New Mexico State to take on another terrible WAC team. San Jose State will host Louisiana Tech.
Idaho Vandals at Utah State Aggies
My prediction was Utah State wins in an upset special 31 to 28
Final score: Vandals 28, Aggies 6
I had this one as my upset special based on a couple of things that I noticed. The Aggies can play well at times and I figured that at home they would be able to at least show up. But they did not. Also, Idaho's players, specifically Shiloh Keo, were calling each other out about being lazy. There was a lot of turmoil in the locker room and I figured that they would not play as a team. That may have been the case as they only put up 28 points and gaining 355 total yards, but it didn't matter because Utah State played like crap. Coming up for the hapless Aggies is a bye week followed by a trip to Boise. Idaho travels to Fresno State next week and will get destroyed by a pissed off Bulldog team.
Virginia Tech Hokies at Miami Hurricanes
My prediction was Virginia Tech wins 35 to 28
Final score: Hokies 31, Hurricanes 17
Miami was playing out of their minds in the first half of this game, starting freshman quarterback Stephen Morris with normal starter Jacory Harris out with concussion symptoms. He did his best but in the end Virginia Tech proved to be too much for him as well as the Hurricane defense. Tyrod Taylor was a beast yet again and running back Ryan Williams showed up with an 84-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory. It also helped that the 'Canes turned the ball over 6 times. The Hokies have won the ACC Coastal Division and will play either Florida State or North Carolina State in the ACC Championship game. They still have one last regular season game at home against lowly Virginia next Saturday. They should take care of business there. Miami tries to regroup and hopefully get Harris back at home against the South Florida Bulls.
Utah Utes at San Diego State Aztecs
My prediction was San Diego State wins 35 to 21
Final score: Utes 38, Aztecs 34
This is another one that I expected to go differently than it actually did. Utah had looked terrible the last two weeks and appeared to be heading south. San Diego State had almost upset TCU on the road and was on the way up. The circumstances were perfect for an Aztec win, but it was not to be. After sucking big time in the first quarter offensively, the Utes found themselves and came back from 17 down to stun the home team and squeeze out a close victory. They still couldn't stop San Diego State quarterback Ryan Lindley, who threw for 528 yards and 4 touchdowns. Utah was lucky that they won and now look ahead to the Holy War against BYU at home. The Aztecs play at home against the UNLV Rebels. They should win that one.
Record coming in: 49-12
This week (including Boise States win over Fresno State): 4-2
Total: 53-14
Overall, my picking hasn't been to bad, as the overall record tells you. After all the fun that we've had, Boise State heads to Reno, Nevada to take on the Wolfpack in a huge game. I feel very confident about the Broncos right now after the beat down that they administered to Fresno State. Nevada is confident as well, but they always are when they play the Broncos. It will be a great game, but I see the BSU defense making plenty of stops and scoring plenty of points offensively to win the game. We will see how I feel when I make my picks on Thursday (Turkey Day!). As for now, Boise State has closed the gap with TCU in the BCS rankings and are behind by a measly .135 in the computers. With a win over Nevada (it probably needs to be at least fairly convincing), they should pass the Horned Frogs and will be sitting pretty should Oregon or Auburn fall in the next couple of weeks. I will be getting more and more excited as this week moves along, as well as more and more nervous. The angry ostrich Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick is always tough to stop. You know he does not want to go 0-4 against Boise State in his career. With that said, he has a tall task in front of him against a tough Bronco defense. It all goes down Friday night on ESPN. Let's get it on!
Keep coming back to see what Bronco Chase has planned for this holiday week. Go Broncos!
Monday, September 27, 2010
The Boise State Field Guide" is awesome!"
One of the blogs that I follow and that strongly encourage you to follow is obnug.com (One Bronco Nation Under God). They are funny, witty, informational, and share my utter distaste for all things Colin Kaepernick. I came across this "Boise State Field Guide: 5 Fan Types you may encounter at Bronco Stadium." It's basically awesome. The best part is how accurate it is. Read through it and you can literally picture someone you have run into at the stadium for all 5 fan types. Even better, you can really see which one you are from reading the descriptions. I am The Professor in a lot of ways. But I try not to be annoying about it. In fact, I think a lot of true Boise State fans that want to know everything about the team are. As long as you are consciously trying to not be annoying then it's OK, right? The Sitter is the most annoying, in my opinion. You can't get all amped up for the game if you are sitting down. Anyway, enjoy and decide which one of the five you are!
Nevada into the Top 25!
The Nevada Wolfpack has busted into the top 25 for the first time since 1948 after a 27-13 win on the road over the BYU Cougars. Head coach Chris Ault has been criticized for his team not performing in big games. They have almost always lost really ugly a couple times in the beginning of the season, only to pull it all together later on. But it is different this year as Ault has his squad at 4-0 and ready to start WAC play.
For the WAC, this is really good news. There are now two teams ranked and had Fresno State won at Ole' Miss, there would have been three. There will start to be a lot of excitement as we get nearer to November 26. The Broncos roll into Reno in what should be a top 25 match up as long as Nevada keeps winning. Colin Kaepernick has his offense rolling and should be a contender for WAC offensive player of the year, as he always seems to be.
I think this Nevada Wolfpack team is good. Are they top 25 good? I'm not sure yet. They beat a really crappy Eastern Washington team, a just as bad Colorado State, and a mediocre BCS team in California all at home. But the win at BYU tells a lot, even if this is the worst BYU teams in years. Looking at their remaining schedule, they shouldn't get tested until they have to go to Fresno on November 13. I guess at Hawai'i on October 16 might be kind of tricky. Don't get me wrong, I think Nevada has the best team that they have ever had under Chris Ault. All I'm saying is that we won't know how good the Wolfpack is until they face the Bulldogs of Fresno State. Until then, they should continue to win and move up the rankings. I cannot wait for November 13!
Have you seen this man's throwing finesse?
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Broncos Beat Beavers!
If you watched the Boise State Broncos home opener against the Oregon State Beavers, you saw a great football team make mistakes that almost cost them the game. But at the same time, it never really felt like the outcome was in doubt. If you did not see it, then join me in this next part. Let's all just pretend that we didn't see it and we don't know how it ended. I will show some stats from the game. Look at them, act as if you don't know the final score, and guess who won. Ready? Here we go:
Yardage:
......Boise State........Oregon State
Rushing-175..................78
Passing-294..................159
Total-...469...................237
First Downs:
Boise State........Oregon State
.....22...................16
Sacks on Opposing Quarterback:
Boise State.......Oregon State
.......4....................0
Time of Possession:
Boise State.......Oregon State
...33:18...............26:42
It sure looks like it was a complete shellacking that Boise State bestowed upon a crappy Beaver team. In many ways this was true. The final score was 37 to 24 in favor of the Broncos. But why did I leave the stadium with what I can only describe as a sour taste in my mouth? It is because the third quarter was really rough on fans of the Broncos. Bad special teams play (mainly Titus Young fumbling a punt that gave Oregon State fantastic field position) and some really terrible penalties nearly derailed everything Boise State had worked for. In fact, 17 points that Oregon State scored were directly related to miscues by Boise State's special teams. It's tough because the defense played so well and the points allowed by special teams will be put on them. It was definitely hard to watch for a while. Oregon State did what they needed to do; play well on special teams, keep it close, and don't be intimidated. But still, it wasn't enough.
What We Learned:
-Kellen Moore should just be given the Heisman Trophy now. Well, at least be extended an invite to New York for the trophy presentation right now. In a night where mistakes, nerves, hype, and emotions took its toll on the Broncos, Moore was as cool as a cucumber. He went 19 for 27 with 288 yards and 3 touchdowns. Every time Boise State needed a score to hold the Beavers at bay, Kellen delivered. It also helps a lot that he has some talented receivers to throw the ball to.
-Mike Riley is a really freaking good coach! Not only did he have his players prepared and ready for the game, the environment, and the competition, but he had his guys in it mentally. Oregon State was not intimidated or scared to play in Bronco Stadium. Through the noise, the pressure, and a lack of respect, Riley and his crew were up to the task. They may have been outmatched in just about every facet of the contest, but he did what he could to keep it close, and it almost worked. Mike Riley; one of the top ten coaches in the nation. Take it to the bank.
-Boise State's run defense deserves all the hype it got, and then some. The combination of Billy Winn, Shea McClellin, Chase Baker, Ryan Winterswyk, Tyrone Crawford, and co. absolutely man-handled Jacquizz Rodgers. They held him to a career low 46 yards on 18 carries. That is absolutely unheard of! Quizz never got going. All I can say to finish this off is; watch out Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick and Vai Taua. The Broncos D-line is really big and really good.
-Doug Martin is a beast and eats children for dinner. OK, maybe just steak. But Coach Pete went to him in the fourth quarter to eat up clock and gain yardage. That is precisely what he did. On their final drive that netted a Kyle Brotzman field goal, Martin gained 61 of the team's 67 yards. Yards after contact are his specialty and he had plenty. Tons of credit to the offensive line and Dan Paul for blocking perfectly for Doug. They don't call him the Muscle Hamster for nothing.
Areas of Concern:
Penalties, again. The Broncos cut down on the number of them, but the ones they did have came at really inopportune moments. On one particular drive the defense had two fifteen yarders that kept the Beavers' drive alive, both times after a stop on third down. There was a taunting penalty on Tyrone Crawford and a phantom unnecessary roughness call against Winston Venable (I say phantom because it didn't happen. In order for it to be unnecessary roughness you actually have to hit the guy, right? Ridiculous). Either way, Boise State needs to fix that big time. Another concern is still the secondary. I know they were playing a prevent defense and didn't give up anything deep, but they left some receivers wide open. It is still better than against Virginia Tech, but there is room for improvement. Turnovers; The Broncos need some! It is almost ridiculous that they did not force any against Oregon State. Jeron Johnson should have had an interception but mistimed the jump and it ended up as an OSU touchdown. They will need to be a lot better at forcing turnovers if they expect to do big things this season.
Favorite Play:
Although it was a catch and a first down for the Beavers, George Iloka delivered a huge snot bubbler on the OSU receiver. He went up for a high ball from Katz and was greeted with a full speed face mask in his rib cage. It was awesome! We need more of that from Iloka.
Thoughts and Tidbits:
Austin Pettis got out of the dog house and threw his first touchdown pass ever in the first quarter. It was awesome! Matt Kaiserman got into the game at running back before Jeremy Avery did. Kaiserman hasn't played since breaking his leg against Idaho last season. Brandon Thompson had a great game. He kept star wide out James Rodgers in check, limiting him to 2 catches for 11 yards. Let's hope he continues doing just this instead of reverting to his Virginia Tech "I can't tackle worth crap" self.
Maybe I should stop picking weekly PTW's. Everyone I choose gets injured. Shea McClellin last week and DJ Harper this time around. When I saw him go down after cutting to his right on that surgically repaired knee, I was like "oh crap!" He did not return to the game. He was limping a little bit on the sideline, but Coach Pete says he is fine and will play next week.
A huge part of the outcome of the game was the national perception of the Broncos. A lot of experts said they needed to win big to earn more respect. It looked good for the first half and the fourth quarter, but as mentioned, the third almost messed it up. That sour taste in my mouth and yours is our perception of the team, the game, and the public perception (yes, I said it is our perception of the public perception. Quite a quandary, huh?). What I mean by that is Bronco fans are afraid that they did not pass the test as well as they could have in the eyes of the voters and viewers. Still, beating a ranked team will bode well for the Broncos. Couple that with the fact that Virginia Tech is back in it with a shut out win at Boston College and the ship may be righting itself (please refer to a previous post where I cautioned people to not overreact when James Madison beat the Hokies). Boise State should stay put in the polls for at least one more weak. I think that even if they had blown out the Beavers, nothing would have changed. Boise State still needs chaos to reign down on college football in order for them to get to the National Championship game. There is still a lot of season to play. Overall, I think that in the end a win is a win and the Broncos need to keep taking care of business. Oregon State has got to be the best 1-2 team in the country. Let's hope they can start to win and make some noise of their own. Again, here is a link to the photos taken of the game on idahostatesman.com. Enjoy!
My thoughts and prayers go out to James Rodgers. The poor kid took a hit and was knocked out of the game. It's too bad because it was a big game and I know him and his little brother had been looking forward to playing in it. I wish him a speedy recovery and hope that there are no lasting effects. Those two kids are gamers and they should be applauded.
Keep checking back in for more thoughts and feelings about the Broncos, the WAC, and just about everything else as it comes to me.
Yardage:
......Boise State........Oregon State
Rushing-175..................78
Passing-294..................159
Total-...469...................237
First Downs:
Boise State........Oregon State
.....22...................16
Sacks on Opposing Quarterback:
Boise State.......Oregon State
.......4....................0
Time of Possession:
Boise State.......Oregon State
...33:18...............26:42
It sure looks like it was a complete shellacking that Boise State bestowed upon a crappy Beaver team. In many ways this was true. The final score was 37 to 24 in favor of the Broncos. But why did I leave the stadium with what I can only describe as a sour taste in my mouth? It is because the third quarter was really rough on fans of the Broncos. Bad special teams play (mainly Titus Young fumbling a punt that gave Oregon State fantastic field position) and some really terrible penalties nearly derailed everything Boise State had worked for. In fact, 17 points that Oregon State scored were directly related to miscues by Boise State's special teams. It's tough because the defense played so well and the points allowed by special teams will be put on them. It was definitely hard to watch for a while. Oregon State did what they needed to do; play well on special teams, keep it close, and don't be intimidated. But still, it wasn't enough.
What We Learned:
-Kellen Moore should just be given the Heisman Trophy now. Well, at least be extended an invite to New York for the trophy presentation right now. In a night where mistakes, nerves, hype, and emotions took its toll on the Broncos, Moore was as cool as a cucumber. He went 19 for 27 with 288 yards and 3 touchdowns. Every time Boise State needed a score to hold the Beavers at bay, Kellen delivered. It also helps a lot that he has some talented receivers to throw the ball to.
-Mike Riley is a really freaking good coach! Not only did he have his players prepared and ready for the game, the environment, and the competition, but he had his guys in it mentally. Oregon State was not intimidated or scared to play in Bronco Stadium. Through the noise, the pressure, and a lack of respect, Riley and his crew were up to the task. They may have been outmatched in just about every facet of the contest, but he did what he could to keep it close, and it almost worked. Mike Riley; one of the top ten coaches in the nation. Take it to the bank.
-Boise State's run defense deserves all the hype it got, and then some. The combination of Billy Winn, Shea McClellin, Chase Baker, Ryan Winterswyk, Tyrone Crawford, and co. absolutely man-handled Jacquizz Rodgers. They held him to a career low 46 yards on 18 carries. That is absolutely unheard of! Quizz never got going. All I can say to finish this off is; watch out Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick and Vai Taua. The Broncos D-line is really big and really good.
-Doug Martin is a beast and eats children for dinner. OK, maybe just steak. But Coach Pete went to him in the fourth quarter to eat up clock and gain yardage. That is precisely what he did. On their final drive that netted a Kyle Brotzman field goal, Martin gained 61 of the team's 67 yards. Yards after contact are his specialty and he had plenty. Tons of credit to the offensive line and Dan Paul for blocking perfectly for Doug. They don't call him the Muscle Hamster for nothing.
Areas of Concern:
Penalties, again. The Broncos cut down on the number of them, but the ones they did have came at really inopportune moments. On one particular drive the defense had two fifteen yarders that kept the Beavers' drive alive, both times after a stop on third down. There was a taunting penalty on Tyrone Crawford and a phantom unnecessary roughness call against Winston Venable (I say phantom because it didn't happen. In order for it to be unnecessary roughness you actually have to hit the guy, right? Ridiculous). Either way, Boise State needs to fix that big time. Another concern is still the secondary. I know they were playing a prevent defense and didn't give up anything deep, but they left some receivers wide open. It is still better than against Virginia Tech, but there is room for improvement. Turnovers; The Broncos need some! It is almost ridiculous that they did not force any against Oregon State. Jeron Johnson should have had an interception but mistimed the jump and it ended up as an OSU touchdown. They will need to be a lot better at forcing turnovers if they expect to do big things this season.
Favorite Play:
Although it was a catch and a first down for the Beavers, George Iloka delivered a huge snot bubbler on the OSU receiver. He went up for a high ball from Katz and was greeted with a full speed face mask in his rib cage. It was awesome! We need more of that from Iloka.
Thoughts and Tidbits:
Austin Pettis got out of the dog house and threw his first touchdown pass ever in the first quarter. It was awesome! Matt Kaiserman got into the game at running back before Jeremy Avery did. Kaiserman hasn't played since breaking his leg against Idaho last season. Brandon Thompson had a great game. He kept star wide out James Rodgers in check, limiting him to 2 catches for 11 yards. Let's hope he continues doing just this instead of reverting to his Virginia Tech "I can't tackle worth crap" self.
Maybe I should stop picking weekly PTW's. Everyone I choose gets injured. Shea McClellin last week and DJ Harper this time around. When I saw him go down after cutting to his right on that surgically repaired knee, I was like "oh crap!" He did not return to the game. He was limping a little bit on the sideline, but Coach Pete says he is fine and will play next week.
A huge part of the outcome of the game was the national perception of the Broncos. A lot of experts said they needed to win big to earn more respect. It looked good for the first half and the fourth quarter, but as mentioned, the third almost messed it up. That sour taste in my mouth and yours is our perception of the team, the game, and the public perception (yes, I said it is our perception of the public perception. Quite a quandary, huh?). What I mean by that is Bronco fans are afraid that they did not pass the test as well as they could have in the eyes of the voters and viewers. Still, beating a ranked team will bode well for the Broncos. Couple that with the fact that Virginia Tech is back in it with a shut out win at Boston College and the ship may be righting itself (please refer to a previous post where I cautioned people to not overreact when James Madison beat the Hokies). Boise State should stay put in the polls for at least one more weak. I think that even if they had blown out the Beavers, nothing would have changed. Boise State still needs chaos to reign down on college football in order for them to get to the National Championship game. There is still a lot of season to play. Overall, I think that in the end a win is a win and the Broncos need to keep taking care of business. Oregon State has got to be the best 1-2 team in the country. Let's hope they can start to win and make some noise of their own. Again, here is a link to the photos taken of the game on idahostatesman.com. Enjoy!
My thoughts and prayers go out to James Rodgers. The poor kid took a hit and was knocked out of the game. It's too bad because it was a big game and I know him and his little brother had been looking forward to playing in it. I wish him a speedy recovery and hope that there are no lasting effects. Those two kids are gamers and they should be applauded.
Keep checking back in for more thoughts and feelings about the Broncos, the WAC, and just about everything else as it comes to me.
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