Bacon is Back!

As many of you may have already heard, Michael "Canadian Bacon" Atkinson is back on the football team! That is great news for those of you who enjoy seeing 6 foot tall, 327 pound defensive lineman getting down in a three-point stance in the offensive backfield, ready to blow up whatever fool decides to cross his path as he lead-blocks for Doug Martin. But really, it's just great to have him back on the team. Remember when Titus Young was suspended for violating team rules, but was graciously allowed back into the fold by Coach Pete later on? What came next was a final two years of record-shattering play from the fastest guy to ever grace Bronco Stadium with his presence. Here's to hoping that Bacon has had his "Titus" moment and never looks back. Also, let's pray that he gets to carry the ball next year. He will be needed on the line, clogging up the middle and inflicting copious amounts of pain on opposing running backs.


The concept of satire is one that eludes many people. Those that are good writers can craft a piece full of satire without being "self aware," or pointing out the fact that it is a satire. Andy Staples of si.com, whom I attempted to tear apart a few months back, has released an article that trumps just about every other satirical work in the history of that style. It's titled "Unique monikers add spice to college football recruiting trail" and it is hysterical! It makes you think of what other kind of great names in sports there are...


Finally, let's check in on Boise State's former offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin as he is now going full speed down in Austin. There is a lot of work to be done to resurrect a stagnant, ugly offense. Here is an article from "Barking Carnival" that goes into great detail to analyze what Harsin will bring to the Longhorns. It was written by Nickel Rover, which is probably a pen name. Either that or his parents really wanted him to write about football. Anyway, Harsin will do great at Texas. He will be missed in Boise, but it will work out perfectly for both sides.


__________________________________________________________

Update: KT Tuumalo, a linebacker recruit mentioned on yesterday's post, has decommitted from the Broncos and will be heading to Colorado. Good luck to him.

Season End Awards

It's over. Boise State football has moved from the dawn of a new season to the dusk of imminent darkness that now surrounds us and signifies the end of the 2010-2011 Broncos. That means no more games on The Blue, Kellen to Pettis or Kellen to Young, and Muscle Hamsters trucking Vandals on their way into the end zone. The good part is that we can bid farewell to images of "missed" field goals sailing at or near the shorter-than-standard Reno goal posts. All in all, Bronco football has upped the ante and, naturally, the expectations for future athletes that will play for one of the best, most exciting teams in the nation.

A 12-1 season is something that teams all around the country would kill to have. Bronco Nation has become accustomed to undefeated teams, but expecting that yearly is unwise and as was seen in some fans after the loss to Nevada, unhealthy. With that said, there is plenty to be excited about in Bronco Nation with new players getting ready to make a name for themselves, the move to a new conference, and of course, the all-important annual quest for a BCS bid.

The proper thing to do is give out (fake) awards to Boise State players who exemplified out-of-this-world heart, drive, competitiveness, will, strength, intensity, and excitement all in the face of sheer adversity and conflict. It is important to recognize these athletes, the outstanding plays they made, and the excitement and joy that they provided for their fans. It's Bronco Chase's way of saying "thank you," even if they have no idea who Bronco Chase is... Without further delay:




Biggest Story
Boise State in the National Championship Game.
This was all the rage and debate for the entire season. It even found it's way to the front page of Sports Illustrated.

Best Coaching Job
Pete Kwiatkowski.
He went from a question mark (after Justin Wilcox left for Tennessee) to one of the most important cogs in the Boise State clock. The defense was ferocious and improved from last year, which is really saying something.

Best Freshman
Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe.
Hailing from the Netherlands by way of Boise High School, not only does he have the best name on the team, but he contributed a lot as part of the Bronco defensive line that shut down opponents. He was a key back-up and enjoyed sacking quarterbacks.

Best Catch of the Year
Tommy Gallarda vs. Virginia Tech.
The catch in itself was sweet, but that wouldn't have been enough to push it to the top of a list that includes some amazing grabs by Austin "Sticky-Hands" Pettis and Titus Young. The stage on which it was made and what was at stake make it the best catch of the year. Check it out for yourself on YouTube right here.



Break out Star of the Year
Shea McClellin.
He went from a solid contributor on the D-line to a candidate for WAC Defensive Player of the Year. Whether he was sacking the quarterback, running a beautiful interception in for a touchdown, or stealing Ryan Winterswyk's fumble recovery in the end zone, he was amazing this year. It seemed to have come out of nowhere. McClellin's athleticism, heart, and intelligence make him this season's break out star.

Best Play of the Year
Moore to Pettis for the win.
Again, could it have been anything else? The big stage came for Kellen again and he was more than ready. The catch set up the win and set the table for the rest of a dominating year for the Broncos. Tears of joy are still shed when this play is shown on ESPN.

Biggest Hit of the Year
Jamar Taylor sack vs. Oregon State.
A lot of fans do not remember this one, but it was gorgeous. Taylor came in from the blind side and rocked Ryan Katz' world! The fool didn't know what hit him. It was comparable to the Kyle Wilson sack on Andy Dalton in the Fiesta Bowl.

Game of the Year
Labor Day vs. Virginia Tech
For so many reasons this was the game of the year. The stage, the stakes, the atmosphere, and what transpired on the field were a perfect storm of awesomeness. Bronco Chase still likes to watch replays of the masterful 2-minute drill by Kellen Moore.

Special Teams MVP
Cedric Febis
Febis is another import from the Netherlands. A cornerback by trade, he was out there for every special teams snap, knocking people out and making plays. Bronco fans hope to see him doing much of the same next year.

Defensive MVP
Byron Hout
This was a hard one to pick as there were many qualified candidates. The reason why beautiful neck-roll wearing Hout gets the nod is because of what was missed when he went down with a foot fracture. The defense really needed him and his ferocious, man-devouring self for the Nevada game. He will be back, ready to clean house and light up some more chumps.

Offensive MVP
Kellen Moore
This was easier than hardcore fans would have thought. As the orchestrator of a fluid, seamless, high scoring offense, you get a lot of credit. Kellen continued to improve after a stellar sophomore season and found himself sitting in the front row for the Heisman Trophy presentation in December. While he did not win and finished 4th, the fact that he was there was a milestone for the Boise State program and the culmination of an outstanding 3 years at the helm for Kellen. The only thing that didn't go well for Moore this year was having to share the WAC Player of the Year award with Colin Kaepernick, of which the league copped out. How could a Heisman Trophy finalist not win the conference award outright? Anyway, Kellen will be back next year. Opposing defenses, watch out!

That's it! Bronco Chase has handed out imaginary trophies and trinkets to those deserving of much more credit than he can give them. The seniors on this list will be missed. But Boise State fans everywhere are ecstatic for the years of football that will follow. Go Broncos!

Broncos Dismantle Utes, Finish Amazing Season at 12-1

I honestly cannot believe that it is over. One of the best Boise State teams in school history put a cap on the season last night with a 26-3 complete domination of the University of Utah. The score wasn't even that close either. While it is sad to see the season end and to say good bye to a group of outstanding seniors, it is exciting to speculate and talk about what is to come. There will be many more amazing years of Bronco football to come. But let's not get the cart in front of the horse. Here are some stats and numbers to mull over.

Yardage:
......Broncos......Utes
Rushing-202........107
Passing-341.........93
..Total-543........200

First Downs:
......Broncos......Utes
........23..........8

Average Yards Gained Per Play:
......Broncos......Utes
........7.1........3.8

Passing Completions-Attempts:
......Broncos......Utes
.......29-40......10-24

Net Yards Per Pass Play:
......Broncos......Utes
.......8.5.........3.9

Number of Sacks on Opposing Quarterback-Yards:
......Broncos......Utes
.......4-21........1-7

Turnovers:
......Broncos......Utes
.........4..........3

Penalties-Yards:
......Broncos......Utes
.......3-29.......10-83

As you can clearly see, the Broncos were more than dominant in this match up. The Utes were only able to gain 107 yards on the ground because all they were doing was rushing the ball. Terrence Cain is not that much of a passing threat, and it showed. Even when they were able to make a big play in the running or passing game, it was either called back because of penalty (hence the massive penalty amount and yardage for Utah) or a receiver dropped the pass. Kellen Moore had another very efficient night and torched the Ute secondary over and over again. The turnovers killed Boise State. They could have had quite a few more points had it not been for a couple of costly fumbles and an interception. Regardless, the Broncos completely owned Utah and ended the Utes' 9 game bowl winning streak. I am happy with the win and the team.

What We Learned:

DeVonte' Christopher is a tool. What do you do when you talk some mean trash on Twitter, demeaning your opponent in the most cocky, stuck up way? Well, if your Devonte' Christopher, you catch 0 passes for 0 yards and drop the one ball that was thrown to you. Nice work. Just a suggestion Devonte', try and use something a little bit closer to legitimate English next time. I still am not sure what the freak he was trying to say. What a tool...

The Broncos D-line showed up again. It was good to see them back. They swallowed up Utah's big, physical running backs and ate Terrence Cain's lunch, limiting the Utes to a measly 107 yards on the ground. I was a big fan of that.

Pac 10 officials are really bad, in case you didn't already know that. In general, the game was very poorly officiated. They missed a lot of calls. I have no idea what in the world their replay officials were looking at on the fumble recovery in the end zone by Geraldo Hiwat. Here is a picture. If that's not a touchdown, I don't know what is.


Doug Martin is a complete beast. There's a reason why we call him the Muscle Hamster. His 84 yard touchdown run in the second quarter was a thing of beauty. It also got the Bronco offense rolling and kick started was to be a dominant rest of the game.


It was sloppy, but you can't ignore how good Boise State is. The first quarter was ugly, yes, but it got much better as time went by. If it wasn't for dropped passes, penalties, and bad decisions and calls by the referees, the final score could have ended up about 45-17. If only...

Areas of Concern:

It seems kind of pointless to even be doing this because the season is over, but let's do it anyway. Turnovers. We'll chalk it up to jitters, being rusty, and the fact that Kellen Moore was gone for a week of would-have-been practice time doing the awards circuit thing. That's it.

Favorite Play:

I don't even really need to say anything. Just watch:



Thoughts and Tidbits:
It was rainy and cold in Las Vegas. It's alright because it gave Coach Pete another chance to break out his awesome jacket! I really want one of those...I was informed from legitimate sources that the Keith Stein Boise State Blue Thunder Marching Band owned Utah's band during the pep rally. That's what I'm talking about! This batch of Nike Pro Combat uniforms were sick! I really liked them! The helmet has to stay! Utah has a tendency to make excuses when they lose. Head on over to blocku.com and see for yourself. Kellen Moore was named player of the game. I can't complain. Doug Martin would have been a fine choice as well.

Perception:
There has been a lot of talk about what could have been for this Boise State team, and legitimately so. If it wasn't for a missed field goal and a complete defensive lapse for two quarters, the Broncos would be preparing for a New Year's Bowl Game date with the Wisconsin Badgers. You're welcome Horned Frogs. But regardless, this has been one of the best seasons in Boise State history. Not only that, but it shows true determination, will, focus, great coaching, leadership, and resiliency to bounce back after a tough loss and be as dominant as the Broncos were against the Aggies and the Utes. I have never been more proud of a team and more excited to be a Bronco fan and Boise State graduate. As far as how the nation will see the team, I think it is still mixed. The Broncos have been polarizing all year. You either love them or you hate them. There has not been much middle ground. Still, this was a complete demolition of a ranked team on a big stage in a bowl game in Las Vegas. What else do people want? I know what we will hear; "But Utah had it's back up quarterback in." Or "The Utes weren't that good anyway." Well, the back up quarterback doesn't make his receivers drop every pass that comes to them, get a holding penalty every play as the Bronco D-line found its way into the backfield, or not cover any of Boise State's receivers in the secondary. Also, not being able to tackle Doug Martin wasn't Terrence Cain's fault either. If Utah wasn't that good anyway, why weren't people saying that when TCU came into Salt Lake City when the Utes were ranked 5th in the nation? Double standards shouldn't work in college football. Even if it wasn't a BCS Bowl against Wisconsin on New Year's Day, a bowl win is HUGE for a college football program, especially when it comes against a ranked team. I am happy and so is the team. The point is, this was a huge win in so many ways. It will put Boise State in the top 10 or at least the top 15 in the nation pre-season next year and make their opening day match up with Georgia even that much more exciting. Expect a lot of hype for that one, much like Virginia Tech this year.

Photos:

For the last time this season, let's all thank the Idaho Statesman for their great photos. Enjoy them while you reminisce a great bowl win for the Broncos!

'Twas Three Nights Before Christmas

'Twas three nights before Christmas, we're yelling, no shame,
blue and orange clad friends sat watching the game.
The Broncos were playing the Utes at Sam Boyd
But "playing" means the Utes are getting destroyed.
Despite the late start no children are in bed
with visions of Kellen "scrambling" in their head.
And mamma in her most favorite BSU shirt
Just finished saying how much a loss would hurt.

When out on the grass there arose such a clatter.
I sprang from my snuggie to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like Titus Young,
Tore down the blinds from the window where they hung.
The moon reflected on my new Bronco flag,
Like Avery, dodging defenders that lag.
What do my wondering eyes suddenly meet
It's Doug, Pettis, Kellen, Titus, and Coach Pete!

With a little old driver, lively, with wits
I knew in a moment it must be Lyle Smith.
More rapid than eagles on blue turf they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
Now 'Swyk, now Titus, now Austin and Efaw
On Kellen, on Coach Pete, on Brotzman and Hiwat!
To the Bronco car flag, to the Bronco night-light!
Now punt, now pass, kick, run and score touchdowns all night!

As dry leaves that before the blue hurricane fly,
When Moore meets an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to window the players they flew,
With the Kyle Wilson RV, and Byron Hout, too!
And then, in a jiffy, I heard in my room
The hitting and scoring; "Boise State!" I presume!
As I drew in my head, and was shouting with joy,
Coach Pete tapped my shoulder and said; "Hey there my boy!"

He was dressed in a jacket, a cap on his head
"Is that thing surgically attached?" To him I said.
His mouth smiled, in the Coach Pete kind of way,
And he opened his playbook, ready to call a play.
With a twinkle in his eye, hand on his left knee,
Into his microphone; "Statue of Liberty!"
We ran to the TV, in unison "hurrah!"
Just as Kellen and the rest embarrassed Utah.

"How can you be here and there at the same time?"
I asked with my hands, still short of words like a mime.
"It's part of the magic, the perks of Boise State.
Would you like to try? Call a play, see how you rate."
My life had led up to this, I knew what to do.
And I laughed when I said it; "Give the ball to 'Shoe.'"
The Utes were so focused on Pettis and Young,
Shoemaker was left wide open, the ball was flung.

With not a defender around, the ball flew
Into the arms of Tyler, AKA "Shoe."
The game went on with plenty of Bronco scoring
If I wasn't a fan I'd say it was boring.
I heard Pete yell as the team left and went out of sight,
"Happy Las Vegas Bowl to all, and to all a victorious night!"

All WAC Team - Theirs and Mine

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!

What Went Wrong on Friday-My Perspective

I have gotten over the loss. I actually surprise myself because I have told myself for years that there are more important things than football and it's just a game. That mental resolve was severely tested over the weekend, but it remains steadfast and firm. Sunday was worse than Saturday for me, but life goes on. Now, I am not wishing to re-hash or re-open old wounds, but I do want to explain my thoughts on what happened Friday night in Reno now that a few days worth of digesting everything has taken place.

Coaching-
Coach Pete is nothing short of a God for Bronco fans. I am not sure that there is really anything different that he could have done to prepare his players mentally, but they weren't ready for what Nevada was throwing at them in the second half. It appeared that the team fell into the same trap that we as fans did; We are better than the Wolfpack and all we need to do is show up and we will win. Obviously, that was not the case.

Strength and Conditioning-
Boise State's defense was gassed in the second half. Part of that may have had to do with the fact that the starters hadn't played an entire game since Oregon State came to town. It also was because Nevada had possession of the ball for most of the 3rd and 4th quarters. Vai Taua wore them down and the Wolfpack capitalized on it.

Play Calling-
The Broncos' offensive coordinator panicked. Nevada brought heat on just about every play in the second half (mainly from man-yetti Dontay Moch) and Boise State never adjusted. For me, the worst part was that they got away from the power running game with which they had so much success in the first half. Doug Martin up the middle was earning the Broncos 5 or 6 yards per carry. The second half saw lots of passing for Kellen Moore and those ridiculous sweep plays where the running back had the ball 7 yards deep in the backfield. Obviously it was ineffective. They panicked and ditched the power running game. It's too bad because Martin was having a career night for yards and touchdowns, and because it would have eaten the clock and let the defense rest a little bit.

Dropped Passes-
It was painful to watch. Titus Young and Mitch Burroughs started the second half with drops. Momentum killers. "If it touches your hands you have to catch it son!"


Luck-
Or should I say, lack of it. Boise State forced one turnover from Nevada; a gorgeous George Iloke interception on Nevada's first drive. After that, there were at least two Wolfpack fumbles that somehow flew right into teammates' hands. What if the Broncos somehow were able to get at least one of those? Boise State just couldn't catch a break in the luck department. Maybe someone broke a mirror before the game...

Injuries/Suspensions-
Byron Hout and Michael "Canadian Bacon" Atkinson were sorely missed Friday night. Hout is an outstanding run-stopper. Also, the presence of Atkinson to spell some of the winded defensive lineman would have helped immensely. Tyler Shoemaker was injured and did not play and we really could have used him.

Referees-
I feel like I keep mentioning them, but they were really bad. As I have said many times, I am not blaming the officials for the loss. This post is about what went wrong for Boise State, and referees were part of it-They couldn't catch a break from them either. Karl Benson has since come out and said that the calls that were made were correct, including the field goal at the end of regulation. To that I say, I guess. If there wasn't any problem with them then why is there a need to come out and defend them? Also, look at this post on obnug.com. It has to do with the Brotzman's first field goal attempt and how there is no way that it missed. Take it for what it's worth...

What are your thoughts? Did I miss anything or is there something that I got wrong here? Please let me know. I am open for discussion on anything. Let's continue to get ready for the Utah State game on Saturday. Bowl season is coming!

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!

Weekend Picks, Special Turkey Day Edition (13th Week of the Season)

Happy Turkey Day everyone! Make sure you go back and look at yesterday's post in which I let you all know about the things that I am grateful for. But for today, we have an extra special weekend pick off! There are tons of good games and I am going to choose winners for all three big games that are happening tomorrow. That is six ranked teams in three games. I have mentioned this before, but there is absolutely no reason why you should even leave your couch tomorrow. With that said, let's get on with it and pick some games for this holiday weekend!

Saturday, November 27 at 1 PM

(8-3, 6-1 WAC)
at

(2-9, 1-6 WAC)

The Rainbow Warriors took care of business last week against the San Jose State Spartans in blow out fashion. In fact, the only team in the WAC that they can't beat is Boise State. Anyway, Hawai'i is bowl eligible and has already accepted an invite to play in their home town Hawai'i Bowl. Quarterback Bryant Moniz was named offensive player of the week after throwing for 560 yards against the Spartans. The team would still like to improve their record. New Mexico State on the other hand, has absolutely nothing to play for other than pride, which can sometimes be a great motivator. They are anemic offensively and suck on defense. What else is there to say about them? Better luck next year Aggies. This game won't be close.
Prediction: Rainbow Warriors 45, Aggies 14

Saturday, November 27 at 6 PM

(4-6, 3-3 WAC)
at

(1-10, 0-6 WAC)

Louisiana Tech finds itself on the cusp of bowl eligibility. All they have to do is win their next two games, including this one. Unfortunately for them they finish the season at home against a Nevada team that will be pissed off after getting blown out by Boise State (a little foreshadowing for later on in the post). The Bulldogs have some athletes, there is no doubt about that. They recruit in the talent-saturated south. They have improved greatly this season and should be even better next year. They can not play their best game and still beat the lowly Spartans. Not only is San Jose State the worst team in the WAC, they are also up for consideration for worst team in the country (Akron currently holds the title with a 0-11 record). This game will not change that.
Prediction: Bulldogs 35, Spartans 17

Saturday, November 27 at 8 PM

(5-6, 2-4 WAC)
at

(6-4, 4-3 WAC)

This game is very intriguing. On one hand, you have an Idaho team that is fighting to become bowl eligible after pulling out an impressive win over Utah State last week. On the other hand, Fresno State just got absolutely shellacked at Boise State last week and is still hurting. They are going to a bowl game, but would like to finish strong and save some face. Which Bulldog team will show up? The one that nearly upset Nevada or the one that embarrassed itself in Boise? By the same token, which Vandal team is going to show up? The decent squad that beat the Aggies last week or the one that laid down and died against Colorado State earlier in the season? Both quarterbacks will need to play much better than they have been. A little defense wouldn't hurt either. Fresno State has the skill and athletes to take Idaho to the woodshed, but only if they want it. That's why this match up is intriguing and tough to pick a winner for. Who wants it more?
Prediction: Bulldogs 35, Vandals 28

Friday, November 26th at 8:15 PM

(10-0, 6-0 WAC)
at

(10-1, 5-1 WAC)

It is finally here! We have all been looking forward to this game with child-like anxiousness. That excitement took a bit of a nose dive when the Wolfpack lost to Hawai'i, but has since built back up nicely. Nevada is ranked 19th and Boise State is 4th. Let's look at this match up logically and rationally, breaking it down into comparisons between positions and units.

Kellen Moore > Colin "Bird Leg" Kaepernick
Enough said. Our guy can throw, there's can't He can run, ours kind of can. Good thing that's what running backs are for.
Vai Taua > Doug Martin
This is only true because the Wolfpack use him a lot more than the Broncos use Martin. Personally, I would take either, but Taua gets the nod due solely to the fact that he gets the rock early and often.
Bronco Defense > Wolfpack Defense
This was the easiest one to choose. Boise State is much better than Nevada on defense by a long shot.
Boise State Offense > Nevada Offense
It is close, but the Broncos are more balanced and therefore get the nod.
Boise State Special Teams = Nevada Special Teams
Normally, the Broncos excel on special teams, but this year has been a bit of a downer, especially on kick off coverage. So there is no way to say which one is better than the other.
Boise State Coaching >>>>>>>>>>> Nevada Coaching
Do you think I put enough emphasis in this one. Chris Ault is known for choking in big games. Chris Petersen is known for excelling in big games and seizing the moment. Besides that, Coach Pete has his players more than prepared mentally every single week this season. There is no reason to believe that this won't happen again this week.
Boise State Intangibles > Nevada Intangibles
Bear with me here. the Broncos are playing for a BCS Bowl bid, possibly the National Championship Game, their final WAC title, pride, and respect nationally. The Wolfpack are playing for a share of the WAC title, at home, a chance to upset one of the best Boise State teams in history, and a Humanitarian Bowl berth. Who do you think has the upper hand here? That's what I thought.

Out of seven categories, Boise State holds the clear edge in 5 of them, breaks even on one, and gives up one to Nevada (as I said, the only reason I put Vai Taua over Doug Martin was due to the amount of work he gets. Both running backs average the same amount of yards per carry at 6.2). Looking at it that way, you would think that this game won't be that close. But Nevada always seems to find a way to hang around with the Broncos. Still, this is a different Boise State team, having improved considerably on both offense and defense. The defensive unit is playing lights out. Kaepernick better be scared, Taua as well. The Wolfpack will gain some yards and score, but it won't be close to enough. The only way I see Boise State losing is if they meltdown completely. Trust me, that won't happen.
Prediction: Broncos 49, Wolfpack 24

Friday, November 26th at 5 PM

(7-3, 4-3 Pac-10)
at

(10-0, 7-0 Pac-10)

The California Golden Bears have given the nation a blueprint to beat the Oregon Ducks and their potent offense. They key is to have the athletes to execute it. The Wildcats have those kinds of athletes and will be looking to try their hand at it. Unfortunately for Arizona, the Ducks have had two weeks to tweak and change their offense enough to combat that blueprint. I still think that this will be a very good game, and I would even go as far as to say that Arizona has a chance to pull off the upset. As long as their quarterback Nick Foles can play well and their defense can give them a chance, they could take this one. But, it is at Autzen Stadium in Eugene and Oregon is really good. Their defense still leaves a lot to be desired, but if you can outscore your opponents then you tend to win (right Auburn?!). The Ducks are still in the driver's seat for a National Championship and it is going to take a lot to knock them off. I don't think the Wildcats have quite enough to get it done.
Prediction: Ducks 51, Wildcats 35

Friday, November 26th at 12:30 PM

(11-0, 7-0 SEC)
at

(9-2, 5-2 SEC)

Here we go! The Iron Bowl in all its glory. This will be the best one in years. Auburn's embattled quarterback Cam Newton is the best player in college football. He has single-handedly beaten LSU, South Carolina, and Arkansas by himself. The Tigers' defense is not that good, but Newton and the offense has been able to outscore everybody so far, averaging 42.8 points in each contest. The Crimson Tide has one of the best defenses in the nation, giving up only 12.8 points per game. Something here has to give. Also, Alabama's offense isn't too shabby in its own right. Auburn is playing for a berth in the National Championship Game, while Alabama could still make it to the Sugar Bowl. Even if the Tigers lose, they could win the SEC Championship Game against South Carolina and still find themselves ranked 1st or 2nd in the nation. This should be a great game. I have to give the edge to Alabama solely because it is at Bryant Denny Stadium.
UPSET SPECIAL!
Prediction: Crimson Tide 35, Tigers 34

Well there we have it! This should be a great weekend of college football. I am getting excited/nervous/anxious for the Nevada game on Friday. Make sure you come back tomorrow and take a gander at my Weekly PTW. Let's get it done Broncos!

Shiloh Keo got a Mouth Full of Doug Martin

Weekend Picks, 9th Edition (12th Week of the Season)

First things first:
"Shiloh Keo just got a mouthful of Doug Martin!"
-Joe Tessitore
Enjoy!

As I mentioned yesterday, this is a weird blogger-week for me. I will be leaving early Friday morning so as to have a grand ol' time in Boise in preparation for the game against Fresno. My wife has some family coming into town who we are graciously treating to an evening at Bronco Stadium. How hospitable are we?! So today will be the Weekend Picks and tomorrow will be the Weekly PTW. Let's get it on!

Saturday, November 20th at 2:05 PM

(2-8, 1-5 WAC)
at

(9-1, 4-1 WAC)

This game is going to get really ugly about as fast as it can. Think Boise State at Idaho last week. The Wolfpack may just put up 28 points in the first quarter as well. “Bird Leg” Kaepernick has found his mojo again and will be running all over the lowly Aggies at home. Don’t forget Vai Taua and the rest of the running backs that Nevada throws onto the field. New Mexico State has absolutely no chance of winning this game. They have no offensive weapons and can’t play defense. That means it will be a long afternoon for the Aggies. Good thing this season is almost over for them. I would think that Nevada will play pretty conservative so as to not show too much of what they will try and do against Boise State. Still, a high school team could beat the Aggies right now.
Prediction: Wolfpack 45, Aggies 21

Saturday, November 20th at 8:30 PM

(1-9, 0-5 WAC)
at

(7-3, 5-1 WAC)

The Rainbow Warriors play very well at home, having beaten ranked Nevada earlier in the season. The Spartans are even worse than the New Mexico State Aggies, having lost to them a few weeks ago. What this means is that Hawai’i will crush San Jose State with their passing attack. You could say that the Spartans are playing better, but they still only have one win to show for it (which was against a 1-AA by the way). All I’m saying is that San Jose State will be dropping to 1-10 probably by the end of the first quarter.
Prediction: Rainbow Warriors 48, Spartans 14

Saturday, November 20th at 1 PM

(4-6, 1-4 WAC)
at

(4-6, 2-4 WAC)

Idaho got curb stomped last week at home by Boise State. The game wasn’t as close as the 52-14 final may have led you to believe, especially since the Bronco starters sat out a bulk of the second half. Now you have cheap-shotting d-bag Shiloh Keo calling out his “selfish, egotistical” teammates (pot, meet kettle). In other words, things are not looking good for the Vandals coming down the home stretch, and bickering or accusing your teammates is not going to help. They have to win two of the next three games to be bowl eligible. They should handle San Jose State, Fresno will beat them, and that means that the Aggies are their last chance for bowl game redemption. Nathan Enderle will have to play better and stop throwing the ball to the other team if they want to leave Logan with the "W." Luckily for Idaho, Brandyn Thompson doesn’t play for Utah State. On the other hand, the Aggies aren’t anything close to a powerhouse either. Their inconsistency is baffling considering the considerable hype that came their way during the preseason. Derrvin Speight has been a beast at running back the last couple of games and they will rely on him heavily against the Vandals on Saturday. This game will be a lot closer than many people think. Remember, Utah State beat Idaho last year in Moscow. While making this pick, I am counting on the good Utah State team to show up, not the crappy one that has popped up from time to time. At the same time, with mutiny amongst the ranks and after a demoralizing loss to their rivals at home, I see the same result as last year.
Upset Special!
Prediction: Aggies 31, Vandals 28

Saturday, November 20th at 7:30 PM

6-3, 4-2 WAC)
at

(9-0, 5-0 WAC)

The Bulldogs come into this game playing very well, having rediscovered the power running game that they have used so well in seasons past. The crazy part is the main feature in said power run game is running back Robbie Rouse, who stands proudly at 5-foot-7 and 185 pounds, is the heart and soul behind the rejuvenated rushing attack. He has racked up 769 yards and 7 touchdowns in the past four games, including a near upset of the Nevada Wolfpack. He will be what the Broncos key on defensively, especially since Ryan Colburn is an average quarterback who is terrified of Winston Venable. A lot of young players have stepped up for Fresno State and are now playing very well. Even with the loss of Byron Hout at middle linebacker for the Broncos, they have a very disciplined and sturdy rushing defense. Still, Darrell Acrey is going to have to play out of his freaking mind. I am no longer worried about the pass defense as Brandyn Thompson and Jamar Taylor have proved in the past two games that they can lock down any receiver that comes their way. Boise State will have their hands full keeping Chris Carter and Logan Harrell out of the backfield and away from Moore. While they may get a few good plays in every now and then, there is no team in the country that can stop Boise State’s offense. The Bulldogs will have to outscore the Broncos, and with the nation’s second best defense statistically, that will not happen.
Prediction: Broncos 48, Bulldogs 17

Saturday, November 20th at 1:30 PM

(8-2, 6-0 ACC)
at

(7-3, 5-2 ACC)

I have been doing a lot of Hokie games lately. That’s because their success on the field affects Boise State more than any other team that they have played this year. This particular match up boasts two ranked teams. Virginia Tech has won 8 straight games and is in control of their own destiny. It is looking more and more like they will be in the ACC Championship game and will earn the ACC’s automatic BCS Bowl bid. This is their last test of the season, as they will host crappy Virginia on the final day. Tyrod Taylor is impossible to stop and the Hokies’ running backs are playing very well. The Hurricanes have benched long-time starter Jacory Harris and have gone with Stephen Morris. He has been playing well but has yet to see a defense like the Hokies. As a Bronco fan,I may be hoping big time here that Virginia Tech can keeps winning because I keep picking them.
Prediction: Hokies 35, Hurricanes 28

Saturday, November 20th at 8 PM

(8-2, 5-1 MWC)
at

(7-3, 4-2 MWC)

The fact that the Utes are still ranked is a complete joke. You don’t get blown out at home and tank on the road to a sub .500 team if you are worthy of a top 25 place. The Aztecs almost upset the Horned Frogs last week on the road, scoring 35 points, by far the most that TCU has given up all season. With that said, this match up has all the makings of a great watch, especially if you are a TCU or Boise State fan. If Utah wins, they salvage their season, save some face, and help out the Frogs in the polls and BCS computers. If San Diego State wins, they knock the Utes completely off the grid, screw up TCU even more than they are now, and help out Boise State. It’s amazing what Brady Hoke has done with this team. They were one of the worst in the nation when he got there 2 years ago and have turned them into a feared, respectable opponent. He is working his magic much like he did at Ball State. Except here he is in the fertile recruiting grounds of Southern California. This will be a great contest. A lot is on the line in terms of what will happen nationally depending on who wins. Utah is favored by 5 points as of today, but my guess is that changes by kick off on Saturday. The Aztecs might be getting the nod at that point.
Prediction: Aztecs 35, Utes 21

Total coming into this week: 49-12

There we have it. Let's see if I can do a repeat of last week and go 6-0. 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. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the game. There is a rumor that the Broncos will be wearing all orange pants and jerseys for the game, as the stadium is doing an orange out. I hope it's true! It will be a cold, rainy/snowy night. Let's go Broncos!

Broncos Surge Over Rainbow Warriors in Record Setting Fashion

There are so many things that can be said about the way that Boise State completely dominated this game. As a fan that sometimes overreacts about things, I was pretty nervous sitting there in the stands before the game started. However, the boys in Blue were nothing short of extremely prepared for the alleged challenge that the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors would bring. It was obvious from the opening kick and subsequent defensive series that this game was not going to be dictated by Bryant Moniz and that annoying run and shoot offense. School records were dropping like flies for the Broncos, and so was Moniz in the Hawai'i backfield. We will discuss more intimate details of the match up as we continue on today. But like always, let's look at some interesting stats;

Yardage:
......Broncos......Rainbow Warriors
Rushing-230...............45
Passing-507..............151
..Total-737..............196

First Downs:
......Broncos......Rainbow Warriors
........30...............11

Third Down Conversions:
......Broncos......Rainbow Warriors
.....8-12 (67%).......3-14 (21%)

Pass Completions-Attempts:
......Broncos......Rainbow Warriors
.......30-37............21-35

Number of Sacks on Opposing Quarterback-Yardage:
......Broncos......Rainbow Warriors
.......7-45..............0-0

Number of Punts:
......Broncos......Rainbow Warriors
........0.................9

Turnovers:
......Broncos......Rainbow Warriors
.........3................0

As you can clearly see, Boise State was dominate in this game in every way except one; turnovers. Two interceptions and one lost fumble left points off the board. One of the interceptions was in the end zone on a scoring drive. The fumble was on about the 10 yard line on a scoring drive. But you don't need to win the turnover battle if you hold your opponent to 196 yards of total offense, especially if said opponent averages 462 per game. In fact, this was Hawai'i's lowest yardage total in twelve years; before June Jones arrived and installed the offense. Needless to say, the defense played very well for the Broncos, and their offense wasn't too shabby either. The third down conversion percentage is impressive in more than one way. It is important to see the team keep their drives alive and with an opponent like Hawai'i, keeping their offense off the field and tiring out their defense is a huge key to winning. Boise State's rushing total is a little bit deceiving. A bulk of those yards came late in the game while attempting to run out the clock. It worked well with a combination of Jeremy Avery and Doug Martin toting the rock. This offense is built to get leads and keep them. Very impressive. On the other side, of the 45 rushing yards for the Rainbow Warriors, 54 of them came on one run by Alex Green. It also accounted for their lone score. You read that right, they had negative rushing yards going into the fourth quarter. The stat that stands out the most to me is the number of sacks that Boise State was able to get. Bryant Moniz was running for his life back there, and did not succeed. Pressure on the quarterback was one of my keys to the game. You have to believe that Moniz was relieved when Coach McMackin pulled him in the fourth.

What We Learned:

Hawai'i was incredibly overrated. Like I said, I was worried coming into this game and as it turns out, there was no need to be. I should have seen it coming. During the Rainbow Warriors' win streak and throughout the season, the pass defenses they have faced rank 100th (Utah State), 104th (Nevada), 112 (Colorado), 114th (USC), and LA Tech (118th) respectively. Boise State coming in ranked 39th. There are only 120 teams in the FBS. They were feasting on terrible defenses. Such was not the case yesterday at Bronco Stadium.

The Return of the Fiesta Bowl Defense was a lot of fun. Being present at the the game in Glendale (TCU version), I remember seeing the defensive line and linebackers shifting, moving, jumping, switching, and changing positions constantly. The same thing was happening against Hawai'i yesterday. The 4-2-5 defense strikes again! It confused Andy Dalton just as it did Bryant Moniz. Deer in the headlights.

Hawai'i has a good running back, it's too bad they are hell bent on not using him. Alex Green is a big boy and hard to take down. But he can run! Did you see him take off when he broke through the line and sprinted to the end zone? They would have so much more success if they would give him the ball a few more times a game. It would keep defenses guessing and open up their passing game. Too bad it will never happen.


Titus Young is really fast. Once he had broken free from the defender and Kellen Moore had faked the hand off to perfection, there was no catching the speedster. The Rainbow Warrior defender, as he run towards the line of scrimmage leaving Young to his own devices, must have said something like "Oh crap!" as he realized that Moore was ready to launch the deep ball. There was no one withing 25 yards of Titus when he caught it. House call.

Areas of Concern:

Turnovers. It's pretty bad that Kellen threw two int's and Martin lost a fumble. But it's even worse that Boise State did not force a turnover themselves. I was sure that with as much as Hawai'i passes that they would be able to pick off a couple of passes. Yet again, this did not happen. They had chances, but the ball just flew through their hands. The Rainbow Warriors did fumble the ball 4 times, but the Broncos were not able to come up with any recoveries. Other than that, the performance was great!

Favorite Play:

I have already mentioned it, but the deep ball to Titus Young was so beautiful! The way Kellen Moore faked the hand off, kept the ball hidden behind his leg, and baited the cornerback in was priceless. One busted coverage later and Titus was dancing in the end zone, celebrating an 83 yard touchdown catch. It was awesome!

Thoughts and Tidbits:

Offensive lineman Joe Kellogg did not play due to an injury sustained against Louisiana Tech last week. Gabe Linehan saw more playing time replacing Tommy Gallarda at tight end. Kellen Moore broke the career touchdown passes mark set by Ryan Dinwiddie. Moore now has 85 to Dinwiddie's 82. Oh, and Kellen still has one season and 4 games left to play. Austin Pettis broke the record for career receptions yesterday as well, finishing the day with 196 total to Don Mutt's 189. Boise State also broke the record for most yards gained in one game with 737. The Broncos tied the school record for most wins in a row with 22. Records are falling left and right. Boise State and Coach Petersen made a little boy's dream come true. Read the amazing story here.


Weekly Player to Watch Recap:

Ryan Winterswyk went another game without a sack. This is surprising since the Broncos finished the game with 7 of them. But yet again, he was double teamed often. As I mentioned, in that he contributed very much to the game. He also lined up at tight end on one play. He is so athletic and strong that getting him on the field as often as possible is a necessity.

Perception:

I just found out that TCU jumped Boise State in the polls, which means that the Horned Frogs are guaranteed to stay in front of the Broncos in the BCS Rankings for now. This could change as the weeks go by and Boise State plays a pretty tough schedule to finish the season. Both TCU and Boise State were very impressive in their wins, but TCU will get the nod because they beat a (completely overrated) top 5 team on the road. It looks like yet again we are locked in battle with the purple frogs from Fort Worth. With Alabama and Oklahoma losing, a couple more teams are cleared out of the way. A lot is going to happen between now and when the BCS Bowl game match ups are decided. Boise State may get left out and end up playing 6-6 California in the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl. We will see what happens. Voters are impressed with this win over Hawai'i. But I think they are more impressed with TCU's win over Utah. We just have to wait and see what happens.

Photos:

Thanks again idahostatesman.com.

Come back tomorrow for my WAC Weekend Recap. I need to get some sleep. It was a long day yesterday.

Broncos Earn Gritty Win Over the LA Tech Bulldogs

Everything about this game felt weird. It was a Tuesday night in Boise, Idaho, freezing cold, and the starters had not played a complete game in a month. Couple that with the fact that Louisiana Tech had finally found itself offensively and you have a recipe for a sloppy, closer than it probably should have been contest. In the end and without playing anything close to their best game, Boise State was able to come out on top and still win by 29 points. It was definitely hard to watch at times, but we will take the "W." Let's look at some numbers and go from there. A few of them are a little surprising, you will see.

Yardage:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
Rushing-163..........172
Passing-305..........222
..Total-468..........394

Rushing attempts:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........36............49

First Downs:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........21............25

Yards per pass:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
.......10.5..........5.6

Fourth down conversions:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
........1-1..........3-7

Penalties-Yardage:
......Broncos......Bulldogs
.......3-21..........5-45

It's weird to see that Boise State was outgained in rushing yards, as that has been the strong point of the defense this year. Tech running back Lennon Creer is a beast, to say the least, and deserves a lot of credit. He was very physical throughout the night and his high rushing total (149 yards) can be attributed to that (remember, he transferred from Tennessee. He has talent, there is no question). But you also must realize that it took LA Tech 49 attempts to gain those 172 yards on the ground. Also, the Bulldogs played very fast, not wasting any time between snaps, and mixed up their play selections very well. I think that had more to do with the rushing total than anything. They had Boise State guessing for 2 quarters of the game or so. As you would guess, Boise State was able to pass for more yards than Louisiana Tech. That is great to see, especially since they put up 422 yards through the air against Idaho in their last game. It was great to see the Broncos stiffen up and stop the Bulldogs when it mattered, especially in the red zone and in fourth down situations, hence the 3 for 7 4th down conversion stat. Boise State will need to do much of the same against Hawai'i in their next game. My favorite stat is the number of penalties. Boise State finally cut down on those. It has gotten better this season as you can see.

What We Learned:

Louisiana Tech is the best WAC team that Boise State has played. I'm not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Even with the sloppiness and mistakes, they still won by 29 points. It was also a good warm up for the teams to come (Hawai'i, Nevada). The Bulldogs will be a very tough team in a few years once Sonny Dykes can get his type of players in. Too bad Boise State won't be in the WAC to see it (who knows if LA Tech will be in this conference either).

Kellen Moore might actually be human, maybe. He did throw an interception for the first time since the Wyoming game (it's still only his second one this year), but he did have a beautiful pooch punt, tackled somebody, and caught a touchdown pass from Austin Pettis. So, I guess he's still not human. He is so freaking good! Give him the Heisman now!

Sonny Dykes needs to chill out. I cannot believe that a large, southern man could get as upset as he did about an offsides call on an onside kick, especially when his player was clearly past the ball before it was kicked. In other words, he was offsides. Dykes (he, he...Dykes) will be eating some crow when he sees the tape on that one. He even got a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for screaming at the referees about it, which I'm sure was laced with every kind of profanity and inappropriate slur known to mankind. Good times...

Doug Martin is amazing, especially when he gets to play a full game. How does 150 yards on 21 carries sound? That is an eye-popping 7.1 yards per carry! It's nice to see him trucking fools as he carries the rock up the middle. He broke out on some huge runs and scored 2 touchdowns along the way. He is great for eating up clock when protecting a lead. Plus he is just fun to watch. By they way, the muscle hamster thing needs to go away. They even mentioned it a few times last night. Time to move on...

Even on an imperfect night, the Broncos still dominate. Titus Young fumbled a kick off, Kellen Moore threw an interception and fell down on a hand off (which was also fumbled), and Jeremy Avery fumbled a wildcat snap. But through all that, Boise State still won by 29 (as I have mentioned). They also converted two of those fumbles into immediate touchdowns. The game was never really in doubt, either. Time to continue the rest of the WAC farewell tour. Bring 'em on!

Areas of Concern:

Injuries; I know there is nothing Boise State can do about it but Brandyn Thompson, Kyle Brotzman, Aaron Tevis, Cedric Febis, Jeron Johnson, Chase Baker, and Joe Kellogg all either did not play due to injuries or left the game because of injuries. The Broncos will need all of them to be healthy in order to compete the best that they can as the schedule gets a bit tougher. Kicking game; Kyle Brotzman being out had a lot to do with it, but a missed field goal and some bad kickoffs is something that needs to be fixed. I would have thought by now the kickoffs would have gotten better, but they really haven't. The secondary; They played well, but a couple of lapses and mistakes led to points for Louisiana Tech. Hawai'i comes in next week for a huge showdown. Other than that, they played well.

Favorite Play:

Is there any doubt what I am going to pick? Kellen Moore takes the snap in the shotgun. He turns to the left and tosses the ball to Jeremy Avery who proceeds to run to the left side of the field. Coming the other way is Austin Pettis who gets the pitch from Avery. As Pettis runs to the right side in what appears to be a straight up reverse run, he holds up and tosses the ball toward the end zone. Standing there to receive the pass is a wide open Kellen Moore. Touchdown Broncos! That's right, Pettis to Moore! It's usually the other way around! I knew it was just a matter of time before Moore caught a pass, and it was beautiful! Let's see some more of that!

Thoughts and Tidbits:

Boise State had scored on every single opening drive of the season until last night. Jimmy Pavel missed a field goal on the Broncos first possession to end the streak. Tyler Shoemaker had a career night catching 6 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown. Boise State did not sell out the stadium as the student section had a lot of empty seats. A lot of that can be contributed to fact that it was a Tuesday night and it was really cold.

Weekly Player to Watch Recap:

Austin Pettis had a great game. He caught 5 passes for 55 yards and a touchdown. It was his first TD since the Oregon State game. He also threw a touchdown pass to quarterback Kellen Moore on what is sure to be a play that goes down as a legendary tale in Boise State history, and will also cause headaches for future opponents' defensive coordinators to try and defend. It was great to see him (as well as the rest of the starters) play a complete game. Pettis is the man. Get used to it.

Perception:

We are at the point now when no matter what Boise State does, it is not going to make a difference as far as perception goes. Whether or not the Broncos end up in the National Championship game will depend on what happens with the other top teams in the nation. Oregon, Auburn, Alabama (still), Oklahoma (still), Missouri, TCU, and Utah will have a lot of say in determining where Boise State ends up. They could get passed in the polls and BCS Rankings by one or all of them, depending on who wins and who loses. The winner of the TCU vs. Utah game has a great chance of leap-frogging them (frog pun intended). Let's just hope Utah loses to Air Force or BYU but also somehow beats TCU. No matter who loses nationally, the BCS and the pollsters will surely be looking for and probably find a reason to not move Boise State up to number 1 or 2. That sucks, but that's how it is. As I have said multiple times and will continue to say, a lot has to happen for the Broncos to be in the NC Game. It has to be a perfect storm of unforeseen chaos. Time will tell. For now, let's enjoy the weekend's action and root for USC, Nebraska, Iowa, Hawai'i, and Nevada!

Photos:

I love idahostatesman.com. Thanks again for the photos. They sure take some good ones!

Check back in tomorrow for something. I haven't decided what it will be yet. Go Broncos!