How is Boise State's Football Cupboard Looking?

I apologize for yesterday's rant on the hypocrisy of the NCAA. I get really worked up sometimes. Wait a second, I don't apologize at all. I am not sorry for what I said. I mean it and will forever feel like that. I am fully aware that there is not much a 25 year-old guy from Twin Falls can do to bring about an enormous change in college football, but that still won't stop me from trying! Let's get back to familiar territory and talk Bronco football! As I mentioned a couple of days ago, there are a few questions regarding Boise State football that need to be answered. I took care of one before the Sugar Bowl-induced interruption of yesterday, so let's hit another one now.

Who will replace Boise State's departing seniors and how effective will they be?

I tend to get a little bit anxious about these types of thoughts. It was the same way when Legedu Nanee, Drisan James, Ryan Clady, Jerard Rabb, Jeremy Childs, and Ian Johnson all left. I retain comfort knowing that all of those players were replaced by the likes of Austin Pettis, Titus Young, Nate Potter, and Doug Martin. In other words, Boise State knows how to recruit and will get the job done.

There are a lot of great players on the departing list, as you already know. I understand that it will be impossible to find someone with hands like Austin Pettis. Titus Young's speed is unparalleled. Nobody scares the pants off of Fresno State quarterbacks like Winston Venable. Yes, this was a fantastic class, one of the best to play on The Blue. Remember, Coach Petersen is one of the hottest, most coveted coaches in the nation for a reason. Also, football is amazing because great minds who teach and train these players (like Coach Pete!) can twist, change, mold, form, tweak, cater, and alter an offensive or defensive scheme to fit the players that are currently on the roster. Petersen and his staff are experts at doing just that. Example: Vinny Perretta was a triple threat. He could catch, throw, and run, and he did all three on a consistent basis. There were plays and variations of plays based on his unique skill set. With Kellen at the helm, the offense is tailored to fit his pocket-passing strengths. Do you ever see him running the option (I think I remember seeing it once, but only once)? Joe Southwick, on the other hand, will run the option consistently when he gets a hold of the reigns of the offense.

Next year, you will see a lot more of Doug Martin and (hopefully) a healthy DJ Harper. They will be the feature of the offense because they are both really talented and the absence of Young and Pettis will make it so. I wouldn't even be surprised to see a lot more use of the pass-catching tight ends and Chris Potter running the wildcat as a run/pass option (much like Vinny Perretta did). With that said, let's go over who will possibly replace the above mentioned seniors.

~Austin Pettis - Aaron Burks - Let's hope he can learn how to catch like Mr. Pettis. Maybe we can even surgically attach Austin's sticky hand to Burks' arms. Come on science! Help us out here! Tyler Shoemaker is also an option to move from the third option receiver to prime time as number 1 or 2.

~Brandyn Thompson - Ebo Makinde - Not only does he have a sweet name (his real one is Ebeneezer), but he was a good recruit for the Broncos. It's time to step up.
Jerrell Gavins, Antwon Murray, and Quaylon Ewing are also options. There is a four-star CB recruit named Stefan McClure that is still considering Boise State. It's a long shot that he will come here, but if he did he would get a good look at starting as a freshman.

~Daron Mackey - JC Percy was already starting due to the fact that Mackey was constantly injured. Percy will stay there. Look for freshman Blake Renaud to make some noise in spring ball.

~Darrell Acrey - Byron Hout was already the starter before he got injured. He should re-assume that role next season. The primary backups will be Tommy Smith and Allen Mooney.

~Jarvis Hodge - Matt Kaiserman, Jay Ajayi - the question here is who will be the third string, garbage time running back. Ajayi is really good, but I don't know if the coaches will want to burn his red shirt.

~Jason Robinson - Cedric Febis - Robinson was the back up and Febis, a special teams stand out, will replace him in that role.

~Jeremy Avery - DJ Harper - He will be back and I sure hope he stays healthy. He is a great running back. Raphiel Lambert is an option as well. It's too bad that Malcolm Johnson crapped out. He was a great recruit for the Broncos.

~Jeron Johnson - Jeremy Ioane - I am really excited about this kid. He chose Boise State over Washington and Notre Dame. There is a lot expected from him and I think he will deliver.

~Kevin Sapien - ? - Sapien called it quits after the Fiesta Bowl last year due to some serious nagging injuries. He helped coach on the sidelines. His presence and personality might be missed, but that's about it.

~Kyle Brotzman - Jimmy Pavel or Jake Van Ginkel - The Van Ginkel kid has not committed yet, but is seriously considering the Broncos. Trevor Harman is also a legitimate option.

~Matt Slater - Brenel Meyers - Meyers started at the Fiesta Bowl. The Broncos have a pretty deep offensive line rotation. Other names that will be considered are Charles Leno and Faraji Wright.

~Mike Coughlin - Joe Southwick - Coughlin and Southwick were already co-back ups. Grant Hedrick will get a look as well.

~Ryan Winterswyk - Tyrone Crawford - As a back up this last season, Crawford was named a third-team all American. He is an absolute beast and will wreak plenty of havoc next year. Don't overlood Sam Ukwuachu or Robert Ash either. Boise State's D-Line is really deep.

~Sean King - ? - King never even saw the field. There is not much to replace here.

~Titus Young - Geraldo Hiwat - He has the speed. Let's see if he can hold on to the ball. Also, if Matt Miller can recover from his ruptured achilles, he could see some action as well.

~Tommy Gallarda - Gabe Linehan - When Gallarda got hurt, Boise State's run game took a hit. He was a great blocker and good at catching touchdowns in the red zone. Linehan played well this year when he saw the field. If he can work on his blocking, he will get the nod. Don't forget Chandler Koch or Kyle Sosnowski.

~Will Lawrence - Faraji Wright - This one is a toss up. There are any number of players that could take this spot.

~Winston Venable - Dextrell Simmons - Simmons is a JuCo transfer from Blinn College in Texas. He was a great pick up for Boise State. Don't overlook hard-hitting Jonathan Brown either.

So there you have it. I am not too worried about the replacements. Boise State's recruiting has improved considerably since they started winning Fiesta Bowls. The team is in good hands and I look forward to another great year. The offense will change, of course, but it is nothing to lose sleep over. Go Broncos!

Weekly Player to Watch, 11th Edition

I cannot believe that we have already reached the regular season finale. I get so excited when college football starts and then it pains me deeply when it ends. Despite the setback last week at Nevada, Boise State has a lot going for them for the remainder of this season, including the bowl game, and for years to come. The final game of the season pits the erratic Utah State Aggies against our beloved Boise State Broncos on The Blue. According to reports, the Broncos are focused, having fun, and ready to play this game. That is good to hear. Tomorrow will be extra special because it is senior day. We will say farewell to 18 student-athletes who have been part of the most productive and winning classes in Boise State history. Tom Scott on ktvb.com has a great tribute to the seniors as well as staggering numbers and statistics for what they have accomplished in their 4-5 years on The Blue.

Today's Weekly PTW will be different. I am going to honor this great group of seniors individually. I will mention each one by name and share a fun fact about them. They are in alphabetical order. Please enjoy!

Austin Pettis

Boise State record holder for most career catches and most touchdowns in a season. Enough said. He will be sorely missed.






Brandyn Thompson

Named Defensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl after nabbing 2 interceptions (one of them was a pic-six) and tipping another pass that Winston Venable intercepted to seal the victory. Also, he's my little sister's favorite player.



Daron Mackey

His career has been hampered by knee injuries, but Mackey has contributed when he is on the field. He is aggressive and ferocious out there.






Derrell Acrey

Acrey is a vocal team leader, pumping up his teammates before each game. This includes when he was a redshirt freshman at the first Fiesta Bowl. "The Preacher" is a fitting nickname for him.





Jarvis Hodge

Has a really good time mowing down defenders in mop up time. I enjoy watching him as well!







Jason Robinson

Was the key factor/player in calling the fake punt against TCU in the Fiesta Bowl.







Jeremy Avery

This little guy runs tough and has the moves to fake out defenders. Even when he was relegated to a back-up, he kept his head up and returned to the backfield as happy as he could be. Jeremy is a great player and is very underrated in Boise State history.



Jeron Johnson

Jeron hits really hard. I mean really hard. He is ferocious out there. Just ask Russell Hill.







Kevin Sapien

Also part of the offensive line last season that yielded a mere 5 sacks. His shoulder injuries sidelined him for good, but is used as a coach and mental leader.





Kyle Brotzman

Kyle has scored 425 career points. That is most in Boise State and WAC history. He is also closing in on the record books for most in NCAA history. Just remember the fake punt against TCU. It was beautiful!




Matt Slater

Another anchor in the Boise State offensive line that gives up very few sacks. He is also on the all-WAC academic team, so he's a smart kid as well.





Mike Coughlin

Mike was named Scout Team Offensive Player of the year for Boise State in 2006. He has been a huge leadership factor and model for Kellen Moore and the whole team.





Ryan Winterswyk

Transformed from a walk-on safety to a multiple-year first team all-WAC selection and all-WAC-Decade selection. That is amazing. He is one of the true leaders on defense.





Sean King

Sean is a local kid from Timberline High School, living the dream with the Broncos.







Titus Young

Boise State record holder for most receiving yards. Second for most receptions (behind fellow senior Austin Pettis). He is also the fastest freaker I have ever seen on a football field. Welcome to the NFL Mr. Young!




Tommy Gallarda

Tommy's one-handed catch for a touchdown against Virginia Tech was the sickest thing I have seen in a really long time.






Will Lawrence

Will started all 13 games last year. You know, the offensive line that only gave up 5 sacks, which was the lowest total in the nation!






Winston Venable

Basically, he's a beast. He plays very physical and even finds time to intercept the ball on occasion. I like him a lot!






Let's send off our seniors with a loud round of applause on Saturday and wish them the best as they move on. I hope that all of them get to start as well. Make sure you check back in on Sunday for my take on the game against Utah State. 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.

1 Really Hard Hit = 2 Quarters on the Bench, Happy Trails to DJ Harper

As I mentioned yesterday, Winston Venable's hit on Oregon State wide receiver James Rodgers was under review to determine whether or not he will be suspended. Well Karl Marx Benson, the WAC commissioner, in a moment of pure egotistical retribution against Boise State, dropped the hammer today and suspended Venable for the New Mexico State game on Saturday. Boise State appealed it and the suspension was reduced to the first 2 quarters. Read the story here on idahostatesman.com. What are your thoughts?

My first thought is this: what a load of crap! I won't get into it like I did yesterday other than to mention that this is pure payback for the Broncos leaving his conference. Watch out Nevada and Fresno State, you guys are next! Like I said, he has now set a precedent where players from every team should be getting suspended every game for similar hits. In no way was James Rodgers a defenseless player. He was setting a block and was at a weird angle and height when Venable came full speed trying to get to the quarterback. This is absolutely ridiculous. I cannot express in PG-suitable words how idiotic this decision was from Benson. Another point; what does a half a game suspension do. It is as pointless as it is laughable. Way to get the job done Benson. Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman wrote the blog link above about the suspension. He mentions, "Benson, after consulting with two NCAA rules and officiating experts, decided to suspend Venable for a game." All I can say is that if these "experts" were anything like the actual officials that reffed the game on Saturday, I can see how they came up with the suspension. What a bunch of moronic crocks! We cannot leave for the Mountain West soon enough.

We will miss this guy...for 2 quarters.


As my "Weekly PTW" curse continues, we found out yesterday that running back DJ Harper has torn his ACL again. I say again because it is the same one he had surgery on to repair last year. Again, this was three games in, just as it was last season. Harper will appeal to the NCAA to grant him a sixth year of eligibility. The sixth year is very elusive, but he may have a good case here. I wish Harper the best of luck and really hope that he is able to get the extra year. Poor guy. Bronco Nation loves you DJ! Don't ever forget it! We will be seeing a lot more carries for Doug Martin, a lot more of Jeremy Avery, and more of Matt Kaiserman. It's a good thing the Broncos are deep at running back. Good luck Harper!

We will miss this guy for the whole season. We won't be seeing this on Saturday.


Be sure to check in tomorrow and get my Weekend Picks!

It is here...

The day has arrived (almost. It's tomorrow, actually). The Boise State Broncos versus the Virginia Tech Hokies. The biggest and most important game in Boise State regular season history goes down tomorrow. There is so much hype, pressure, angst, restlessness, and desire weighing down on the Broncos. Lose, and their critics have all the ammo they need for years to come. Win, and the solidify themselves as a contender for this season and stave off the haters for a while. I will break down what the key points are and what I think will happen. I have butterflies as I type this. I get way too worked up about Boise State football games, just ask everyone who was around me in January at the Fiesta Bowl. It is worth it when they win big games and it sucks when they lose them (which luckily and thankfully, they have not lost many big ones in the last few years).

The Broncos have to at least contain the Hokies' rushing attack. Ryan Williams, Darren Evans, and Tyrod Taylor will eat you alive if you don't have the talent and/or if you aren't prepared. Tackling is huge! The Broncos better look like they did against Oregon and TCU last year and not like they did against Fresno State (Ryan Mathews, eat your heart out!). If Boise State can get up early then Virginia Tech will have to rely on Taylor's arm, of which he has absolutely no one of merit to throw it to. That could spell doom for the Hokies.

Returning the most prolific and efficient passing attack from last season, the Broncos will give the Hokie secondary everything they could ever want and then some. Cornerback Rashad Carmichael will need to be at his best as a player and as a defensive leader out there. Boise State has always used the pass to set up the run and that will not change come tomorrow evening in Maryland. Do not sleep on Doug Martin, Jeremy Avery, and DJ Harper toting the rock. They will kill you if you don't pay attention. That is when Boise State is most dangerous, when they have you thinking pass and they run it and vice versa. That is a lot to ask a young, inexperienced Virginia Tech defense, even with Bud Foster and all those amazing, talented athletes he sends onto the field year after year.

Special teams could be the key to swinging the momentum one way or the other and keeping it there. There will be two teams out there who pride themselves on making plays and who use starters for key positions on special teams. This one is a toss up as to who has the advantage. A blocked kick or a good return could mean a lot for either team.

This game is a difficult one to pick a winner for. Boise State is ranked 3rd and VT is ranked 10th in the coach's poll. The rankings don't mean much. If Boise State would have lost the Fiesta Bowl last year they would not be in the top 10 this year, yet they will have the same team out there either way. I think both teams are evenly matched and if the game were to be played later on in the season, I think the Broncos would be in big trouble. However, returning 20 of 22 starters from a BCS Bowl winning team bodes well for Boise State. That will be the difference against a younger, more inexperienced team in the opening game of the season for both teams. I think the Broncos score early, holding off the Hokies for most of the game until scoring a couple TD's late to seal the deal. Ryan Williams does not break 100 yards, and neither does Evans, but Williams gets a touchdown or two. Tyrod Taylor has a decent night, but struggles to hit his unheralded receivers and throws a couple of picks. Kellen Moore dissects the Hokies for about 250 yards and 3 touchdowns. Doug Martin and co. eat up clock in the third quarter and get on the board with a score. Kyle Brotzman finally hits a field goal from the left hash to start the late scoring for the Broncos. The final is Boise State 35, Virginia Tech 17 and the Broncos stay on top and in the title hunt for the time being. It should be a good game and it will be a lot of fun!