Oh my freaking goodness gracious! The second Virginia Tech lost to FCS opponent James Madison on Saturday night Boise State fans and haters all went berserk with complete moronic overreactions and mass hysteria. It was like the movie "The Happening" when some random virus or infection took over peoples' brains and made them do really stupid things, like kill themselves. While no one died this time around (that I know of), everything I read on blogs, Facebook, articles, and message boards made it sound like the Broncos' season is over because VT is the biggest fraud of a good team in the history of the world. Take a chill people, life will go on and things should be OK. I say should be OK, but only time will tell. Let me explain to you why.
Our nation and I think humans in general often succumb to knee-jerk reactions when something undesirable occurs. For example, a terrorist attack leads Americans to hate all Muslims and want to obliterate the Middle East into a nuclear crater. Again, chill out. It's not what it may look like. Back to Boise State, there are many claims now that the Hokies are absolutely terrible and that the Broncos' win over them means nothing. Their chance for the BCS National Championship is shot and they suck all of the sudden. Anti-Boise State people (especially Vandal lovers) are glowing with excitement and "ha ha's" are abundant. I had to demoralize a teenager and destroy his soul for getting smart with this kind of garbage. The kid will probably never recover. Anyway, again I will say; chill the freak out!
Look at it this way, Virginia Tech had 4 days between games. They played Boise State on Monday and the James Madison Dukes on Saturday of the same week. That is hard enough as it is. Short weeks are the worst for sports teams to try and prepare themselves and break down game film of their next opponent. Usually a short week means 6 days, though, and the Hokies only had four. To make things worse and more dooming for them, their match up with the Broncos literally drained them physically, emotionally, and mentally. They had injuries all around and four days is not sufficient time to heal. It's not even enough time to get rid of soreness after working out. Combine these previous facts with one that should ease some of the desire to freak out: James Madison is a top ten FCS football program. The Dukes are not the regular cream puff opponent that a lot of FBS schools play. All of those things combined made for a huge trap game for the Hokies, and they fell for it. The athletic director should be hung for not giving them a week off.
Don't get me wrong, the loss feels like Boise State lost a game when they didn't even play. But like I said, the season is young and there is a lot of football left to play. Let's let it play out a little more and see what happens. Virginia Tech could completely implode and finish with 4 or 5 losses. Then and only then would it be a bad thing for the Broncos. On the other hand, they could regroup, unite, and win the ACC championship. Then we wouldn't hardly remember them starting 0-2 and that would be good for the Broncos. We should know which side of things Virginia Tech is going to be on this coming Saturday. They host East Carolina in Lane Stadium and can start their climb out of the hole with a win over the Pirates. I have a feeling that it is going to suck to be an East Carolina Pirate this weekend. The Hokies have a lot of rage to take out and it could happen then.
The polls did not change much for the Broncos. It appears the voters understand the concept of a long season where anything can happen. The fans don't, obviously. The voters kept Boise State at number 3 in the nation, but they lost all but one of their first place votes. So again people, stop the freak out. At least put it on hold until later on in the season, depending on what happens.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Friday, September 10, 2010
Evidences of a Derserving Win
So there have been some libelous statements being tossed around that the Boise State Broncos lucked out on Monday night when they beat the Virginia Tech Hokies. Others have slandered that the Broncos backed into the win, didn't deserve it, or should have lost to a better team. I am here to go Mythbusters on such unfounded and reprehensible remarks. I have proof as well, unlike those obtuse detesters of all things impressive and dramatic, such as the Boise State Broncos. They not only deserved to win that game, but were the better team on the field in a night filled with first game jitters and nerves.
Case number one for why the Broncos won and did not luck out:
Ryan Williams, the electric sophomore who ran for 1,655 yards as a freshman was not only bottled up, but was basically ineffective during the game. He was held to just 44 yards on 21 attempts. That is just over 2 yards per attempt. Also, I might point out, 44 yards was a career low for Williams. The other beast in the backfield, Darren Evans was held to 12 yards on 3 attempts. That is a dominate defense if I ever saw one. It is also a huge difference from the last time we saw the Boise State defense go up against a back with all star NFL capability (ie Ryan Mathews from Fresno State, last seen gashing the Broncos for 60 and 70 yard runs all night). Mathews is now the starting back for the San Diego Chargers. The trickiest part for the Broncos was trying to contain quarterback Tyrod Taylor. He had 73 rush yards on 16 attempts. Most of that was scrambling when his receivers were covered and he had no other options. He was a slippery fellow that night indeed. Regardless, the Broncos dominated the rushing game of the Hokies, and that was supposed to be their bread and butter. That's not lucking out, that's planning/scheming and playing.
Case number two:
Special teams. The Hokies are respected and feared around the country for what they are able to accomplish in the kicking, returning, and special teams game. In fact, the head coach himself, Frank Beamer, is the special teams coach. The Broncos owned them. One blocked punt from Austin Pettis and a huge return from Mitch Burroughs to set up the winning drive later and VT had no idea what hit them. They were outgunned, outplayed, and outsmarted on specials teams, and Boise State didn't even run a fake punt against them (which I was partly expecting, by the way)! The important numbers here are; 1 punt return attempt for the Hokies netting 0 yards. Compare that to 4 attempts for the Broncos for 44 yards. The numbers don't seem like much, but the 0 for VT tells a huge story.
Case number three:
This one is about as obvious as can be. The Duke University head coach David Cutliffe somehow missed it. Here is what he said; You can't make mistakes in the kicking game, nobody emphasizes it more than Frank [Beamer]. But they were clearly the best team, guys. Anybody that watched the game could tell that Virginia Tech was the dominant team physically. They didn't win but this stuff about we can't compete with the best. ... You know, Boise's a good football team. They're not a dominant physical football team. Gimme a break on some of the publicity. Real well coached, good team, got some great skill players. Not as good a football team as Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech just blew the ball game." What the freak was Cutliffe watching? Maybe VT versus a division 2 school from last year and then substituted Boise State's name in there. What a tool. Those are some strange comments considering the Broncos out gained the Hokies 383 to 314 in total yardage, out rushed them 168-128 (again, the featured part of their offense), and ate more penalty yardage. Also, the Broncos had a punt blocked themselves and had a stupid running into the kicker penalty. There were mistakes on both sides. His comments show his ineptitude for the obvious. Tool... Then again, what else would you expect from a coach that averages 2 or 3 wins a season. Enough said.
Case number four:
Kellen Moore and Austin Pettis. That is all.
The game was a lot of fun to watch, but by no means was it something where the Broncos lucked out and backed into a win. The best, most prepared, and most physically dominating team on the field won that night, mistakes included.
Case number one for why the Broncos won and did not luck out:
Ryan Williams, the electric sophomore who ran for 1,655 yards as a freshman was not only bottled up, but was basically ineffective during the game. He was held to just 44 yards on 21 attempts. That is just over 2 yards per attempt. Also, I might point out, 44 yards was a career low for Williams. The other beast in the backfield, Darren Evans was held to 12 yards on 3 attempts. That is a dominate defense if I ever saw one. It is also a huge difference from the last time we saw the Boise State defense go up against a back with all star NFL capability (ie Ryan Mathews from Fresno State, last seen gashing the Broncos for 60 and 70 yard runs all night). Mathews is now the starting back for the San Diego Chargers. The trickiest part for the Broncos was trying to contain quarterback Tyrod Taylor. He had 73 rush yards on 16 attempts. Most of that was scrambling when his receivers were covered and he had no other options. He was a slippery fellow that night indeed. Regardless, the Broncos dominated the rushing game of the Hokies, and that was supposed to be their bread and butter. That's not lucking out, that's planning/scheming and playing.
Case number two:
Special teams. The Hokies are respected and feared around the country for what they are able to accomplish in the kicking, returning, and special teams game. In fact, the head coach himself, Frank Beamer, is the special teams coach. The Broncos owned them. One blocked punt from Austin Pettis and a huge return from Mitch Burroughs to set up the winning drive later and VT had no idea what hit them. They were outgunned, outplayed, and outsmarted on specials teams, and Boise State didn't even run a fake punt against them (which I was partly expecting, by the way)! The important numbers here are; 1 punt return attempt for the Hokies netting 0 yards. Compare that to 4 attempts for the Broncos for 44 yards. The numbers don't seem like much, but the 0 for VT tells a huge story.
Case number three:
This one is about as obvious as can be. The Duke University head coach David Cutliffe somehow missed it. Here is what he said; You can't make mistakes in the kicking game, nobody emphasizes it more than Frank [Beamer]. But they were clearly the best team, guys. Anybody that watched the game could tell that Virginia Tech was the dominant team physically. They didn't win but this stuff about we can't compete with the best. ... You know, Boise's a good football team. They're not a dominant physical football team. Gimme a break on some of the publicity. Real well coached, good team, got some great skill players. Not as good a football team as Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech just blew the ball game." What the freak was Cutliffe watching? Maybe VT versus a division 2 school from last year and then substituted Boise State's name in there. What a tool. Those are some strange comments considering the Broncos out gained the Hokies 383 to 314 in total yardage, out rushed them 168-128 (again, the featured part of their offense), and ate more penalty yardage. Also, the Broncos had a punt blocked themselves and had a stupid running into the kicker penalty. There were mistakes on both sides. His comments show his ineptitude for the obvious. Tool... Then again, what else would you expect from a coach that averages 2 or 3 wins a season. Enough said.
Case number four:
Kellen Moore and Austin Pettis. That is all.
The game was a lot of fun to watch, but by no means was it something where the Broncos lucked out and backed into a win. The best, most prepared, and most physically dominating team on the field won that night, mistakes included.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Let the Haterade drinking begin
It has been 3 days since Boise State snatched victory from the jaws of defeat against Virginia Tech. Just as one would expect and for lack of a better term, the crap has hit the fan. Not bad crap, just a bunch of people who hate the Broncos for being so incredibly good and consistent. These are the same people that threw on their Hokie jerseys Monday night and became good enough friends with the VT quarterback to refer to him as Tyrod as he scrambled his way all over Fedex Field. They wanted nothing more than to see the Broncos lose so that they could feel better about themselves and their own teams. Talk about insecurities. The excuses and hate topics range from bad calls by the referee to some obscure insane point rating system that has the Broncos at the back end of all Division 1 colleges. Let me bring a few to your attention today.
This one was actually not too bad as far as hate goes. I just really don't like when people blame the referees for a loss. If your team plays well enough to not let the opponent get close, then the referee's calls don't get questioned. But when it is close, the ref sucks. Like I said, this one was a little subdued, and the comments on it below were very civil as well. It's from "Gobbler Country," a blog for the Hokie faithful. Check it out.
Our next specimen is probably the most ludicrous excuse for a ranking system that I have ever seen in my life. To no surprise it comes from an Oklahoma Sooner blog (still bitter about Fiesta Bowl 2007 I see). As I mentioned earlier, this system would have Boise State ranked towards the back end of college football. Ridiculous. Here it is.
This guys who does the "Crimson and Cream Machine" blog for Oklahoma really likes to throw out a bunch of random numbers and claim that the Broncos aren't as good as they are ranked. Again, Fiesta Bowl 2007, get over it. Another one here.
This guy is a complete tool. He writes for CBS sports and had a huge article about why he hates Boise State before the game was even played. Now he has readers comments after the win and he proceeds to make fun of them. Gregg Doyel, the world is not as bad as you make it sound. Get over yourself and enjoy the little things. Read this POS.
This guy is just a complete moron. I don't even need to say much. I will just quote a line from it and let your minds wander; "If Boise met a powerhouse (take Alabama for example) in the title game, it would get crushed. It wouldn’t be a game, it would be a massacre. Despite what many people would say, the parity of college football displayed in a matchup like that wouldn’t help college football. It would hurt it. Immensely." What a ridiculous statement! This is the same Alabama team that got walloped by Utah a couple of years ago, right? Saying something like that and making such a claim is completely off course and destroys any legitimate argument in his article. What a freaking loser! Check it out here.
The Sports Nickel gives us a general "we hate the Broncos" article, covering everything possible. They do it in sort of a comical way, but it is still haterade. It is also the same stuff that we hear every day. The "Boise State does not deserve to be in the national championship" comments are plentiful. Here is this last one.
Now some of you may ask me, do I think the Broncos deserve to be in the BCS National Championship? As of right now, my answer is; I am not sure. It is really early in the season and there are way too many things that need to play out first. If there are 3 or 4 undefeated teams in the country when all is said and done (including, Boise State, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Florida, etc.) then no, they don't deserve to be in the game and nor will they be. If they do finish undefeated, they have qualified themselves for it, but everything depends on how the rest of the top teams finish. I even feel that a one-loss Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, or Florida would get the nod ahead of the Broncos. Part of that is the weaker WAC schedule compared to a full SEC, Big 12, or Big 10 schedule, and part is the history and reverence that these big schools have in their corner. As I said, if the Broncos finish 12-0 and the SEC, Big 12, and Big 10 beat themselves up with every team losing at least once or twice, Boise State will be in the BCS National Championship game. At 12-0 they will have qualified, but it is up to the rest of the national powers to win and that will be that, no more wondering. It will all be settled and the Broncos will be out to play in the Rose or Fiesta Bowls, which isn't a bad thing in itself. Like I said, a lot needs to play out before they are in the game.
This one was actually not too bad as far as hate goes. I just really don't like when people blame the referees for a loss. If your team plays well enough to not let the opponent get close, then the referee's calls don't get questioned. But when it is close, the ref sucks. Like I said, this one was a little subdued, and the comments on it below were very civil as well. It's from "Gobbler Country," a blog for the Hokie faithful. Check it out.
Our next specimen is probably the most ludicrous excuse for a ranking system that I have ever seen in my life. To no surprise it comes from an Oklahoma Sooner blog (still bitter about Fiesta Bowl 2007 I see). As I mentioned earlier, this system would have Boise State ranked towards the back end of college football. Ridiculous. Here it is.
This guys who does the "Crimson and Cream Machine" blog for Oklahoma really likes to throw out a bunch of random numbers and claim that the Broncos aren't as good as they are ranked. Again, Fiesta Bowl 2007, get over it. Another one here.
This guy is a complete tool. He writes for CBS sports and had a huge article about why he hates Boise State before the game was even played. Now he has readers comments after the win and he proceeds to make fun of them. Gregg Doyel, the world is not as bad as you make it sound. Get over yourself and enjoy the little things. Read this POS.
This guy is just a complete moron. I don't even need to say much. I will just quote a line from it and let your minds wander; "If Boise met a powerhouse (take Alabama for example) in the title game, it would get crushed. It wouldn’t be a game, it would be a massacre. Despite what many people would say, the parity of college football displayed in a matchup like that wouldn’t help college football. It would hurt it. Immensely." What a ridiculous statement! This is the same Alabama team that got walloped by Utah a couple of years ago, right? Saying something like that and making such a claim is completely off course and destroys any legitimate argument in his article. What a freaking loser! Check it out here.
The Sports Nickel gives us a general "we hate the Broncos" article, covering everything possible. They do it in sort of a comical way, but it is still haterade. It is also the same stuff that we hear every day. The "Boise State does not deserve to be in the national championship" comments are plentiful. Here is this last one.
Now some of you may ask me, do I think the Broncos deserve to be in the BCS National Championship? As of right now, my answer is; I am not sure. It is really early in the season and there are way too many things that need to play out first. If there are 3 or 4 undefeated teams in the country when all is said and done (including, Boise State, Alabama, Ohio State, Texas, Florida, etc.) then no, they don't deserve to be in the game and nor will they be. If they do finish undefeated, they have qualified themselves for it, but everything depends on how the rest of the top teams finish. I even feel that a one-loss Ohio State, Alabama, Texas, or Florida would get the nod ahead of the Broncos. Part of that is the weaker WAC schedule compared to a full SEC, Big 12, or Big 10 schedule, and part is the history and reverence that these big schools have in their corner. As I said, if the Broncos finish 12-0 and the SEC, Big 12, and Big 10 beat themselves up with every team losing at least once or twice, Boise State will be in the BCS National Championship game. At 12-0 they will have qualified, but it is up to the rest of the national powers to win and that will be that, no more wondering. It will all be settled and the Broncos will be out to play in the Rose or Fiesta Bowls, which isn't a bad thing in itself. Like I said, a lot needs to play out before they are in the game.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Aftermath/Reaction/Ridiculous Generalizations
Well, the Boise State Broncos came out of Washington D.C. victorious Monday night, although, it did not look good for a while. As it turned out, not only was "The Clash in the Capitol" the best game of the opening weekend of College Football, it was dubbed an instant classic by ESPN and replayed the following day on ESPNClassic. It sure was a good game. As a huge fan of the Broncos, I was living and dying from play to play. There were so many momentum swings, ebbs and flows, and great and stupid plays from both sides. I thought there was no chance for the Broncos to beat the Hokies that night when the second and third quarters played out the way they did, but they pulled it out. ESPN's Heather Cox interviewed Boise State head coach Chris Petersen just before kick off and he said that the Broncos HAD to play for all four quarters in order to win. They definitely competed for all four, but relaxed too much in the second and third, only to pick it back up in the fourth. There are many angles that I wish to cover right now and I will try and get to them all.
First of all, the uniforms. Virginia Tech's were sick! I really liked them. Boise State's were pretty good. I would like to see the Broncos wear them for all away games. But they have to wear the orange pants in the bowl game. They are a good luck charm to the Broncos.
Please refer to my previous post when I thought Boise State's experience with returning starters would prevail over a relatively young Hokie squad, especially on defense. I also stated that Boise State would score early (which they did) and tack on a couple more late (which they kind of did) and that the final score would be 35 to 17 in favor of the Broncos. However, when I made that prediction, I completely underestimated how beastly amazing Tyrod Taylor was! The plays he was able to extend and make were nothing short of super-human. The one that stands out the most was when he kept his balance through a tackle, didn't let knee, elbow, or ball touch the ground and broke off for a big gain. I have never seen anything so athletic and (pardon the term) majestic! I am convinced that the ball did touch the ground, but obviously it wasn't enough to merit a "spiked ball" which would have stopped the play and the clock. As good as Taylor was, Boise State's secondary made him look even better. It's amazing what losing one first round draft pick will do to the entire defensive back unit. His replacement Jamar Taylor will be very good, he just needs some more work and experience. Also, Winston Venable was plagued with cramps and couldn't play except for a little bit in the beginning. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and Coach Petersen have some work to do to get them back up to the level that they can and should be at. Also, Fiesta Bowl defensive Brandon Thompson made some really stupid plays that were very hard to look at. As bad as some of those plays were from Thompson, he made a fantastic stop in the last seconds on a deep pass from Tyrod Taylor that saved a huge gain and at least a field goal. Also, Jamar Taylor broke up the final pass of the game for the Hokies to seal the win for the Broncos. So call them the cardiac kids; stupid plays and then some good ones. They will need to be more consistent to have the team success that they want.
In the end, it was the experience of the Broncos that prevailed. The fast start in the first quarter and the amazing fourth quarter were what being a veteran team is all about. The second and third quarter were moments of unfocused non-execution and relaxation. The coaching staff will have to work on and fix that. But the big players came up big in crunch time and made the plays that they needed to make. All in all, it all made for a great game and a lot of fun to watch.
Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer is a class act and then some! The post-game press conference was nothing but owning up to his team's mistakes and giving the Broncos credit for the win and playing well. Those press conferences are the lamest thing in the world and extremely difficult for the coaches. Think about it, you have a room full of reporters who are trying their hardest to get a rise or a incriminating remark out of the coach through asking loaded, biased, unfair, and difficult questions. The coach has to try and stay neutral and not throw his team, the opponent, or the referees under the bus. If he bad mouths the refs, a fine will be coming his way and he won't get the 50/50 calls from them in the next game. If he talks smack about the opponent, he is seen as a sore loser and doesn't give credit where credit is due. If he undercuts his own team, he loses respect. It is a fine line he must walk and Frank Beamer was great. He is a class act above and beyond what you normally see.
All in all, the game was amazing and a great way to start the season. Boise State has a long way to go before they can get to the national title game, but they have kept themselves in the conversation for the time being. Wyoming will be a stiff test on the 18th and then the Oregon State Beavers come into town. This season should be a good one!
First of all, the uniforms. Virginia Tech's were sick! I really liked them. Boise State's were pretty good. I would like to see the Broncos wear them for all away games. But they have to wear the orange pants in the bowl game. They are a good luck charm to the Broncos.
Please refer to my previous post when I thought Boise State's experience with returning starters would prevail over a relatively young Hokie squad, especially on defense. I also stated that Boise State would score early (which they did) and tack on a couple more late (which they kind of did) and that the final score would be 35 to 17 in favor of the Broncos. However, when I made that prediction, I completely underestimated how beastly amazing Tyrod Taylor was! The plays he was able to extend and make were nothing short of super-human. The one that stands out the most was when he kept his balance through a tackle, didn't let knee, elbow, or ball touch the ground and broke off for a big gain. I have never seen anything so athletic and (pardon the term) majestic! I am convinced that the ball did touch the ground, but obviously it wasn't enough to merit a "spiked ball" which would have stopped the play and the clock. As good as Taylor was, Boise State's secondary made him look even better. It's amazing what losing one first round draft pick will do to the entire defensive back unit. His replacement Jamar Taylor will be very good, he just needs some more work and experience. Also, Winston Venable was plagued with cramps and couldn't play except for a little bit in the beginning. Defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski and Coach Petersen have some work to do to get them back up to the level that they can and should be at. Also, Fiesta Bowl defensive Brandon Thompson made some really stupid plays that were very hard to look at. As bad as some of those plays were from Thompson, he made a fantastic stop in the last seconds on a deep pass from Tyrod Taylor that saved a huge gain and at least a field goal. Also, Jamar Taylor broke up the final pass of the game for the Hokies to seal the win for the Broncos. So call them the cardiac kids; stupid plays and then some good ones. They will need to be more consistent to have the team success that they want.
In the end, it was the experience of the Broncos that prevailed. The fast start in the first quarter and the amazing fourth quarter were what being a veteran team is all about. The second and third quarter were moments of unfocused non-execution and relaxation. The coaching staff will have to work on and fix that. But the big players came up big in crunch time and made the plays that they needed to make. All in all, it all made for a great game and a lot of fun to watch.
Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer is a class act and then some! The post-game press conference was nothing but owning up to his team's mistakes and giving the Broncos credit for the win and playing well. Those press conferences are the lamest thing in the world and extremely difficult for the coaches. Think about it, you have a room full of reporters who are trying their hardest to get a rise or a incriminating remark out of the coach through asking loaded, biased, unfair, and difficult questions. The coach has to try and stay neutral and not throw his team, the opponent, or the referees under the bus. If he bad mouths the refs, a fine will be coming his way and he won't get the 50/50 calls from them in the next game. If he talks smack about the opponent, he is seen as a sore loser and doesn't give credit where credit is due. If he undercuts his own team, he loses respect. It is a fine line he must walk and Frank Beamer was great. He is a class act above and beyond what you normally see.
All in all, the game was amazing and a great way to start the season. Boise State has a long way to go before they can get to the national title game, but they have kept themselves in the conversation for the time being. Wyoming will be a stiff test on the 18th and then the Oregon State Beavers come into town. This season should be a good one!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
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!
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!
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Prepare for Combat!
Yesterday Nike unveiled the Pro Combat Uniforms that 10 high profile college football teams will be wearing for at least one game this year, including the Boise State Broncos. The company designed each uniform individually according to different features, ideas, or concepts from each team. The TCU Horned Frogs actually wore their's twice last year, including in the Fiesta Bowl. I thought they were amazing looking and I was really excited to see what they had for Boise State! On their website (link included) there is a description/explanation of the design and reasons behind them for each school. You can see Boise State's with the link provided. Here it is:
Personally, I really like it as a whole unit! It looks awesome! My favorite part is the helmet, specifically the crazy-eyed bronco sprawled across one side. Said Bronco is a motif throughout the uniform. Look on the right shoulder pad area and left leg area. Sweet! The shoes and socks are blue, but the bottoms of the shoes are orange. The gloves are something to stare at for a long time. There is the Boise State Broncos logo in black that you can see when the gloves are put together, palm out, and it is all put on a base of the slogan "Bleed Blue." Freak yeah! The base layer under shirt says Bleed Blue as well and looks awesome. Just click the link and look at all the features. Like I said, I really like the look overall. However, individually, I am not a big fan of the gray jerseys. With the pants and helmet, it looks fine, but alone it is kinda lame. The Broncos will wear them against Virginia Tech on Monday (Labor Day). The Hokies will also be wearing their Nike Pro Combat Uniforms. Theirs are awesome as well! I cannot wait for the game and I cannot wait to see the uniforms in action. College football starts tonight! Finally!!!!!!!
Personally, I really like it as a whole unit! It looks awesome! My favorite part is the helmet, specifically the crazy-eyed bronco sprawled across one side. Said Bronco is a motif throughout the uniform. Look on the right shoulder pad area and left leg area. Sweet! The shoes and socks are blue, but the bottoms of the shoes are orange. The gloves are something to stare at for a long time. There is the Boise State Broncos logo in black that you can see when the gloves are put together, palm out, and it is all put on a base of the slogan "Bleed Blue." Freak yeah! The base layer under shirt says Bleed Blue as well and looks awesome. Just click the link and look at all the features. Like I said, I really like the look overall. However, individually, I am not a big fan of the gray jerseys. With the pants and helmet, it looks fine, but alone it is kinda lame. The Broncos will wear them against Virginia Tech on Monday (Labor Day). The Hokies will also be wearing their Nike Pro Combat Uniforms. Theirs are awesome as well! I cannot wait for the game and I cannot wait to see the uniforms in action. College football starts tonight! Finally!!!!!!!
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