Boise State Broncos Football

Moving day...

2009-05-05T08:48:00.000-07:00

Not even changing timezones.

300 seemed like such a good number to end things on. In the last couple of weeks Mr. Bleymeier went to Washington, Z headed to Canada, Kyle Wilson broke stopwatches at BSU pro day—all these events were worthy of articles, but alas, none were posted. Why? Well, my run on FFBSU has come to an end and it seemed odd to push the 300 boundary too far. Fight, Fight, BSU started in between the magical 2006 season and the so-so 2007 season as a way for me to appease the offseason demons that demanded more Bronco coverage. Along the way, it became a nice little blog with weekly features and flashy header graphics. Heck, I even broke a few stories over here and got some advertisers...not bad for a freebie blogspot blog, really. All told, FFBSU has had close to 70,000 visitors since its inception...I'm busting with pride!

Ok, so technically this is post number 301 and I will be RSS feeding new posts to this blog until people get the memo that I've changed addresses. Oh, I didn't tell you where I'm heading too yet, did I? Well, that unstoppable juggernaut OBNUG is back—and guess who's been added to the roster? No, not David Augusto...it's me! Kevan from OBNUG gave me an offer I couldn't refuse (his henchmen are VERY persuasive) and I'll be taking my headline puns and Vandal jokes over to OBNUG full-time. A bittersweet decision to be sure as I have enjoyed being the Notre Dame of the blog-o-sphere and remaining independent, but OBNUG (now a part of the SB Nation community) will allow the forces of good to come together to blog the crap out of Bronco football. Everyone can get behind that, right?

So, in summary: thanks to all the Bronco fans that have made this blog a success. Don't cry for FFBSU, I'll just be over here...and I'm taking Kellen Moore facts, Know your Enemy and my other features with me. Think about it...what is more of a strain—typing in 'fightfightbsu.blogspot.com' or typing in 'obnug.com'? I'm saving Bronco Nation from the pain and embarrassment of carpal-tunnel syndrome. I'll see you over there later today as I make my first official OBNUG post. OBNUG will be happy with 78% renewal of our readers.

Ian Johnson undrafted—My faith in humanity dashed

2009-04-26T11:00:00.001-07:00

This is my 300th post on FFBSU. Seems odd that my 300th post milestone is to announce Ian Johnson, the "face" of the Broncos for the last 3 years, went undrafted in this weekends NFL draft and I'm not happy about it. You wanna know why I'm not happy about it? Look at who was drafted. Tom freakin' Brandstater was drafted (!). Two Mountain West running backs were drafted that had fewer TDs in their career than Johnson's sophomore season alone—one of them had fewer career yards than Johnson's sophomore campaign as well. You are telling me that Ian Johnson, the very definition of a character player...who scored 58 rushing TDs in his career and finished 8th in Heisman voting as a sophomore isn't a better pick than UNLV's Frank Summers? Really, NFL? A guy who posted the second fastest time among running backs at the NFL combine and showed versatility and character throughout his career can't even make it 10-deep on the "top remaining players" list hours into day 2 of the draft? Really, "Scouts Inc."? What a slap in the face to a kid who played through injuries, always talked to the media and never complained about diminished touches in the backfield. Say what you will—I know that free agents can and do flourish in the league...but a player as decorated and talented as Ian Johnson should NOT be drafted behind two (!) players from 1-AA. A player as valuable to a team and as committed as Ian Johnson should not be drafted after a quarterback from Nebraska-Omaha or a running back from Abilene Christian. The all-time leader in rushing TDs and face of the WAC just got wacked...10 conference mates were picked up by NFL squads—none could take a "chance" on Ian?

Oh sure, Ian will get his shot somewhere...and he has his "foot-in-the-door" so to speak, but the NFL's system of evaluation leaves much to be desired...and Ian deserved better than what he got. Oh, and I'll go ahead and throw this out there: Jeremy Childs might have made a "slight" miscalculation.

Somewhat less disappointing update: Friends gotta stick together. Vinny and Ian heading to the Vikings as free agents. Ian chose the Vikings from 12-15 suitors (the team with Adrian Peterson as an RB...really?) Good luck to both. Also, Julian Hawkins to Dallas to say hello to O. Scandrick.

LINK

Already?!

2009-04-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

The Broncos just got their first commitment of the 2010 class. Yes, I said 2010...well, typed it actually. Anyway, DL Tyrone Crawford from Windsor, Ontario has signed on with the Broncos in what may be the earliest commitment ever. Now Crawford, who is currently on the roster at Bakersfield College, was already somewhat "in the pipeline" as he was originally the object of the coaches interest when they ventured up North during the '08 recruiting cycle. The coaches ended up coming back with Crawford's teammate, Mike Atkinson and Crawford, who had a little trouble qualifying, elected to go the JC route. Now the 6'5" 258 lb. Crawford has things sorted out academically and would like to take the coaches up on their original offer. Crawford was named to the SCFA first-team defense for the 2008 season. Coincidentally, one of Crawford's teammates at Bakersfield is Van Drumgoole, the Vallivue star who received a scholarship last year from the Broncos but later declined it. Current Bronco LB Daron Mackey played at Bakersfield in 2007.

You've seen Atkinson...the big D-lineman that can run like a gazelle. Well, check out Crawford, he also was utilized on the offensive side of things up at Catholic Central High. I'm liking this precedent of getting big, strong D-lineman that are fast and athletic enough to play fullback or tight end.

Oh snap...we got another snapper

2009-04-21T08:19:00.000-07:00

The Katy Times (TX) are reporting that Chris Roberson has accepted an offer to play football at Boise State. Roberson, who played both linebacker and fullback at Katy High School, will apparently be coming to Boise to try to snag a floating scholarship at the long snapper position. As Roberson's scholarship is not a definite, it appears he will be attending as an invited walk-on. Roberson believes he'll stick.

"They have a scholarship waiting. They've offered for me to go to school there, and earn the scholarship if I beat out the guys they have."

I'll be honest...I'm not really sure how our long-snapper situation is right now. Dallas Dobbs was a long-snapping specialist the last few years and prior to that, ~~Jon~~ Mike Dominguez held the role—I don't see why the 6'1", 220 lb. Roberson couldn't inject himself right into the mix. After all, he's got his very own long snapping coach.

"I have a deep snapping coach in California, and they saw me on his web site," Roberson said Monday night.

Roberson will represent the 7th Texas athlete on the Broncos' roster. Welcome aboard, kid—and good luck.

Katy's Roberson picks Boise State [Katy Times]

Better late than never

2009-04-20T19:50:00.000-07:00

You're gonna need some bigger defensive backs.

Ok, so FFBSU hasn't been the blog of record for Spring football. Things are busy 'round the water cooler and I didn't even get to hit up the much-too-early-on-a-weekday first and second scrimmages (to recap: 1st scrimmage=yay offense...2nd scrimmage=yay defense). So, I packed up the family last Friday to take in the annual "Blue and Orange" game (which this year had more of a Blue and White hue to it)—the reliable end to Spring ball and a signal to diehard Bronco fans that football is an agonizing 4 months away.

The format, as everyone knows, was a bit different this year. Koach Kwiatkowski and Coach Pease both "drafted" their offensive and defensive lineups...Kwiatkowski electing to draft the "all-star" squad and Pease putting together a more modest squad. Of course, Coach Pete got in on the fun by playing God and striking down star players that flew too close to the sun.

The game, and the weather, were great. A crowd that I would put in the 10 to 12,000 range enjoyed seeing the new format and seeing some normally defensive players line up for the offense and some 2008 redshirts see their first gamelike action. In true Bronco fashion, the game had it's own exciting conclusion as the White team, built up to the Bad News Bears of the Blue, stormed back from a 10-0 deficit and got over on the "injury"-riddled Blue team behind some trickeration and opportunistic defense. Austin Pettis, now donning the number 2 jersey that Tanyon Bissell vacated last year, did his best Bissell impersonation and tossed a lofty reverse pass to a wide-open Tyler Shoemaker for the go-ahead score. Shoemaker may have been the biggest star of the scrimmage, showing the faithful that last year's decision to put him on scholarship was not a gamble after pulling down both of the White team's TD's and finishing with 138 yards receiving. After the game, we let the future Bronco down on the turf...he headed right for the high jump mats...D'oh!

Keen observations

Doug Martin, though a quick learner and a fierce competitor at the nickel spot was outshined by Winston Venable in a BIG way. Venable is simply all over the field and as sure a tackler as I've seen. If WV doesn't lock down the starting nickel spot in Fall ball color me extremely surprised. It's OK, Doug...offense and special teams will find a place for you.
We will see Mike "Bacon" Atkinson line up at fullback this year. Atkinson provided one of the more memorable moments of the scrimmage when he bounced a dive to the outside for a 25 yard gain. He's a force to be reckoned with on the D-line too. Believe the hype people...we really do have a 6 foot, 320 lb. Canadian on the team with quicker feet than Gregory Hines.
Jeremy Avery and DJ Harper are going to tear the WAC a new one. Avery must have been born in Reno because he's the "biggest little" running back I've seen in some time—can't be more than 5'7" and 165, but the kid is lightning quick and runs over, around and through tacklers. Harper looks ready for a breakout season as well as he runs downhill very well and may be the quickest-in-a-straight-line back that we've got. Malcolm Johnson can take a much deserved rest and redshirt in 2009...Avery and Harper can handle things this year.
Jarrell Root's 'fro has given him special powers. That, or dropping some pounds in the offseason has given him more than longevity. Root had an INT and a fumble recovery and looks like he's ready to be an emotional leader for the defense as a sophomore. The Bronco D-line will be something special this year...bet on it.
Byron Hout is awesome. Nothing wholly memorable from Hout's limited action on Friday...but the kid just looks like a football player. Last year's partial-season of dominance will turn into a full-season of dominance in 2009.
Kellen Moore has gotten stronger. Not just me...he seems to have more zip on the ball. That can't be good for opposing Ds.
Bronco defensive secondary are bad, bad men. If you can somehow get over on Kyle Wilson, Jeron Johnson, George Iloka, Brandyn Thompson and Winston Venable...congratulations, you are Chuck Norris.

Blue by you.

2009-04-14T20:55:00.000-07:00

The team parity seems a bit Fünke this year.

As you may now know, the annual Blue and Orange (or rather, Blue and White) is taking on a new look this year. The contest this Friday will not feature the wacky scoring or "ones" vs. "twos" scenarios that we've all grown accustomed to. This year, things get real...er. The Blue and ~~Orange~~ White teams have been assigned coaches and the coaches have "drafted" offensive and defensive players for each team to play four 8 minute quarters. Sounds great, right? Yeah, but there's one problem: the Blue team is WAY better than the ~~Orange~~ White.

Now, this isn't to say that the White team will stink...far from it. The White team is chock full of talented, athletic guys...Broncos all. But the disparity between starters on the Blue and White teams is a little ridiculous. Ready?

Well, the Blue team has probable 1st or 2nd round draft-pick Kyle Wilson, speedster Titus Young, 2nd scrimmage MVP D.J. Harper AND Jeremy Avery. I'm not even a little bit done yet. QBs for the Blue team will be Kellen Moore and Drew Hawkins who will be protected by Thomas Byrd, Garrett Pendergast, Zach Waller, Cory Yriarte, Faraji Wright, Brenel Myers and Joe Kellogg. All-potential first teamer Mike Atkinson will be the Blue team DT and Byron "I must break you" Hout will hold down the end. Oh yeah, and they have Brandyn Thompson, George Iloka, Winston Venable and Jeron Johnson.

Now, like I said the White team is no slouch...they have Austin Pettis, Doug Martin, Mike Coughlin and Shea McLellin as well as the only healthy fullback on the team Dan Paul. The O-line for the White squad may be as just as capable as the Blues for all I know. Here's the rub though...the Blue team has AT LEAST 16 guys that were starters or had significant game experience in 2009. Pretty much the entire secondary for the Blue squad are starters as are both the Blue team's runningbacks and quarterback. The White squad has maybe 10 guys with the same credentials.

Now, please understand that I am not slagging off the White team, but the "skill" and "experience" positions heavily favor the Blues. Game changers Richie Brockel, Nate Potter, Billy Winn and Ryan Winterswyk aren't even suiting up.

Do the Bronco coaches realize what they've done? They've given the Blue and ~~Orange~~ White game rooting interest. Go White!

Update: Coach Pete throws a wrench in the whole thing by announcing that star players (i.e., the Blue team) will suffer mysterious mock injuries during the game (I said "mock injuries" guys) that will force substitutions to be made. Looks like a bold gambit by Coach Kwiatkowski now.

Spring Game rosters [BroncoSports]

One of the Cavenders is the new color analyst.

2009-04-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

The Cavenders
~~Jeff~~ Pete Cavender will take Jadon Dailey's recently vacated seat as color analyst for the Broncos this Fall. ~~Jeff~~ Pete was part of the Broncos' undefeated 2006 campaign and was a mainstay on the Bronco O-line next to twin brother ~~Pete~~ Jeff for 3 out of 4 seasons at Boise State. KTVB sez:

Pete will offer a unique perspective with his knowledge of team strategies, plays, coaching personalities, and players make him uniquely qualified for this important position.

Hard to tell whether ~~Jeff~~ Pete will add the personality of the departed Mr. Dailey as frankly, I can't tell him or his brother apart. I mean, I know that one of them was always a good interview during his tenure here...just not sure which one got the gig. The possibility of Parent Trap-esque color analyst switcheroos is quite intriguing though, you've gotta admit. Bob Behler will play the Brian Keith role...wacky hijinx are sure to follow.

Peak names Cavender as color analyst [KTVB]

Sticker time!

2009-03-31T22:37:00.000-07:00

This is the most masculine sticker I could find.

Kids love stickers. I should know...I used to be one (not a sticker, but a kid). I used to have a whole book full of scratch-n-sniffs and Garbage Pail Kids stickers. Now, my kid is wracking up the stickers every time we go to Fred Meyers and he's loving them too. Well, the Boise State coaches are handing out star-shaped stickers during Spring Camp, and like the attendance sheet in elementary school, it's paying dividends.

"The coaches would say 'it's amazing what the (high school) kids will do for a sticker,'" (Coach Pete) said. "Well, the high school kids and college kids aren't that much different."

Nor are any of us, Coach Pete, stickers are awesome (especially potstickers from Oriental Express)!

The most heavily stickered player on the team is Richie Brockel...and not due to his on-field prowess. Brockel is injured this Spring and the tight-end crew has taken it upon themselves to sticker up Brockel's visage in the team room whenever they can.

Other childhood carryovers that may help motivate the Broncos this Spring:
Coach Pete draws a smiley face on players' playbooks.
10 minutes extra recess.
High fives.
Pizza party.
May pick one toy out of bin.

Star Power in Spring [Press Tribune]

Spend some time in the Big Apple with IJ...

2009-03-26T22:44:00.000-07:00

You don't see this crossover much...

2009-03-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

Could you put topspin on the football?

Crossover athletes. They were made all the rage by Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders. There have been scores of athletes in the modern-era who were great at multiple sports...or great at one and had enough cache to at least attempt another...Michael Jordan? Oftentimes a soccer player will become a place-kicker, or a basketball player will become a wide-receiver—well how about this one: a tennis player becoming a football player? Did you immediately picture Pete Sampras returning punts? Didn't end well did it? Well, Boise State fans may just get a chance to see what would happen when a tennis player trades in his headband and sneakers for a facemask and cleats. Clancy Shields, nationally-ranked tennis player and brother of Luke, may just take a run at the blue next season.

According to the Montgomery Observer, Clancy thinks his athleticism, competitiveness, and unusual build (by tennis standards) may lend themselves well to the gridiron. After all, he'll have a year of eligibility left when he plays his final match for the Broncos.

"My brother who played tennis for Boise last year told me I should give football a shot," Shields said. "I mean when I work out in the gym I'm as big or bigger then some of our football players."

Shields later admitted he was talking about Brock Jaramillo.

Coach Greg Patton thinks that Clancy may have the right stuff as well:

"I love Clancy like a son," Patton said. "I'm a little biased because I'm a tennis coach, but I would love to see Clancy become a professional tennis player. But, I talk with our football coaches about Clancy possibly playing defensive back or running back. They like the idea."

They "like" the idea means that they'd love to have another practice squad tackling dummy that doesn't risk injury to any of the starting defensive backs or running backs. I mean, the idea is intriguing, but it's hard to imagine Clancy (love the name, by the way) pushing Kyle Wilson or Jeremy Avery for playing time. You have Bronco Nation's blessing though Clancy, you deserve a nice rest riding pine after an illustrious career on the courts.

Boise's Shields may catch football fever [Montgomery Observer]

This didn't hurt.

2009-03-17T21:58:00.000-07:00

Must be the shoes...

After Ian Johnson turned heads and calmed nerves at the NFL Scouting Combine last month many just hoped he would sit back and ride out the wave of goodwill till Draft day. Ian wasn't hearing any of that. On St. Patrick's Day, IJ took to the FieldTurf again to show the scouts what he's got, and once again, impressed those in attendance. Johnson, who wisely chose to stand on his Combine 40-time of 4.4, ran agility drills for about 12 NFL scouts at the Caven-Williams Complex on Tuesday afternoon and garnered high praise from the reigning BMOC, Coach Pete:

“He’s as big as he’s ever been and moving as well as he’s ever moved,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. “… He looked fast and he looked powerful.”

Chrissy, must be slipping some whey protein into the Hamburger Helper.

Also showing off for the scouts were Vinny Perretta and Jeremy Childs. Perretta may have piqued some interest from scouts with his blazing 40 times of 4.48 and 4.43 as well as some solid numbers in the agility tests, and Childs had to have improved his stock as he was able to make them forget his so-so Combine sprints by finally posting some sub-4.5 marks.

All-in-all...a good day for the newly-minted Bronco alums. Hopefully we'll see all three of the aforementioned sneak onto Kiper's big board.

Ian Johnson looks 'fast, powerful'...[Statesman]
Intriguing prospects work out at Boise State Pro Day [NFL.com]

Are you ready for some volleyball?

2009-03-16T19:45:00.000-07:00

Big Hank and Bocephus want you to attend.

The annual rite of Spring is upon us. No, I'm not talking about flowers blooming or daylight savings time...I'm talkin' about ex-Bronco football players spiking volleyballs at J Bates head (for charity). Bronco legend and comentarista del color Alex Guerrero alerted me to this Saturday's proceedings at Sawtooth Middle School in Meridian. This year's event, sponsored by the Boise Area Crime Stoppers will feature the aforementioned Guerrero as well as BSU Alums Korey Hall, Vinny Perretta and Jerard Rabb...and if we're to take cues from the event poster...the game may or may not include a volleyball the size of a small planet. If you ever found yourself wondering what sound it would make when an NFL-caliber athlete bounced an inflated ball off of Joe Hughes' mustache*...this is the event for you.

Event starts at 6. Be there or be a quadrilateral.

*Joe Hughes and his mustache may not be in attendance.

Blue collar team...white collar business

2009-03-07T11:20:00.001-08:00

We're gonna need a bigger hammer.

As a freshman at Boise State in 1999, I used to pick up my free game tickets at the Student Union info desk on the day of the game. A couple of years and a couple of championships later, I was camping out in front of the ticket office the Mondays before games for hours. By the time I was a senior...the writing was on the wall—I had to become a season ticket holder while the getting was good. Now, after 5 years as a season-ticket holder—more writing-on-the-wall arrived in my mailbox on Thursday: I don't know if I can afford it anymore.

The "Decade of Dominance" factsheet was what you were supposed to see first. That part was supposed to make us feel better...maybe a twinge of guilt that we might be taking all of this success for granted. Keep reading...turn the page. "We're raising ticket prices almost 20% AND you'll be paying BAA membership fees on top of that". Nice.

I always pictured myself being a lifelong season ticket holder...I got in when the getting was good...now my kids can attend games with me. Sure, there would be lean years with the pocketbook, but we could always just renew and sell the tickets to someone for the season. That way, we'd keep our tickets for a better day. But, the thing is—I'm starting to see a trend and I'm just not sure I can keep up. The worst part is, it may affect the lifelong ticket holders and the younger fans alike...the younger fans, incidentally, being the lifelong ticket holders in the future. Now, the dilemma...the winning has brought the fans in droves—but will the fans be there to see the winning product if they keep getting priced right out of their seats?

So, I've got till May to figure out what to do. For the short term...for the long term. Do we downgrade our seats? Sell them off for the year in hopes that next year's a better fit? Do we drop them altogether (perish the thought)? Should I sell off a kidney?

I know, Gene, I know...we have to support the team and "keep up with the Joneses"...but weren't those shiny new Skysuites supposed to foot the bill for future expansion? I'd sooner part with a limb than my season tickets, but in the grand scheme of things, tickets aren't life's top priority. I'll continue mulling it over...in the meantime, make room in the South End Zone...we may be coming down!

Doug Mad...Doug Smash

2009-03-03T22:00:00.000-08:00

"Did somebody misplace this hammer?"

Horrifying news, everyone...Doug Martin wants to tackle you. Well, not you personally, but all the offensive "yous" out there. The coaches seem to feel that Martin has just had too few opportunities to kill someone while blocking or carrying the ball—so this Spring will turn him loose on a terrified second-team offense in Spring Ball. Just for the record...THIS is what Doug Martin looks like on offense...and THIS is an artist's rendering of what he may look like on defense. Nate Enderle just peed a little.

Coaches announced today that Martin will be given the opportunity this Spring to try out for the hybrid/linebacker position vacated by Ellis Powers...and he's already a finalist...

Martin, junior safety Jason Robinson and junior-college transfer Winston Venable are the top contenders to replace Powers, who turned nickelback into a staple of the Broncos’ defense last season.

God, I love Boise State football.

In other awesome news, linebacker Dan Paul has jumped the line of scrimmage as well and will be playing fullback in 2009. Personally, I thought that Paul was a natural at fullback when he filled in for a gimpy Richie Brockel last season...this too is a great move. Oh yeah, and DL Chuck Hayes couldn't stand all the exciting switches going on and decided to move to Offensive Guard.

Remember, Bronco Nation...position switches are our friend—WR Legedu Naanee came in as a QB, DE Ryan Winterswyk walked on as a Safety, RB Lee Marks came in as a cornerback and Coach Chris Petersen came in as an Offensive Coordinator. The coaches routinely get these guys in the best position to contribute so look for these to be very fruitful changes for the Bronco squad this Fall.

Martin to try defense full-time [Statesman]
Oh, look...the Lombardi Award watch-list just got Swiked [Statesman]

Watch it again...

2009-02-26T19:31:00.000-08:00

Sorry, Sean Penn...Z's acceptance speech was better.

Found a little website that lets you watch Out of the Blue in streaming format without commercial interruptions (and in its entirety). Watch this great little doc about our beloved Broncos again...or for the first time. Here's to a slow day at work tomorrow.

Out of the Blue

IJ just made some money

2009-02-22T14:58:00.000-08:00

You can get all the yarn you've ever dreamed of

No one has ever questioned Ian Johnson's heart or character, but after IJ's stellar sophomore campaign, his NFL draft stock appeared to be dropping precipitously. Ian suffered some freak injuries throughout his career and had to deal with a retooled offense that no longer gave him the ball as much as he was accustomed...and then there were the questions about his speed. All in all, I don't think things were looking great for IJ, draftwise. But the all-time WAC rushing TD leader has been turning heads at the combine this weekend and quieting some naysayers that thought his sophomore season was a fluke. Ian just finished running his 40-yard dash in Indianapolis and officially has run the second fastest time of the day...just 1/100th of a second behind Virginia's Cedric Peerman at 4.46 seconds. Ian also put up impressive numbers on the bench press, finishing with 26 reps of 225 lbs. Those finishing with more reps than Ian among the running backs were mainly fullbacks. Ian also finished 4th and 5th amongst running backs in the 20-yard and 60-yard shuttle runs, respectively.

With Ian's character speaking for itself, and now being backed up by solid combine numbers and experience on special teams—I think that Ian just made himself (and Chrissy) some cash.

Nice job, Ian.

By the way, Jeremy Childs ran a 4.57 in the 40—not amazing...but not terrible. Hey, nobody ever said JC was a burner, right?

Combine top performers [NFL.com]

Vinny wants to wish you a happy birthday

2009-02-20T08:35:00.000-08:00

Vinny likes ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins...write that down.

The biennial Boise State Auction is fast approaching so bust out your paddles. The auction, which raises money for academic and athletic scholarships, picked the "something for everyone" as the them of this year's event...and according to the Broncosports.com press release, they mean everyone.

Items for bid include a game football used in Boise State’s historic BCS Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma in 2007 autographed by Ian Johnson and a golf outing with former Bronco and current Green Bay Packer Korey Hall.

Ooh, Fiesta Bowl memorabilia AND an afternoon of awkward conversation about divots and mulligans with Korey Hall? Decisions, decisions.

But what else can I bid on?

Poinsettia Bowl logo’d Tommy Hilfanger Watch

Tommy Hilfanger? Is this like the Rolix watch that I bought in Tijuana? And who wouldn't want a watch commemorating a heart-wrenching one-point loss?

Anything else?

A birthday party with Bronco football graduate Vinny Perretta

I'm confused. Are you attending Vinny's birthday party? Is he attending you or your kids' birthday? Will he be providing entertainment for said birthday or just awkwardly sitting in the corner while your family reminisces about how you used to wet the bed? I know what I'd be doing if I was attending a complete stranger's birthday party—and it more closely resembles the latter (but with more cold sweat and tremors). Screw it, I'm bidding on this one...hope you like Chuck E. Cheese, Vinny.

Online auction [www.boisestateauction.com]
Press release [BroncoSports]

Kellen Moore receives award at Touchdown Club

2009-02-08T16:06:00.000-08:00

Better get used to giving speeches, kid.

The Touchdown Club of Columbus presented Kellen Moore with their prestigious Award of Distinction on Saturday. Kellen was one of six returning NCAA players to earn the award at the Touchdown Club's 54th annual Sports Awards Banquet. Joining Kellen among the honorees with the distinction "Players to Watch in 2009" were quarterbacks Adam Weber (Minnesota) and Case Keenum (Houston), running back MiQuale Lewis (Ball State), and defensive standouts Kurt Coleman and Ross Homan of Ohio State.

The short press release can be found HERE.

Class of 2009 could have immediate impact pt. 2

2009-02-04T12:36:00.000-08:00

That other Prosser kid: Bronco WR commit Kirby Moore

—continued from yesterday's article.

D-Line
In 2007, the Defensive Line struggled at times to contain the run. In 2008, with the infusion of some young blood, the D-line made great strides, but by years' end injuries mounted and caught up with the defensive front in the biggest game of the year. 2009 should see a resurgence on both lines as the fresh faces of 2008 become the experienced vets and the newbies push them for playing time and add depth to the roster spots. The Broncos fared very well this recruiting cycle and landed some names that are sure to be of the household variety among Bronco Nation in the coming years.

—DEs—
A very deep and productive spot for the Broncos last year with the emergence of youngsters Ryan Winsterswyk, Byron Hout, Jarrell Root, and Shea McLellin looks to become even deeper once the new crop of DEs sign on the dotted line today.

Kharyee Marshall may just be the next Mike T. Williams. Much like Williams, Marshall will come in with a need to add bulk to his 6'3" frame, but if he can add about 30-40 lbs. to his lanky frame and maintain his excellent 4.6 speed, Marshall will terrorize WAC QBs in the next 4-5 years. Marshall, who hails from Phoenix and chose the Broncos over at least 5 other schools notched 64 tackles last season and 4 sacks en route to his 3rd consecutive All-Region selection. Marshall should redshirt.

Head down the road a bit to Saguaro, AZ and you'll find another Arizona standout DE, Justin Jungblut. Jungblut was nothing less than a sack machine at Saguaro High last season—racking up 11 total and chipping in 72 tackles. Jungblut already has good size at 6'5" and 235 lbs. and will surely add some "good weight" under Tim Socha's watchful eye. Jungblut was an Arizona All-Region first teamer last season and held offers from Oregon State and a slew of MWC teams. Jungblut, like Marshall will likely redshirt unless injuries pile up again.

Rounding out the new DE rotation is Los Angeles' own Nicholas Alexander—a powerfully built DE who is the grandson of NFL Hall of Famer Carl Eller. Alexander is already 6'4" and 240 lbs., which puts him right about where he should be sizewise. After being actively recruited by Washington State, Alexander chose the Broncos in mid-November and has never looked back. Alexander may be the strongest physically of the group and has the bloodlines for greatness, still, it's hard for me to see him step in next year with the current DE depth. WAC offenses should shudder at the thought of what the next 3-4 years will bring, though...count on that.

—DTs—
While any of the aforementioned Defensive Ends could find their way into the interior of the Defensive Line...the Broncos only really landed one true Defensive Tackle in this class...but it was a doozy. Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe (pronounced 'Chong-a-Chew'), another native of the Netherlands, literally burst onto the recruiting scene in January and immediately garnered scholarship offers and interest from Oregon, Washington and Washington State. Tjong-A-Tjoe moves well for a big man (6'4" 300 lbs.) but is extremely raw at this point, having only competed in one year of organized American football at Boise High. Tjong-A-Tjoe doesn't look like a project though...he's got the footskills and power to make a huge impact on the line for years to come—he just needs a little time with Coach Kwiatkoswki to master some of the fundamentals. Tjong-A-Tjoe was named a first team All-State selection in his sole year of competition.

Defensive Backs
The Broncos defensive backfield was brilliant last season. Switching to a 4-2-5 defensive scheme and gaining a new philosophy under coach Marcel Yates, the Broncos DBs shut down opponents and didn't give up the big plays. True Freshmen Safety George Iloka thrived in the new scheme en route to Freshmen All-American honors and another True Frosh, Jamar Taylor contributed heavily. There is no age discrimination in the secondary...the best guys can and will play. So who'll leave their mark this year?

—CBs—
Kyle Wilson will return for his senior season and likely be a first or second round pick in next year's draft—that's one CB position locked up. Brandyn Thompson manned the other corner spot last year and showed flashes that he may be the next great Bronco cover man—that's another CB position locked up. The veteran cornerbacks are unlikely to yield much playing time for the youngsters...but the two deep will see some new blood this year and any number of players could be one injury or rotation from seeing the blue up close and personal.

Quaylon Ewing was the first CB to give the Broncos the nod all the way back in May. Ewing was High School teammates with George Iloka at Kempner and almost followed the greenshirt path of Iloka as well. Ewing doesn't necessarily have lockdown speed at 4.6, but has good size for a DB (6'1" 180 lbs.) that may translate better into the Safety position. Obviously the new 4-2-5 scheme always has room for athletic DBs and with the departure of Ellis Powers, anyone could see immediate playing time. Ewing is rated as a 3-star recruit by Scout.com

Ebenezer "Ebo" Makinde is another recruit from the suddenly Bronco-friendly recruiting grounds of Arizona. Makinde was heavily recruited by a slew of MWC teams and by the nearby Arizona Wildcats. Makinde was a standout on Offense, Defense and Special Teams for Paradise Valley and possesses great fundamentals at the corner position. He doesn't have "elite" speed, but plays with enough poise and aggressiveness that he may well develop into a real ballhawk. May sniff the two-deep this year, but likely will be a scout team standout until the 2010 "Wilson-less" season rolls around.

—Safeties—
The 4-2-5 is here to stay. With the spread option being adopted nationwide...it makes good sense to keep the DB-heavy scheme in place. The 4-2-5, which relies on good fundamental play from the Safeties, made George Iloka an All-American and the seldom-used Ellis Powers an All-WAC first teamer. Will a current Bronco like Jason Robinson or Garcia Day ascend the depth charts next season to fit into Yates' scheme or will a newcomer again roam the blue?
Winston Venable may be the next big thing in the Bronco Defensive secondary. The lone JC transfer in the 2009 class has good size at 6'1" and 210 lbs. and hits like a Mack truck. An all-league performer at Glendale Community College, Venable (who also punts) is already on campus and may have the best shot of landing Ellis Powers' slot LB/S hybrid slot. Venable, as a freshman, ranked 6th nationally with 77 solo tackles including 8 TFLs, 1 INT for a TD and 2 sacks. Venable's father Max played 12 seasons of baseball in the MLB.

Encinal's Jonathan Brown will bring athleticism and smarts to the Safety spot. Brown, who played QB at Encinal in Alameda, CA, was recently named the All-East Bay Player of the Year (QB Joe Southwick was named All-East Bay Offensive POTY). Brown has excellent speed and mainly played OLB on defense at Encinal, where he racked up 92 tackles, 8 sacks and 2 blocked punts in 2008. Despite, Brown's obvious talents at linebacker, he was recruited as a Safety and will likely stay there. Look for Brown to get into the mix on Special Teams and vie for a slot in the vaunted 4-2-5 in the next year or so.

O-line
The O-line has been a strength for the Broncos for years, producing such names as Daryn Colledge and Ryan Clady...but last year growing pains finally caught up with the line. With only one upperclassman as a mainstay in 2008, the line saw a different combination almost weekly...and while the pass protection was adequate, the run blocking took a definite step back. This season, with the youngsters now seasoned vets and some behemoths like Faraji Wright, Brenel Myers, Tom Swanson and Joe Kellogg coming off their redshirt years—the line may finally have the size to start pushing some guys around and sparking the run game on a more consistent basis. Don't be surprised if some of the 2009 recruits make a push for playing time, however, on a line that desperately needs to find a cohesiveness.

—OTs—
When you hear people calling you the next Ryan Clady, you've got a lot of potential...and that's just what folks have been saying about San Leandro OT Charles Leno. ESPN featured Leno as an premier "under the radar" recruit who "runs like a Tight End". He's nearly as tall as Clady at 6'5", but needs to put a bit more bulk to match Clady's girth. Beyond that, his footwork and athleticism appear to be on par with Clady, who came in largely unheralded, like Leno. Leno had looks from the likes of Oregon and Washington, but liked the atmosphere and team-first mentality in Boise. Leno seems to be as good a candidate as any to play right away, though lineman rarely do play as true Frosh.

Jake Broyles is another OT commit with room to grow. Broyles is already 6'6" and 250 lbs. but looks like he could take on another 40-50 lbs. easily. Broyles definitely flew under the recruiting radar and was only offered by the Broncos after playing his career at Foothill High (NV) in Chris Ault's backyard. Broyles, who played both ways for the Foothill Falcons, may have been a victim, recruiting-wise, of playing on a losing team...but the Bronco staff has made a reputation for finding great diamonds-in-the-rough and I'm sure that Broyles is no different.

—OGs—
At the Offensive Guard spot, the Broncos had to look no further than west Boise. Bryant Thomas, a Capital Eagle isn't as tall as Broyles or Leno...but he has a sturdy frame and, at 265 lbs., should be where he needs to be sooner than later. Thomas can play at Guard or Tackle, or may even be a candidate for Center. He was an All-Idaho first teamer that Capital coach Todd Simis called "the most athletic lineman in the state". Thomas may be the next great Idaho lineman in the mold of BK grad Tad Miller.

Video and more stories from Bronco LOI day to follow.

Class of 2009 could have immediate impact pt. 1

2009-02-03T13:01:00.000-08:00

2009 Running Back commit Malcolm Johnson

Boise State plays the best guys, period. If you don't believe it, look at the last few seasons. In 2007, five true freshmen saw the field, in 2008, Boise played 3 true freshmen and the starting QB was a redshirt freshmen. Yes, a youth movement is taking place at Boise State and the Broncos don't believe in "rebuilding", the Broncos simply reload year in and year out and 2009 looks to be no different.

—QBs—
Kellen Moore is the present and future of the Bronco program, garnering WAC Freshman of the Year Honors and Freshmen All-America status. With the departure of Nick Lomax and the graduation of Bush Hamdan, however, Kellen has little depth behind him. Right now, Moore has only Mike Coughlin and walk-on Drew Hawkins behind him and the Broncos took no quarterbacks last offseason. This year, things looked different on the recruiting trail and the Broncos look to have snagged some top-notch signal callers to add instant depth under center.

Joe Southwick, a 3-star prospect out of Danville, CA was the first verbal that the Broncos received in this recruiting cycle and may be one of the best. The 6'2" Southwick is rated as the #32 signal caller in the country and threw for 3,781 yards and 36 TDs this last year while running another 8 into the endzone. Southwick was named the All-East Bay Offensive Player of the year. Look for Southwick to redshirt next year.

Southwick likely thought he'd be the only QB taken in the '09 class. Well, things have a way of changing when you commit in May because by August, Nick Lomax had departed the Boise State program and QB depth looked to be a real issue. Enter North Gwinnett quarterback Mikey Tamburo—a Jared Zabransky clone that competed in Georgia's largest division and held offers from just about every mid-major in the Midwest. Tamburo is not the pure passer that Southwick is, but he is more of a pure athlete. Tamburo is a classic Boise State recruit...one who likely would've been heavily recruited by BCS conferences had he only been a bit bigger. A picture of consistency and a proven winner, Mikey threw for over 8,000 yards and nearly 90 TDs in his prep career. Tamburo is an intriguing player who may find his way on to the field sooner than later in option situations designed around his strengths. Still, I think Tamburo redshirts as well in 2009.

—WRs—
With Vinny Perretta graduating and Jeremy Childs declaring for the NFL Draft, Kellen Moore will have a few less experienced targets back in 2009. Speedster Titus Young will be back from suspension along with Austin Pettis (who snags every ball thrown his way). Hard to believe that in 2007, it was Young and Pettis foregoing their redshirt years to contribute immediately. Well, 2009 looks ripe for some newcomers to see the field and Boise State has some exciting commits this year.

Kirby Moore is the WR commit that grabbed the headlines nationally and locally. The "little" brother (he's 6'3" and 205 lbs.) of Bronco QB Kellen Moore was highly coveted in Pacific Northwest recruiting circles and this season became the national record-holder for career TD receptions. Moore is rated as a 3-star recruit by Scout.com and while he possesses a respectable 4.6 40-time, he is not a burner like Titus Young. The younger Moore will get the job done with his precision routes and great hands and I think he stands an excellent chance of seeing the field in 2009. You just don't get that many opportunities to catch touchdown passes from your brother and Moore will contribute right away.

The other intriguing WR commit for the Broncos is one that no one really knew much about when he committed in June. Aaron Burks is a 6'4" wide receiver out of Mansfield, TX who is already enrolled at Boise State. Burks did not play much wide receiver before his senior year, but managed to notch 500 receiving yards for the Mansfield Timberview Wolves last season. Burks will need to put some weight on that thin frame, but has good speed (4.5) for his height and following the lead of fellow Texan George Iloka and enrolling early can't hurt his chances to see the field in 2009. Burks should make the two deep rotation next year to give Kellen more options in the red zone. Imagine two lanky receivers in Austin Pettis and Aaron Burks running corner fade routes in the end zone. Can you say 'unstoppable'?

Can you say 'raw'? Boise State's third WR commit of the class is Geraldo Hiwat, a Capital High (Boise) product who is originally from the Netherlands and playing his first year of football. Hiwat is built much like Burks at 6'3" and 185 lbs. but may have a step on him speedwise. Hiwat will benefit greatly from more practice time as he missed a chunk of last year to injury and is still learning the American game. Hiwat is a likely redshirt candidate.

The Tight End position is one that the Broncos utilize more effectively and with more innovation than most teams in the country. Tight Ends at Boise State are expected to catch and block with equal aptitude and contribute to the endless amount of motion looks that the Harsin offense shows. Well, the 2009 class looks to have a nabbed a Tight End that can do it all. Trevor Peterson out of Placerville, CA is a 6'4" 220 lb. athlete with a big brain to match his big frame. Peterson entertained scholarship offers from Harvard, Utah, UC Davis, and SDSU. Peterson has a rare combination of size, speed and strength that may remind Bronco Nation of Derek Schouman, Richie Brockel and Jeb Putzier...combined. Peterson was a real steal for the Broncos in this recruiting class and will be a mainstay in the next few years, but with the current glut of capable Tight Ends, I say he sits until 2010.

—RBs—
Boise State has no shortage of quality running backs, but the Offensive Lines growing pains last year produced far fewer rushing opportunities than in years past. With Ian Johnson's graduation, the Broncos will be looking for a new feature back. The most likely candidate to lead the Bronco rushing attack is Jeremy Avery, but the Broncos backfield will be crowded with talent as DJ Harper and Doug Martin will get their touches too. Will a new face follow DJ Harper's lead and play as a true freshman in 2009? Could be.

The Broncos only picked up one running back in this class—but they got a good one...maybe even a great one. Malcolm Johnson from Sam Barlow High School in Gresham led the state of Oregon in rushing two years straight. His senior campaign saw him rush for roughly 2600 yards and 25 TDs. One game early in the 2008 season, Malcolm rushed for 458 yards and 5 TDs. Johnson's consistency and explosiveness will make him a mainstay in the Bronco backfield for years to come...but it's doubtful he'll burn his redshirt in 2009 out of necessity unless the Broncos have an injury in the rotation or he simply is THAT good. With numbers like Johnson has put up as of late, that may well be the case. Johnson held offers from Utah, UNLV, Air Force and Wyoming.

—LBs—
The Broncos look to have snagged some great linebackers this year and the recent coaching shake-up that moved runningbacks/special teams coach Jeff Choate to LB coach will hopefully pay immediate dividends.

John Michael Davis may be the star of the 2009 class. Rated a 4-star prospect and the #13 WLB in the 2009 class, Davis has good speed and a solid frame (6'1" 220 lbs). Davis battled through injuries his senior year, but should come in healthy and ready to go, and with the linebacking corps needing to replace outgoing Kyle Gingg, Tim Brady and Dallas Dobbs I wouldn't be surprised to see JMD make it onto the '09 depth chart.

Allen Mooney is another prototypical Boise State recruit...a little taller and every Pac-10 team would've been on him. Mooney is stocky and strong and just plain produces...he had over 100 tackles his junior year despite missing three games. Mooney also battled some injuries his senior year, but nothing that should impair his progression at BSU. Good pursuit and strong tackling will make Mooney an ideal middle linebacker for the Boise State system. Allen is rated a 3-star recruit by Scout.com and the #26 MLB of the class. I see Mooney redshirting in 2009 as Derrell Acrey and Daron Mackey will slug it out for MLB supremacy.

The strong side 'backer position in the 2009 class will be filled by a jack-of-all-trades with a familiar last name. Gabe Linehan out of Oregon played quarterback and linebacker out of Banks High and looks to come in as the third LB of the the Broncos' class. Linehan is an all-around athlete whose brothers Josh and Cole both played on the lines of Oregon and Oregon State. Linehan's bloodlines hint that he'll bulk up from his current sinewy 6'3" 190 lb. frame. Linehan's quarterback experience, athleticim and height will remind a lot of Bronco fans of Colt Brooks. I think Linehan will be a good one, but probably won't see real action until 2010.

Check back tomorrow for the an overview of the DBs and Lineman of the 2009 Bronco recruiting class.

Whole lotta shakin' going on

2009-02-02T22:30:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves a good game of Musical Chairs

Coach Pete doesn't like the status quo. For this reason, among others (I hope), coach Chris Petersen announced today a bit of internal "realignment" on the Bronco coaching staff. Most notably will be the shifting of running backs coach Jeff Choate to linebackers coach, linebackers coach Villiami Tuivai to Director of Football Operations and Director of Football Operations Keith Bhonapha to running backs coach. Now say that five times fast.

Bhonapha was a defensive back and special teamer at Hawaii before landing at DFO for the Broncos. As running backs coach his main duties will be to a)keep Doug Martin angry, and b)not call Jeremy Avery "peanut". Jeff Choate has worn many hats in his career and will bring a fresh set of eyes to a linebacking corps that has underachieved a bit since the departure of Korey Hall and Colt Brooks. If Choate can put a burr in the linebackers' collective saddles, the move will have been a fruitful one. Villiami Tuivai is a high-energy guy on and off the field, hopefully he can bring his enthusiasm to the DFO position that he held before Bhonapha.

What was Coach Pete's rationale for the shake-up?

"As this program continues to move forward we want make sure we are playing to the different strengths of the entire staff, and I think these changes will allow us to grow and prosper."

Translation: "I felt like it." Now let's all play a nice long game of Don't question the 35-4 guy.

Childs' Combine invite was apparently lost in the mail

2009-01-29T09:46:00.000-08:00

*Yoink

So about that article a couple of days ago...nevermind. It turns out that Jeremy Childs will be attending the NFL Combine in Indy next month, but nobody knew about it. The Statesman is reporting this morning that Childs is working out at Athletes' Performance in L.A. and prepping for the combine, one of only about 40 receivers on the list. KBCI reported a week or so ago that Childs had not been on the list of attendees and that Ian Johnson would be the lone Bronco participant. Furthermore, ESPN's Graham Watson corroborated the story saying that Childs' name was conspicuously absent among the list of non-BCS participants. Well, they were both wrong or simply jumped the gun, leaving me holding the bag as it were. J Bates, I curse your name.

Scouts will be particularly interested in Childs' 40 time which has been clocked previously as "fast enough"...but will need to increased to "faster than Brian Dawkins" by the time the Combine rolls around.

Childs gets his invite [Statesman]

Dutch Treat

2009-01-28T23:27:00.000-08:00

Cheech and Tjong was a great flick...

All apologies about the headline because I'm sure you'll be seeing a lot of it in coming years...but it seems apropos as the Broncos received a huge verbal commitment just moments ago from Dutch DT Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe. Scout.com just confirmed that Tjong-A-Tjoe committed to the Broncos after an in-home visit on Wednesday and on the tails of a month-long recruiting tour that had stops in Eugene and Pullman. Tjong-A-Tjoe (pronunciation guess is as good as mine) is 6'4" and 295 lbs. and had offers from Oregon, Washington State, San Jose State, Idaho and Idaho State. Originally from the Netherlands, Tjong-A-Tjoe made the most of his first season playing American football by tallying 35 tackles, two sacks and four forced fumbles—all which garnered him first-team All-State honors at Boise High. Ricky will join another Dutch transplant in Capital WR Geraldo Hiwat in the '09 class and Bronco sophomore DB Cedric Febis as well. Scout.com has not evaluated Tjong-A-Tjoe as of yet, but considering the number of offers held by the big guy, it looks like the Broncos got another steal. Check out the big red machine below:

Jadon Dailey is gone-zo.

2009-01-26T18:15:00.000-08:00

"Losing good commentators makes me a sad Panda..."

Looks like everyones favorite color commentator will not be back in the booth next year. Jadon Dailey has apparently parted ways with Peak and will be heading back to Arizona. Now, I heard rumblings about this a few days back, but didn't have the stones to post it as fact...but now Idaho Radio News has posted the story and I'm confident it is ringing true. IRN states:

Multiple sources (basically anyone I’ve asked) say he liked doing the play-by-play but was frustrated with the other parts of the gig - selling ad time for Peak.

This may be true, but someone very close to the program told me the other day that an illness in the family might be in play here as well. Either way, we'll certainly miss Jadon's wit and wisdom and wish him the best in the future.

What can Brown do for us?

2009-01-25T16:57:00.000-08:00

Who is this mystery man?

It looks like Boise State may have just snagged another recruit this weekend...but this one was so far off my radar that I'm having to do some major league sleuthing to bring in much info. Encinal's Jonathan Brown has been rumored to have committed this weekend after a recruiting trip with the likes of Kirby Moore. Brown was named the All-East Bay player of the Year this year as a two way standout at quarterback and linebacker (Bronco QB commit Joe Southwick was the All-East Bay Offensive Player of the Year). Now, I don't have confirmation on this yet, but it's certainly hard to believe that the talented Brown will be coming in at QB after the earlier verbals from Joe Southwick and Mikey Tamburo. Has Boise State nabbed its 3rd linebacker of the class? Could be. Brown's size, 5'11" and 200 lbs. sure seems to put him in Boise State linebacker range (smallish), but he looks athletic enough to play anywhere on the field. Update: Looks like Brown is coming in as a Safety. Brown notched 92 tackles last year, 8 quarterback sacks and two blocked punts. Colorado and Air Force were rumored to have interest or offered Brown. More to come when I find it out. Below is a short video showing Brown's explosiveness:

Two-way leader guides Encinal [SFGate]
Encinal's Brown commits to Boise State [Inside Bay Area]

Childs a no-go for the combine

2009-01-23T22:37:00.000-08:00

Be the ball, Jeremy.

Jeremy Childs winding road to the NFL may have just gotten a wee bit more complicated. Whereas last years early departures, Orlando Scandrick and Ryan Clady, had a chance to show their wares at the meat market known as the NFL combine...Childs will have to hope that he draws a big crowd on Pro Day. The official invite list, out today, shows only one Bronco making the trip to Indianapolis, and that Bronco is Ian Johnson. Oddly enough, Johnson may have more to prove to the scouts than Childs...at least physically. The combine runs between February 18th and the 24th.

Story [KBCI]

Shamburger not headed to the blue

2009-01-20T13:25:00.000-08:00

All roads don't lead to Boise...news to me.

Safety Will Shamburger, once Boise State's 12th verbal commit of the 2009 class, is a big softy. Shamburger decommitted from the Broncos on the 16th and will instead head to Seattle and join the Huskies. The writing appeared to be on the wall when Shamburger wavered from his commitment in early December, telling some scouting services that he'd switch commitments if Arizona State came calling...well, they didn't—but it was obvious that Shamburger's heart wasn't fully with the Broncos and he'll now head to greener turf (literally, not figuratively) in the Emerald city. After Shamburger's early December waffling, the Broncos quickly wrapped up JC Safety Winston Venable...effectively making Shamburger's decommitment a non-issue—but it is nice that Shamburger is no longer leading the Broncos on and infecting the Broncos commit sheet with a big, red "Soft Verbal" tag.

Have fun in Huskyland, Will...we're sure you'll look great in purple (like Grimace)

New feature

2009-01-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

Not faster than a speeding bullet.

You've all seen the celebrated Chuck Norris facts, right? Well, not even Chuck can hold a candle to our resident immortal, Kellen Moore (just don't tell Chuck I said that). So in the spirit of full disclosure, FFBSU (that's us) is trotting out a new feature: The Kellen Moore Fact of the Day™. They're kinda like Chuck Norris facts, but with less roundhouse kicks. You can find The Kellen Moore Fact of the Day™ in the sidebar right below the RSS feed buttons. Enjoy...and if you have a few obscure Kellen facts, send them to me right HERE.

Also, you can join the newly created Kellen Moore Facts Facebook group so you don't miss any.

Yeah, you're in the same place...

2009-01-15T09:38:00.000-08:00

A little remodeling is needed from time to time...

I decided to do a little housekeeping on the blog to make things a look and run a bit smoother. Hopefully, the new layout won't confuse anyone as it was done to streamline the blog a bit more and break out of the box that most blogger templates try to put you in. The content will remain the same and all the old posts are still here (virtually, anyway). You can now search Fight, Fight BSU all the way back to the beginning, but don't go digging for that blogpost about Mike Coughlin being the QB in 2008; I was a little off on that one. If you would like to see anything on the blog that you aren't seeing right now let me know.

Oh yeah, and I'll be unveiling a new series next week you should all like.

End of an era for snappy headline puns

2009-01-14T11:43:00.000-08:00

A classic headline pun. Drink it in.

With yesterday's announcement that Jeremy Childs will be departing for the NFL—a wave of sadness swept over me. No, I'm not depressed about the void that will be left on the blue turf next season, but rather the void that will be left in newspaper columns and KTVB graphics as the 'Childs Play' pun headline will be forever lost. It is a little known fact that the Statesman employs an entire department for the sole purpose of coming up with headline puns (this blog, by comparison, employs only one) and, well, KTVB has Mark Johnson. These hard working people's jobs are now in danger, and in this economy, the shockwaves may be felt far and wide. Worsening the situation is the departure of Ellis Powers to graduation...'Powers that be' or 'More Powers to you' pun headlines will have to be retired—hence, more jobs lost.

The only hope is that a new wave of starters and recruits will be able to fill this gaping abyss on our headline spreads and segment intros. Obviously, the arrival of Kirby Moore will bring a glut of headlines like 'One more Moore' or 'S'Moore', but Kirby won't arrive until Summer and who knows how many will be unemployed by then?! Well, it's time to get proactive...we need new puns and we need them right NOW! To help stimulate the economy, I humbly submit to beat writers, journalists, video editors, Tom Scott and Mark Johnson the following headline puns to highlight these individuals:

George Iloka—By George! Iloka does it again.
Jeremy Avery—A-very good outing.
Titus Young—Young getting restless.
Doug Martin—My favorite Martin.
Kellen Moore—This one's a freebie.
Hunter White—The Great White Hunter.
Billy Winn—A Winn's a Winn.
Jarrell Root—Root, root, root for our home team.
Nate Potter—Scary Potter.
Ryan Winterswyk—Now is the Winter-swyk of our discontent.
Shea McLellin—Oh Shea can you see?
DJ Harper—The Harper Image.
Kyle Efaw—'Faw he's a jolly good fellow.
Mitch Burroughs—Burroughs before hos. (maybe don't run this one on front page)

Hopefully this list will help get us through these tough pun times—and hopefully will spark and new era in headline pun greatness the likes of which we've never seen.

Childs on graduation promise: "Never mind"

2009-01-13T14:51:00.000-08:00

You'll never have it this easy again.

About a month ago, Jeremy Childs said that he would return for his senior season at Boise State. You remember, it went something like this:

...yadda yadda my mom, blah blah blah diploma...

Well, like goings-on in Las Vegas...Childs believes that 'things that happen in December, stay in December' and has promptly spun an athletic 180 and decided to depart for the NFL. Rumors to this effect started swirling last week from J Bates' general direction...but now it appears confirmed—Childs is taking his 10-yard outs to the big show, and Orlando Scandrick's senioritis has infected another big time Bronco player. Sadly, Childs was only 1 yard from jersey retirement.

In other news, Kirby Moore will start next year.

Semi-full story [Statesman]

Wilson will not follow in Scandrick's footsteps

2009-01-13T09:15:00.000-08:00

Now now...it's not polite to point.

All-WAC/All-American cornerback Kyle Wilson is staying put. That mighty wind you just heard was Bronco fans exhaling. After a couple of weeks of speculation that the talented Bronco DB may go pro...Wilson's brother Gerry says he's on the blue for the long haul.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say it was a tough call, but I wouldn’t say it was easy,” said Gerry Wilson, the oldest of three Wilson boys. “… It was a matter of evaluating what’s best for Kyle and what’s best for the team.”

Gerry, who played college ball at Princeton and is the CEO of yoonew, an online sports ticket trading company, obviously knows the importance of education and might have helped sway his little brother's decision. If this is the case, Bronco Nation thanks you. Wilson may be on track to be another first or second-round draft pick in the 2010 draft and will be a key cog on a Bronco D that should be amazing next season. Now, go and have a chat with Jeremy Childs, won't ya?!

Full Story [Statesman]

Poll position

2009-01-09T08:22:00.000-08:00

Y'know who was awesome at this game? D.A.R.Y.L.

Boise State's final rankings are in, and they are about what we expected. The Broncos, who you may recall were 1 point from a perfect season, finished 11th in the AP poll and 13th in the USA Today Coaches' Poll. Also, take a gander at the respect TCU got by defeating the Broncos (by one point, I might have mentioned) in the December 23rd Poinsettia Bowl—they finish at 7th in both polls (and take a picture...that's the last time you'll see a 2-loss non-BCS team ranked that high). The final rankings also failed to hand Utah a share of the national title, placing them 2nd and 4th in the AP and Coaches' polls, respectively. In a fair bit of irony, Oregon is ranked higher than the Broncos in both final polls.

The final rankings for the Broncos cap a pretty darn good year that surprised many, given the youth of the team, and will no doubt give them the momentum to start the 2009 season ranked. Hopefully, the Broncos will not squander that goodwill in the opening weeks of the '09 campaign. All signs point to the Broncos having a real tough squad next year.

Ryan Clady don't sign no shoes

2009-01-06T12:21:00.000-08:00

Clady blocks out the sun and...Oh my Lord! What happened to your index finger?

Ryan Clady, you've arrived. Third in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, a multi-million dollar contract, and the respect of every analyst and Defensive Coordinator in the country. What are you going to do with all your newfound fame and fortune? Not sign some middle-aged fan's Jordans, that's for sure! Don't give up middle-aged fan...he probably just didn't hear you.

New Year's Resolutions

2009-01-02T10:36:00.000-08:00

New Year's resolutions—they're as predictable as death and taxes. Each and every January 1st, we look at ourselves in the mirror and resolve to quit smoking, quit drinking, lose some weight, and punch John Minegar in the head...heck, some of us even keep them until mid-February. Well, don't believe for one minute that the Broncos aren't taking a long look in the mirror this year and making a list of things that they'll do or do better in 2009. Just for the heck of it, let's speculate on a few, shall we?

Jeremy Childs—Don't listen to pal Orlando Scandrick's pleas to join him in the NFL.

Titus Young—Go to school, go to practice, go home, go to sleep...repeat.

Kellen Moore—Save some awesomeness for 2009. No need to blow it all on your Freshman year.

Bronco O-line—For the love of God, EAT SOMETHING!

Jarrell Root and Shay McLellin—Have titanium rods put into legs.

Jeron Johnson—Get all that blood cleaned off helmet.

Chris Petersen—Refinance mortgage.

Kirby Moore—Develop E.T./Elliot-like mental bond with older brother.

Byron Hout—Doin' fine...stay the course.

George Iloka—Gain weight, add a few more vertical inches to hair.

Bryan Harsin—Find "Austin Pettis Corner Fade" in playbook, circle it in red.

Derrell Acrey—Become motivational speaker.

Kyle Wilson—Stay for senior year.

Ryan Winterswyk—Tape pictures of WAC QBs to 2 x 4s, break them with bare hands.

Doug Martin—Go from being "angry runner" to "insane-with-rage runner"

4-2-5 defense—Doin' fine...stay the course.

Tim Socha—Start wearing TCU: 2008 Poinsettia Bowl Champions t-shirt every day.

FFBSU—Punch John Minegar in head.

Clady finishes 3rd in Rookie of the Year voting

2008-12-30T13:54:00.001-08:00

Ryan Clady finished a distant third to the Atlanta Falcons' Matt Ryan in the AP's Offensive Rookie of the Year voting...but hey, he got some votes didn't he? As hard as it is for a non "skill" position player to garner much attention in balloting, it speaks volumes that Clady finished one vote behind Titans' running back Chris Johnson and one vote in front of the Bears' Matt Forte. Clady, as previously noted, will be conspicuously absent from the Pro Bowl, but Clady has impressed everyone this season, giving up just a half a sack while playing Left Tackle for the Denver Broncos.

Mark it down...Clady will be an All-Pro next season.

Ryan wins AP Offensive Rookie of the Year [ESPN]

Every cloud...

2008-12-29T08:48:00.000-08:00

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da...

Well the season is over and the as the last of the Christmas leftovers are being digested, some much needed perspective has finally settled into the spot where disappointment and heartache sat just six days ago. The Boise State/TCU game provided everything that fans were looking for (besides a Boise State win) and really could've gone either way. Were we disappointed with the outcome? Absolutely—the way the game ended, with Kellen's out-of-leftfield INT, quickly soured the optimistic mood that most fans probably had going into the last 2 minutes of the bowl, but It is great to be a Bronco fan. Their insistence on trying to break the record for "most bowl game ended with a pick in one decade" certainly sprouts some gray hairs among even the most loyal Bronco fans, but no player or fan should be hanging their heads about the 2008 campaign...it didn't end on the highest of notes, but the future looks bright in the land of blue and orange, and here's some reasons why.

10. 1-point away from a perfect season in what "should" have been a rebuilding year.

9. Will absolutely be ranked in the 2009 preseason polls, setting up a more attainable BCS run.

8. Another undefeated regular season, another WAC title.

7. Ian Johnson surpasses Marshall Faulk for all-time WAC rushing TD mark.

6. Kellen freakin' Moore. Need I say more? Ok, I will...he's got 3 more years with the Broncos and his favorite targets are all back next year (even Titus Young)

5. Byron freakin' Hout. True Freshman linebacker/DE hybrid tore it up the second half of the season and will be a force on the Bronco D for 3 more years.

4. George freakin' Iloka. True Freshman safety didn't have the best bowl game, but the youngster surpassed everyone's expectations this year and was a key cog in the phenomenal Bronco D in '08.

3. Preseason WAC fave Fresno State was beaten soundly by the Broncos to finish the year.

2. Barring a pollster coup...the Broncos will finish the season in the top 15 yet again.

1. Boise State has 77 freshman and sophomores on the squad...most were key contributors this year. Experience and conditioning will only make this team better.

12-1 isn't what anyone expected in 2008, and while 13-0 has a better ring to it, Bronco fans better get ready for a ride because the next few years will be some doozies.

Know your enemy (for this bowl, anyway)

2008-12-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

Uh-oh...they've got a ginger.

Boise State's final test of the season is a doozy. The #11 TCU Horned Frogs bring a nation-leading defense to the quiet confines of Qualcomm Stadium and the #9 Broncos bring a battle-tested offense and a freshman QB with moxie. Most fans, like me, know next to nothing about the 10-2 Horned Frogs outside of LaDainian Tomlinson and that one 4-eyed coach guy. Needless to say, there is a lot to be learned about our bowl foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes. For the mutual benefit of the Horned Frog faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about TCU

10. Texas Christian University was founded by brothers Addison and Randolph Clark in 1873. The brothers, using the contraction of their first names, called the school AddRan Male and Female College (no, that isn't a joke). Addison, being the wordsmith that he was, actually named his first son AddRan as well; either because he really loved his brother or hated his kid.

9. The TCU mascot, the "horned frog" is actually a Texas horned lizard and not a frog at all. These fearsome creatures eat mainly harvester ants, termites, and grasshoppers and have the ability to puff up their bodies or shoot blood out of their eyes to dissuade predators. If the lizard's predator is actually Predator, however, I would imagine they are screwed.

8. The Horned Frogs play their home football games at Amon Carter Stadium in Fort Worth, TX. The Stadium, which seats 44,000, is named for Amon G. Carter, the founder and publisher of the Fort-Worth Star Telegram newspaper. Carter had a well-publicized disdain for Fort Worth's neighbor-city Dallas, and when taking business trips to the city would bring a sack lunch so he didn't have to spend any money there...kind of like when Boiseans visit Garden City.

7. The Professor from Gilligan's Island was said to have a PhD from TCU, among his six degrees. Now that it has been established that fictional degrees can be handed out, I propose that Boise State immediately award Darrin Stevens an MBA (the first one, not the second one).

6. Slingin' Sammy Baugh, who sadly just died on December 17th, is one of TCU's most famous alumni. Baugh was a two-time All-American for the Horned Frogs playing quarterback, defensive back and punter and played 15 years in the NFL for the Washington Redskins. Baugh was among the first inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and even did a little acting on the side. They just don't make guys like that anymore, unless they are willing to spend six million dollars, of course.

5. TCU won the national championship in 1938, only one year after finishing 4-4-2. On their way to the title and an 11-0 record that year, TCU defeated the likes of Arkansas, Temple, Texas A&M, Texas, Rice and SMU and eventually downed Carnegie Mellon in the Sugar Bowl. The very next year, TCU went 3-7. Weird.

4. The longest tenured coach in TCU history was Leo "Dutch" Meyer who coached for 19 years while posting a 109-79-13 record. A model of inconsistency, Meyer only posted 9 winning seasons in his 19 year career, but made them count...winning the aforementioned national championship in 1938 and posting a 12-1 record in 1935. Also, Meyer's 1936 squad could've given this years' Horned Frog defense a run for their money...they posted 7 shutouts.

3. The TCU head coach with the highest career winning percentage was Francis A. Schmidt, who won nearly 85% of his games in his 5 years at the helm. Schmidt seemed to drop off a bit after moving on from TCU, winning only 70% of his games at Ohio State and then completely lost it at Idaho, winning only 36%...but then again, it was Idaho.

2. The namesake of the award for the nation's best college quarterback, the Davey O'Brien Award, is named for...you guessed it...Davey O'Brien—a TCU quarterback who won the Heisman trophy, Maxwell award and the Walter Camp award in 1938. O'Brien was only 5'7" and weighed but 150 lbs. when he won the awards (and the national championship) with the Frogs, which is like Frankie Muniz tearing up NCAA defenses.

1. Horned Frog Miscellany: TCU, for all their storied past and successes, has only won 52% of the games in their history. The Frogs have won 14 conference championships (only 9 outright) in 5 different conferences since 1920 and are 10-13-1 in bowl games in that same span. The Horned Frogs last bowl loss came in 2003 to none other than the Boise State Broncos. Their #11 ranking that they bring in to the Poinsettia Bowl is their highest ranking since 2005, when they finished the year at #11 in the AP and #9 in the Coaches poll. The last time TCU was shutout was in 1991.

Ten things TCU fans might not know about Boise State

10. Receiver Vinny Perretta's father Ralph was an offensive lineman for 6 years with the San Diego Chargers. The elder Perretta played out his career between '75 ad '80 on the same field on which Vinny will end his collegiate career...Qualcomm Stadium (formerly known as Jack Murphy Stadium). Pereta is italian for rubber syringe. Good to know.

9. In 1933, Boise State (BJC) head coach Dusty Kline liked all his football players to get vitamins. Being as it was the depression and vitamins were not exactly an easy get, coach Kline did the traditional thing for that time and gave the players a spoonful of cod liver oil every day. Only problem was that coach Kline gave everyone their dose from the same spoon, causing a nasty case of "trench mouth" (necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis) to break out among the team—some players even lost their teeth to the malady. Fortunately, with the lack of adequate protective headgear at the time...they probably would've lost those teeth anyway.

8. Until last year's draft that saw Bronco OT Ryan Clady go in the first round, Boise State's highest ever draftee was Defensive End Markus Koch. Koch was drafted 30th overall by the Washington Redskins in the 1986 draft. After returning to Boise State in 1993 for his Hall of Fame induction...Koch basically disappeared. Friends and ex-teammates completely lost track of the Bronco great and could not find him until the Clady draft story caused searchers to redouble their efforts. Koch was finally tracked down in Port Townsend, WA where he had been living and working as a yacht broker for 15 years. Koch sadly could not provide any information on the whereabouts of D.B. Cooper.

7. Boise State's lone alum that resides in the Pro Football Hall of Fame is linebacker Dave Wilcox. Wilcox played at Boise State in its Junior College days and as such, had a stop at the University of Oregon before being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers. Wilcox's son Justin, is the current defensive coordinator for Boise State.

6. Legendary Bronco coach Lyle Smith, often called "the father of Bronco football", won his first 37 games with the Broncos and never had a losing season in his 20 years as head Bronco (1947-1967). Smith's high school nickname was "Iron Man" and he lived up to that name when his coaching career started, often chalking the field, doing the team finances and even the laundry, his first year in Boise he was also the head basketball coach (his team went 24-9). After his coaching career was over, Smith became AD and handpicked his successor, Tony Knap—who also never notched a losing season at Boise State.

5. Boise State started out as a junior college in 1932 and became 4-year Boise College in 1968. Hal Zimmerman was the starting QB for BJC in 1967 and in 1968 was the starter for Boise College. How many can make that claim?

4. The first U.S. commercial air flight was an airmail flight in 1926 from Pasco, Wash., to Boise on Varney Air Lines, predecessor of United Airlines. The dirt landing strip was where Bronco Stadium is now. Prior to the campus being built, it was Boise's first airport...and before that: a landfill.

3. Many think that Boise State ripped off their colors and mascot from the Denver Broncos...well it may be the other way around. Boise State's mascot and colors were picked in 1932 by student Owen Sproat and others after a basketball game. As Sproat put it:

“most of the guys rode horses — it was pretty much cattle country in those days.”

The johnny-come-lately Denver Broncos didn't come on the scene until 1960.

2. Bronco Stadium's Lyle Smith Field is the nation's first non-green collegiate playing surface. "The Blue" or the "Smurf Turf" as it is affectionately known was first installed in 1986 and is currently in its 4th iteration. Contrary to popular belief...geese do not break their necks after mistaking it for a white lined lake. Jimmy Hoffa is also NOT buried under the field (as far as we know)

1. Boise State's QB, redshirt frosh Kellen Moore, owns pretty much every high school football record in the state of Washington. Moore had 787 completions, 173 touchdowns, and over over 11,000 yards passing at Prosser High School. He threw 66 touchdown passes his junior year and 67 his senior year. His brother Kirby, the national record holder for career receiving TDs is joining Kellen on the blue next year. Consider this a warning.

Now that we're properly acquainted...let's kill one another on the football field tomorrow evening! GO BRONCOS!

Just Winn, baby.

2008-12-16T15:46:00.000-08:00

"Talk to me Warriors!"

Which Bronco made the Sporting News All-Freshman first team? Just Winn, baby. DT and soon-to-be DE Billy Winn was named to the Sporting News (prestigious?) All-Freshman team today for his efforts this season. Winn has 23 tackles and 2.5 sacks on the year from the DT position and will be splitting time with fellow frosh Byron Hout at the injury-addled DE position in the Poinsettia Bowl next week. Only two other freshman from non-BCS schools were chosen for the first team...a punt returner from FIU and a kick returner from Tulsa. True freshman Safety George Iloka made the second team as did demi-god Kellen Moore. The youth movement at Boise State is indeed impressive—the rest of the nation will take notice shortly.

First teamers [SportingNews.com]

Clady snubbed. Weak.

2008-12-16T13:51:00.000-08:00

You wouldn't like Clady when he's angry.

Joining the long list of snubs Boise State fans have come to expect this year is one of a different variety. Boise State alum Ryan Clady, who would be prepping to shut down TCU's Jerry Hughes right now if he hadn't left early for the NFL was snubbed by the Pro Bowl selection committee today. This will not stand. I mean come on, NFL...Clady has been getting Rookie of the Year type buzz as he's shut down wave after wave of franchise defensive ends this season and has given up but half a sack this year as well. Last week alone, against the Carolina Panthers, he "schooled" Julius Peppers (their words, not mine) and every writer on NFL.com placed Clady on their Pro Bowl ballot. Sadly, the writers at NFL.com do not actually cast ballots...but you get the point. Clady was robbed, and all of you Pro Bowl voters just awoke a sleeping giant.

Pro Bowl rosters [NFL.com]

The Leno Show

2008-12-15T19:47:00.000-08:00

"I'll protect you, Kellen."

Boise State received their 19th verbal commitment (20th if you count the softy) of the 2009 class today as big OT Charles Leno pulled the proverbial trigger. Leno, a 6'5" 265 pounder out of San Leandro HS (CA), had scholly offers from Idaho, SDSU, SJSU, UNLV and Utah as well as interest from several Pac-10 schools. Leno is rated as the #24 Offensive Tackle of the '09 class by ESPN and also grades out as a 79 using their formula. Besides receiving passing grades from ESPN's recruiting team, they had this (among other things) to say about the big man.

Leno is on prime time when he's on the field. He has very good size and is extremely athletic. Runs more like a tight end than a tackle; gives great effort when leading downfield on the screen pass or getting crossfield to pick up a defender. Plays the game with a great sense of urgency and gives 100% every play.

Coach Pete will get that ratcheted up to 110%, so don't worry.

By the way, Leno visited the blue during the Fresno State game so it's a miracle that it took him two weeks to pull the trigger—still one of the most memorable nights at Bronco Stadium I can remember.

Leno scouting report [ESPN]
List of Boise State commits [Scout.com]

The definitive Poinsettia Bowl preview

2008-12-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, I was asked to write a "thorough" Poinsettia Bowl preview for Bleacher Report that was to be between 300-600 words...well, it's a good thing I can't follow directions because what the Bleacher Report got was a 1,600 word analysis that would give Deep Blue pause. Rather than post the preview on FFBSU and give people's mouse-scrolling-hand cramps...here is the link. If you've anything to add, please do.

Horned Blogs: Bronco Nation Podcast talks with the enemy

2008-12-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

JT from BNN had a little chit chat with a horned frog blogger (say that three times fast) yesterday and discussed all things Poinsettia. Have a listen and check out JT's site when you have a chance...it's nice.

The Bronco Nation Podcast - Spit Blood TCU Interview [36:35m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Uh-oh...

2008-12-09T14:47:00.000-08:00

Logged on to facebook today and saw this horrifying development. Kellen...don't fall in with the wrong crowd!

Consolation prize

2008-12-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

So the BCS machine surprised no one last night by choosing 10-2 Ohio State over the Broncos for the final at-large spot in a BCS bowl. I suppose watching the Buckeyes get run over by the Longhorns will be much more enjoyable than watching the Broncos get run over by the Longhorns and maybe there is a silver lining. The Broncos overachieved this year by most accounts with the stellar performance of Kellen Moore and dominating defense, but youth precluded them from really putting perfect games together outside of a few...maybe they just weren't ready for a BCS bowl. The team will almost certainly be ranked in the preseason polls next year and be better set up for a serious BCS run in 2009 and beyond. The first step towards that end would be to take down the pesky TCU Horned Frogs in San Diego on the 23rd of this month. The bowl represents what may be one of the top 5 matchups of the postseason, #9 and undefeated Boise State vs. #11 and 10-2 TCU. The Horned Frogs have a smothering defense and impressive team speed...the Broncos have a smothering defense and a dynamic offense. Something has got to give. Early analysis says that the Horned Frogs and Broncos may be close to a "push" on defense and the edge had to go to the Broncos on offense...setting up an exciting game in sunny San Diego in a few weeks. I will be posting lots of info as it comes out about the matchup and you better believe that there will be a bowl version of "Know Your Enemy" so take heart Bronco fans. The BCS wasn't in the cards this year, but we'll get there again...sooner than you think.

JC Safety commits to the Broncos

2008-12-04T08:08:00.001-08:00

Safety Will Shamburger, who verballed to the Broncos in August, backed out of his commitment yesterday. It took all of half a day for a new Safety to take his scholly, when JC transfer Winston Venable threw his verbal at Boise State. Venable, who looks like a lineman in his photo, will have 3 years to play 2 at Boise State and looks like he will immediately vie for the 3rd safety spot that we saw Ellis Powers flourish in this year. Venable is 6'1", 210 lbs. and possesses 4.5 speed...oh yeah, and he punts too so look out ~~Elkin~~ Brotzman! Venable was the Co-Defensive Player of the Year this season at Glendale Community College and made league's first-team defense at two positions (Safety and Punter). With Shamburger's departure from the commit list, Venable still represents the 18th commit of the 2009 class.

Full list of current commits [scout.com]
A few more tidbits on Venable [OBNUG]

50k the hard way

2008-12-02T11:28:00.000-08:00

Just noticed a little something...FFBSU has just passed the 50,000 page-view mark. Not too shabby for a messy little Bronco blog. Thanks to all the readers and fans of the blog, I'll try to make the blog bigger and better for the next 50,000 and beyond.

So long and thanks for all the towels

2008-12-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

(Cue sad Incredible Hulk music) Hal Mumme has been canned at New Mexico State and towels around the state are flying at half mast. Mumme was 11-38 during his tenure at NMSU, including an awesome 1-7 WAC finish this year, getting blown out by Utah State in their finale. Maybe SMU is looking for a blowhard offensive coordinator.

Story

Duh: Kellen Moore WAC Freshman of the Year

2008-12-01T13:01:00.000-08:00

Yes WAC, you get 3 more years of this.

The All-WAC selections were announced today and the list has a heavy blue and orange tint.

The "duh" awards:
WAC Coach of the Year—Chris Petersen
WAC Freshman of the Year—Kellen Moore

1st Team Offense:
WR Jeremy Childs
OL Andrew Woodruff

1st Team Defense:
DE Ryan Winterswyk
S Ellis Powers
DB Kyle Wilson

2nd Team Offense:
WR Austin Pettis
QB Kellen Moore
RB Ian Johnson

2nd Team Defense:
DE Mike T. Williams
S Jeron Johnson

2nd Team Specialists:
PR Kyle Wilson (2nd team?)

Colin Kaepernick received Offensive Player of the Year honors and first team QB honors...no qualms with the OPOTY award, but I think they're being awful fast and loose with the term "quarterback" when Kaepernick is involved. Here's what I mean: Colin Kaepernick threw for 2,479 yards this season, completing 54% of his passes for 19 TDs and 5 INTS. Conversely, Kellen Moore threw for 3,264 yards this season, completing 70% of his passes for 25 TDs and 9 INTs. Which was the better "quarterback"? You tell me. Kaepernick is certainly a dangerous offensive weapon and deserves the offensive accolades, but if this is how we're judging excellence at the quarterback position, Kellen Moore can look forward to two more years as 2nd team WAC QB, even though he'll likely be a national leader in TDs and efficiency. Nice.

Hard to believe, but this will be coach Pete's first Coach of the Year award...he was famously snubbed for the honor in 2006, though he led the team to a 13-0 record and snared the Bear Bryant award. Thankfully, June Jones is now gone and there is no more butt for Hal Mumme to kiss in his absence.

I think it is also worth noting that preseason WAC favorite Fresno State (who you may remember got demolished by Boise State on Friday) placed but one player on a WAC first team (OL Bobby Lepori)

All-WAC Honors
Boise State 2008 Team Awards

Bronco Nation Podcast 11-26-08

2008-11-26T23:01:00.000-08:00

We have another game?! The epic showdown that wasn't will take place on Friday afternoon when the Fresno State Bulldogs come to town. A revenge-minded (2001, anyone?) Bulldog team will have something to play for and the Broncos, thanks to a Utah win on Saturday and the WAC championship firmly in hand, won't. Upset anyone? Not likely on Senior Night, but JT (BNN), Buck (Statueleft), and Logan from the Redwave podcast sort it all out. Who's up for some turkey?

The Bronco Nation Podcast - Bring It On [53:38m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Thank you seniors!

2008-11-24T19:21:00.000-08:00

Fresno heads to the blue on Black Friday this week after Boise State clinched their 6th league title in 7 seasons in their "biggest little win" of the year. Fresno has had a curious year and failed to meet many preseason expectations (sound familiar?), but are always a dangerous squad and I'm sure would love to do to the Broncos what the Broncos did to them in 2001. The fans are already in post-season mode, but as long as the players aren't...it should be a very tough game for the 'dogs to win. Lost in the commotion is the fact that Friday is Senior Night and the Broncos will honor a slew of seniors that have given their heart and soul to the program. Among them are Ian Johnson, who placed 8th in Heisman voting in 2006 and passed LaDainian Tomlinson on Saturday for second all-time in WAC rushing TDs, Vinny Perretta, who tossed the game-tying TD in the Fiesta Bowl and notched 126 yards against the Wolf Pack on Saturday, and Andrew Woodruff, who has been a mainstay on the Bronco O-line and paved the way for some of the best rushers this school has ever seen. Hopefully Bronco Nation will show up early on Friday afternoon to honor this senior class that has represented Boise State so well and given us all memories to last a lifetime. If you'd like to express your gratitude and wish the Bronco seniors well, I've set up this online petition so you can do just that. Remember, the first page after you sign is just a preview of your post...you must hit 'sign' again after reviewing for your signature and comments to go live.

Thank you Bronco seniors

Know your enemy (for this week, anyway)

2008-11-19T20:01:00.000-08:00

What's that whistling sound? Just Colin Kaepernick standing in the wind.

Boise State and the Bronco Nation head to Reno this Saturday to take on the Nevada-Reno Wolf Pack. The Broncos are coming off Vandal hammering (no, pun intended) and Nevada is coming off a dominant performance against San Jose State. Most fans, like me, know little about the Wolf Pack outside of the lil General and "the fastest thing on stick legs" Colin Kaepernick. Needless to say, there is a lot to be learned about this week's foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes. For the mutual benefit of the Wolf Pack faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about the Wolf Pack and their iniquitous den to the south

10. Ron Toomer, who holds a Mechanical Engineering degree from UNR, designed the first upside down roller coaster, the Corkscrew. The Corkscrew was a mainstay at Knott's Berry Farm for years, but now resides at the Silverwood amusement park in Athol, Idaho. Corkscrews are also good for popping corks...say on a champagne bottle...whilst celebrating an outright WAC title.

9. The Wolf Pack play their games at Mackay Stadium (29,993). The stadium is named for Clarence H. Mackay, the son of John W. Mackay, a silver and telegraph mogul. Clarence Mackay was an early financier of the university and gifted the school the Mackay School of Mines. Mackay was a tad eccentric, some might say...he collected medieval suits of armor, refused to marry his second wife for 15 years until his first wife died, and disinherited his daughter after she married composer Irving Berlin.

8. The oldest secret society at the University of Nevada-Reno is the Coffin and Keys Society, which was founded in 1916. The club was formed to be "a force to give the proper impetus to affairs of school life". Currently, the society appears to be mainly involved in putting t-shirts on statues, arranging canned food in decorative ways, and lounging in jaunty caps and Halloween masks. Spooky.

7. The UNR football program has produced an NFL Hall of Famer in fullback Marion Motley. Motley was only the second African American player inducted into the Hall of Fame after playing nine years in the league with the Steelers and Browns. During Motley's tenure with the Browns, in which he played fullback and linebacker, the Browns were 47-4-3 and won every championship in the AAFC. Sounds like Motley had quite the Crüe.

6. Each year, UNR and UNLV battle on the gridiron for the Fremont Cannon. The cannon goes to the victor of the contest for a year and it's undercarriage is painted in the winning school's colors. The cannon is a replica of the howitzer cannon that explorer John Fremont and his party hauled west and abandoned in the Sierra Nevada in 1844. Fremont was also the first Republican nominee for President of the United States...he didn't win, of course—maybe the nation was looking for a leader that didn't just leave cannons lying around.

5. Archaeological digs show that ancient native Americans known as the Martis, lived in the area where Reno now stands. The Martis resided in the area from 3,000 BC to 500 AD. Man, they just missed Chris Ault.

4. The UNR campus was the setting for five motion pictures in the 1940s, among the tititles: Andy Hardy's Blonde Trouble, Apartment for Peggy, Mother is a freshman, and Mr. Belvedere goes to College (no, not that Mr. Belvedere), which was one of Shirley Temple's last films.

3. Nevada coach Chris Ault, "inventor" of the Pistol offense, is one of only 4 active coaches that have already been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. The other 3 are Joe Paterno, Bobby Bowden, and Joe Gagliardi. If that doesn't sound like an advertising dream team for Geritol® and Efferdent®, I don't know what does.

2. UNR football's first All-American (1923) was James "Rabbit" Bradshaw. No relation to this guy OR this guy.

1. Boise State has clinched outright WAC titles in Reno in every even numbered year since 2002. The Wolf Pack haven't had a sellout at Mackay since 2003. The Wolf Pack have the number one rushing offense in the country and Boise State has the number 2 scoring defense in the country. Boise State has not lost to the Wolf Pack since 1998. Something's ~~gotta~~ gonna give on Saturday...excited yet?

Ten things Wolf Pack fans might not know about the Broncos and their heavenly home to the north

10. Idaho governor C.L. "Butch" Otter is an alum of Boise Junior College where he played linebacker for legendary Bronco coach Lyle Smith. Otter didn't stuff the run...he vetoed it.

9. Former Boise State cornerback DaWuan Miller had only one arm. He had several key interceptions in the 1994 Division 1-AA playoffs that helped get the Broncos to the national championship game. Looks like the arm he was left with was his good arm. Amazing.

8. Former Bronco QB Jared Zabransky once told ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit that he could throw a potato 80 yards. The comment found its way into the NCAA Football 07 game when Herbstreit, doing the voice over work says at random points in games "That reminds me of the time that kid at the Liberty Bowl told me he could throw a potato 80 yards."

7. Boise had it's very own "trial of the century" in 1907, when the leaders of the Western Federation of Miners labor union went on trial accused of hiring assassin Harry Orchard to kill Idaho governor Frank Steunenberg.

6. Boise's Statehouse building is heated geothermally by underground hotsprings. Most hot springs I've ever been to are rife with scantily clad hippies...can't imagine who you'd meet at an underground one.

5. Hollywood director Michael Hoffman is a Boise State alum and was the school's first Rhodes Scholar. He won two Oscars for the film Restoration, but I think his finest work is the documentary film Out of the Blue, which is about Boise State's undefeated 2006 season...oops, I just spoiled the ending.

4. Boise State has been shutout only twice in football, the last coming against Washington State in 1997. Boise State registered two shutouts over their opponents just last year. 20 of Boise State's 24 opponent shutouts since 1968 have occurred at home. Their most lopsided win ever? The first ever game on the blue turf: a 74-0 win over Humboldt State which answered once and for all the question, "can Hippies play football?"

3. Since 1973, Boise State has won 13 conference championships including 5 straight WAC titles from 2002 to 2006. Prior to 1968, they competed in the JC ranks, and as stated before...were a dominant force at 153-25-6 and winning the JC national championship in 1958. Boise State won the 1-AA national championship in 1980 by defeating Eastern Kentucky and played in the championship again in 1994, but lost to a Jim Tressel-led Youngstown State.

2. Boise State sophomore wideout Austin Pettis is the nephew of former major league baseball player Gary Pettis. Gary Pettis still holds the record for most stolen bases in the Angels organization (186)...Austin holds the Boise State record for stealing the most corner fade routes from defensive backs (all of them).

1. Boise State freshman QB Kellen Moore set state records for career completions (787), career touchdown passes (173), completions in a season (317), passing yards in a season (4,600) and touchdown passes in a season (67) at Prosser High, in Washington, but he never won state. His brother Kirby, who will join Kellen on the Blue next season, recently became the national record holder for receiving TDs in a career. Something in the water in Prosser, Washington besides apple residue.

That's about the long and short of it...apologies for the delay this week...one of my biggest resources was out of commission so I had to wing this one and bring back some oldies-but-goodies.

Bronco Nation Podcast 11-18-08

2008-11-19T08:11:00.000-08:00

Boy, I hope you like the sound of Jadon Dailey's voice...cuz he came in with some pretty epic analysis last night and showed why he's going places in the industry. We break down the Idaho game and the hammer "controversy", Byron Hout and his POTW hardware, and talk each other down over the Nevada game on Saturday.Make sure to listen towards the end when JT basically says that I suck.

The Bronco Nation Podcast - 10 Years of Whoopins: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

WAC Player of the Week: Hout'd!

2008-11-17T12:04:00.001-08:00

Bronco true frosh LB/DE/MVP/BMOC Byron Hout was named the WAC defensive player of the week today, striking fear into WAC opponents for the next 3 1/2 years. You may remember that Hout's redshirt was burned halfway through the season as coaches found him too good/terrifying to keep off the field. We applaud their foresight. Hout has been a force in every game he has played in this year proving largely unblockable and downright mean. All this from a kid that was and still is expected to play linebacker. Hout had 2 sacks, 5 tackles and a forced fumble against Idaho on Saturday...the fumble was returned for a TD by Ellis Powers. If your keen eyes can't pick up Hout on the field in the mess of D-line substitutions that the Broncos pull—he's number 94 (he'll be the guy shedding his block effortlessly).

In other news, Jeremy Avery got robbed as the offensive player of the week. Nevada's Colin Kaepernick got the honors instead. Hey Colin, dare you to repeat.

Story

WAC Players of the Week get Hout

2008-11-17T12:04:00.000-08:00

Still got it

2008-11-17T08:29:00.000-08:00

Ex-Bronco and current bobblehead Chris Carr still gotz the skillz.

See you Latah

2008-11-16T10:14:00.000-08:00

Hooray for county puns! The Vandals had exactly one big play and exactly one decent drive yesterday afternoon as they were annihilated for the 10th straight time by the undefeated Broncos. On the first play from scrimmage, Vandal receiver Daniel Hardy turned a short-gainer into an 81-yard TD after the Bronco D gave up on the play, thinking he was down. It was a heads up play by Hardy...and it was the last big play the Vandals would have all day. Sure, the Broncos chose to let the Vandals stay within striking distance at the half by missing two field goals and not capitalizing in the red zone, but once the 3rd quarter started, it was curtains for the Black and Gold.

Jeremy Avery showed why he should get the lion's share of the carries torching the Vandals for 156 yards and two TDs on only 11 carries. I will say this now: Ian Johnson deserves the WAC TD record and the coaches should do everything in their power to give it to him...but Avery is the better back for this offense and as such, should get the touches. Kellen Moore failed to throw a TD for the first time since game two, but was an efficient 23/31 on the day with no turnovers. Hey Kellen, corner fade to Pettis...that's all I'm sayin'.

Ellis Powers repeated his feat of returning a fumble for a TD and Kyle Wilson ran back yet another punt for a TD. The defense looked solid against the run and didn't allow anything over the top, but still look a bit soft over the middle against non-spread offense. Thankfully, next week's tumble against the Wolf Pack will feature the spread option and power run game...two things the Broncos handle very well.

With the 45-10 win, the Broncos move to 10-0 for the 3rd time in 5 seasons and clinched at least a share of their 6th WAC title. They ~~will~~ can claim the outright title with a win over Nevada on Saturday.

Know your enemy

2008-11-13T10:31:00.000-08:00

You should see it when it's empty.

Ah, rivalry week...the one week every year when we stop trying to ignore the "tribe from the North" and start trying to ignore Robb Akey. The Broncos are coming off a cake walk win against Utah State, the Vandals are coming off a surprisly tough win over Bye. Most fans, like me, know too much about Idaho and their antics on the Palouse. Needless to say, there is still a lot to be learned about this week's foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes. For the mutual benefit of the Vandal faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too, not that you haven't already drawn your own conclusions...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about the University of Idaho and their hellish hovel to the north

10. In 1871, brothers Asbury and Noah Lieuallen and about 20 families arrived in what is now Moscow, Idaho. The settlers were drawn in by the abundant grassland and availability of timber for building. The abundance of camas bulbs, then used as fodder for pigs, in the area led the settlers to first name the town Hog Heaven. Years later, several U of I sororities adopted that same name.

9. Besides the University of Idaho—Moscow is home to 21 other academic institutions...among them, Mr. Leon's School of Hair Design and the Moscow School of Massage. Surplus baby oil from the School of Massage is donated every year to the football team.

8. The Vandal football team started play in 1893, and went 2-0-1 in their first year with two wins over Washington State and a tie against Spokane AC. It took the Vandals until 1900 to win another game. Ahh, tradition.

7. Idaho's longest tenured coach in their history was John G. "Pinky" Griffith, who coached for 10 seasons in Moscow and went 28-22-2. Griffith left Idaho to coach at Iowa after the 1906 season but returned as Vandals coach in 1910 and took over the University of Idaho's Entomology Department. Prior to coaching, Griffith was a fullback and team captain for the Iowa Hawkeyes' football team.

6. A mule named Idaho Gem, the world's first cloned equine, was created by researchers at the University of Idaho and Utah State University. Later that same year, the school cloned Buddy Hackett to be their basketball coach.

5. The Kibbie Dome, shown here, is the smallest football venue in Division 1-A with a capacity of 16,000. The dome should be full this Saturday, but don't worry, Bronco fans, there's always a little extra room in Robb Akey's mustache.

4. The campus master plan for the University of Idaho was developed by the Olmsted Brothers, founders of the American Society of Landscape Architects and sons of Frederick Law Olmsted, who designed New York's Central Park. The Olmsted Brothers radical design ideas for the campus included grass, trees, gravel, and trees.

3. Before moving to the Kibbie Dome, the Vandals' football team played their home games at Neale Stadium, an "earthen horseshoe" that was named after UI president Mervin G. Neale. The stadium was condemned in 1969 and burned down by an arsonist that same year. Why are you looking at me? I wasn't born until 1980.

2. Two famous alums of the Vandal football team are Jerry Kramer and Bill Fagerbakke. Kramer went on to fame and fortune as the Intermountain Gas spokesman after his playing career in Moscow was over and Fagerbakke went on to become a starfish. Ok, Kramer was pretty good.

1. Idaho has an all-time win percentage of only 44%. Sure they, won 12 straight against the Broncos in the 80s and 90s, but that was much more anomalous than anything they've experienced before or since. They've never won a national championship, notched an undefeated season or even made a dent in the Division 1-AA playoffs. Despite their "streak", the Broncos lead the all-time series with the Vandals 19-17-1 and it's gonna get more lopsided from here on out. Just remember all this when your revisionist Vandal co-workers try to reminisce about the "good old days".

Ten things Vandal fans might not know about the Broncos and their peaceful hamlet to the south

10. In 1978, after taking abuse from the Vandal mascot at Bronco Stadium and in tears, the Bronco mascot (who was female) was approached by Boise State wrestling coach Mike Young to pull a switcheroo on the Vandal attacker. Young donned the costume at halftime and proceeded to tackle the Vandal mascot and steal his sword. Comeuppance, I believe is what that is called.

9. Longtime radio personality and ex-"Voice of the Broncos" is actually an University of Idaho alum, as is the father of Bronco football, Lyle Smith. This is a lot like if Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine decided to fight for the Rebel Alliance after graduating from Dark Side University.

8. Boise State's second president, Eugene Chaffee (1937-1967) enlisted in the army in 1942 to fight in World War II.

7. During World War II, enrollment at Boise State dropped to 152, but by the end of the war had jumped to nearly 900. Today, enrollment is close to 20,000.

6. Aurelius "Buck" Buckner was Boise State's first African-American student athlete. Buckner attended Boise State from 1944 to 1946, and was on the football team and basketball team, where he was the high-scorer in the 1945/46 season. Bill Buckner, who also lives in Boise, is no relation.

5. Once upon a time the land on which most of Boise State's campus sits was an island. Its most famous resident was Sage Brush Ann (also known as Tarpaper Annie), who lived alone in a modest tarpaper shack. I got nothin'...this one speaks for itself.

4. Boise State is currently ranked the 40th among all universities in merchandise sales just behind Georgia Tech. Boise State is the highest ranked non-BCS school on the list of the top 75 that the CLC releases each quarter and is ranked directly ahead of Mississippi, Stanford, Colorado, Pitt, BYU, and Boston College. Here is an artist's rendering of the owner of the Blue and Orange Store.

3. Many Vandals think that Boise State ripped off their colors and mascot from the Denver Broncos...wrong. Boise State's mascot and colors were picked in 1932 by student Owen Sproat and others after a basketball game. As Sproat put it:

“most of the guys rode horses — it was pretty much cattle country in those days.”

The johnny-come-lately Denver Broncos didn't come on the scene until 1960.

2. Lyle Smith's teams won 16 of 21 conference titles in the Intermountain Collegiate Athletic Conference (now the Scenic West Athletic Conference). Dominance, Lyle Smith be thy name.

1. The Broncos have won ~~ten~~ oops...getting ahead of myself...nine straight games against the Vandals going into this Saturday's game. The last win by the Vandals was a thrilling 36-35 win on the blue 1998 in Boise. Since that fateful date in November of '98, the Broncos have won 105 games and 7 conference championships. The Vandals have won 30 games in that span and have not been to a bowl game since the 1998 Humanitarian Bowl. The Tormey Curse or the Pokey Curse...take your pick.

Bronco Nation Podcast 11-13-08

2008-11-13T08:12:00.000-08:00

Buck (Statueleft), JT (BNN) and I fired up the podcast last night to discuss the awesomeness of the Broncos. We talked about the wild and whacky Utah State/Boise State game, which remaining WAC team has a pulse, and sheer evil that resides in a airplane hangar in Northern Idaho. There are some pretty good rants on this one, so take a listen if you want to hear Robb Akey and crew get berated.

The Bronco Nation Podcast - Sci-Fi Nerdiness [53:10m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Why the hate?

2008-11-12T16:00:00.000-08:00

As a young boy, I thought the University of Idaho wasn't so bad. I grew up in Boise and liked the Broncos, but would root for the Vandals when I saw them play. I had aunts and uncles who attended the University of Idaho and a couple that actually played on their sports teams. As a naive child it seemed to me that Idaho and Boise State were separated by geography alone. Then I grew up, as we all do, and realized that much more separate Boise State and Idaho than geography. The Broncos, quite frankly, are winners...and well, the Vandals are losers...and I don't just mean in a statistical or historical way (although the stats will back up this assertion). But alas, I am still a relatively young buck and can scarcely recall "the streak", ~~Johnelle~~ John L. Smith, or John Friesz—so I thought it best to solicit the older Bronco fans out there to find out just how deep the hatred runs. Turns out: pretty deep. Screen names were provided to protect the innocent from Vandal drive-bys, which we've heard are known to happen.

ADBill

I am sure you are aware that first game, the DAVs* tried to duck Boise College and were forced to play us.

Prior to the game their coach said the 1st half would be more like a scrimmage and in the second half they would embarrass Boise (You guessed it, the Vandals lost).

The third game was the first one played in Moscow. That same coach Robbins, led the Vandals through the Boise locker room singing "Kiss my Ass BJC" (classy). This cost the (Vandals) the game—the Vandals were heavy favorites and the Broncos didn't think they could win, but that stunt was all that was needed to get Boise on the winning track. My source was Al Davis a Boise player and starter.

Broncobadger

The Vandals used to control the SBOE when I was a kid (in the 50's). No matter what we (BSU) or ISU for that matter tried to do to improve ourselves or grow.....the Vanholes would squash it.....add to that the never ending string of scandals and lies to come out of that cesspool up north and you will have a damn thick novel not a story. There is too much for anyone here to jot down in an email. Those who do not study history are doomed to repeat it. Every BSU student should really go back to the early days of the school and the state of Idaho and understand just what kind of people you are dealing with. Some of you young guys don't understand why some of us older guys hate the Vandals so much....well I will "F'ing" gar-un-tee you that it is well deserved and make no mistake they hate us.....they have always hated us, and they have tried since BSU was formed to shut us down.

I have never considered this a rivalry; even when I was a child.....I have always viewed it as some kind of twisted punishment that we have to have anything to do with those A-holes. I do not care to associate with criminals and scum, yet the state of Idaho makes us do that every time we have to come into contact with those losers.

What goes around comes around and the Vanholes are now reaping what they have sown. They could have taken the high road and been the flagship institution in this state but instead they chose the low road and they deserve every rotten thing that happens to them.

Tell us how you really feel, badger.

Flashypaws

In a nutshell...the Vandals have always percieved themselves as a superior breed. I don't know why exactly, but Idaho alums talk about U of I like it's the Harvard or Yale of the northwest. It wouldn't be so bad, but once you realize how self-centered, and self-righteous, and self-congratulatory, and self-aggrandizing, and self-absorbed, and dumb most of these guys are...well, the hate just comes natural.

It's the feeling you'd have if Richard Simmons billed himself as one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. You'd wanna pick him up by the hair and slap him until he cried. They should just drop back into AA, and disappear, as far as I'm concerned.

Make no mistake, this isnt a rivalry, its a class war, and when it comes to class, BSU has it, and U of I never will.

Richard Simmons isn't one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century?

Some Broncos take exception to the 1996 game that saw the Chris Tormey-led Vandals running up the score on an in-his-final-days Pokey Allen and the Broncos. They even ran a fake punt when they were up by nearly 50 points.

Me personally? I don't like the drunken frat boys that come to the games at Bronco Stadium and try to pick fights in the student section. I don't like the book-cooking that the Vandals do with their pathetic home attendance numbers. I don't like sleeping porches or beefcake photos. I don't like Dennis Erickson, ~~Johnelle~~ John L. Smith, Chris Tormey, Tom Cable, Nick Holt or Robb Akey. That's right...I don't like Robb Akey—the hybrid of Alex P. Keaton's dad on Family Ties and the neighbor from Office Space. I do like Rob Spear, though. Stay gold, Rob...stay gold (and please NEVER leave Moscow).

*DAV=Dog Ass Vandals, apparently Tony Knap rallied the troops and coined this term after the Vandal locker room hijinx in 1973.

Holy cow...another commit.

2008-11-12T12:45:00.000-08:00

Boise State has been tearing up the recruiting trail this season garnering 17 verbals between May and yesterday...now, add one more. Jake Broyles, a 6'6" 250 lb. OT from Henderson, NV has told Boise State that he intends to be a Bronco, according to the Las Vegas Sun. ESPN had this to say about Broyles:

Broyles displays some athleticism as an offensive lineman. He has a great frame and is an impressive looking football player. Comes out of stance square and with a good flat back with legs underneath him; fits well into the base block. At times is an instant late out of his stance in both the run game and in pass protection. An alert player that does a good job of picking up the blitz; football smart. Needs to learn to be more aggressive with hands; tough to sustain blocks unless locked into the defenders frame. Likes to play physical and has the will to fight defender at the line of scrimmage and when setting back in passing game. Tendency to get a little high when deep pass setting; lunges and really doesn't get anchored down on a consistent basis. Needs to set back quicker and have some patience. Broyles has the chance to be a very good offensive guard once he learns to have violent hands that he can use as a weapon to stalemate and control the opposition.

Broyles appears to have had the interest of Nevada, UNLV, Washington and Fresno State, Brown, and Princeton (he's smart). That's 18, folks, and they aren't done yet.

Article

Tool alert!

2008-11-12T11:08:00.000-08:00

I was lucky enough to stumble on to this Coug fans deliciously condescending blog discussing a potential Boise State Mountain West invite. I strongly urge Bronco Nation to let "Adam" know exactly how many MWC teams Boise State has lost to. You've been called out kid. This oughtta whet your appetite:

I don't like the Boise State Broncos. I know a lot of BYU fans do, but I don't. I don't sympathize with them, I don't like them and I think they need to be humbled in a big way.

How dare you distract me from my Vandal-hating in this of all weeks!

Adam's Sports Blog

Thank you sir, may I have another...

2008-11-10T21:06:00.000-08:00

Boise State's crowded 2009 recruiting class may just get more crowded...and with another talented quarterback, no less. California quarterback Joe Southwick was the first verbal commit for the Broncos way back in May, and many thought that he was to be the only quarterback in the class...that is, until the coaching staff announced this summer that Nick Lomax would be transferring. The Broncos suddenly found themselves with very little depth at QB behind starter Kellen Moore and many suggested that the staff may go after one more signal caller. Enter Michael Tamburo, a Jared Zabransky clone out of Gwinnett High in Georgia who holds offers from a half dozen programs. Tamburo apparently visited the Boise this weekend and came away impressed...very impressed:

...(Tamburo) likes the turf, the school, the program, the city, the coaches … well, he likes just about everything that has to do with Boise State. In fact, the North Gwinnett senior quarterback likes the place so much he was on the verge of committing to the Broncos Monday night. Tamburo was wating to talk to the Bronco coaches before giving them his final commitment.

I guess as long as the coaches had their cell phones turned on tonight, we may well be seeing a new verbal in the morning.

``It’s where I want to be,’’ Tamburo said.

Did I say, "may be seeing a new verbal"...I meant, "will be seeing a new verbal". And that makes 17.

Not too shabby...

Story
Tamburo profile

Sweet 16th?

2008-11-09T21:38:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the best high school football recruits fly under the radar...this couldn't have been more true for new Boise State verbal commit Nicholas Alexander, who Scout.com listed as having no interest in Boise State. Alexander's lack of interest in the Broncos was either grossly exaggerated or the Blue really impressed the 6'5" 235 lb. Strongside DE upon his visit to yesterday's tilt against Utah State, because rivlas.com is reporting that he verballed to the Broncos today. Alexander, from Crenshaw High in LA, is currently rated as a two-star recruit by rivals.com and scout.com and had at least one held a scholarship offer from Washington State. Alexander's grandfather was an All-American at Minnesota and later an NFL Hall of Famer with the Minnesota Vikings. Bloodlines, baby.

Of course, verbals before letter of intent day in February are non-binding...but Alexander represents the 16th known commit of the 2009 class. SIXTEEN!

Boise State stocking up on local talent

2008-11-06T21:44:00.000-08:00

Boise State went back to the well that brought them the likes of Jarrell Root, Kyle Efaw and recent verbal Geraldo Hiwat and landed another verbal out of Capital High on Thursday. Bryant Thomas, a 6'2" 250 lb. offensive lineman has given Boise State the nod and will join the crowded '09 recruiting class that is currently up to 15 commits (all non-binding until February, so cross them fingers). Thomas certainly has the size to make an impact on the line, and sounds like he is more than a little excited to play on the blue:

“I put a lot of work in and finally get a chance to see it really pay off,” Thomas said. “I can’t wait to play for Coach Pete. I will be dedicated to his program on and off the field.”

Yer already off to a good start, Bryant.

Story

Bronco Nation Podcast 11-5-08

2008-11-06T19:59:00.000-08:00

Alex Guerrero swings by the podcast to help us lambast Hal Mumme, analyze the WAC and tell us about an excellent fundraising opportunity this Saturday. The usual suspects are there as well in the form of JT Ray (BNN), Buck Rogers (Statueleft), and me. Alex Guerrero is gonna play for the Burn this season...so listen in while you can because he's gonna be too busy for us small potato bloggers in short order.

The Bronco Nation Podcast - Yes We Can: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Know your enemy (for this week, anyway)

2008-11-06T08:34:00.000-08:00

If you look at the scoreboard upside down, we actually won.

Boise State gets the distinct pleasure of playing another Aggies team this weekend on the blue...the dreaded Utah State Aggies. The Broncos are coming off a cake walk win against New Mexico State, the Aggies are coming off a surprising win over Hawaii. Most fans, like me, know little about Utah State outside of ~~Johnelle~~ John L. Smith and his bifurcated tail. Needless to say, there is a lot to be learned about this week's foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes. For the mutual benefit of the Aggie faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about Utah State

10. Why is the New Mexico State Aggie a cowboy and the Utah State Aggie a ~~pig~~ ~~cow~~ bull? Well, an Aggie mascot generally denotes that the school is an agricultural institution. Utah State was established in Logan, Utah as the Agricultural College of Utah and didn't become Utah State University until 1957. The first athletics teams actually were known as "the Farmers". I personally think that "Soil Strikers" would've been much more fearsome a nickname.

9. Utah State University faculty played a key role in advising Iran on water, soils, and crop management. They also helped Ahmadinejad pick out his snappy jacket.

8. Utah State manufactures a college ice cream known as Aggie Ice Cream, which is sold in 26 flavors. The football team's favorite flavor: Rocky Road.

7. The Aggie football team's most celebrated alum is Merlin Olsen, a Hall of Fame defensive tackle with the Los Angeles Rams. Olsen was a 14 time Pro-Bowl selection and named to the NFL 75th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1994. You may also remember Olsen as playing Charles Ingalls' pal Jonathan Garvey on Little House on the Prairie and trying to guilt you into buying FTD flowers.

6. In 1909 the first senior class gift was an "A" placed on the west side of Old Main tower. The "A," now on all four sides of the tower, can be seen throughout the valley, especially at night when lit in white. For special occasions and athletic wins, the "A" shines blue. In other words, it only shines during basketball season.

5. Utah State plays their football games at Romney Stadium (capacity 25,313). The stadium is named after coach E.L. "Dick" Romney, the Aggie coach from 1918 to 1949. Romney (yes, those Romneys) has the most career wins in Aggie history (128), and as you might expect, the most career losses as well (91).

4. Prior to becoming Boise State's head coach in 1968, Tony Knap led the Aggies for 4 seasons, going 25-14. Knap was 71-19 at Boise State.

3. In 1919, Utah State defeated Idaho State 136-0 in Logan. Every October, Aggie alums mark the anniversary by driving to Pocatello and kicking it in the groin.

2. In 1989, for a tax write-off on the unsold inventory, Apple Computer Inc. buried about 2,700 unsold Apple Lisas in a guarded landfill in Logan. Wonder what they're gonna do with all those unsold Brent Guy bobbleheads?

1. Utah State has long-standing ties with NASA and conducts extensive aerospace research. Utah State is one of only six universities to participate in NASA's New Millenium program, and as such, conduct research on the Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS). I don't think I am overstating when I say that the Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer is the most important issue facing Americans today.

Ten things Aggie fans might not know about Boise State

10. Boise State 2009 wide receiver commit and Kellen Moore kid-brother, Kirby Moore, last week became the new national record holder for career touchdown catches. Kirby now has 85 career TD grabs, which broke the record set by ex-LSU wide receiver Abram Booty. If anything, this record will provide newspapers a rare chance to print the words "Moore Booty" in a headline without any legal ramifications.

9. Boise State alum James Cassan ('60) is the founder of Dollar Rent A Car, which has the most misleading name since the Radio Flyer.

8. Boise was once a key trading post for the Hudson Bay Trading Company. Back then, you could get two potatoes for a smallpox-infested blanket...darn inflation.

7. Boise State's only member of the College Football Hall of Fame is Randy Trautman. Boise State's next member of the College Football Hall of Fame is my 1 year old son (a dad can dream).

6. Sideline reporter for Boise State football's local telecasts, David Augusto, is only 12 inches tall. His appearance on the sidelines as a man of 5'5" is accomplished by the use of stilts and a forklift...and never letting him stand next to Larry Gebert, whose mustache would quickly envelop him.

5. LOST star Matthew Fox's brother Francis teaches sculpture at Boise State.

4. Boise State offers the nation's only masters of science in Raptor Biology. I thought about being a raptor biologist myself, but watching Jurassic Park turned me off that idea.

3. Boise State recently passed a campus-wide smoking ban that prohibits the practice indoors and out on all university-controlled property. Boise State's football team will likely face a hefty fine after smoking the Aggies on Saturday.

2. In the 1970s at the height of the streaking fad, a male streaker attempted to duck through the Boise State Student Union lobby and out a back door. Unfortunately for him, the door was locked and he was caught in the act by a surprised University President John Barnes.

1. During 2008 Spring Practices, 8 representatives of the American football club at Hosei University in Tokyo spent two weeks observing the Broncos' spring practices and meetings. The visitors may have been confused when they met Boise State wide receiver Toshi Franklin, Toshi means "town" in Japanese.

Well, there you have it...we now know a little bit more about the Aggies and they know a little more about us. Group hug.

Know your enemy (for this week, anyway)

2008-10-31T07:30:00.000-07:00

Trump called...he digs your hair

Boise State heads to Las Cruces on Saturday to take on Hal Mumme and his Air Raid offense. The Broncos are coming off a hard fought win over a legit San Jose State team, the Aggies are coming off a demoralizing loss to the Vandals. Most fans, like me, know little about New Mexico State outside of Polo Gutierrez and his foot-filled mouth. Needless to say, there is a lot to be learned about this week's foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes about Hal Mumme. For the mutual benefit of the Aggie faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about New Mexico State

10. NMSU coach Hal Mumme has developed a series of instructional DVDs on the intricacies of the "Air Raid" offense (you can get all 3 for only $109.99). According to Mumme, "the beauty of the Air Raid Offense is that players love to play this offense and fans flock to see it". I apologize to anyone that was mid-sip on their daily beverage. Order now!

9. Hal Mumme is in love with Hawaii. In 2006, he openly stated that Hawaii was the best team in the league (over eventual 13-0 Boise State), voted for June Jones as WAC coach of the year (though Chris Petersen won National Coach of the Year) and last year was the only coach to vote the Warriors number one in USA Today poll. Get a room, you two.

8. The founder and first president of New Mexico State University was Hiram Hadley. Hiram Hadley wished to see "3 principal items" accomplished in his lifetime: National Prohibition, Women's Suffrage and International Peace. Hadley died in 1922, and as such, lived to see two of those 3 items come to fruition. Item number 4, "Never hire Hal Mumme", which was scrawled on a lost piece of parchment, was sadly discovered far too late in 2006.

7. New Mexico State is home to the world's hottest chile pepper. In 2006, NMSU professor Paul Bosland discovered the Bhut Jolokia pepper, which measures at 1,001,304 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). For comparison, an average jalapeño pepper measure 10,000 SHU. Last year during the ESPN broadcast of the NMSU/UNR game, annoying sideline reporter extraordinaire Rob Stone decided to give it a little taste test.

6. New Mexico State has never lost a bowl game. Of course, they've only been to three, and none since 1960—but still, no one can away their 1960 Sun Bowl victory over Utah State, their 1959 Sun Bowl victory over North Texas or their 1936 tie with Hardin-Simmons in, you guessed it, the Sun Bowl.

5. The New Mexico State head coach with the best winning percentage was Arthur H. Badenoch, who won 86% of his games between the years of 1910 and 1913 (4 seasons). Badenoch also coached the NMSU basketball team during those years, but had less success—posting only 3 wins and 22 losses.

4. At the Whole Enchilada Fiesta in early October, the city of Las Cruces makes the world's largest enchilada. Afterwards, the city then takes the world's largest Alka Seltzer.

3. The outlaw Billy the Kid resided in Las Cruces for a portion of his short life, as did his killer, lawman Pat Garrett. Popular legend suggests that Garrett killed Billy the Kid by feeding him a portion of the world's largest enchilada and then lighting a match near his residence.

2. Well before the Air Raid sirens went off, New Mexico State actually had a run game. In 1998, running back Denvis Manns rushed for 1,469 yards...still an Aggie record. In fact, Manns was only the 3rd ever NCAA runningback to rush for at least 1,000 yards in four consecutive seasons. Despite Manns' offensive prowess, he never enjoyed a winning season as an Aggie...a feat that Chase Holbrook is sure to match.

1. In 1912, the Aggie football team defeated Fort Bliss, TX 116-0. Apparently, the football team at Fort Bliss were all 4-F.

Ten things Aggie fans might not know about Boise State

10. Hollywood director Michael Hoffman is a Boise State alum and was the school's first Rhodes Scholar. He won two Oscars for the film Restoration, but I think his finest work is the documentary film Out of the Blue, which is about Boise State's undefeated 2006 season...oops, I just spoiled the ending.

9. Cornerback Kyle Wilson's older brother Gerry, a Princeton grad, is the founder and CEO of Yoonew.com, the world's first futures exchange for event tickets. Basically you can guarantee yourself a ticket to the big game if your team makes it. Weird, a search of the term "Idaho Vandals" offers no results on the site.

8. In 1982 Jay Luo received his bachelors in mathematics from Boise State University. No biggie, right? Wrong...he was only 12 years old. When I was 12 I beat Super Mario Bros. 3. I think we all know who made the bigger accomplishment there, am I right?

7. The founder and CEO of Money Tree Payday Loans, Dennis Bassford, is a Boise State alum. Now you know who to punch for unleashing the Money Tree caterpillar upon the world*.

6. Astronaut and "Teacher in Space" Barbara Morgan holds an honorary doctorate from Boise State and is a Distinguished Educator in Residence. Morgan was Christa McAuliffe's backup on the ill-fated Challenger shuttle voyage. While in space, Morgan was able to see the great pyramids, the great wall of China, and the hole in the ozone caused by Hal Mumme's overuse of Aqua Net.

5. One of the most famous moments in NCAA tournament history happened in Boise State's basketball arena (formerly the Pavilion, now Taco Bell Arena) when UCLA's Tyus Edny drove the length of the floor in the closing seconds and nailed a layup to defeat Missouri in 1995. There was a memorable game in the WAC tournament in Las Cruces last year too, but I forget how that one ended.

4. Werner Hoeger, a Boise State professor of excercise physiology competed for his native Venezuela in the 2006 Torino Olympics in the luge event. Hoeger was the flag-bearer for Venezuela and, at 52, was the oldest individual competitor at the games. Hoeger, rather than gracing a Wheaties box, was featured on a box of Centrum Silver.

3. The city of Boise has the largest concentration of Basques outside of the Pyrenees mountains. As such, Boise also has a large concentration of unpronouncable last names.

2. Pokey Allen came to Boise State in 1993 and turned a 3-8 squad into a 13-2 squad playing in the 1-AA national championship. Pokey got sick with cancer soon after and missed almost all of the 1996 season, Boise State's first in Division 1-A. The Broncos were 2-10 that year and Pokey missed the first 10 games while undergoing treatment. He returned and coached the last two games of that year...his last win as Bronco head coach was in Las Cruces against the Aggies. Pokey died a little over a month later.

1. Boise State has been shutout only twice in football, the last coming against Washington State in 1997. Boise State registered two shutouts over their opponents just last year. 20 of Boise State's 24 opponent shutouts since 1968 have occurred at home. Their most lopsided win ever? The first ever game on the blue turf: a 74-0 win over Humboldt State which answered once and for all the question, "can Hippies play football?"

Well, now we know a bit more about each other. Enough fraternizing...let's get ready to RRRUMMBLE!**

* FFBSU does not condone violence...well maybe a little.
** No, Michael Buffer, I don't owe you a cent.

Bronco Nation Podcast 10-29-08

2008-10-30T08:25:00.000-07:00

I think it goes without saying that J Bates is the only local sports personality with a personality...so we grabbed him for last night's podcast and let the fur fly. I did my best JT impersonation this week and hosted the show while the real JT nursed a sore throat and Buck, J, and I hashed out the WAC week in review, the San José State game, Hal Mumme's overwhelming Mumme-ness, and whether or not Austin Pettis is actually human. Listen up.

The Bronco Nation Podcast - Marco Polo [36:22m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Fightin' words

2008-10-28T12:37:00.000-07:00

"The world's most dangerous marching band"

This week's opponent, the New Mexico State Aggies, have a rich tradition of losing, Bill Gates rich. Seriously, they haven't been to a bowl game since JFK was in office. But why do the Aggies struggle so mightily on the field? Well, I put all of FFBSU's resources into analyzing the Aggies' dire situation and, in a "Eureka moment", found the culprit of their futility: the fight song. Let's break down the lyrics of their depressing anthem and see if we can get to the heart of the problem, shall we?

Aggies, Oh Aggies

Try to recite this first line without having Barry Manilow's Mandy popping into your head.

The hills send back the cry

That's called an echo...not the first thing you want to hear in a football stadium.

We're here to do or die

Those are the only two options? Must've been a lot of fatalities after losing to Idaho on Saturday.

Aggies, Oh Aggies

...you came and you gave without takin'...

We'll win this game or know the reason why

The reason why? Hal Mumme is our coach.

And when we win this game

I think the word you're looking for is "if".

We'll buy a keg of booze

Can we see your collective IDs?

And we'll drink to the Aggies

Just don't take a shot every time Hal Mumme wipes his nose on camera...very bad for the liver.

Till we wobble in our shoes

Friends don't let friends party in Las Cruces.

A-G-G-I-E-S

This part is a public service benefitting the adult literacy program.

Aggies, Aggies, go Aggies

Aggies aggies aggies...

Aggies, Oh Aggies

...well you kissed me and stopped me from shakin'...

The hills send back the cry

The hills were angry that day, like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli...

We're here to do or die

The latter, if you don't mind.

Aggies, Oh Aggies

...but I sent you away, Oh Aggies...

We'll win this game or know the reason why!

Yeah!

Why, I haven't seen such an inspiring ditty since Ronnie James Dio's Holy Diver. Fix this, Aggies, and your troubles may be behind you. You may want to give recruiting, coaching, facilities, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator, uniforms, and conference a close look also.

Sporting News likes my blog, as do I

2008-10-27T12:26:00.000-07:00

Blue Hairs may need to click on this for a larger view

BC.com poster Mindcrime brought this to my attention this morning: a)the Sporting News has a free digital paper b)they mentioned FFBSU on page 33 of today's edition. Too bad they didn't inform me first or I coulda set them straight on who's baby the podcast really is, but I certainly appreciate the love. Thanks for caring Sporting News, and thanks for posting the first Boise State blog that google returned.

Some other great Bronco blogs:
OBNUG
Bronco Nation N.O.W.
Statueleft

Newbs:
Orange and Blue Circus
The Blue Turf

Going, going...

2008-10-27T11:54:00.000-07:00

Titus, we hardly knew ye...

Titus Young is gone-zo (for the remainder of the year at least). This coming from Chris Petersen's mouth this afternoon as he has upgraded Young's "3 game" suspension to an indefinite one. As usual, we have little details about Young's misdeeds, and we know that no rules were broken during his suspension, but Coach Pete says that TY and the team "need time apart" and that they'd "look at things down the road". Young has been in the doghouse for much of this season...a stark contrast from last year's "golly gee" demeanor as a true frosh. We certainly can't speculate on the reasoning behind Young's uber-suspension (although we've heard rumors)...but it's hard to imagine that the team won't miss his speed and elusiveness. Not so sure they'll miss his ball security, however. We selfishly hope that we'll see TY on the blue again next season, but I don't think anyone can take that for granted. I guess the bottom line is that Titus could outrun defenders all day long on the field, but couldn't outrun the long arm of the coaching staff off of it.

"Full" STORY

Lucky number seven

2008-10-24T22:26:00.000-07:00

Can I go back to Cal?

San Jose State was game, but the Broncos defense was stellar once again and the offense found a 165 lb. spark in Jeremy Avery and the Broncos ran their record to 7-0. The Spartans offense looked flustered all night long, but the Spartan defense kept things tight for most of the night with a pick-six, endzone fumble recovery and some very solid play from their D-line. With a 33-16 final, the Spartans scored the most points against the Bronco defense since the September 20th game at Autzen, but really can only be held to account for 10 of those points. I will give a lot of respect to the Spartans...they play hard and that defense is for real...if they can find an offense they may be very good. As it stands, however, the Broncos were the better team tonight and will probably not face a stiff test for weeks.

Quick Hits

Austin Pettis has some sticky hands
Jeron Johnson is a stud, but needs to dial it down a notch at times...personal fouls hurt.
Jeremy Avery is one slick dude and tough, too.
Dick Tomey needs some ginseng.
Kyle Efaw should've had a TD.

Know your enemy (for this week, anyway)

2008-10-23T09:31:00.000-07:00

Don't get used to this

Boise State heads to bizarro world tomorrow night when they tussle with "first place" WAC team San José State (political correctness dictates that I must put that little swash above the 'e'). The Broncos are coming off a defense-led beatdown of Hawaii and the Spartans are coming off a defense-led beatdown of New Mexico State. Most fans, like me, know little about San José State outside of Jeff Garcia and some recent inexplicably-close games there. Needless to say, there is a lot to be learned about this week's foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes. For the mutual benefit of the Spartan faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about San José State

10. San José State University, founded in 1862, is the oldest public university in the state of California. Dick Tomey didn't come around until 1874.

9. Since 1982, San José State's English Department has sponsored the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest which rewards participants for penning the worst opening sentence to a fictional novel. The contest is named after Edward George Bulwer-Lytton, an English novelist who penned the famous intro "It was a dark and stormy night..." Rewarding intentional mediocrity...hmmm...sounds like an idea the University of Idaho could really get behind.

8. Krazy George Henderson (this guy) is a San José State alum and resident cheerleader. He is credited with inventing the audience wave. For this, Krazy George was recently inducted in my Guys who invented annoying things Hall of Fame, where he will be enshrined next to the inventors of the Macarena, the pan flute, and Richard Simmons.

7. The song Do You Know the Way to San José earned Dionne Warwick a Grammy award and was a top 10 hit in 1968. The follow-up single Do You Know the Way to Rancho Cucamonga was less well received.

6. San José State football has an all-time winning percentage of around 50%. They have won 16 conference championships since 1932, but have not won a title since 1991. The San José State Judo team, on the other hand has won 42 of 46 national championships in the sport.

5. San José State's one undefeated season in football came in 1939 under coach "Dud" DeGroot. They went 13-0 and recorded 8 shutouts. DeGroot was apparently quite a guy, he is the winningest coach in the history of the Washington Redskins franchise, won a Rugby gold medal in the 1924 Olympics, was Stanford's first All-American, held a doctorate, and was once one of the foremost ornithologists (he studied birds) and oologists (and their eggs) in the world. Though not documented, I think he also possessed heat vision and could recite pi to it's 1400th decimal.

4. Former Spartan football player Neil Parry suffered a compound fracture in a 2000 game against UTEP and had to have his right leg amputated below the knee. 3 years later, he returned to the field as a special teams player against Nevada. It is safe to say, no matter who or where you are: Neil Parry is tougher than you.

3. Former head football coach Fitz Hill, who had a very Tom Cable-y 14-33 record at the SJSU is now the president of Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock, Arkansas. This appears to be in compliance with SJSU's restraining order stipulating that he stay at least 1000 miles away from the football program at all times.

2. Current Spartan head coach Dick Tomey is vice president of the American Football Coaches Association. He is expected to move to president in 2009, but only if he can hold off fresh-faced challenger Barack Obama.

1. Tampa Bay QB Jeff Garcia spent his collegiate career at San José State. He is the second most successful ginger kid in NCAA history behind Jared Zabransky.

Ten things San José State fans might not know about Boise State (re-runs this week for close blog followers)

10. Boise State has been in existence since 1932, when it was founded by the Episcopal Church as Boise Junior College. In 1968, it achieved 4 year status and was changed to Boise College, then in 1969 changed again to Boise State College and finally became Boise State University in 1974.

9. The father of Boise State football is Lyle H. Smith. Smith coached Boise State football from 1947 to 1967, going 153-25-6 in that span. Under Smith, Boise State football went undefeated 5 times and won a national championship. Smith chose his own replacement, Tony Knap, in 1968 and served as the Athletic Director until 1981. Knap was pretty good too...he went 71-19 in his eight years with the Broncos.

8. Many think that Boise State ripped off their colors and mascot from the Denver Broncos...well it may be the other way around. Boise State's mascot and colors were picked in 1932 by student Owen Sproat and others after a basketball game. As Sproat put it:

“most of the guys rode horses — it was pretty much cattle country in those days.”

The johnny-come-lately Denver Broncos didn't come on the scene until 1960.

7. Since 1973, Boise State has won 13 conference championships including 5 straight WAC titles from 2002 to 2006. Prior to 1968, they competed in the JC ranks, and as stated before...were a dominant force at 153-25-6 and winning the JC national championship in 1958. Boise State won the 1-AA national championship in 1980 by defeating Eastern Kentucky and played in the championship again in 1994, but lost to a Jim Tressel-led Youngstown State.

6. Boise State joined the 1-A ranks in 1996...since that time, they have finished the season ranked 4 times (peaking at #5 in 2006) and won 7 conference championships.

5. Bronco Stadium's Lyle Smith Field is the nation's only non-green playing surface. "The Blue" or the "Smurf Turf" as it is affectionately known was first installed in 1986 and is currently in its 4th iteration. Contrary to popular belief...geese do not break their necks after mistaking it for a white lined lake. Jimmy Hoffa is also NOT buried under the field (as far as we know)

4. The Broncos are 62-2 at Bronco Stadium since 1999. Their last regular season loss on the blue was to Washington State in 2001.

3. Boise State currently has 11 players active on NFL rosters. Ryan Clady is the highest ever draft pick from Boise State. He was picked 12th overall in this years draft.

2. Boise State's current QB, redshirt frosh Kellen Moore, owns pretty much every high school football record in the state of Washington. Moore had 787 completions, 173 touchdowns, and over over 11,000 yards passing at Prosser High School. As a junior, he was named the Washington player of the year over Jake Locker, the current QB at UW. He emits awesomeness from every pore.

1. Chris Petersen won the Bear Bryant Coach of the Year award in 2006. In 2007, Mark Mangino of Kansas ~~ate~~ won the award.

Well, there you go...now we know a little about each other. Feel better?

Bronco Nation Podcast 10-21-08

2008-10-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

The boys are back in town...and they brought their opinions with them. Buck from Statueleft, JT from BNN and I pondered our own existence and rumored existence of a Bronco "run game". We also let out our emotions over the stellar Bronco defense, the long overdue vengeance on Hawaii, the WAC players of the week and whether there will be more spooky goings-on in San Jose. Cherish it.

The Bronco Nation Podcast - Do I Dare Say Overrated?: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Spartan media has as much faith in their team as I do.

2008-10-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry Dick, "close" only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades.

Among all the hand-wringing and backhanded praise for the Spartans going on this week, I actually found a couple of level-headed takes on the game...but from an unusual source...the San Jose State student newspaper's blog. What was apparently supposed to be a spirited point/counterpoint quickly devolved into the dramatic realization that the Spartans aren't playing a patsy this weekend, and thusly, will lose.

Last week, Boise State’s defense dominated Hawaii. They forced Hawaii’s quarterback Inoke Funaki into five interceptions. Funaki is very comparable to Kyle Reed who threw three interceptions against a soft New Mexico State defense. That spells trouble for the Spartans offense...

It also spells L-O-S-S. According to John Hornberg (who also picked the Spartans to lose), the Spartans held a "top notch" New Mexico State offense to only 14 points last week. Fun fact: Boise State held the same "top notch" NMSU offense to zero points last year, and that wasn't our "good" D. Bottom line: Boise State can and will score more than 14 pts. on the Spartans...and that's all they need to do. The Spartans anemic offense will not score more than 10 points on the Broncos—mark it down...use a permanent marker. Besides the erroneous classification of NMSU's offense as "top notch"...the San Jose guys got it right...the Spartans will lose this weekend and it probably won't even be as close that they think.

Boise State 23, SJSU 6

San Jose Daily Sports

Pass to the Dutchie....

2008-10-20T20:43:00.000-07:00

Boise State's burgeoning Dutch connection has paid off again as Capital High wide receiver Geraldo Hiwat has verbally committed to play for the Broncos. Hiwat is a 6'3" wide receiver from Amsterdam who has only played in 5 games in the states...but the Broncos liked what they saw in Hiwat's 26 receptions for 297 yards and four TDs as well as a slew of rushing and special teams yardage. Capital coach Todd Simis raved about the lanky import:

“From my opinion, on talent, in the future he’s going to be in a league of his own,” Simis said. “He’s only really played five American football games. I just think the upside is tremendous.”

No word yet on whether international rules dictate that Hiwat must be passed to on the left hand side only.

Hiwat is the 14th known verbal commit for the Broncos 2009 class. Booyah!

Full Story

You got Chang-ed!

2008-10-18T10:26:00.000-07:00

Photo by Chris Butler/Idaho Statesman

Benefitting from a truly Timmy Chang-like performance from Inoke Funaki...the Broncos rolled to an easy win on the blue last night and avenged last season's loss that stripped them of the WAC title. The Broncos overcame a slow start by the offense in the first half and two fumbles that allowed the Warriors pull within 3 at halftime...the Bronco defense, as it has all season, took the team on their backs, sacking Funaki 7 times and intercepting 5 passes. Sophomore Brandyn Thompson had 3 of those INTs, none of which were "gimmes"...truly an outstanding effort by Thompson. The Broncos held the Warriors to only 7 points in the game, the 5th time this season they have accomplished that feat. Kellen Moore was 25 of 33 on the night (75%) for 256 yards and 3 TDs, with no INTs.

The Broncos now look to keep their undefeated season alive when they head to San Jose next week, a place where the Broncos have never lost, but have come darn close several times. The Spartans look to have a good squad this year and lead the WAC in defense (not scoring defense, though) and will provide a good test...no reason to think their offense can score more than 7 points though, right? More on that next week.

Know your enemy (for this week, anyway)

2008-10-14T14:09:00.000-07:00

What's wrong with this picture?

Boise State kicks their WAC season into high gear tomorrow night as they take on the defending *ack* WAC champion Hawaii Warriors on the blue. The Broncos are coming off an impressive defensive performance in Hattiesburg while the Warriors took care of Louisiana Tech. Most fans, like me, know little about Hawaii outside of mutual June Jones hatred. Needless to say, there is a lot to be learned about this week's foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes. For the mutual benefit of the Warrior faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about Hawaii

10. In 1923, after defeating Oregon State on Moiliili Field, a rainbow appeared, causing local reporters to start calling the UH football team the "Rainbows". The Warriors dropped the "Rainbow" from their name and logos in 2001 (only 23 years after it became a symbol of the gay pride movement...way to get right on that)

9. The John A. Burns school of medicine, the Medical School of the University of Hawaii, is ranked 12th in the nation for geriatrics. Could this be why Greg McMackin always looks so happy?

8. The University of Hawaii won the 2004 Intercollegiate Sailing Association National Championship. I'm told the championship trophy resides in a case titled: "Championship trophies that no one knew existed"

7. Hawaii's State motto is: Ua Mau ke Ea o ka ʻĀina i ka Pono. Boy, you can say that again.

6. Graduated star wideout Davone Bess was recruited by June Jones' henchmen while serving a 15 month sentence at a juvenile facility. Why June Jones had recruiters at prison-sponsored flag football games is obvious to anyone who's ever watched The Longest Yard.

5. Current UH coach, Greg McMackin authored a book, titled Coaching the Defensive Backfield that is currently in its 7th printing. If you like that, you may also want to check out June Jones' memoir, The Gentlemen's Guide to Mustaches, Leis, and Prison Recruiting

4. In 1926, Hawaii coach Otto Klum's squad scored 101 points twice against opponents "Field Artillery" and "Heilani AC". Interestingly, 101 points is what June Jones' 2007 squad would've scored on San Jose State, had field conditions not been so poor.

3. Singer/Actress Bette Midler attended the University of Hawaii. It is widely believed that Timmy Chang is the wind beneath her wings.

2. Hawaii has won 3 WAC conference titles in their 29 years in the league. Boise State has two more than that in 7 years...so...well...yeah, just suck on that.

1. Runningback Thomas Kaulukukui's number 32 is the only number to date that has been retired by the UH football program. Kaulukukui was only 5'4" and weighed a whopping 145 lbs.

Ten things Warrior fans might not know about the Broncos

10. Boise State sophomore wideout Austin Pettis is the nephew of former major league baseball player Gary Pettis. Gary Pettis still holds the record for most stolen bases in the Angels organization (186)...Austin holds the Boise State record for stealing the most corner fade routes from defensive backs (all of them).

9. NHL Legend Bobby Hull's son Bart played running back for Boise State in the early 90s. Bart's brother Brett is a future NHL Hall of Famer and is 3rd all-time in the league in goals scored. I guess this makes Bart the least successful member of the Hull family.

8. Boise State University's motto is: Splendor Sine Occasu, which I believe is Latin for "place of very few parking spaces"

7. Boise was once a key trading post for the Hudson Bay Trading Company. Now Boise is a known mainly as a key trading post for Starbucks coffee and JoAnn Fabrics.

6. Coach Chris Petersen was the 2006 Bear Bryant National Coach of the Year, but lost the WAC Coach of the Year title to Hawaii's June Jones. We demand reparations!

5. Dee Pickett (father of NFL and CFL QB Cody Pickett) was the Broncos quarterback in 1976-77. Pickett was a prolific player for the Broncos, but left the sport to pursue rodeo "fame" and fortune in 1977. Pickett was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2003, which, I believe entitles him to some sort of huge belt buckle.

4. Boise State freshman QB Kellen Moore set state records for career completions (787), career touchdown passes (173), completions in a season (317), passing yards in a season (4,600) and touchdown passes in a season (67) at Prosser High, in Washington, but he never won state. Timmy Chang knows how you feel, Kellen.

3. Boise State freshman walk-on runningback Carlo Audagnotti, probably had the longest trip to the blue of any current player...he's from Johannesburg, South Africa.

2. Backup QB Bush Hamdan was born in Kuwait and his birth name is Bashar...his brother, Gibran is a backup QB for the Buffalo Bills. "Bash" is a cooler name then "Blaze", isn't it?

1. Boise State hasn't lost a WAC game at home...ever. You hear that Hawaii? EVER.

A win's a win...

2008-10-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

...and a Winn's a Winn

So we learned something valuable on Saturday night: Boise State's offense can play 1 quarter and still win. After treating us to 3 of the most boring quarters of football imaginable, Boise State exited Hattiesburg, MS still undefeated, but Coach Pete was none-too-happy about the effort. Thankfully, the defense continued their domination—holding Southern Miss well below their usual output and shutting them out on 4th down attempts and redzone scoring for all but one ill-fated series. Kyle Wilson owned 5-star freshman WR DeAndre Brown and the Billy Winn and company made the absence of Sean Bingham and Joe Bozikovich scarcely noticeable. A seismic shift has happened this year, however, as I find myself getting much more excited to watch our Defense perform than our Offense. Guess I just don't find holding penalties, fumbled snaps and 2 yard rushing losses all that exciting anymore.

Now, what exactly is the issue with the offense? Hard to say. They did look nigh unstoppable in the second quarter and they truly look, at times, like they could drop 24 in every quarter..but our old pal inconsistency reared his ugly head. Kellen Moore had a so-so outing, throwing for 3 TDs, but also tossing an INT and mishandling a few snaps. The run game looked better...sparked by some nice runs by IJ, Doug Martin and Jeremy Avery. Avery looked the most explosive in the run game, moving the chains well at times and hitting the holes hard, one 77-yarder by Avery was called back by *gasp* a penalty. Jeremy Childs and Austin Pettis had stellar games and truly, two of Kellen's TD passes where "all them". Despite all the good things in the game...it still felt kinda "icky"—5 games in and 5 and 0...but this team seems so far from their potential...maybe that, in itself is a good thing.

The defense is clicking in a big way and the defending WAC champs (sorry, just threw up a little) Hawaii are heading to the blue for a Friday night tussle. You better believe that Coach Pete is gonna work these guys hard this week and no Bronco will lack motivation when the Warriors come in with our hardware. This team may really be scary when every cog falls into place. One such cog, Titus Young, will not be falling in anywhere for a few games, by the way.

LINKS

OBNUG takes you to the Southern Miss/BSU no spin zone.

Statueleft compares Bronco fans to small poultry.

Can you deal with this?

2008-10-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

Well guess what? Now this is happening...

The way I see it, Boise State can easily win in Hattiesburg on Saturday by doing just one thing: limiting big plays from Damion Fletcher. We all know that Damion Fletcher is one heck of a back, and despite being outplayed last year by Ian Johnson, will be a force at the Rock on Saturday. Last season, with a much more schizophrenic defense, the Broncos were able to contain Fletcher and hold him to minimal yardage (84 yards)...this year, with a physical defense that has risen to every challenge—I see Fletcher once again being held in check.

Now, I strongly suspect that Ian Johnson and crew will not "upstage" Fletcher again, but limiting Fletcher's effectiveness and not giving up "home run" types of plays is quite simply the key to this weekend's matchup. Lest you forget, the Golden Eagles are also starting a freshman QB, Austin Davis...who is playing admirably, but so far not close to the level he will need to play against the Broncos if the run element is stripped from the USM playbook. Davis is completing 60.1% of his passes and has thrown 9 TDs and 5 INTs...with a strong pass rush by the Bronco DEs I see his TD/INT ratio becoming much more balanced. The Bronco pass defense will have their hands full with DeAndre Brown, but I don't see Davis reeling off many to the mammoth wideout as pressure will be coming all night long. The Bronco defense, though missing Joe Bozikovich and Sean Bingham will just need to play within their zones and keep Fletcher out of the secondary and the game should go the Broncos' way.

On offense, the Broncos should be able to do as they please, quite frankly. The Golden Eagles are lacking a sufficient pass rush and the Bronco O-line has been remarkable with pass blocking. Honestly, Kellen Moore does not need as much time in the pocket as he will be given on Saturday...giving him more time to find Childs, Young, Pettis or Perretta (not to mention Efaw, Brockel, Gallarda, or Hawkins) could be absolutely disastrous for a Southern Miss team that is struggling with pass defense to begin with. USM's home field advantage will allow them to come up with some scoring opportunities, but I suspect, far less than the Broncos will receive. Whether or not the Bronco rushing attack takes off or not (USM hasn't been stellar against the run, either), look for the Broncos to score early and often. I see the runningback committee being utilized in the passing attack a lot this weekend as Southern Miss tends to overpursue with their ends allowing the runningbacks to find space in the flats.

It will be interesting to see what the Bronco coaches have planned for Doug "Doug Mad" Martin, as they have hinted that he will take an unconventional role in the offense on Saturday. Richie Brockel hinted that Martin may be utilized in more of a fullback role as Brockel slides into Chris O'neill's vacant spot. Martin, who is an excellent blocker, can provide lead blocking or simply carry the ball himself. We're giddy thinking about it. Martin will also be heavily utilized on special teams and we may see him return some kicks (with any luck).

The Golden Eagles are certainly no team to take lightly...but it seems the Broncos maintain their focus as good or better than any team in the country and I don't see Southern Miss simply has not encountered an offense of the caliber the Broncos are fielding. The scary part for both sides may be the fact that the Broncos haven't really fired on all cylinders, offensively speaking, for an entire game yet. A few 3-and-out offensive series by the Broncos will be the only thing to keep this one close, in my opinion...if they've ironed out the wrinkles, however...it's curtains for Southern Miss.

Boise State 42, Southern Miss 17

Last year's game highlight:

Know your enemy (for this week, anyway)

2008-10-08T11:38:00.000-07:00

Coincidence?

Boise State will wrap up their non-conference schedule this Saturday when they head to Hattiesburg, Mississsippi to take on the Southern Miss Golden Eagles. The Broncos are coming off an impressive 38-3 win at Bronco Stadium against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs while the Golden Eagles are reeling from two straight home losses (Marshall and UTEP). Most fans, like me, know little about Southern Miss outside of Brett Favre. Needless to say, there is a lot to be learned about this week's foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes. For the mutual benefit of the Golden Eagle faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about Southern Miss

10. Southern Miss' first mascot was the Tiger, but they were also called the "Normalites" since the University of Southern Mississippi was originally called Mississippi Normal College. Three things to look out for in a cave: Stalagtites, Stalagmites and Normalites (they bite).

9. The current Southern Miss mascot's name is Seymour d'Campus. He was preceded by Seymour d'Freshmanquadresidencehalls.

8. Singer/Songwriter Jimmy Buffett is a USM alum. Some say his lost shaker of salt is in the Student Union lost and found.

7. The Golden Eagles play their home football games at M.M. Roberts stadium (capacity 36,000) which is nicknamed "the Rock". Sadly, the Rock, who played football at Miami...never got to play at the Rock.

6. Southern Miss has been playing football since 1912 and have an all-time winning percentage of 58%. They have been nationally ranked 3 times in their history and have won 10 conference championships along with national championships in 1958 and 1962. Their coach during their national championship years? A hall of famer named "pie"

5. USM's early Student Handbooks (and current alumni publication) were known as The Drawl. Southern stereotypes be damned!

4. Some claim that Hattiesburg, Mississippi is the birthplace of rock and roll since 1936 recordings in Hattiesburg by Blind Roosevelt Graves and his Mississippi Jook Band "featured fully formed rock & roll guitar riffs and a stomping rock & roll beat". The "rock band" consisted of a guitar, piano, tamborine and kazoo—that must've been some crazy moshpit.

3. 7 Southern Miss alums currently play in the NFL, most notably Brett Favre of the New York Jets. Least notably? Chris White, who plays Center for the Houston Texans.

2. Southern Miss runningback Damion Fletcher won the Conerly trophy in 2007. The Conerly trophy is "awarded to the best college football player in the state of Mississippi"—Wow...with criteria like that how could he lose?

1. Southern Miss is a combined 5-0 against the Mobile (AL) Shipbuilders, the Parris Island (SC) Marines, the Seashore (MS) Campground, and the Hattiesburg (MS) Boy Scouts. Rumor has it that they played a band of hobos sometime in the 1920s as well, but no records were kept.

Ten things Southern Miss fans might not know about Boise State

10. Boise State has an all-time win percentage hovering right around 70%. They have won 13 conference titles and 2 national championships (JC and 1-AA) and are the only non-BCS team to have been ranked in either national poll, at least at some point, over the last 7 seasons. The entire 2006 squad was encased in carbonite and are housed in Boise State's Allen Noble Hall of Fame.

9. Boise State's famous Blue turf was first installed in 1986. This was the biggest thing to happen in 1986, until Police Academy 3 came out.

8. To this date, the only number that the Broncos have retired is #12. It was worn by quarterback Jim McMillan, an NFL draftee and record holder for most touchdowns in a single game (6, against Montana in 1974). I wasn't alive when McMillan was assaulting Big Sky defenses, but I imagine he had a mustache.

7. Annually, Boise State generates $330 million in economic impact on the state in jobs, earnings and sales. Oh...and lots of useless Boise State merchandise.

6. Boise State University started out as Boise Junior College in 1932. Prior to becoming BJC, it was a school for girls called St. Margaret's. No "school for girls" jokes will be tolerated.

5. The Bronco mascot was chosen during BJC’s first year because students wanted something that reflected Boise’s western location, and because so many wild horses roamed the nearby Owyhee Canyonlands. Horses are known to stomp eagles to death on the range...particularly those of the golden variety...I think.

4. Boise State star runningback Ian Johnson (pay no attention to this year's stats) once ran a small business knitting beanies for anyone who wanted them. The NCAA shut down his semi-lucrative business after an ESPN story about his "hobby" hit the airwaves.

3. Lyle Smith, whom Boise State's field is named after coached the Broncos football team for 20 years and compiled a record of 156-26-8 (82%). Smith won a national championship in 1958 (a good year all around, apparently) and went undefeated 5 times. Take that, "Pie"!

2. It is illegal to fish with a beaver in Boise, Idaho. Thankfully, it is also illegal to point out obvious childish innuendo.

1. Boise State's Freshman phenom, Kellen Moore, is currently 6th in the nation in pass efficiency and 1st in the nation in awesomeness. You can't make that stuff up, folks.

Vandals turning on themselves

2008-10-08T10:37:00.001-07:00

This scathing editorial cartoon appeared in the latest issue of U of I's Argonaut. Hey...that's Argo-naut very nice! yet completely accurate.

Zing!

Bronco Nation Podcast 10-7-08

2008-10-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

The Bronco Nation Podcast just got much Bart Hendricks-ier. Bart joined JT Ray of Bronco Nation N.O.W. and I and we discussed the only ray of hope and goodness in this world amid the turmoil and despair: Bronco football. Bart answers whether or not Kellen Moore is better than he was as a frosh, we rehash the La Tech game, praise the Bronco D and give our predictions for the WAC-ky weekend ahead. Start the podcast playing...then minimize the windown and do your spreadsheets...the boss will never know!

The Bronco Nation Podcast - Its Actually KBOI [47:46m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Clady pays for lion's share of ex-teammates' funeral

2008-10-07T09:09:00.000-07:00

Every now and again, a story comes along that is at once sad and inspiring. One such story that has come out in the last few days was of the untimely death of Ernest Jones of Salina, CA. Jones and his roommate, Taryn Dechant, were found gunned down in their apartment on September 26th in an apparent double homicide. This horribly sad news, however, struck a decidedly more inspiring tone when Jones' former teammates at Eisenhower High ponied up over $11,000 for his funeral. According to Eisenhower coach Mike Clark, the lion's share of the money was given by ex-Boise State Bronco and current Denver Bronco, Ryan Clady. It seems that tragedy often brings out the best in people and I found the story of ex-players honoring a fallen teammate to be quite inspiring. We all knew that Clady's wish was to take care of his family first and foremost when NFL riches seemed inevitable—it is certainly great to hear that Clady is using his fame and fortune to take care of others in a world where so many only think of themselves.

Full story HERE.

Swamped!

2008-10-03T08:22:00.000-07:00

Is this the "Boston Crab" or the "Sharp Shooter"?

The preceding headline not only describes the Wednesday night beating that the Broncos delivered on ESPN, but also the reason that I did not post on the game yesterday...just swamped.

Kellen Moore is mortal...he threw an ugly pick on the opening series midway through what looked to be a long scoring drive. Whether Kellen misread the play or his receiver was in the wrong place...it was ugly. In typical fashion, however, Kellen was unfazed on the next drive and led the Broncos on a 80+ yard scoring march. Truthfully, Kellen didn't really make another error in the game finishing 20 of 28 for 325 yards and 2 TDs. If you want a tiny bit of perspective on the freshman signal caller, consider this: through 4 games last season, 5th year senior Taylor Tharp (who had a very solid year) had 5 TDs and 4 INTs and had completed 63% of his passes for 958 yards. The kid, Kellen Moore, through 4 games this year has 7 TDs and 2 INTs, while completing 72% of his passes for 1165 yards. Mull that over for a while...and savor the flavor.

The running game is going nowhere...but fast! The run game really never took off on Wednesday, but it didn't get much of a chance...IJ and DJ only ran the ball 9 times apiece. Harper scored two rushing TDs (both in the redzone) and Titus Young scored on a 15-yard scamper. The ballgame was really put out of reach for the Bulldogs, however, when Kellen Moore decided to use our largely ineffective running backs as receivers. Now, I don't know if this was a direct reaction to Louisiana Tech's defensive adjustments or if Kellen Moore decided to improvise—either way—it blew the game open and notched Ian Johnson a ridiculous 106 receiving yards on only 3 receptions.

The trickeration made a special guest appearance on Wednesday under ESPN's bright lights as Chris O'neill scored on a 44 yard pass from Kellen Moore, Vinny Perretta and Kellen Moore. Personally, I would've preferred to see a couple of more laterals on that play...something along the lines of: pitch to Perretta who hands off to Titus Young on a reverse...Young then flips the ball over his shoulder to Kellen Moore (who was lying prone on the field, feigning a twisted ankle)...Moore then gives the ball to Ian Johnson, who punts the ball to Perretta...back to Moore...THEN to O'Neill. These guys just don't "get" real theatrics.

Once again, the "D" was solid...allowing La Tech to flirt with the endzone, but never score. A few blemishes on the night for the D (big plays)...but they didn't break and, unlike last year, didn't allow big plays to kill them or their momentum. The defense and butterfingers allowed Bulldog QB Taylor Bennett to only complete 33% of his passes. If the defense continues their stellar play, the offense will have time to find their rhythm (they stalled on several drives) and learn to run-block (how can Kellen have 3 minutes to throw, but Ian has to try to squeeze through a 6-inch hole?)

38-3 ain't half bad. Kansas "only" beat La Tech by 29.

Another excruciating half bye week lies ahead and then on to Hattiesburg to play the Golden Eagles of Southern Miss.

Want highlights?

A much timelier review of the action over at Statueleft's blog.

Kevan divvies up game balls.

Photo by Greg Kreller/IPT

Boise State-37, La Tech-13

2008-10-01T14:19:00.000-07:00

Mark it down. Now underline it. Now pin it on the fridge. Kellen Moore and company are going to light up the Bulldogs like a Christmas tree in just a few short hours. If I weren't heading down to Bronco Stadium in short order, I would give you more details. Suffice it to say, the Broncos are going to smack Dooley's dogs in the mouth and take advantage of the Bulldogs weak pass defense in a very large way.

IJ gets his hundy. Moore gets his trés (in 3.5 quarters). Jeron Johnson meets Taylor Bennett...and people will hear it in the parking lot.

How's that for concise?!

Al Davis now certifiably insane...

2008-09-30T21:19:00.000-07:00

The Oakland Raiders love to lose. How else can you explain their bizarre draft picks, their complete feebleness on the field and their pitiful string of hires (Jon Gruden notwithstanding)? The Al Davis Experience took another painful U-turn today...replacing youngster Lane Kiffin with...ready...Tom Cable! They say when life shuts one door it opens a window...well get ready to open the windows, Raider fans because it's going to start to stink. Learning nothing from history or the utter failures of other Vandal head coaches (Scott Linehan?), Al Davis saw fit to turn the reins of a once storied program over to the guy that was too inept even for the Vandals. If I didn't grow up a Raiders fan, I would be positively gleeful.

Maybe I'm overreacting a touch...I mean, Cable did win 11 games for the Vandals which is about 11 times more wins than Robb Akey can muster. Nope...Al Davis needs a straight jacket over that jogging suit.

Raiders 'need' Cable [SFGate]

Know your enemy (for this week, anyway)

2008-09-29T10:03:00.000-07:00

"Go OUIALST!"

Boise State will open up their WAC schedule this Wednesday when the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs come to town. The Broncos are coming off a HUGE win at Autzen Stadium against the Oregon Ducks while the Bulldogs took care of business against Southeast Louisiana in their last contest. Most fans, like me, know little about Louisiana Tech and lil ole Ruston, LA. Needless to say, there is a lot to be learned about this week's foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes. For the mutual benefit of the Bulldog faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about Louisiana Tech

10. Louisiana Tech University was created and founded by Act 68 of the Acts of the State of Louisiana of 1894, established "for the education of the white children of the State of Louisiana in the arts and sciences". Don't worry...they integrated in 1965.

9. Louisiana Tech offered the first Nanosystems Engineering program in the nation. If your Nanosystems need a tune-up...you know where to go.

8. Louisiana Tech is not the only school located in tiny Ruston, LA—the Louisiana Center for the Blind is there, too. Insert referee joke ---->here.

7. Country music singer Trace Adkins is a Louisiana Tech alum—as is Terry Bradshaw, who you may also best remember as a country singer.

6. Louisiana Tech is one of only 3 current WAC members to have beaten Boise State in football (in 2001). You will pay for this transgression, Derek Dooley...you will pay.

5. Louisiana Tech quarterback Taylor Bennett once famously committed to play for Boise State before turning tail and running to Georgia Tech. This weekend he will get to play on the blue and will also be playing the role of lunch meat with Ryan Winterswyk and Mike T. Williams reprising their roles as "the bread".

4. Current Tech coach Derek Dooley practiced law for two years before becoming a coach—this means that he not only examines game film...but also cross-examines it.

3. Coach Dooley is the son of legendary Georgia coach and Athletic Director Vince Dooley...the man responsible for unleashing Herschel Walker on the world.

2. There are currently 5 active NFL players that played for Louisiana Tech...2 of them are kickers (Josh Scobee and Matt Stover). Good news, Brad Oestriecher!

1. Louisiana Tech has an all-time win percentage of 55% and have won 23 conference championships since 1915. Most of the Dogs' championships were won in the Southland Conference of the FCS and the Gulf States Conference of the NAIA. The Bulldogs won divisonal national championships in '73 and '74. For a team with barely over .500 lifetime record...I would say that these accomplishments are pretty darn impressive, no?

Ten things Louisiana Tech fans might not know about Boise State

10. Dr. Robert Kustra, Boise State University president, is the former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois. Who says that a Lt. Governor can't be president?

9. Troy McClain, a cast member on the first season of The Apprentice, was offered a full-ride scholarship to any school of his choice by Donald Trump. McClain chose Boise State. Eat that, Harvard!

8. According to an antiquated and bizarre statute...it is illegal for residents of Boise to fish from a giraffe's back. Dang, there goes my afternoon.

7. The school record of 732 yards of offense in one game came against...wait for it...the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs in 2003. Pssh...Kellen Moore could do that all by himself!

6. Earl Boen, who played Dr. Silberman in Terminator 2, attended Boise State. We so totally own Louisiana Tech in the B-list actor department.

5. Once upon a time the land on which most of Boise State's campus sits was an island. Its most famous resident was Sage Brush Ann (also known as Tarpaper Annie), who lived alone in a modest tarpaper shack. I got nothin'...this one speaks for itself.

4. A ghost named "Dinah" is said to haunt Boise State's Communication Building, that was built in 1941. This is extremely relevant, because after Wednesday's game, Jeron Johnson is going to haunt Taylor Bennett fortnightly.

3. The father of Boise State football, Lyle Smith, compiled a record of 156-26-8 in his time as head coach. The Broncos had 5 undefeated seasons under Smith as well as 16 conference titles and a national championship. Smith also coached the baseball team for 17 years and the basketball team for one season. Smith once raced Superman and won by 2-tenths of a second.

2. The attendance record (32,335) for Bronco Stadium was set two weeks ago when Bowling Green came to town. See mom, I told you I'd be in the record books one day.

1. Bronco safety Ellis Powers and Bronco wide receiver Jeremy Childs are cousins. Kellen Moore's cousin? Chuck Norris.

There...now we all know each other better—and knowing is half the battle.

Bronco Nation Podcast 9-25-08

2008-09-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

With the podcaster numbers reduced by prior engagements...JT and Drew still manage to trudge through another podcast that simply had to be done. We chat about Autzen stadium, Kellen Moore's perceived greatness, the Bronco secondary's perceived dirtiness and the Vandals perceived crappiness Of course we chatted about players of the week and the upcoming schedule, too. Give a listen.

The Bronco Nation Podcast - The Vocal Minority [54:40m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Cheerleadergate claims first victim

2008-09-25T12:06:00.000-07:00

Gimme a 3...an 8...and a 7.5!

The University of Idaho cheerleader drama has now been holding the nation hostage for over a week...and it has finally claimed it's first victim (second, if you count 'credibility'). The pleather-clad cheerleading squad's skipper, Cassie Helm, has formally announced her resignation over the affair:

Helm, who teaches aerobics and gymnastics, said she resigned because of the school administrations more conservative vision for the spirit squad.

As you may have heard, John McCain has suspended his presidential campaign and is en route to Moscow to help bring a resolution to this "national crisis". For those not in the know...the Vandal cheerleaders had their racy, Bavarian-style cheerleading unis confiscated last week after an uproar on the Palouse. The cheerleaders took the loss of their uniforms with dignity and grace...

Helm said some cheerleaders told her they cried after a meeting in which the uniforms were confiscated. “Kids aren’t crying if they hate something,” the ex-coach said.

Vandal football players and fans alike joined in sob-fest after losing, badly, to Utah State on Saturday. More fallout and bloodshed are bound to occur in upcoming weeks so brace yourselves because more hissy fits are surely on the horizon. The saddest part of this whole thing?

(cheerleader Heidi) Lyons said the uniform switch deprived the squad its goal to excite the crowd at football games.

You brazen hussies...in my day, "Boom goes the dynamite" was enough to whip the crowd into a frenzy.

University of Idaho is ranked

2008-09-23T16:08:00.001-07:00

No, I this is not the Bizarro world where up is down and Vandals are Broncos...looky at this top-15 ranking pulled down by the Vandals on Google Trends today. The University of Idaho has been riding the wave of uniform controversies for weeks now and have finally settled in just under "naked cyclist". Way to go, tribe from the North...you are one more controversy (and maybe a sleeping porch mishap) from the top 10!

I am legend

2008-09-22T08:47:00.000-07:00

Photo by Joe Jaszewski/Statesman

The kids are alright. Boise State played exactly how they needed to and the Bronco coaching staff put together a brilliant game plan to beat the Ducks and send monkeys flying off the collective backs of this young, but talented squad.

Autzen was plenty loud at times on Saturday (just ask my ruptured eardrums), but at other times was as quiet as a funeral when Boise State reeled off 24 unanswered points to put the Ducks on the ropes. Oregon was able to mount a furious comeback in the 4th quarter due to some deft passing by frosh Darren Thomas, a fumble by the Broncos and some painful 15-yard penalties...but it was all too little and much too late as the boys in blue (white) notched the first true BCS road win for the program and the first non-BCS win at Autzen in 14 years. Needless to say, we couldn't have been happier as we loaded the shuttles back to the Thurston High parking lot.

The crappiness of the Oregon fans was greatly exaggerated as we found them by and large to be very gracious and complimentary of the Bronco program. Most Duck fans were bummed at the outcome, but shook hands with us as we left Autzen and praised the scrappy Broncos and the unflappable Kellen Moore.

Only upon returning home did I see some unfortunate comments and allegations of dirty play by the Broncos. Unfortunately, I think that OSN's own commentators fed these claims that the Broncos were playing dirty regarding the Ellis Powers and Jeron Johnson hits. Ok...I was at the game and saw these plays from a very good vantage point and their subsequent replays on DuckVision (or whatever it's called). Ellis Powers was rightly flagged for roughing the passer as he laid a good smack on Masoli after he had released the ball, but this hit was not as egregious as some revisionist Duck homers are making it. The ball had scarcely been released and Powers was barreling full steam unabated toward Masoli and he popped him...it wasn't after the whistle or even close to the 3 seconds that some time-perception-challenged Duck fans contend. Roughing the passer...he got flagged...get over it. The Jeron Johnson hit may have been even less of an infraction than Powers', but I think he was on the receiving end of some payback by the refs. Remember, in the 4th quarter, Darren Thomas had come in and orchestrated some quick passing TDs and Ed Dickson was making the Bronco secondary pay, grabbing some big gainers over the middle...he went for a high pass over the middle (he eyed the ball the whole way and was leaping for the ball) and Jeron Johnson did like any Safety would've and played the receiver, not the ball. Dickson got crushed by Johnson, but Johnson was called (and ejected) for "targeting a defenseless player"—Is any tightend running at mid-field with his eye on the ball in a "defensive" position? Of course he was defenseless, he wasn't looking at the defender, but rather, the ball...the defender (Johnson) was looking at the player and gave him a shot. Fine with the flag...not with the ejection. Neither player had malicious intent, but both may be guilty of an error in judgement. End of story.

Kellen Moore looked stone cold. The Autzen noise levels are not exaggerated...it is ridiculously loud at times, but I didn't see one false start by the Broncos. Very impressive. Moore bounced back immediately from a tip-ball interception and engineered a great drive...he finished the day 24-36 and threw for almost 400 yards on a Duck secondary that was supposed to be one of the best in the nation. Kellen Moore is something very special...we are all starting to see that now. I am going to predict right now that Kellen Moore will win the Offensive Player of the Year award in the WAC. Heck, while I'm at it, I will predict that Jeron Johnson, not Solomon Elimimian, will win Defensive Player of the Year honors too. This team may just be scary good...and much sooner than a lot of people think.

Here are the players that I was extremely impressed with on Saturday:

Kellen Moore—duh...he was Walter Camp NPOTW good
Billy Winn—reminds me an awful lot of Alex Guerrero...and he's just a frosh
Mike T. Williams—played like a beast all game long
Jeremy Childs—the only way to describe some of his catches would be "miraculous"
Austin Pettis—can't think of a better guy to field an onside kick
Vinny Perretta—forget the long TD...he literally risked his neck to get a critical first down...we don't blame you for not holding on Vinny...hope you're feeling better
Kyle Wilson—we've known it for a while...kid's a baller
Brandyn Thompson—amazingly athletic interception
Jeron Johnson—we know your not a dirty player, JJ...but lordy, can that kid hit
O-line—run blocking be damned...keep pass blocking like you have been and Kellen Moore can pick apart any defense

On a final note...I didn't think that Saturday could've gotten much better. I was wrong.

Know your enemy (for this week, anyway)

2008-09-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

Boise State will have their hands full this weekend in Eugene, OR when they have their first-ever (hard to believe) tussle with the Ducks. The Ducks survived a double overtime game against Purdue last weekend whilst the Broncos beat the Bowling Green Falcons. Most fans, like me, know little about the University of Oregon outside of Dennis Dixon, Mike Belotti and all that Nike moolah. Needless to say, there is a lot to be learned about our week 4 foe (don't worry, Kellen Moore already knows their defense intimately)...so let's explore through the magic of factoids and childish jokes. For the mutual benefit of the Duck faithful, I will let you get to know us a little bit too...so take notes.

Ten things Bronco fans might not know about the University of Oregon

10. The University of Oregon has been playing football since 1894. It would have been cool to see all those Dayglo Nike leather helmets, huh?

9. The Ducks, while enjoying great success as of late under coach Mike Belotti, have only won 52% of their football games all-time. The Broncos are hovering around 70%...neener neener.

8. The University of Oregon has won 7 conference championships since 1919 and are 52-3 against the University of Idaho. That last bit wasn't really related, but I thought it was hilarious.

7. The Ducks football venue, Autzen Stadium, is named after it's chief financial contributor and lumberman Thomas J. Autzen...an Oregon State alum.

6. Oregon's first home game at Autzen Stadium was a 17-13 loss to Colorado in 1967—their first win at Autzen? A 31-6 victory over, you guessed it, Idaho (it was the only home victory that year for Oregon)

5. David Ogden Stiers, who played Winchester on M*A*S*H, attended the University of Oregon as did Ann Curry, current host of The Today Show. Also: a lot of hippies.

4. Nike founder and CEO Phil Knight is a University of Oregon alum and remains a huge donor. He enlisted a Portland State University student to design the famous Nike "swoosh" logo...she was paid $35 for her effort.

3. The Oregon Country Fair is held every year in Veneta, Oregon about 15 miles outside of Eugene. Boasting an attendance of over 45,000, it is a great place to hear folk rock, jazz and slam poetry...it is also a great place to see a naked hippie playing a cello.

2. During half-time of the 2002 game against Stanford, the Donald Duck-like Oregon mascot hatched a terrifying and extremely ill-advised roundhouse-kicking new mascot known affectionately as "Robo Duck". Wow...just wow.

1. The cult-hit comedy Animal House was shot on and around the University of Oregon's campus. They say that John Belushi's ghost still haunts the Lillis Business Complex

Ten things that Duck fans might not know about Boise State University

10. Boise State started out as a junior college in 1932 and became 4-year Boise College in 1968. Hal Zimmerman was the starting QB for BJC in 1967 and in 1968 was the starter for Boise College. How many can make that claim?

9. The first U.S. commercial air flight was an airmail flight in 1926 from Pasco, Wash., to Boise on Varney Air Lines, predecessor of United Airlines. The dirt landing strip was where Bronco Stadium is now. Prior to the campus being built, it was Boise's first airport...and before that: a landfill.

8. Boise State offers the nation's only masters of science in Raptor Biology. We're assuming, the kind from Jurassic Park.

7. Boise State's mascot, Buster Bronco shares his name with Western Michigan's mascot. Extra fun fact: Did you know that Idaho's "Joe Vandal" is the first openly gay mascot in the NCAA? Talk about progressive!

6. Boise State's legendary coach, Lyle Smith was an amazing 153-25-6 at the helm of the Bronco program from 1947-1967. He could still beat you in arm wrestling too.

5. Prior Boise State's coaches that have gone on to not be as successful at their next school: Houston Nutt, Dirk Koetter, and Dan Hawkins (this ain't intramurals, Dan).

4. Boise State's famous Statue of Liberty play that they used to defeat Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl (or at least their particular version)was notoriously RIPPED OFF by none other than the Oregon Ducks when they played in Ann Arbor last season.

3. Current Defensive Coordinator, Justin Wilcox, is an Oregon alum who played for the Ducks from 1995 to 1999. His father, Dave Wilcox is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame...and played his college ball for Boise State...and Oregon.

2. Boise State head coach, Chris Petersen, is 25-3 as the Broncos' head honcho...he won Bear Bryant coach of the year honors in 2006 and was nominated several times prior to that for the Frank Broyles award...given to the nation's best offensive coordinator. Petersen played college ball at UC Davis, as did Oregon HC Mike Belotti. Petersen served as Belotti's wide receivers coach at Oregon from 1995 to 2000.

1. Boise State, since moving to Division 1-A in 1996, has been one of the most successful teams in the nation...but still have not won a road game against a BCS opponent. *Sigh*

Well, now you know some things about your foe, Ducks and Broncos...and knowing is half the battle.

9-15-08 Bronco Nation Podcast

2008-09-16T22:32:00.000-07:00

Back in the mix this week is Kevan from OBNUG and of course old standbys Buck from Statueleft, me from this here blog and the father of it all JT Ray from BNN. Topics discussed are the Bowling Green positives and negatives, the pathetic WAC weekend, the top 25, surprising(ly good) Broncos thus far, one Moore recruit (guffaw), and the Broncos chances in Eugene this Saturday. Give a listen.

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One more Moore?

2008-09-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

One more Moore makes me muy, muy happy! Bronco fans are hailing the news that just came down the pike that Kellen Moore's "little" brother Kirby has verbally committed to play for the Broncos. Once considered a pipe dream by those that keep their eye on the recruiting wires after the younger Moore received offers from Washington, Washington State and Stanford...the lure of the blue and his brother tossin' him bombs for a few years obviously turned Moore's head in the last few weeks. No doubt "big" bro Kellen being named the starter helped sway Kirby in his decision, but clearly he chose the squad with the most upside (if you take "being a Pac-10 also-ran out of the equation). Moore is rated as a 3-star recruit by scout.com and rivals.com as well as a top-20 player in the state of Washington. Kirby will bring with him ridiculous pinball type numbers that apparently typify players with the last name "Moore"...he caught 29 TDs last season for the Prosser Mustangs and averaged about 18 yards per catch. Here's what ESPN has to say about the younger Moore:

Moore consistently moves the chains with big grabs and projects to be a solid outside possession receiver at the next level. Tall, well-built and does a good job using his large frame in one-on-one coverage. Has great hands, sound concentration in traffic and adjusts well to the difficult throw. Plucks the ball effortlessly over smaller defensive backs with his big, soft hands. Extends well away from his frame and rarely makes a body catch. Savvy, precise route runner. Conscious of steps, knows how to attack the defensive back's leverage and set him up on the double move. Deceptively explosive off the line and can slip behind coverage. Not real fast but builds good speed with his long stride allowing him to separate on vertical routes. Does not gear down much on the top of his stem. Snags the ball smoothly in stride. Strong frame needed to absorb the big hit and also break tackles after the catch. However, top-end speed is just adequate in the second level. Could struggle separating versus faster defensive backs after the catch and on intermediate to deep patterns as a route runner. Lacks great burst out of his cuts and needs to sink his hips more. More of a possession receiver and will not offer a lot after the catch. Can be slippery to wrap up but he lacks great movement skills in the openfield and is not real elusive. That said, we feel Moore will be productive in a big-catch, possession role in college. Fundamentally sound at the position masking his lack of great speed -- but it will be harder to do at the next level. Good athlete with the size, range and ball skills to also play safety.

Kirby is the 13th known commit in the 2009 Bronco class...non-binding till LOI day blah blah blah.

A win's a win...

2008-09-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

Photo by IPT/Greg Kreller

While the Boise State win on Saturday may not have set the nation abuzz like, say, Missouri's demolition of Nevada or BYU's ridiculous beatdown of UCLA, it was not without it's merits. Boise State played a pretty good Bowling Green team and dominated them... far more than the final score indicated.

The Boise State defense was on their game once again, swarming to the ball, pressuring the QB and locking down receivers. The Bronco defense definitely look like they have largely fixed the mistakes of last season and have only given up 7 points in the first two contests of the year. If I were to pick a low point of the game for the D it would be getting fooled on a 4th and goal were the Falcon receiver got it way too easy. Of course, another low point could be that the Falcons were even that close to the endzone anyway after the Bronco D allowed Bowling Green into the redzone following a pass interference call on 3rd and long. The call looked a little suspect, but nonetheless. The Broncos collected 3 turnovers on Saturday and will need to maintain that level of production in Eugene this weekend. Ellis Powers played like a man possessed, Jeron Johnson continued his torrid pace, and Ryan Winterswyk was back in action (though somewhat quiet on the evening). Billy Winn looks like he will be hard to keep off the field as he made his presence known several times during the game. Derrell "hard luck" Acrey was injured in the game...no telling how bad (thanks, Augusto).

The Bronco offense was the other big story from Saturday night. They came out with their hair on fire behind an 11 for 11 start by Kellen Moore. The Broncos were spreading the ball well, flummoxing the Falcon defense en route to a 20-0 halftime score. Then the second half happened. No telling exactly what the issue was, but the Broncos seemed to be flat and confused and did not score again on the night. Thankfully, the Bronco defense was on top of things allowing only one Falcon score in the 4th quarter of play...but clearly, the Bronco offense will need a MUCH better performance at Autzen. The offense in the second half seemed far too cutesy and far too sloppy. Drives were killed by penalties, drops and abandoning a run game that had been very productive in the first half. Also slowing the Bronco offense a bit was the absence of Titus Young, who was serving a (hopefully) one game suspension. Young's ability to stretch the field was sorely missed as the Falcons took away the dink and dunk passing game that Moore had exploited in the first half. The Falcons offense was also on the field longer in the second half which kept the Bronco offense from getting much rhythm back. The sour taste that many felt after the game was certainly due to the yawn-inducing second half offensive effort...the only real detractor of the evening.

The bottom line is that the Bronco offense needs to keep pace with the defense. The defense has been showing an intensity and focus that I haven't seen since 2006 (so far), and the offense, though young, needs to match it. The playcalling has been okay and Moore has run the offense incredibly well for a frosh...but the Bronco receivers need to gain the confidence of Moore and the Bronco run game needs to pick up the production a bit. The O-line play was actually a pleasant surprise...they kept Moore relatively safe and opened some decent running lanes. Mentally, the O-line has a little ways to go. All in all, a very dominant game by the Broncos...they shut down the vaunted spread offense of the Falcons and showed that they can score at will...unfortunately their will was missing in Saturday's second half. We'll give them a 2-quarter mulligan this time...but things need to be fixed by Saturday...you already know that.

Grades
Offense—which quarter?
Defense—A-
Special Teams—B (you can't run into the kicker, IJ)
Derrell Acrey's injury—D
Titus Young's absence—F
Idaho losing to WMU—A+