Your guess=as good as mine

Photo by Joe Jaszewski

Ok...so I took the wife and kid down to Bronco Stadium for the ridiculously early scrimmage today. They know that most people are working at 3 PM on a Monday, right? Anyhoo...I showed up a bit late—around 4 and tried to see what I could see. The "big" play (Kellen Moore to Vinny Perretta for a 51 yard TD) had already happened, but thankfully Buck from Statueleft got me up to speed. Here's what I thought I saw:

Kellen Moore looks very poised and makes decisions very quickly (and usually wisely). He didn't have a "wow" type of day, but still led all QBs in yardage with 137 yards and a score. Moore did not play error free ball, but he did not turn the ball over (other than a ball that was stripped by a blitzing Derrell Acrey). Moore's receivers had a few drops, he threw a few a bit wide, but also wisely threw them away when nothing was opening up. Moore was only 9 of 22 on the day...but didn't kill drives and still got over the 100 yard mark. Moore may have just pulled slightly ahead with today's performance.

Bush Hamdan, though dead even throughout the Spring and Summer with Moore—may have ceded a bit of an edge today to Moore. Hamdan had no turnovers to speak of, but often threw into tight coverage and was lucky not to be picked off. Hamdan looked fairly agile in the pocket, but did not tuck and run when it may have been beneficial. The defense put pretty good pressure on him, but Bush wasn't making terribly quick reads. He finished the day 5 of 15 for 48 yards and no scores. Some remarked that the running game seemed to look better with Hamdan at the helm, but this may be chalked up to a) sheer coincidence or b) the fact that the RBs are more accustomed to a right-handed exchange. Hamdan didn't kill the offense, but he didn't spark them much either. It is the first scrimmage, so I won't read too much in. Hamdan, I think is #2 for now.

Nick Lomax had the best passer rating of the outing. He was 7 of 9 and completed 77% of his throws. It must be stated, however, that Lomax's stats were accumulated against mainly 2nd or 3rd teamers and were high percentage, short passes that only netted him 68 yards through the air. Lomax always seems to get up for the scrimmages and doesn't make many boneheaded mistakes...but he is clearly a step behind Moore and Hamdan and has not really impressed a lot in actual game situations. Lomax is hangin' in there, but I don't think he'll push Moore or Hamdan for much PT.

Michael Coughlin did not see much action on Monday. He was a respectable 5 of 8 for 35 yards and clearly possesses the best legs of the group. He also has a rocket arm, but routinely seems to overthrow receivers and rushes his passes. Coughlin saw some action last year in games and performed decently...but he and Lomax, "the tall ones" don't seem to have grasped the offense as well as the redshirt and the 5th year. I still have hope that Coughlin will make a charge and we'll see him some this year, but a starting gig looks like a longshot.

The defense played well and Derrell Acrey and Jeron Johnson stood out. Acrey adds a larger, more physical presence at midfield and Johnson just seems to be everywhere. Jeron hits like a Mack truck and leveled the much larger Julian Hawkins with a hit that echoed off the bleachers. Hunter White also caught my eye as he really flies around out there. The defensive line got good pushes into the backfield which hopefully is because of a combination of skill and the fact that the O-line is missing several cogs.

Receiving was hard to gauge. Very excited to read the stat line that Chandler Koch led all receivers with 61 yards—equally so about frosh Chris Potter snagging 5 tosses. Our future looks bright at receiver...and so does the present. Perretta, obviously snagged a long TD pass that was 100% effort. Nice to see Vinny back at full strength. Also nice to have Jeremy Childs back...he didn't light it up...but always seems to be open. Our receivers and running backs shouldn't be an issue this year. They're gold.

To sum it up. No QB really distanced himself too much. Hamdan or Moore is anyone's guess. Obviously there are pros and cons to either choice, but I don't get the impression that either would do poorly if given the reins. We'll just have to wait until Saturday's scrimmage to see if another can pull away. Until then...happy prognosticating.

Really?!

To say that Boise State Offensive Coordinator, Bryan Harsin keeps things close to the vest would be a slight understatement. To say that Harsin is a liar would be a slight overstatement. To say that Harsin is being extremely vague and diplomatic with his info would have squarely hit the nail on the head. Harsin yesterday insisted that no quarterback has really established himself as the frontrunner in the highly publicized QB race yet (roll eyes). He did, however, once again fail to include junior Nick Lomax's name among the QBs that he praised for their Spring progress. Not generally one to read too far into things...I am confident that Lomax's repeated exclusion from Harsin's interviews is a good indicator that at this point Lomax is sitting in the #4 QB spot. I also believe that by the end of spring ball on April 11th, we will have a clear favorite.

Luckily for us speculative fans, Harsin gave us a small inkling of how we might figure out the current pecking order:

He plans to give all of them time with the first-team offense this week in practice and reward the guys who play the best with more playing time in Friday’s scrimmage at Mountain View High in Meridian (3:30 p.m.).

Hear that? Take out your stopwatches to Mountain View High on Friday afternoon and determine who is getting the most time in the 2nd scrimmage...already knowing that Lomax is in 4th place (according to my calculations), we should accurately be able to determine the remaining top 3. After the first scrimmage, it looks to be 1. Kellen Moore 2. Bush Hamdan 3. Michael Coughlin and 4. (sorry) Nick Lomax.

One more impressive scrimmage out of Moore and he will be dubbed "the People's Starter"

Not-so-informative Statesman Article (step it up, Cripe)

Brains > brawn.

If you follow internet chatter...especially of the Bronco variety, you've no doubt heard of the miraculous spring scrimmage of Kellen Moore. No, Moore didn't turn water into Gatorade or heal a leper (although could've performed the Heimlich maneuver on a few other Bronco QBs who 'choked') and hey, it was only the FIRST scrimmage of the spring, but many Bronco fans are calling Moore's 10-14 2 TD day a miracle. The miracle lies in the fact that Moore, who is a redshirt freshman, looked to have a better grasp of the Bronco playbook than a sophomore, junior and 5th-year senior.

Moore, a record-setting high school quarterback out of Prosser, Washington is only 6'1" and 180 lbs, but he's a coaches son and voraciously studies film...has since his high school days and probably before that LINK.

Moore has already drawn comparisons to Ryan Dinwiddie ('cept he's a lefty) and I see a little Colt Brennan in him with his quick defensive reads and nickel and dime'n opponents before going deep. The bottom line is this: Kellen Moore has as good a chance (if not better )at the starting job as anyone on the roster and Bronco fans are positively giddy at the prospect of a 4 year starter with all the offensive talent we'll retain.

I know a week or so ago I was giving the inside track to Michael Coughlin, but I sincerely think that with Moore's work ethic and knowledge of the game, coaches may see a small enough "freshman downside" in him that they may just give him the reins.

Granted, Moore needs to continue to impress through Spring ball and into Summer, but with 5 solid running-backs and a slew of fast and talented wide receivers...I think that Moore could reasonably get the starting nod without expectations of "carrying the offense" and in ensuing sophomore, junior and senior campaigns be a true B.M.O.C.

Moore may not have the height of Lomax or Coughlin or the speed and arm-strength of Hamdan, but he has football smarts and a tireless work-ethic and that, I think, may be exactly what Boise State needs again. And do you really think OUR freshman could do any worse than Nathan Enderle?

You think you're better than me?!

Today is a big day for Bronco Nation Boise is positively buzzing as for the first time in 14 years, the Bronco basketball team will not be able to attend the spring football scrimmage. Poor saps.

If you consider yourself a rabid Bronco fan...you will excitedly rush to Bronco Stadium at 3:30 today to watch a glorified practice. You better believe I will be there as I want to see the development of redshirts Kellen Moore, angry Doug Martin and to check out Jarrell Root's kneebrace. We also will have an opportunity to try to figure out which streetclothes-clad kids roaming the sidelines may be potential recruits. It will also mark the first opportunity I will have to take my 8-month old son down on the blue turf that he's been itching to touch ever since he left the womb.

Rumor has it that 8th-year senior Bush Hamdan will be getting the first reps with the first-team offense...but this may be more of a gesture towards the most-senior QB than a nod to who will be inheriting the offense this fall. Coach Bryan Harsin conspicuously left out Nick Lomax's name when praising the development of the QBs this spring; from the Statesman:

Harsin said he has been impressed with the springs of Coughlin and Moore, who are still learning the offense.

“Those guys have come in there and done a nice job of being prepared and playing well,” Harsin said. “ … They’ve accelerated their learning just by their preparation in the offseason.”

I could be reading to far into this...but it's the offseason and we need SOMETHING to analyze besides the falling value of the U.S. dollar.

Guys I would like to check out (not in that way) this afternoon are: Doug Martin, George Iloka, JP Nisby, Billy Winn, Kellen Moore, Dominique Vinson, and possibly Ricky Cookman and Kyle Efaw. Show us somethin' boys!

I will be surreptitiously taking my digital camera into the scrimmage to bring you blogsters some images and video from tonight's festivities, so check me out this evening for some "exclusive" content.

Didn't we just do this?

For the second off-season in a row, the Boise State coaches have the unenviable task of sifting through BSU's bevy of quarterbacks to see which one is best suited to captain the ship. None of the 4 men vying for the job have a single start under their belt and only 3 of them have even seen any action at all. Senior Bush Hamdan was the odds-on favorite to take the reins last year, but after missing scrimmage time with injury and other unknown factors was passed over for then-senior Taylor Tharp. Tharp was a solid performer for Boise State last year and no one really second guessed the coaches' decision, however, inexplicably—it seemed that Hamdan fell all the way to the bottom of the depth chart. Michael Coughlin and Nick Lomax were given playing time when Hamdan was not. No one really knows what lead to this seismic shift of the depth chart, but it has cast a haze over this year's QB race and no one really knows what will happen.

Most Boise State fans would prefer to have at least a 2-3 year starter at the helm so most would probably prefer an underclassmen under center — unless the senior, Hamdan is just that much better this offseason as we suspect Tharp must have been last year. Sophomore Coughlin and Junior Lomax possess prototypical Division-1 size (something quite uncharacteristic for a Bronco QB) and Coughlin appears to have the ability to run a bit as well (albeit not nearly as well as Zabransky). Hamdan probably looked the best of the three in passing situations last year in his limited playing time, and I like Hamdan's leadership and intensity...but if I was to be honest, I also think that the Broncos should look to the future and go with a
younger guy.

Kellen Moore is the darkhorse (inadvertent Bronco pun...chaching!). Moore looked very sharp in camp last year and is one of the higher rated recruits that has come to the blue. He set all kinds of high school records in Washington and has a quick read and quick release. He probably needs one more year in the system before he really has it down...but don't underestimate this kid—he is a student of the game and could inject himself into the race this year.

Bottom line is that the Bronco coaches will pick the best guy—if it's Hamdan, so be it. Personally, I would like to see Miramesa's finest, Michael Coughlin step into the spot this year and then see if Moore can overtake him once he grasps the full Bronco playbook. Coughlin has a cannon (and a pretty nice little mustache on occasion) and if he can improve his reads and his decision making...will be a very nice field general for the mighty Broncos.

A Four Horse Race...

No, I didn't say "Four Horsemen"...


I said..."Four Horse Race" — And that looks to be exactly what we have shaping up for the 2007-08 season of Bronco Football. The race, of course, is to see which player is going to step up and become the starting Bronco QB.

The winner will have sizeable shoes to fill, following Fiesta Bowl hero and NCAA 08 cover boy Jared Zabransky who went 34-5 as a starter at BSU. The QB will also find himself in the shadow of other great Bronco QBs like Ryan Dinwiddie and Bart Hendricks. One thing is for sure, the Broncos have had a hot streak of quarterbacks and have recruited this position very well throughout their history.

So...who's it going to be? Coaches and fans are hoping that a front-runner will emerge as Spring turns into Fall, but at this point it is for the pundits and fans to speculate.

First off is senior Taylor Tharp, who has been an able backup for the last two years, but hasn't blown away fans with his athleticism or other intangibles. Tharp is clearly the most experienced Bronco of the 4, and should know the playbook like the back of his hand, but so far in Spring Ball has not dazzled fans or coaches. Another obstacle that Tharp may face is being a senior...would the coaches rather start an underclassmen to let them evolve or go with Tharp for his Bronco football swan song? The coaches have made it clear that the best man will see the field this year, but if Tharp even so much as "ties" in this race with an underclassman, you can bet that they will get the nod over the senior. Tharp will need to step up in the remaining scrimmages and solidify his position as the front-runner or he may see his time with the first-teamers diminish as we close in on the Weber St. opener.

Next in line is junior Bush Hamdan. Clearly the most athletic of the group and the QB most likely to remind fans of Zabransky. Hamdan does not possess the blazing speed of Zabransky, but he is mobile and has good escapability — he also has one of the stronger arms. Hamdan did very well for himself at the first Spring Scrimmage, completing 8 of 11 passes for 98 yards, but it is hard to tell at this point if the pecking order has shifted. Hamdan is the shortest of the 4 quarterbacks and has somewhat of a sidearm throwing style — this worries some that think this may be a hindrance against tall, http://www2.blogger.com/img/gl.link.giffast lineman. Hamdan did have at least one pass knocked down in the first scrimmage. Hamdan has shown really well in scrimmages the last few years, but was still been unable to snatch the backup job from Tharp, which leads many to believe that some other issues are at play. In an interview recently, coach Chris Petersen hinted that Hamdan's main obstacle right now is mental, in that he gets down on himself when he makes mistakes on the field. Hamdan gives it all on the field and I think he is going to make a very significant run at the starting job this year.

Nick Lomax is a sophomore and the tallest of the bunch. The son of former NFL quarterback Neil Lomax, Nick was the 2005 Scout Team Player of the Year and has had high expectations heaped upon him since his arrival. Lomax is virtually untested, however, and the first Spring Scrimmage was not his best outing, going only 6 of 14 with an INT to boot. Lomax seems to be the slowest of the 4 hopefuls, and does not possess great arm strength. He has a decent pocket presence — and his height is a major positive. If Lomax doesn't make a strong move, and soon, he may see his snap count fall dramatically throughout the remainder of spring and fall as the coaches try to narrow the field.

Last, but certainly not least, is Freshman Mike Coughlin. Coughlin, the 2006 Scout Team Player of the Year, has tremendous upside as he:
• is the youngest of the 4 quarterbacks
• is the second tallest at 6'5"
• possesses very good arm strength
• is familiar with the Boise State offense, perhaps beyond his years, since he ran a very similar one in high school.

Coughlin's stats in the first Spring Scrimmage were just a hair's breadth worse than top-performer Hamdan's as he went 8 of 12 for 90 yards — Very impressive for a Redshirt Frosh. If Coughlin can duplicate his great performance in the subsequent Spring scrimmages, he may be able to buy himself some valuable time with the first team. Coughlin has been the subject of intense hype, but has so far lived up to his billing. Many Bronco fans are salivating at the prospect of a four-year starter, but time will tell whether this youngster can survive the rigors of spring ball to emerge as a favorite for the spot.

If I handicap the race today, here is how my list would look:

1. Hamdan
2. Coughlin
3. Tharp
4. Lomax

I will report back on this after the next two scrimmages and give my input. Please leave your comments here on this topic.