Ian Johnson undrafted—My faith in humanity dashed

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

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

IJ just made some money

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]

Class of 2009 could have immediate impact pt. 1

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

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.

Fantastic four

With June barely dawning and Fall camp right around the corner, no one is really thinking that much about the 2009 recruiting class. Heck, most of the '08 recruits haven't even set foot on campus yet—however, Boise State has already secured their 4th verbal commitment of the '09 class. Malcolm Johnson, a 6 foot-ish 185 lb. runningback out of Gresham, Oregon, had his verbal confirmed by Rivals.com yesterday. Johnson, rated the #67 back and a 3-star recruit after his junior year by Scout is regarded by many as the premier back in the state of Oregon. Malcolm was teammates with current Bronco linebacker Dan Paul, who played both Offensive Line and linebacker for the Bruins. Johnson was the 2007 Mt. Hood offensive player of the year and has racked up 3 straight 1st team all-state honors. At one point in his previous campaigns, Johnson threw down 29 rushes for 379 yards and 6 TDs. To say that Boise State looks to have got a good one would be a slight understatement as Johnson looked poised to garner a slew of Pac-10 offers after already being eyed by in-state programs Oregon and Oregon State. Check out Malcolm below or surreptitiously check him out at Boise State's summer camp next week if you can't wait.

Sula headed to Boise State

Not to be confused with Mr. Sulu, Don Shula, or Indiana Jones' trusted ally Sala...LB/RB Jack Sula is headed to Boise State. Apparently, a late qualifier, Sula will hopefully live up to the hype provided by his un-biased high school coach:

"It's a good fit for Jack, and it's a steal for Boise," Carson coach Mike Christensen said. "I told Coach (Chris) Petersen that Jack was the best all-around player I've coached, just his attitude, his ability. He should do very well. I told him that it would not surprise me if Jack leads them back to the Fiesta Bowl or a BCS game."

Can't say I'm bummed to hear of one more linebacker in the mix. You can check out the story here if you would like to read more and don't get annoyed by an excessive amount of flash banners.

Here's what ESPN had to say about Sula...who had offers from Washington and Nevada amongst others:

Sula is a well-rounded running back prospect who does not possess elite skill in one area, but can move the chains with the ball in his hands. Possesses adequate height with an athletically-built frame that should continue to fill out with lean bulk. Best asset as a running back prospect may be his soft hands and receiving skills out of the backfield. Plucks the ball well in stride, transitions quickly upfield and extends well away from his frame for the difficult grab. Could develop into a fine 3rd down back despite his lack of great speed and elusiveness. As a runner, he hits the hole quickly and can break through the initial wave of arm tackles when he decides to square up his shoulder pads and run downhill. Not real explosive or sudden when he finds a crease but is a smooth, natural runner who glides a bit with his nice stride. While he occasionally flashes good leg drive, balance, lean and the ability to break tackles as an in-line runner, his power is inconsistent. At times he will run east-west instead of hitting it up hard inside. Light through his hips and lower-body limiting yards after contact. Movement skills and lateral quickness are marginal in the open field and he lacks a second gear and top-end speed. Shows some ability at linebacker and could develop there if his current speed does not transition well on offense. Would need to add good size and play with more physicality if he makes the move. Sula possesses good versatility as a prospect and his best days could be a head of him as a prospect.

Intriguing development, no?

Angrier and angrier

By the time the season rolls around, the rage inside of Doug Martin will finally explode out of him causing him to leave a perfect Doug Martin-shaped hole in an unsuspecting Idaho State linebacker. I mean, look at the above photo from spring ball...Martin looks like he is about to tear off his jersey screaming "DOUG...MAAAD". Even his helmet is attempting to flee his head as his anger reaches critical mass. If we're seeing this level of intensity from Martin when his opponents are some tackling dummies and pads...I feel confident that he will kill someone before the season is through. Read the below comments from his teammates and you will see why I am so jacked to see Martin strap it up this fall.

"If you guys haven't heard of Doug Martin yet, you will definitely hear a lot about him," junior tailback Ian Johnson said. "That guy came in here with more muscles all over his body than I've ever seen in my life. As a freshman, you're not supposed to be that big. He weighs 30 pounds more than I was when I first got here and he's as fast as I am now. That's just a physical specimen, and he's going to do a lot of good things for us next year."

"That guy's ridiculous," junior middle linebacker Kyle Gingg said.

"Hands down, he was the best running back we faced," junior weak-side linebacker Dallas Dobbs said.

"That dude is a beast," senior safety Austin Smith said.

"The guy who just killed us all year was Doug," defensive line coach Pete Kwiatkowski said.

"He has a running style you could describe as being an angry runner. My job over the next four years will be to not screw him up," running backs coach Jeff Choate said.

Just try to keep the 4-headed Bronco runningback monster from getting 300 yards per game next year...I dare ya.