Already?!

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

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]

Class of 2009 could have immediate impact pt. 2

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 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.

Dutch Treat

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:

What can Brown do for us?

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]

Shamburger not headed to the blue

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)

The Leno Show

"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]

Holy cow...another commit.

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

Thank you sir, may I have another...

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?

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

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

One more Moore?

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.

8-26-06 Bronco Nation podcast

A rather pared down crew joined the Bronco Nation podcast last night...just JT Ray of Bronco Nation N.O.W. and yours truly. The smaller crew doesn't mean that we didn't make fun of the Vandals, though. Sherm Blaser and Idaho State's Frank What's-his-name signed on during the cast as well to weigh in on Kellen Moore, left-handedness, and Idaho State's chances this weekend. We also break down the opening weekend in WAC football, new NCAA rule changes and Boise State's recruiting boom. Check it out (might wanna just leave this one running while you do your work...it's a long one).

 The Bronco Nation Podcast - It Begins [61:21m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a Shamburger today

Rivals.com sez Safety Will Shamburger from Jeremy Avery's old stomping grounds (Bellflower, CA) has verbally committed to play for Boise State. At 6'0" 180 lbs., Shamburger has an awesome frame to go with his awesome name. Shamburger also possesses 4.5 speed in the 40. Shamburger had 21 tackles and 1 INT last season for the St. John Bosco Braves—he also had 16 receptions for 299 yards and two scores on the offensive side of things. No position rankings were available for Shamburger, but he was given a grade of 5.4 by Rivals.com...for reference Joe Southwick and Malcolm Johnson were graded 5.6 by the same service. Shamburger is the 12th known verbal commitment for the Broncos in 2009 class.

This one goes to Eleven

Nigel Tufnel would be so proud. That's eleven verbals for Boise State as of today (someone special's birthday). DE Kharyee Marshall from Washington High School in Phoenix, AZ pulled the proverbial trigger and will join other Arizona commits Justin Jungblut and Ebo Makinde on the blue (hopefully). Both Jungblut and Makinde received Pac-10 offers AFTER giving Boise State the nod—hopefully the blue will prevail. Marshall is a 6'2" 215 lb. D-line standout who also held offers from Idaho, Nevada, SDSU, Utah and UTEP. Marshall possesses a good frame that will no doubt take more weight and also has good speed at 4.7 in the 40. Marshall is rated as a 3 star recruit by rivals and classified as the 50th best player at his position. Makinde, Jungblut and Marshall are rated as the 16th, 22nd and 23rd best players in Arizona, respectively.

Hey Pac-10...keep away from our recruits!

Ten spot

Boise State has landed their 10th verbal commitment of the 2009 class...and on the last day of July. Justin Jungblut, a Defensive End from Saguaro High (Scottsdale, AZ) has notified Bronco coaches with his decision to accept their scholarship offer. Jungblut is currently 6'6" and weighs 250 lbs. Besides holding an offer from Idaho, Jungblut had scholarships extended from a smattering of Mountain West teams—Air Force, Utah, Wyoming and UNLV. As a junior, Jungblut had 38 tackles and 1 sack. He is graded out as a 70 by ESPN's recruiting website. Here is more of their eval:

Jungblut registers as having one of the more interesting names in the 2009 class. He is also somewhat of an interesting prospect. He is a good sized kid, who should be able to get into a college weight program and add some good bulk. He is a defensive end, but it may serve him best to try and bulk up and slide inside to tackle. He has a good get-off and it is one of the strengths of his game. When he keeps his pads down and shoots his hands he can take on a block and hold his ground. Will flash the ability to get skinny and split a double team. He needs to watch his pad level and more consistently keep his pads down. He does an adequate job of coming across the ball and staying square. He has a good motor and is a solid tackler. Possesses very adequate speed and short-area change-of-direction skills. As a pass rusher he will lead with his hands and does a solid job of being able to shed. He needs to keep working on developing pass rush moves to help him more quickly defeat a blocker. He will flash the ability with his get-off to be able throw a quick swim to beat a blocker. Jungblut is a solid defender. We believe he may be better suited if he can add the size to be a defensive tackle at least in the long haul anyway.

If Jungblut's verbal holds, he will join another Arizona '09 commit, Ebo Makinde. To be honest, though, I'm more concerned about Makinde hanging in.

2008 Podcast numero uno

JT Ray from Bronconation N.O.W., "Buck" Rogers from Statueleft and yours truly kicked off the 2008 season with an epic roundtable discussion about everything from Bob Behler to the ticket crisis. We were missing Kevan from OBNUG and aren't quite in mid-season form yet...but you may enjoy hearing our extremely biased opinions. Enjoy.

 The Bronco Nation Podcast - Shaken Off the Rust [50:15m]: Hide Player | Play in Popup | Download

Elite Eight

Who's this happy fellow? Why, he's the newest Bronco commit, that's who.

Keeping with the recent trend of early verbals for the Broncos, O'Dea High School (Seattle, WA) linebacker Allen Mooney has decided to spend his college career at Boise State. The middle linebacker is rated as a 3-star player and the 22nd best at his position in the country. Mooney racked up 106 tackles and 3 forced fumbles last year as a junior despite missing 3 games. Mooney also was named All-League in '06 and '07. Here's what ESPN has to say about Mooney (whom they rank as a 74, if that means anything to you):

If Mooney had another two inches of height, he would be a highly sought-after inside linebacker on the recruiting trail. What he lacks in height he makes up for with great bulk and a compact durable frame more than capable of dealing with the punishment required of a D-I ILB. Has a natural nose for the football but does a good job reading his keys and diagnosing the play quickly. A reactive athlete with good initial quicks and jump to the football for his size. Excels at stuffing his middle run gaps and attacking downhill. Fills hard and fast vertically with good leverage. Difficult to turn out of the hole when he steps down fast with good momentum. Can hold his base at the point of attack; naturally strong with good explosiveness from his hips. Strong tackler who runs through ball carriers and looks for the punishing hit. Does not possess great sideline-to-sideline range but closes fast off-tackle and has good chase speed. Shows some burst tracking plays down inside-out and flashes good pop/explosion on contact. While he scrapes well off-tackle at times he gets knocked off his pursuit due to lack of hand technique. Lacks long arms and compact frame limit his extension when trying to keep blockers off his body. Occasionally gets chopped down when pursuing. Could struggle at the next level disengaging the cutoff block and lacks the lateral fluidity to slip it consistently. We would like to see him work on playing with consistent bend and leverage. Tends to wrap up high and lack of sink in his hips hinders lateral mobility, transitional and change-of-direction quickness. Overall, Mooney can stuff the inside run, blanket his middle zone in pass and provide above average range off-tackle. Tough competitor between the white lines and is definitely a kid being overlooked due to his lack of great height.

The productivity of the powerfully built (5'11", 220 lbs.) Mooney is impressive and he joins #14 ranked weakside linebacker John Michael Davis in the 2009 class. With Boise State loaded with young 'backers and with two huge verbals thus far—the future looks incredibly bright for the Boise State defense. Mooney had another offer from Army and was drawing interest from Washington and Oregon amongst others. Again, Mooney looks to be the prototypical Boise State pickup...slightly too undersized for the big programs to bite on, but talented enough to make their recruiting practices to look short-sighted. Mooney is a straight up baller and I admit, was one of the recruits I was hoping we would land. Check out Mooney's highlight tape below and tell me that seeing this kid, John Michael Davis and Byron Hout prowling midfield on the blue isn't a positively terrifying vision for WAC offenses.



Oh yeah, Boise State has 8 verbals...and it's early July....and they're good. The day of reckoning is at hand.

You knew it was coming...

Perhaps due to the groundswell of high-quality recruits for the Broncos...yet another baller has given his verbal commitment to Boise State today. TE Trevor Peterson from Placerville, CA is headed for the Blue in a non-binding sort of way. Peterson is 6'4" and weighs 220 lbs. and held offers from Utah, SDSU, UC Davis (Coach Pete's Alma Mater) and Harvard. We're guessing besides Peterson's physical gifts, he is a smart player as well considering that the Ivy League was courting him. We're also guessing that he doesn't like wearing an ascot, since he chose the Broncos over Harvard.

It appears that star ratings have not been finished for Peterson, so we can't really gauge him by those means...but he moves well for a big man, clocking a 4.7 40 time. It appears that Peterson may have been heading for a few Pac-10 offers as well, and that is as good an indicator as any of his potential. Peterson is ranked as one the 5th best tight end in all of California by Scout.com analyst Brandon Huffman.

Peterson is the 7th known verbal that Boise State has picked up this summer. Things are coming together exceptionally well (and early) for the '09 class. Who's next?