LaTech preview: slap some lipstick on that pig!

Previewing the WAC seems like a good job for an intern. Unfortunately, we do not have an intern. Ugh. Previously: San Jose State. Today: Louisiana Tech

 Louisiana Tech

  Motto: Just Dooley it

The Louisiana Tech Bulldogs are the trendy pick to surprise people in the WAC this season. But does anyone know why?

The Bulldogs certainly don't instill confidence with their outstanding offense. They are not revolutionary in their approach to special teams. Their defense is not suddenly good. No, most people are basing their sudden optimism on two things.

1. Derek Dooley.
2. Not sucking as much as usual last year.

Sadly, the WAC has come to this.

Five questions

Taylor Bennett. Thoughts?
If the Bulldogs were going for mediocre, semi-competent, vanilla quarterbacks with so-so arm strength and accuracy, then they hit the nail on the head. In fact, Bennett and last year's starter Zac Champion could very well be the same person, right down to the yuppy first names. But is Bennett ordinary enough?
Not yet, apparently. The Georgia Tech transfer is currently sitting at No. 2 on the depth chart to sophomore Ross Jenkins. Bennett will have to start misreading routes and throwing behind receivers pretty soon if he wants to get the job.

Are you drinking Derek Dooley's Kool-Aid?
Derek Dooley's Kool-Aid is more like a mojito of energy and positivity, and there is plenty for everyone. The head coach/athletic director/campus tour coordinator has Ruston buzzing with the anticipation of a .500 season and a berth in an obscure bowl game. Isn't college football great?
But as far as we're concerned, Dooley's shtick isn't doing it for us. We can't help but get this vibe when we hear his name:



No matter how he spins things, Louisiana Tech will always be Louisiana Tech--that is to say, they will always be mostly above average. So if Dooley has that flavor of Kool-Aid, then we'd be more than happy to drink it.


Describe the LaTech defense using only adverbs.
Disjointedly. Awfully. Tragically. Unwittingly. Openly. Unfortunately.


Will Patrick Jackson matter in three months?
LaTech's senior running back will have to matter for the Bulldogs to be successful. Though he has never rushed for more than 1,000 yards in a season, he is always good for about four yards a carry, especially when Idaho is in town, and he and his fellow running backs will be the best part of the offense for the foreseeable future.
The good news is that the LaTech offensive line returns three starters from a year ago. The bad news is that both tackles are gone. Hope you like dive plays. We get the feeling that Jackson will find the going pretty tough this year, and he'll be forgotten about once backup Daniel Porter breaks a few 70-yard touchdown runs. Also, we doubt that will take three months.


What's going to happen when LaTech comes to town?
We don't usually get nervous about Louisiana Tech visiting Boise. That's kind of like the U.S. worrying about border safety with Canada. But this year might be different. Rather than the traditional Saturday kickoff, the Bulldogs will be in Boise on a Wednesday night. And the game is practically in September.
We worry that the Broncos will still be working out the kinks when LaTech comes on October 1st. We worry that Derek Dooley will look into our eyes and see straight to our souls. We worry that the Broncos may only win by four touchdowns.
And then we wake up and realize it was all just a dream. There's really nothing to worry about.

Over/Unders
+/-5, the number of times we fall asleep watching LaTech games this year
+/-0, Derek Dooley's Q rating
+/-450, rushing yards given up to Nevada
+/-11, times Taylor Bennett tries one of these, only with much less success and many more turnovers:



Jumping on the LaTech bandwagon is the new black. "They're cool! They're hip! They are geographically indifferent to their own conference!" Well, we're not buying it.

The reign of Derek Dooley might have gotten off to a good start, but let's look at the facts. In 2006, the Bulldogs finished 1-7 in the conference with losses to Idaho, NMSU, and San Jose State. In 2007, the Bulldogs were 4-4 in the WAC with wins over the same schools. There is a big difference between beating bad teams and being a good team. Basically, all LaTech did last year was win against four of the worst teams in the country, and we have a hard time placing our trust in a program that has, to this point, only proven their lack of awfulness. Beat Fresno State or Hawaii and then we can talk.

Perfect situation:
Taylor Bennett wins the starting quarterback job, the offense finds balance, the defense is allowed a "three-mississippi" head start on all pass plays, the Bulldogs win the WAC and go to the Hawaii Bowl, and Derek Dooley names himself King of Louisiana

Reality:
Taylor Bennett wins the starting quarterback job, proceeds to be not all that good, the defensive line forgets to show up for multiple games, Bulldogs somehow finish 5-3 in the WAC, media members write articles about how right they were in picking LaTech as a sleeper, Derek Dooley gives himself a promotion

Final record:
7-5 overall, 5-3 conference

Thursday: Links with greatness

Story of the day:

Dominique Vinson and other Bronco casualties [Statesman]

As excited as we have been this summer about early commitments, Bronco fans could be just as concerned about the number of players leaving the team. The latest casualty is WR Dominique Vinson, a grayshirt last season who had some exciting expectations this fall. Let's go to the Statesman for the details.

No details of Vinson's departure were available.

Oh.

Vinson's departure adds to the rather long list of Bronco players who will not be back this year (mentioned by us and FFBSU), including some for medical reasons and a few for personal reasons. Depressed yet? If not, then this might do it for you (from the Scott Slant):

Ebenezer Makinde, recruited out of Phoenix as an "athlete" (meaning he'd be plugged in where he fits the best), might be waffling. Tim Schultz (Rivals.com) writes, "Makinde gave a verbal commitment to Boise State at the end of May and while he says he's still committed, he would like to see what options other schools might have to offer to get a feel for whether or not he made the right decision. 

Say it ain't so, Ebo!

With all this discouraging news, it would be nice to have something optimistic to talk about. How 'bout a Jeremy Childs update? He is listed on the Boise State roster, which means he is either on the team or that the someone in the BSU administration office does not proofread. At this point, we'll take whatever we can get.

Other links:

Video tour of new Bronco Stadium Sky Club [KTVB.com]
Sadly, it will be the closest we come to getting there any time soon.

Wal Mart does not follow college football [KTVB.com]
But their PowerAdes sure are cheap!

Boise State good at marketing, too [Statesman]
Is there anything our teams can't do?

Not all Idaho players are worthless [Nevada Appeal]
Adam Korby broke the mold.

LaTech could be a sleeper [Times-News]
If sleeper means boring, then yes.

BSU a big game for Southern Miss [EDSBS]
Not losing as badly as last year would be sorta like a win.

Enjoy... [EDSBS]
(Giggling to ourselves)

Coach Pete speaking at coaching clinic [2News.tv]
Insider information about the Wolf Pack [PWtW]

One month from today...

...the season begins!

Idaho State at Boise State, August 30th.

BSU numerical roster revealed

The new BSU numerical roster is available on the BroncoSports website, finally giving us a chance to pre-order our Raphiel Lambert replica jersey. Get BroncoShop on the phone, Jeeves!

The biggest change on the updated roster is RB D.J. Harper's switch from #34 to #6--an obvious ode to Denver QB Jay Cutler. Seriously though, Harper will look pretty awesome running over defenders with a single digit on his back.

Doug Martin will indeed be wearing #22, and the rest of the skill position players stayed put with their same numbers. The only other big changes were CB Brandyn Thompson switching to #13 and DT Billy Winn going to #90.

Lambert and the other incoming freshmen were listed, which really makes them feel like part of the team for the first time. Now we actually have an excuse to get way too amped up about them.

• Bronson Durrant, OG, #79
• Greg Grimes, DL, #68
• Byron Hout, LB, #69
• George Iloka, S, #8
• Tyler Jackson, S, #29
• Joe Kellogg, OG, #61
• Chandler Koch, TE, #86
• Darren Koontz, DT, #95
• Raphiel Lambert, CB, #38
• Brenel Myers, OG, #64
• Chris Potter, WR, #81
• Tommy Smith, LB, #33
• Tom Swanson, OT, #74
• Jamar Taylor, CB, no number
• Faraji Wright, OT, #75

Junior college transfer LB Daron Mackey will be wearing #45.

Roster - Boise State [BroncoSports.com]

Bronco blogger podcast returns from vacation

After a summer of rest, the Bronco Nation N.O.W. podcast has resumed. Listen to JT Ray from BNN, Drew from Fight Fight BSU, and Matt Rodgers from Statue Left as they discuss the latest news and information. OBNUG took the Bush Hamdan route and politely declined.

Stream it from the website. Download it to your iPod. Burn it on a disc and take it to a rave. Or do all three.

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

Wednesday: Links with blowouts

Story of the day:

Boise State practice schedule [Press-Tribune]

You may enjoy watching the Boise State Broncos, but the Broncos do not necessarily enjoy being watched.

That is the feeling we get from the release of the Fall Camp schedule. In addition to the common practice of banning the public from regular practice sessions, the team is extending its Joe Schmo prejudice even further. Observe the scrimmage information:

Monday, Aug. 11 from 3-5:30 p.m. at Bronco Stadium
Saturday, Aug. 16 from 7-9 p.m. at Bronco Stadium
The team also will hold a closed scrimmage at Eagle High School on Aug. 22.

Who closes scrimmages to the public? We're actually a little bothered by this, considering that Bronco Nation has been nothing but supportive. We just want to see our team play! We promise to leave the video cameras and Nevada scouts at home this time.

The Broncos will hold 24 practices in the three weeks leading up to the Idaho State game. When Fall Camp ends on August 24th, Boise State will spend the next week getting ready for Idaho State. Not that they'll need a whole week.

Other links:

Top 5 rivalries for non-BCS teams [ESPN.com]
Fresno State-Boise State may be the most lopsided rivalry ever. Unless you still consider Idaho-Boise State a rivalry.

Yeah, another bowl is a great idea [Washington Business Journal]
Congressional Bowl will feature Navy, ACC school, and an ambivalent sigh from the rest of the country.

Exodus from newspapers to online [From the Bleachers]
Little known fact: OBNUG used to have a print edition.

The WAC's hate meter [ESPN.com]
Graham Watson's glass must be half empty.

An epic WAC season? We're not sure about that [Arbiter]
Glad to see college journalists not afraid to make broad blanket statements.

Child-rearing tips from Dan Hawkins [CUBuffs.com]
"Sometimes you’re a potter, other times a blacksmith." Uh...

Will Hoenike finds wormhole in the fabric of time [ISZ]
At least, that's where the last optimistic Vandal conversation was heard.

A new perspective on bowl games [Bowlology]
Would a Boise State-Texas Tech Sun Bowl have ended any better?

San Jose State preview: fight the mediocrity!

Previewing the WAC seems like a good job for an intern. Unfortunately, we do not have an intern. Ugh. Today: San Jose State

 San Jose State

 Team motto: "Attack the lower tier of the WAC"

Two years ago, the San Jose State Spartans were 9-4 and winners of the New Mexico Bowl. Last year, the Spartans were 5-7 and winners over UC Davis. In the immortal words of Mike LaFontaine, "Wha' Happened?"

The 2007 Spartans had a lot working against them. They opened with a difficult schedule that saw them start out 0-3. They lost starting running back Yonus Davis for the season to injury. They forgot to recruit impact players. Taking Hawaii to overtime was a good sign, but scoring a combined seven points against Fresno State and Boise State wasn't. When all was said and done, the Spartans were stuck in WAC mediocrity, not good enough to scare anyone but not bad enough to be confused with Idaho. Enjoying the Dick Tomey era yet, Spartan fans?

Five Questions

Is Kyle Reed the next Steve DeBerg or Jeff Garcia?
Forget DeBerg and Garcia. The Spartans would be ecstatic if Reed was the next Adam Tafralis. A transfer from Cal, Reed is battling for Tafralis' old QB spot with Myles Eden and Jordan LaScela. He may have the upper hand simply because he did, at one point, have Pac-10 talent. That should be good enough to fill Tafralis' "Don't blame me, I complete 62 percent of my passes" shoes.

What were you thinking when you chose Jeff Schweiger as your preseason WAC defensive player of the year?
Thinking outside of the box is good, provided that the box is full of Hawaii players. Schweiger seemed like a good pick because we see him and the SJSU defense being a key to the Spartans' "success" this year. Schweiger, a transfer from USC, and Coye Francies, a CB transfer from Oregon State, will take on the responsibility of the departed Dwight Lowery and Matt Castelo. A better question might be why Pac-10 players want to transfer to San Jose State.

Will I have to wake up at 9:00 a.m. to watch the SJSU-Boise State game?
Fortunately, no. The Spartans love to start their Saturday games smack dab in the middle of Dragonball Z, but they won't have the luxury of catching the Broncos mid-Pop Tart this year. The two teams face off on a Friday night ESPN2 telecast. Guess we'll have to tape the Bill Engvall Show.

Tell me a joke.
What do the San Jose State offensive line and George O'Leary's resume have in common? Both are unreliable and full of holes.

Is Yonus Davis the first person in the history of football to miss an entire season due to a sprained ankle?
Yes, probably. Davis suffered the injury on the Spartans' first offensive play last season, and he was barely heard from again. His final numbers: 3 carries, 1 yard, 500 rolls of Ace bandage. Davis was awarded a sixth year of eligibility, giving him one more chance to run over WAC defenses and call dibs on the rehab hot tub. Tommy Boy quote!

Tommy: You know, a lot of people go to college for six years.
Richard: I know. They're called doctors.

Over/Unders
+/- 76 Times Kevin Jurovich is wide open and nobody sees him
+/- 4 How many games it takes for us to regret picking Jeff Schweiger as WAC defensive player of the year
+/- 10 SJSU third-down conversion percentage

Recognizing what went wrong last year should help the Spartans creep back toward moderate respectability. An easier schedule should help (Hey there, San Diego State!). The return of Yonus Davis won't hurt (not the last time you'll see "hurt" and "Yonus" in the same sentence this season). And the addition of impact transfers on offense and defense should make a difference.

Still, unless the Spartans have plans to upset one of the top teams in the WAC, they will continue to tow the line just above awful, just below talented, and all over ordinary.

Perfect situation:
Stanford and Nebraska forfeit their non-conference games, Kevin Jurovich grows six inches and learns to throw go routes to himself, Jeff Schweiger becomes an All-American, and San Jose State goes to a bowl other than the New Mexico Bowl.

Reality:
The San Jose offense struggles with a new quarterback and porous offensive line, the defense guts out wins over San Diego State and Hawaii, the Spartans get to 6-3 before losing their final three games, and Dick Tomey's lobbying for a New Mexico Bowl berth falls on deaf ears.

Final record: 
6-6 overall, 4-4 conference

Tuesday: Links with predictions

Story of the day:

RB Ian Johnson tops in the WAC? [ESPN.com]

ESPN's Graham Watson posed an interesting question on her blog yesterday: Is Ian Johnson the WAC's best running back? If Watson knows, then she's not telling as her story politely skirted the issue with open-ended statements, facts, and Johnson quotes.

But is he the best running back in a stacked WAC?

"I've seen a lot of these guys and you look at (Nevada's Luke) Lippincott and all the guys from La Tech and even the guys from Fresno, these guys are very different running backs from myself," Johnson said during WAC Media Days last week.

Johnson was the best running back in the WAC during his glory year in 2006 and was even considered a darkhorse for the Heisman Trophy. But those numbers trailed off last season as Johnson was plagued with injuries.

We live in a black-and-white world, so this article, with all its grayness and ambiguity, was hard to deal with. The answer, in our opinion, is clear: Ian Johnson is not the WAC's best running back. He lost that title last year when he struggled with injuries and effectiveness. Let the angry emails fly.

Remember, Johnson was not very good at times last year, and Bronco Nation openly questioned what was wrong with him. Sure, he is saying all the right things and doing all the right things this offseason, and to be honest, we are confident that he will regain the mantle of WAC's top running back this season. But in the meantime, we feel he is no longer the top dog.

There, Graham Watson. We said it.

Other links:

Dan Gore cut by Dolphins [Scott Slant]

We guess Miami liked losing last year more than they thought

Utah State bringing down Utah's schedule [ESPN.com]
The Aggies get replaced by Notre Dame. Boise State would do the same if it could.

Another vote for Kellen Moore [Bleacher Report]
Bush Hamdan not available for comment.

Rivals' countdown reaches No. 3 [Rivals.com]
USC and Georgia still to come--most likely in that order.

Recap of rule changes [Rivals.com]
Clock changes may shorten games from 3 hours, 45 minutes to 3 hours, 40 minutes.

Life Coach: did somebody say Lagoon?

The Life Coach believes that there are no stupid questions, just stupid Vandal fans who ask questions. His purpose is to shepherd Bronco Nation to the calm waters of illumination, guiding them through their perfunctory problems with grace, flair, and competent advice. Got a question for the Life Coach? Email him at OneBroncoNationUnderGod@gmail.com.

Life Coach,
I heard the WAC media convention was in Salt Lake City this year. How much time do you think the journalists spent at Lagoon?
Snoopy in Silverwood

Half to two-thirds. Unless you have a specific reason for being in Salt Lake – and the WAC media convention is not a real reason – then you will spend most of your time at Lagoon. I mean, for real – what’s not to like? There are rides, carnival games, candy apples, and Mormon hotties. Lagoon is the Disneyland of the Great Salt Basin – minus the cleanliness and joy.

But I hear that that weekend is going to be “Lagoon: Get WACd!” Journalists are going to go crazy.

Life Coach,
In regards to new Bronco radio color guy Jadon Dailey, should it matter that he has as much announcing experience as I do?
Sincerely, guy who has never announced anything ever


It only matters when he messes up. Anytime he makes a mistake or isn’t funny or spot-on with a comment – we will all say to each other, “Man, how old is this guy? I could do this way better than this little kid, respectively.” But if he is awesome, then we will all be like, “It is great having a fresh perspective in the booth. This guy is so much better than David Augusto!"

So should it matter that Jadon Dailey has as much announcing experience as you do? Only time will tell…

Life Coach,
I am a Boise state alum and citizen of Bronco Nation who unfortunately had to leave our beloved state capitol to pursue a graduate degree at Idaho State University. I can see the Idaho State football team practice through the windows of my classes and can't help but weep at the thought that I have to wait another month until I can watch Boise State smear them across the new Blue field turf. I was wondering... since it was brought to my attention that Boise state is supposed to beat Idaho State by like 44 points (according to some odds wizards out there), is that a good thing or a bad thing? I mean, if we win by 43, did we let everyone down? Should we hang our heads in shame if we only beat Idaho State by 6 touchdowns? Please put this in perspective for me.
Perplexed in Pocatello

First of all, this is a great problem to have. I remember the worries of BSU fans used to be a lot scarier when we were getting our you-know-what's handed to us by South Carolina and Arkansas and almost every Big Sky team. So if we keep this in perspective – really, it is not a problem at all.

But, on a personal note, if we only win by 43, we should count that as a moral loss because Idaho State will be counting that as a moral victory.

And now that we are good, we hate moral victories.

Monday: Links with experience

Story of the day:

WAC coaches favor, ignore early signing period  [Statesman]

Much has been made of the proposal of an early signing period for college football. Strangely enough, even the WAC seems interested

"I'm 100 percent for it," Louisiana Tech coach Derek Dooley said. "You would save some money so you don't have to keep seeing guys and babysit and prevent the negative recruiting that comes after a commitment. It would prevent (other) schools from getting in and trying to confuse and manipulate."

The news is strange considering that there have been hardly any early commitments in the conference outside of the nine from Boise State. What difference would an early signing period make then? Do WAC schools enjoy not meeting deadlines? Are they in a rush to be turned down? Are they hoping impressionable high school kids would be more akin to bad decisions earlier in the year?

Of course, not everyone is thrilled about an early signing period, although the issue with this particular program might be its anathema to recruiting in general.

"I still like to evaluate kids during their senior year," Utah State coach Brent Guy said. "I want to see a guy get better from his junior to senior year and keep improving. I wouldn't use it."

Adding, "I hardly use the one we have now!"

Other links:

Clady's contract worth $17.5 million [AP]
$11.5 in guarantees, one wild night at Six Flags Denver.

BSU schedule featured on Wiz of Odds [Wizard of Odds]
Complete with predictable Ian Johnson age joke.

NFL-caliber Boise State QBs [BNN]
Forget who's starting! Who's third-string NFL material?

Fresno State wants to go to the BCS [Honolulu Advertiser]
Aw, they're jealous.

Oregon suspends starting linebacker [Yahoo! Sports]
Nate Potter breathes sigh of relief.

LaTech loses four players [ESPN.com]
Suspension, academics, transferring, indifference to LaTech football.

WAC has work to do [Statesman]
Breaking news: Idaho not pulling its weight.

Headlines from WAC media convention

With the WAC Football Preview (motto: "What happens in Salt Lake, stays in Salt Lake") out of the way, we can finally turn our thoughts toward the start of the college football season. Not that we weren't already anyway.

The media convention was a typical, predictable yakfest between obliging players and coaches and opportunistic media members, but that's not to say that it wasn't without some interesting stories.

Here are some of the highlights:

Boise State tidbits

Ian Johnson = media dreamboat

The most popular player in Salt Lake City was Boise State RB Ian Johnson. The buzz around Johnson wasn't quite at the level of last year's convo, which had extra hype due to the Fiesta Bowl win. Still, he provided plenty of good quotes, and several media outlets were able to cull somewhat original stories from the interviews.

No insurance policy against injury

• Johnson has chosen not to follow the financial footsteps of previous college stars in taking out an insurance policy to protect against a career-ending injury. Here's hoping that US Bank savings account holds up!

Kickoff return duties are his

• "The secret's out," Johnson said, smiling.
  Worst kept secret ever.

Speaking in third person; OBNUG likes

• “It’s definitely not as crazy,” Johnson said. “It’s been great because it’s given me time to focus on the couple issues I have — being a great husband and being the best Ian Johnson I can be for the upcoming season.”

Ian Johnson believes in Ian Johnson

• "I'm going to step up and I'm going to put this team on my back," Johnson said Thursday at the WAC football media preview. " I've gotten myself ready to take the hits for a full season and to be a punishing back for a full season. The fact that I have guys biting at my heels, I've got to prove that I am better than them and that they can't just come out and play without us skipping a beat."

Could have played in Hawaii Bowl

• Apparently, he told the coaches he was healthy enough to play. Let the conspiracy theories begin!
  "They never asked the question (whether I could play), my number was never called," Ian Johnson said. "I told them at the beginning of the game that I was ready... I try not to show too much emotion. It was a call that was made for the team and if you feel the best way to go is someone else I can be a little angry but I'm going to accept it."

Coach Pete's cryptic analysis of Johnson

• "One of the things that's probably going to help Ian is the depth that we have at that position," Petersen said. "We don't have to play him every down and hopefully get him to last the season and also to be pushed a little bit by some of these other guys that we have."

Taking the Taylor Tharp approach to QB competition

The Boise State coaches learned their lesson last year about not jumping to conclusions in the search for a starting quarterback.

“It worked for us before to be patient and work this thing out,” Petersen said. If by "worked out," you are referring solely to the New Mexico State game, then yes.

No Jeremy Childs news until August 4, so stop asking!

"I'll still say the same thing (about Childs)," Petersen said. "When we get back, we'll see. If everything checks out when we get back on the fourth, then he's a go. We'll probably put that whole thing to rest on the fourth."

Mike T. Williams not as popular as Ian Johnson

Photographic proof here.

WAC rivals tidbits

Colin Kaepernick to start at Nevada

"There is no quarterback controversy at the University of Nevada,” said Wolfpack head coach Chris Ault, obviously referring to the fact that Kaepernick could hardly be defined as a "quarterback." According to Ault, the skinny-legged "Kap" has some work to do in order to become a polished product, especially in the "noun" area. “Last year, he was a thrower, not a passer,” Ault said.

Taylor Bennett forgot to transfer his skills


The fate of the Louisiana Tech program rests in the hands of Georgia Tech transfer QB Taylor Bennett. Someone might want to let him know.

Sophomore Ross Jenkins emerged from spring practice as the starting quarterback, with Bennett as the backup. Perhaps the ACC is a lot worse than we anticipated.

SJSU excited about RB, oblivious to expectations

San Jose State, one of several mediocre teams purported to make a push in the WAC this year, received good news when former starter Yonus Davis was granted a sixth year of eligibility...and immediately started printing WAC champion T-shirts.

Holbrook confuses bulking up with Carl's Jr

New Mexico State quarterback Chase Holbrook wanted to add some weight this offseason to be able to absorb the hits he'll take this year. Mission very accomplished.

Holbrook will weigh in at 245 pounds this season. Maybe the motivational Jared Lorenzen wall poster wasn't the best choice.

Utah State embraces idea of depth

Even if the wins don't come this year for Utah State, at least their players will be less tired. The Aggies had little more than 50 players in total last season, but thanks to the recruiting prowess of Brent Guy ("We have XBox!"), Utah State will be able to field a full roster. Not necessarily a good roster, but a full one.

Greg McMackin has not watched the NFL for years

ESPN.com's Graham Watson made the mistake of assuming Hawaii head coach Greg McMackin follows football. Her bad.

GW: So you're going to play DB Ryan Mouton on offense. What went into that decision?
GM: He's so quick. He's got God-given quickness. He's a big playmaker. I just really like him. He's a big-play guy. He ran a kickoff back, he ran a touchdown back on defense, and we can just throw out a screen and let him do his thing.
GW: Is he in the Devin Hester-type mold?
GM: Who?
GW: The guy from Chicago? Uh, how about Deion Sanders?
GM: Oh, yeah, like Deion Sanders.

Sources

• Idaho Press-Tribune
• Idaho Statesman
• Honolulu Advertiser
• Scott Slant
• Reno Gazette-Journal
• Idaho Statesman WAC roundup
• ESPN.com's non-BCS blog

Ryan Clady signs with Broncos, has newfound riches

  
Former Boise State OT Ryan Clady has signed with the Denver Broncos, according to the Idaho Statesman.

The deal is believed to be worth $20 million over six years and was completed in time for the Boise State star to join the team’s first workout.

Last year's 12th overall pick, RB Marshawn Lynch, received a five-year, $19 million deal.

Training camp for the Broncos (the Denver ones) began today.

Denver Broncos sign Clady [Statesman]

Friday: Links with regret

We'll recap the WAC media convention later today. Lots of good things to learn.

Story of the day:

Coach Pete reveals roster updates [Statesman]

At the WAC media convention yesterday, Coach Pete had a veritable laundry list of roster turnover to discuss, including some disappointing news about two potentially exciting recruits.

Linebacker Jack Sula of Carson, Calif., told the Broncos staff that he will not join the team because of family issues, Petersen said.

Van Drumgoole of Vallivue High, a speedy wide receiver, plans to attend a junior college instead of Boise State to improve his academic record, Petersen said. The Broncos had planned to grayshirt him.

Petersen also said that OL Paul Lucariello's BSU career is over due to medical reasons, and DL Phillip Edwards and DL Kapono Rawlins-Crivello will not be returning to the team. Spencer Gerke, an incoming will recruit, will be the only one to grayshirt out of the incoming class.

There was no word on WR Jeremy Childs, and there was even less of a word on the starting quarterback.

Other links:

USA Today picks Boise State [USA Today]
And if USA Today says it, it must be true.

Alex Guerrero returns home [Fight Fight BSU]
The afl2 playoff chase is so on!

SJSU player arrested, keeps scholarship [ESPN.com]
Probably because no one else wanted it.

Dinwiddie's reign over CFL begins [Winnipeg Sun]
450 yards passing? Game-winning touchdown? Sounds like Dinwiddie to us.

The name says it all [Holbrook4Heisman]
Thanks for the tip, Graham Watson. Or rather, no thanks.

Oregon picked third in Pac-10 [ESPN.com]
One more reason to be scared.

Coach Pete press conference audio

Coach Pete will be speaking at the WAC media convention starting at 1:30 this afternoon. Possible topics of discussion include:

• QB situation
• Current two-game losing streak
• Jeremy Childs
• How the buffet was
  

We'll update this post with the audio/video of the press conference once it becomes available on WACSports.com. We are nothing if not freeloaders. Check back here in a little bit.

Update: Dave Southorn has posted his notes at his IPT blog. Still waiting for the audio/video. 

Update2: Here is the link to the audio/video:

• Coach Pete press conference
  

New Mexico State media stumps for Tadman

Yesterday, we joked about including Marty Tadman in the discussion for preseason WAC defensive player of the year. The New Mexico State media? Not joking.

The preseason picks for offensive and defensive players of the year should be announced later today. We voted for Chase Holbrook for offensive player of the year and Boise State's Marty Tadman for defensive player of the year.

Here's a close-up image of their selection.

Tadman lost to Hawaii's Solomon Elimimian, who is still an active player.

Preseason Football Poll Update [Bleed Crimson]

Update: This was not a typo. These guys actually voted for Marty Tadman.

Thursday: Links with technology

Story of the day:

Karl Benson's state of the WAC [ESPN.com]

In his press conference at the WAC media days yesterday, commissioner Karl Benson had plenty of good things to say about the recent success of the WAC and the high national profile that the conference has earned over the past few years. The only thing that could bring down his good times? Idaho, Utah State, and NMSU.

"We need to get better at the bottom of the league," Benson said. "There are 120 FBS programs and we've had teams in the hundreds, and those teams need to get better. It has an impact on the teams in the top half in terms of BCS standings."

Besides those three black sheep, Benson was pleased with the conference's progress. And he always loves a good MWC ribbing.

"The WAC has re-established itself as the second-most recognized conference in the West behind the Pac-10," Benson said. "It wasn't intended to compare the WAC to the Mountain West. The WAC is well-grounded, well-established and continues to perform at a high level."

Benson did not confirm an ESPN TV deal, but he did promise better officiating and a concerted effort to keep anyone from using the term "non-BCS conference" ever again. Good luck with that.

Other links:

Broncos will speak this afternoon [WAC Sports]
Ian Johnson, Mike Williams, and Coach Pete on the mic.

Notes from WAC media days [Press-Tribune]
Shirtless Idaho players? We're kind of glad we're not there.

Media votes Colorado seventh-best Big XII team [Big12 Sports]
Dan Hawkins wonders if BSU will take him back.

The Sugar Bowl did more harm than good [Salt Lake Tribune]
"Hawaii debacle" is a pretty strong headline.

Coach Pete conquers Blue Angels [Statesman]
Not blowing chunks in an 800 mph airplane is quite the achievement.

Ian Johnson weight update [Dave's Blog]
He's at 207. Update your Excel spreadsheet accordingly.

Honest, biased preseason WAC standings

Yesterday: preseason WAC players of the year
Today: preseason WAC poll
Tomorrow: a nap

The WAC media and coaches have released their picks for conference favorites, and now it is time to reveal ours. As is always the case, our preseason poll has an unconventional look to it, and plenty of bias and passive-aggressive anger went into the picks. Feel free to tell us how badly we botched things.

1. Boise State
We see them going undefeated and winning the national championship, which is probably why we weren't invited to the WAC media convention.
2. Nevada
Why are we giving Nevada respect? Beats us, but we do see them winning six conference games
3. Fresno State
We'd be surprised if anyone else had the Bulldogs this low, but if there's a way for Fresno to screw the pooch in conference play, they'll find it. We imagine it's hiding under the guise of a road game at LaTech.
4. Louisiana Tech
Speaking of LaTech, the Bulldogs may show flashes of a program on the rise this season. However, they will also show flashes of LaTech.
5. San Jose State
If the Spartans win in Hawaii in September, they could certainly finish here. If they don't, then we will never trust them with anything again.
6. Hawaii
The Warriors may surprise us, or they may completely implode under the shaky hand of Tyler Graunke and the deer-in-the-headlights stare of Greg McMackin. We're betting on the latter.
7. Idaho
The Vandals are a poorly-coached, undisciplined, talentless football team. That's good enough for seventh place in the WAC.
8. Utah State
Happy trails, Brent Guy. Pick up your parting gift at Deseret Industries on your way out.
9. New Mexico State
Finishing below Idaho and Utah State is no easy task, but considering that the Aggies lost at home last year to USU and get both of the teams on the road this season, we're confident they are up to the challenge. Catch the Hal Mumme fever!

Robb Akey on the mic at WAC media convention

Enjoy. Or don't.

• Robb Akey press conference 

Coaches, commissioner speak...[WACSports.com]

Wednesday: Links with dread

The WAC preseason picks are out. Click here for the results. (Spoiler alert: the good guys win.)

Story of the day:

Boise State making play for MWC? [Review Journal]

For awhile now, it seems like the Broncos have been exploring options on how to get out of the WAC. Their latest accomplice may be...the Humanitarian Bowl?

The Mountain West could send a team to that game this season if the Atlantic Coast Conference fails to qualify an eighth bowl team, but a deal would be for a guaranteed spot in 2009 for the No. 5 MWC team. MWC commissioner Craig Thompson didn't deny Boise State might use the bowl as a means to gain admission into the Mountain West.

What strange bedfellows. Boise State and the H-Bowl have a tenuous history, mostly because BSU treats the home game as a fall-back option, not unlike our dating history in high school. "Well, if the Hawaii Bowl asks us out, then we're going, but I guess we could always play mini golf with the H-Bowl if all else fails." We love mini golf.


Not sure how everyone is making the presumption that a MWC team in the H-Bowl means Boise State is making a play to join the conference. From what we can tell, the Broncos might have more incentive to stay home and face a MWC team (ugh, Wyoming again?) to prove that they belong with Mountain West teams.

It's worth following to say the least, but we'd rather the Broncos be looking for subversive ways to join the Pac-10.

Other links:

Tim Brady on cover of media guide [Press-Tribune]
Sorry, Brock Jaramillo. Maybe next year.

Colt Brennan blogs Colt Brennan-ness [Redskins.com]
Thanks, Warriors Will Throw. We appreciate the extra ammunition.

The Bronco Nation podcast is big time [BNN]
Voting FSU ahead of BSU in preseason polls, however, is not big time.

Sporting News' Boise State preview [Sporting News]
#33 in the country: we'll take that.

Interesting stats on the WAC [Sporting Network]
An original WAC preview. How refreshing.

Statesman's preview of media days [Statesman]
Brent Guy rationalizing his career record should be fun.

Chase Holbrook, Heisman candidate [Reno Gazette-Journal]
We just threw up in our mouth a little.

Interesting take on mid-majors [Sunday Morning Quarterback]
Kudos to blogger journalism.

Idaho State may not even be competitive in Big Sky [ISZ]
Merril Hoge sheds a tear.

Broncos picked first, Johnson picked best

Take that, Fresno State. In your face, Chase Holbrook.

The Broncos were chosen by the WAC media to finish first in the conference, and Ian Johnson was named the WAC's preseason offensive player of the year at the WAC media convention in Salt Lake City.

Boise State received 383 points and 25 first-place votes from media members around the WAC and the nation. Fresno State was picked a close second after garnering 379 points and 20 first-place votes.

Here are the official standings for the media poll.

1. Boise State (383)
   
2. Fresno State (379)
   
3. Nevada (296)
   
4. Hawaii (243)
   
5. Louisiana Tech (209)
   
6. San Jose State (183)
   
7. New Mexico State (167)
   
8. Idaho (87)
   
9. Utah State (78)
   

The coaches had Fresno State on top, but what do coaches know? Okay, they know more than we will ever forget. The Bulldogs got seven first place votes from the conference coaches, and Boise State got the remaining two.

Ian Johnson and Hawaii LB Solomon Elimimian were voted as the players of the year for the conference. Johnson is without a doubt the face of the WAC, considering his success in the Fiesta Bowl season and his national notoriety, but NMSU QB Holbrook could have just as easily duped the media into picking him.

We're actually a little surprised that the Broncos were chosen to finish first. We have heard everyone and their mother tout the greatness of the Bulldogs this upcoming season, and we figured that the media would think the same. They have obviously skipped the Fresno Kool-Aid in favor of Boise State coffee and Red Bull.

In lieu of this really early announcement (what are they doing awake this early?), we'll run the daily links later this morning.

Broncos picked first... [Bronco Sports]

Far out predictions for preseason WAC awards

Today: Preseason WAC players of the year
Tomorrow: Preseason conference standings
Thursday: a nap

The official preseason players of the year in the WAC will be revealed in the next couple days, and they are sure to reek of predictability and groupthink. Ian Johnson, anyone?

Our picks are a little different. We know from experience that a college football season rarely plays out as planned, which is why we've done our best to think outside of the box with preseason prognosticating. Does Chadd Cripe know any better than we do about what will happen this season? Of course not.Will his ballot reflect a stuffy assuredness of safe answers and false modesty? We hope not.

To be sure, we know the right answers to the preseason players of the year questions; they are obviously outlined in every preview magazine on the shelves. However, we stand by our decisions for players of the year, and we're more than happy to eat crow when things start falling apart in Week Three.

So without further ado, here are the picks:

OBNUG's preseason WAC defensive player of the year

Jeff Schweiger, San Jose State DE

Who? What? Are San Jose State linemen even eligible? These same questions ran through our heads, too, but we put peer pressure and good sense aside and went with Schweiger anyway.

Perhaps a little background would help: Schweiger is a 6'5", 255-pound transfer from USC. He owned SJSU's spring practice, and he was so good that 2007 all-WAC DE Jarron Gilbert has moved inside to tackle. Obviously, Pac-10 competition is a step above WAC play, so we're expecting Schweiger to really be an animal this fall. San Jose State is supposed to be one of several strong WAC defensive teams, and Schweiger will be the reason.

Don't let us down, Jeff Schweiger. Although, from a San Jose State Spartan, we may be asking the impossible.

What the media will say: Solomon Elimimian or Adam Leonard, Hawaii LBs

Other candidates we considered: Ryan Winterswyk, Derrell Acrey, Jake Hutton, David Veikune, Moses Harris, Elimimian, Leonard, Marty Tadman

OBNUG's preseason WAC offensive player of the year

Nick Graziano, Nevada QB

The Nevada Wolfpack have tangible hype going into the season, which could be dashed in an instant by a 4-for-26 Colin Kaepernick quarterbacking performance.

The funny thing is that you probably didn't even flinch at the absurdity of those numbers. Kaepernick completing one-sixth of his passes is a very real possibility, and thusly Kaepernick finding the bench is just as plausible. When it happens, we could see former starter Graziano stepping in and saving the Pack's season.

He'll have a wonderful running back behind him in Luke Lippincott. The offensive line will be solid. He'll have every chance to put up big numbers, and he could bring stability to an offense that will become fairly predictable once Kaepernick starts breaking the pocket immediately on passing plays. You may be thinking, "Then why not pick Lippincott for player of the year?" Because we're idiots. But only time will tell.

FYI: We were thisclose to picking Idaho RB Deonte Jackson, but we couldn't bring ourselves to openly support anything that has to do with the Vandals or anyone who shares a backfield with Nathan Enderle.

What the media will say: Ian Johnson, Boise State RB

Other candidates we considered: Jackson, Malcolm Lane, Ian Johnson, Titus Young, Ryan Mathews, Taylor Bennett, Lippincott, Ryan Dinwiddie

What do you guys think? Who would get your vote? Do you agree with our picks? Are we idiots? Actually, don't answer that last one.

Tuesday: Links with stardom

Story of the day:

Boise State radio details [Idaho Radio News]

For those still curious as to how the whole Peak/KBOI/BSU radio deal went down, Don Day at Idaho Radio News has the details. The report from IRN is vast and impressive, giving insight into virtually every aspect of the dealings. We were particularly interested to hear about the "inappropriate overtures."

BSU president Bob Kustra mentioned several “overtures” on behalf of groups that wanted “this contract very badly.” He told the board that no back-channel requests ever came from Peak. But clearly someone at Citadel did something that Kustra thought to be improper.


“It’s particularly distressing that we bent over backwards to be fair, to be objective and to ignore some overtures that I think that were improper,” he said.

We imagine those overtures to be Magic 93.1's free Rhianna tickets.

The whole story is a good read, and we would suggest checking it out. Day put in some good work to get those details (200 pages of documents, emails, records, and a dozen Red Bulls), and you can tell from the final product.

Other links:

Channel 2 belongs to J Bates [J's Blog]
Well, at least the sports department and Wayne Dzubak.

WAC media day schedule [WACSports]
Plan your day around the Akey news conference.

Behler's competition for the job [Idaho Radio News]
Is there anything Don Day can't do?

The Mountain West media go to Vegas [ESPN.com]
The WAC media burn with jealousy from their Salt Lake City hotel rooms sans cable TV.

Unique photo collage of BSU QB race [Odd Waffles]
Nick Lomax, we hardly recognized you.

Salt Lake City braces for WAC media

The WAC media convention is nearly upon us. Starting tomorrow, media members from WAC cities across the country will meet in Salt Lake City for three days of interviews, buffets, and Sugar Bowl jokes. Sounds like fun, right Will Hoenike?

We think it sounds like fun. However, being excited about a media convention is not enough to get invited to a media convention, and as such, we will be following along from the comfort of our office chair and gigantic, old Dell monitor. Too bad because we had always wanted to tour the Mormon Temple with Chase Holbrook and Luke Lippincott.

The media will be releasing their picks for players of the year and conference champion, and there will gads of interviews that will lead to gads of Honolulu Advertiser feature stories. As for the Statesman, we'll be curious to see if they marry the idea of all-day football news and blogging. There's a first time for everything.

Other things that we're excited about:

• Kellen Moore coming up in conversation entirely too often.
• Colin Kaepernick crashing the party.
• Hawaii coach Greg McMackin drinking his weight in Coke.
• The Marriott running out of continental breakfast and every column mentioning it in his WAC media days article.
• Whether or not San Jose State bothers to show up.
• Hearing Robb Akey use the word "family."
• Living vicariously through Dave Southorn's blog.
• Mormon Keno.
  

Who do you think will be the players of the year? What will the conference standings look like? Who is your pick to win the WAC? Let us know by leaving a comment or sending us an email. We'll reveal our answers to those questions over the next couple days, and we'll keep you updated on all the other WAC media convention news.

Dinwiddie takes over in Winnipeg

Out with Kevin Glenn; in with Ryan Dinwiddie.

Last year's East Division most oustanding player, Glenn has fallen from grace in Winnipeg rather swiftly, and Dinwiddie is in the right place at the right time. Dinwiddie will get the start on Thursday for the Blue Bombers, and even if it takes him awhile to get settled, it sounds like Winnipeg will not be going back to Glenn any time soon.

Head coach Doug Berry said Thursday's game isn't a one-game trial for Dinwiddie, either. He's the No. 1 quarterback until further notice.

Winnipeg is 0-4, and much of the blame is being placed on Glenn's shoulders.

  "I don't think I've played perfect football up until now," he said.

You think? To be specific, Glenn has played the worst football in the CFL. His efficiency rating is 65.9, which is worst in the league. He has thrown eight interceptions, which is worst in the league. Dinwiddie will be a revelation by comparison.

Reaction from Winnipeg fans has been highly encouraging. An OBNUG reader and Winnipeg resident, who alerted us to the story, is thrilled to have Dinwiddie starting, and judging by the Blue Bomber message boards, other fans are looking forward to a change under center, too.

listen to Ryan Dinwiddie. hes confident, he's a field general, his attitude seems to be contagious, heck just listening to RD there, makes me cant wait until thursday. God i hope its nice out

...and...

this might be the spark they need.

GO DINWIDDIE GO!

Now if we could only get Brock Forsey in the backfield.

Dinwiddie takes helm [Winnipeg Sun]
Bombers message board [BlueBombers.com]

Monday: Links with officiating

We'll have some exciting Ryan Dinwiddie news later today. What other kind is there, right?

Story of the day:

Idaho fan resents ESPN's "winless" remark [ESPN.com]

ESPN's newest non-BCS blogger, Graham Watson, suggested last week that the Vandals would go winless this season. Sounds like he knows his non-BCS football.

Watson made his prediction fully expecting the wrath of Vandal fans to rain down upon him. Instead, he got propositioned from a guy in Seattle.

Dan in Seattle writes: Hey Graham Watson, You challenged us Vandals fans to "let the emails fly." In light of your unfounded prediction that the 2008 Vandals will NOT WIN A GAME (and keeping with the relatively non-inciting tone in which it was registered), I propose a little more. How about a straightforward, even odds bet to back up that fearless prediction? Up to $500.

Watson didn't bite, but we imagine that Robb Akey would. Five hundred bucks could buy a lot of Just for Men mustache coloring.

The only way we see Idaho not going winless is beating Idaho State in Moscow. However, Seattle Dan seems to think there are other wins on the schedule, too.

Come on. WINLESS?? Multiple win-able conference games aside...

We'll stop you there. Apart from maybe Utah State (who, if you'll remember right, beat the Vandals last year), there are pretty much no games that Idaho is expected to win in the WAC. Maybe things will be different come midseason, or maybe pigs will fly through frozen hell. We're not holding our breath for either.

Other links:

The south end zone will be closed someday [Statesman]
What's another 20 million dollars?

$2500 per person for seats in the Mothership [Statesman]
Has BSU gone corporate?

Boise State preview [FOXSports.com]
Yes, 10-3 is a disappointment.

Scanned version of Boise State's Phil Steele preview [Boise state football news]
Now if we could just get the other 150 pages scanned, we'd be in business.

Only a month and a half left to bet [Wizard of Odds]
Week One lines from around college football

Reggie Larry update [Warriors.com]

Four minutes, zero points in finale of summer league

Interesting picks from Las Cruces newspaper [Daily Herald]

NMSU ahead of Hawaii? Favoritism!

Karl Benson interview [Statesman]
Brian Murphy is the new Larry King.

Baseball not in BSU's future [Press-Tribune]
Stupid Title IX.

Going camping: Broncos in the pros Part II (NFC edition)

image courtesy of Inside the Iggles

Before we get into the NFC part of our training camp preview, allow us the following aside.

Remember the days when the Chicago Bears used to be a bastion for BSU alumni? Both Brock Forsey and Ryan Dinwiddie were once on the roster, but neither were able to stick. Timing is everything. Today, the Bears are struggling to find both a go-to running back and a reason not to have Rex Grossman any more. What we wouldn't pay to rip a hole in the space-time continuum and have Forsey and Dinwiddie get one more shot.

Without further ado, here are the Boise State players on NFC training camp rosters. (The AFC list can be found here.)

S Quintin Mikell, Philadelphia Eagles
Other Philadelphia Eagles safeties: Sean Considine, Quintin Demps, J.R. Reed, Marcus Paschal
Camp starts: Monday (rookies), Thursday (veterans), Bethlehem PA
Link: Rockford Register: Take that, Sean Considine!

Outlook: Mikell's strong effort in place of Considine last year has him atop the depth chart going into training camp. Mikell doesn't get the same local love as other successful BSU players, but he has quietly put together a fine career. More importantly, we are finally able to remember which one is Quintin and which one is David.

DT Kimo von Oelhoffen, Philadelphia Eagles
Other Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackles: Brodrick Bunkley, Dan Klecko, Trevor Laws, Mike Patterson, Montae Reagor
Camp starts: Monday (rookies), Thursday (veterans), Bethlehem PA
Link: Bleacher Report: not everyone's a Kimo fan.

Outlook: Yes, von Oelhoffen is old. Yes, von Oelhoffen recorded only two tackles last year. But von Oelhoffen is an NFL veteran with experience, and he makes Andy Reid look thin by association. Therefore, Kimo stays. At least until the first round of cuts. Then he's probably gone.


CB Orlando Scandrick, Dallas Cowboys
Other Dallas Cowboys cornerbacks: Terence Newman, Adam Jones, Mike Jenkins, Anthony Henry, Alan Ball, Quincy Butler, Tyler Everett, Evan Oglesby, Jerron Wishom
Camp starts: Thursday, Oxnard CA
Link: Dallas Morning News: Scandrick switched agent to get contract done

Outlook: Scandrick will find a place on the Cowboys, even though their secondary is loaded. Fortunately, Newman is injury-prone, Jones is stripper-prone, and Henry is bound to be moved to safety, so there may be opportunity for Scandrick to move up and make an impact. At any rate, special teams will be glad to have him.

FB Korey Hall, Green Bay Packers
Other Green Bay Packers fullbacks: John Kuhn, Corey White, Ryan Powdrell
Camp starts: 7/27, Green Bay WI
Link: Press-Gazette: plenty of depth at fullback

Outlook: Hall was very impressive in his rookie season last year, yet the Packers still come into camp with four fullbacks on the roster. Four! Kuhn and Hall were last season's starters and did a fine job, so who knows why Powdrell and White are present. Looks like Hall will have to earn his job again, which shouldn't be a problem.

OG Daryn Colledge, Green Bay Packers
Other Green Bay Packers tackles: Ryan Keenan, Cameron Stephenson, Josh Sitton, Jason Spitz, Junius Coston
Camp starts: 7/27, Green Bay WI
Link: Press-Gazette: Packers are favorites, guards are competitive

Outlook: Colledge started most of the season last year after being in and out of the starting lineup his rookie season. He'll again be battling Spitz and Coston for a starting spot, but he seems to be getting better every year so a starting spot should be expected.

S Gerald Alexander, Detroit Lions
Other Detroit Lions safeties: Dwight Smith, Greg Blue, Daniel Bullocks, Kalvin Pearson
Camp starts: Wednesday, Allen Park MI
Link: Michigan Live: Alexander versus Bullocks at strong safety

Outlook: Alexander probably surprised many people with his ascension to a starting rookie safety with the Lions. He looks to have a bright future with the team. And, yes, that may be the only time that "bright future" is mentioned in regards to the Detroit Lions.

WR Jerard Rabb, San Francisco 49ers
Other San Francisco 49ers receivers: Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie, Arnaz Battle, Isaac Bruce, Cameron Colvin, Jason Hill, Robert Jordan, Josh Morgan, Dominique Zeigler
Camp starts: 7/24, Santa Clara CA
Link: 49ers website: big battle for final roster spot

Outlook: Rabb stuck with the practice squad last season, and he'll have his work cut out for him to make the roster this summer. The 49ers are full of medium-tier wide receivers, so Rabb will at least have a good shot at breaking through. Plus, with Mike Martz as O-coordinator, the 49ers could very well be in 5-WR sets fairly often.

TE Jeb Putzier, Seattle Seahawks
Other Seattle Seahawks tight ends: John Carlson, Will Heller, Zac Alcorn, Joe Newton
Camp starts: 7/22, 7/24, Kirkland WA
Link: Sporting News: Carlson outplayed by vets

Outlook: Putzier has experience on his side in the battle for starting tight end. Though the Seahawks might like to see rookie Carlson get the job, Putzier and Heller may be better options to start the season. At any rate, there will be probably be ample TE rotating, so Putzier should see the field often.

Friday: Links with extracurriculars

Story of the day:

Get rich on the Broncos [Scott Slant]

No, Tom Scott was not condoning gambling on his daily blog, er, column, er, slant. But he might as well have been.

Las Vegas oddsmakers have come out with their over-under predictions on team wins for 2008. They have Boise State at 9.5 and Fresno State at 8.5. So it's 9-3 or 10-2 for the Broncos, the way they see it (or the way they want you to bet on it). 

The Broncos have won fewer than 10 games exactly once in the past six years, so you would think that taking the "over" would be easy money.

Well, let's look at the Broncos' schedule. Losing one non-conference game and one WAC game would still put the Broncos at 10 wins, which would be enough for the "over." If Boise State beats Oregon (which we believe in our heart of hearts they will), the Broncos would have to lose to a combination of Southern Miss, Fresno State, and Nevada to fall below the 10-win threshold.

If we were a betting man, our savings would be so out of the bank right now.

Other links:


Scandrick signs with Cowboys [Dallas Morning-News]
Four years, $1.89 million doesn't sound like that much in today's NFL.

Bronco defense preview [BroncoSports.com]
Strange to hear that the "D" will carry the team.

Predictions for the upcoming season [Bleacher Report]
BSU beating Fresno is good, losing to Oregon is bad.

SDSU radio man was runner-up for Peak job [Tube Talk]
Lee Hamilton sounds like a Civil War general.

Indisputable evidence that BSU rocks [Phil Steele]
Makes you feel proud to be a Bronco fan.

Going camping: Broncos in the NFL, Part I (AFC edition)

NFL training camps kick off next week, and there are a good variety of former Boise State players dotting rosters across the country. Today, we'll take a look at the AFC. Tomorrow, we'll tackle the NFC. Saturday, we'll re-order the rosters in Madden 08 according to our personal biases. We have a lot of work to do.

T Ryan Clady, Denver Broncos
Other Denver Broncos tackles on the roster: Ryan Harris, PJ Alexander, Erik Pears, Tyler Polumbus
Camp starts: 7/24, Englewood CO
Link: Denver Post: contract negotiations could won't be done soon

Outlook: Clady should be a fixture in Denver for years, and he seems to already have the city wrapped around his finger. The only question will be when he signs his contract. Holding out for a bit probably won't cost him a starting spot, but it will be enough to elicit a Woody Paige column or two. "Kids these days have no respect for the game! Bllllaaaarrrrrgggghh!" You tell 'em, Woody!

T Dan Gore, Miami Dolphins
Other Miami Dolphins tackles: Vernon Carey, Jake Long, Daren Heerspink (Portland State rookie), Julius Wilson
Camp starts: 7/26, Davie FL
Link: Sun-Sentinel blog: Gore's versatility could increase his value

Outlook: Gore will be given every opportunity to make the team. Such is life in the post 1-15 era of the Miami Dolphins. If anything was a strength of the team last year, it might have been the offensive line, but that doesn't mean there is no room for Gore. The depth at tackle is rather shallow (Heerspink's a Portland State rookie, Wilson has big arms), so we're picking Gore to stick on the opening week roster.

TE Derek Schouman, Buffalo Bills
Other Buffalo Bills tight ends: Robert Royal, Courtney Anderson, Derek Fine (rookie), Tim Massaquoi
Camp starts: 7/25, Rochester NY
Link: BuffaloBills.com: Schouman and Trent Edwards have chemistry

Outlook: Schoumann played the dreaded H-back role last year, which is usually where tight ends go to die. However, he survived, and the Bills are willing to slide him back to a true tight end this season. He has NFL vets Royal and Anderson to contend with, as well as fourth round pick Fine, but potential injuries and the low ceilings of Royal and Anderson should be enough to keep Schoumann solidly into the #3 TE role.


CB/KR Chris Carr, Tennessee Titans
Other Tennessee Titans cornerbacks: Reynaldo Hill, Cortland Finnegan, Eric King, Nick Harper, Marquice Hill, Cary Williams, Shirdonya Mitchell
Camp starts: 7/25, Nashville TN
Link: Tennessean: Carr will answer kick return question

Outlook: Carr is the new Pac-Man Jones in Tennessee, sans Atari nickname. The kick return duties should be his (sorry, Chris Johnson; actually, no we're not). The real question mark will be where Carr fits in the Titans' secondary. Will he be content being a dime back the rest of his career? Will facing Vince Young in practice be better than facing Andrew Walter?

WR Legedu Naanee, San Diego Chargers
Other San Diego Chargers receivers: Chris Chambers, Eric Parker, Vincent Jackson, Buster Davis, Mark Jones, Kassim Osgood, Malcolm Floyd, Billy Pittman, Gary Banks, Marco Thomas
Camp starts: Sunday (rookies), 7/24 (veterans), San Diego CA
Link: Pro Football Weekly: back to wide receiver for Naanee

Outlook: Naanee received encouraging news this summer when he was switched from a TE/WR hybrid to a full-time wideout. And good for him; he has the ability to be a good pro receiver. However, the Chargers are pretty stacked at the position, so Naanee may be no better than a 3rd or 4th option. Of course, he can play so many positions on the team (WR, TE, QB, Phillip Rivers' wingman) that San Diego can't afford not to keep him around.

WR Drisan James, Oakland Raiders
Other Oakland Raiders receivers: Javon Walker, Ronald Curry, Drew Carter, Todd Watkins, Will Buchanon, Marcel Reece, Jonathan Holland, Johnnie Lee Higgins, Chris McFoy, Chaz Schilens, Arman Shields
Camp starts: 7/24, Napa Valley CA
Link: MVN: Raider WR competition will be fierce

Outlook: James has yet to make much noise in the league, but at least he is getting opportunities. The Raiders, though they signed Walker in the offseason, could always use a hard-working receiver, and James could certainly be that. Yet we get the feeling like he might be better off in the CFL or starting a garage band with Jared Zabransky. We guess there's no reason why he couldn't do both.

Thursday: Links with anonymity

Story of the day:

More reasons to fear Southern Miss [NCAAFootball.com]

In addition to Southern Miss being big, athletic, and playing at home, Boise State will now have to contend with the Eagles being loaded. Conference USA has released its preseason polls and rankings, and Southern Miss is well represented to say the least.

Golden Eagle junior running back Damion Fletcher was chosen as the league’s preseason Offensive Player of the Year. Fletcher carried the ball 29 times for 155 yards in the Papajohns.com Bowl to finish last season with a single-season best 1,586 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Another Golden Eagle, reigning C-USA Defensive Player of the Year Gerald McRath, was picked as the preseason favorite to repeat as the conference’s top defensive player. He led C-USA in tackles with 139 (71 solo, 68 assist) in 2007 and averaged 10.7 per game.

Preseason Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year?  Yikes, indeed. Is there any way we can get Weber State back on the schedule?


Other links:

Is Brian Murphy famous enough to interview? [Kellis Robinett]
Relative to Pocatello people, he is.

Budweiser to support Hawaii athletics [Honolulu Advertiser]
Coca-cola to support head coach Greg McMackin.

BSU's new South African walk-on [Fight Fight BSU]
He plays running back, receiver, and philanthropist.

Oregon to sell single-game tickets tomorrow night [GoDucks]
Fifty-four dollars per seat. Seeing the Broncos win in Autzen? Priceless.

Media interview: Don Day

You would be hard-pressed to find a Treasure Valley media member who knows the Internet better than Don Day. His Idaho Radio News website is the #1 source for local radio information. He has transformed KTVB.com into the area's news leader. He was the inspiration behind Sandra Bullock's the Net. And now he's agreed to share some knowledge with us. Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

OBNUG: Tell us a little bit about your background. Where did you grow up? Where did you go to school? How long have you been in the Treasure Valley?


Don: I grew up here in Boise, born and raised as they say. I went to a bunch of the "old" schools: Cole, Hillcrest, South and Borah. I spent about a year at NNU in Nampa and some time at Boise State.

In addition to maintaining Idaho Radio News, we see that you work at KTVB, producing content for television and the web. What all are you involved in with Channel 7? How did you get started with them and how long have you been with the company?

I began working at KTVB in 1999 as Internet News Producer. My role there has evolved and morphed over the years. I went on to produce News at Ten with Carolyn Holly and Mark Johnson, then left for a short stint at NorthWest Cable News in Seattle. I returned back to Boise and now I oversee our content and day-to-day operations for KTVB.COM and ZIdaho.com

What made you decide to start Idaho Radio News? Has radio always been a passion of yours and was it something you ever wanted to make a career out of?

I've always been interested in radio. My dad was the sales manager for KOT/J-105 back in the 1980s, and I've been around it my entire life. During high school, my dad was the host of a three hour blues show on (then) KFXJ/KF-95 on Sunday night. I hung out and bounced around the radio station, and even hosted a cheesy "blues news" segment with concert dates and the like. I interned at KZMG/Magic 93.1 and KCIX/Mix 106 with Steve Shannon and Stephanie Kelly and really enjoyed it. I swerved and moved into TV before getting a full-time job in radio. As much as the radio industry interests me, I think it has a tendency to be hard on people - especially on the content side. The pay isn't as high as it should be, and the number of jobs are few.

I decided to start the blog for two reasons. One, blogging was a new thing, and I wanted to wrap my head around it. Two, there was another site on Idaho radio - but it was written by a guy living in Salt Lake City and just wasn't as good as it could be. So I decided to give it a shot. I've been very close to quitting a few times, but after nearly five years, I don't know how I could NOT be involved.

What is your opinion on blogging and its place among traditional media both locally and nationally?

There are a lot of folks that say they are blogging, but aren't. First, you have to have comments turned on. Second, you've got to turn out at least as many posts as there are days in the month. You also need to be focused on a topic. There are some really fantastic traditional media blogs - Chuck Todd's First Read on MSNBC.com is great, Todd Bishop's Microsoft blog on SeattlePI.com is really good too. The Broncos blogs on IdahoPress.com are fantastic as well.

Other than that, I don't find a lot of outstanding media blogs. The blogs on the daily newspaper's site don't offer anything spectacular, and they aren't much to look at. There's no community there. And every topic seems to devolve into a weird fight about politics.

We at KTVB don't do much with blogging right now. Tom Scott's Scott Slant is sort of in that vein, but it's really more of a daily sports column. The way for a local media organization to look like they are "with it" is to create a blog I guess. But I just don't see the point. We're in the content business - and blogging is just a platform. Unless you're going to really do it well, what's the point? We serve the most pageviews each month, and it's because we are the best at all the things we chose to do.

What kind of response have you gotten from your website compared to the type of response you expected when you first started?

For IdahoRadioNews.com, I didn't expect anything. I didn't even think it would last long. Now the silly thing has been cited by the all the radio industry trade magazine, Idaho Business Review, Boise Weekly and channel 2. The Statesman's ripped me off several times (the Peak radio contract details being a particularly satisfying example) and it feels like the site is well-respected. I work really hard to take my training as a journalist and apply it to the site. The goal is to not let anything untrue slip by. I've been burned a time or two, but I hope that people feel like they are reading the definitive record of the local radio industry when they log on.


What are some of the challenges you have found from starting a blog in the Treasure Valley? Do you feel that this area of the country, since it is not as tech-savvy as places like Seattle, San Fran, etc., is a more difficult place to have a successful web entity?

I worked in Seattle and there are a heck of a lot of blogs up there. Our company runs CItizenRain.com, which indexes more than 500 blogs in the greater-Seattle area. In Boise, there are probably about 75 serious blogs. There are a select few sites that are doing something worthwhile. Boise Guardian does a nice job in an interesting niche, Eye on Boise covers politics like a blanket, Huckelberries Online out of the Spokesman-Review is really cool and the Boise Bus Blog of all things has a cool spin. Sites like OBNUG and Statue Left are right on point and fun to read when it comes to Broncos news and notes.


KTVB's web presence seems to be growing more and more every day. What are some of the web strategies that you, as a TV station, have been trying to implement? What place does blogging have on the site? And we'd be remiss not to ask: what kind of features will the site have come football season?

Our goal is to be the place to go for breaking news, weather, traffic and video. We dabble in a bunch of other areas like sports and events calendar, etc. - but it boils down to being the best at breaking news. No one breaks as many stories online as KTVB.COM, and I'm proud of that. We focus on getting to the point and not overwhelming people with boring junk all the time. Why wade through ten stories that don't matter to get to one you care about? We're also the single best place to get loal weather information. Nobody else combines our set of tools with the expertise of local folks with experience like we do. Sure, we get a lot of data from the National Weather Service - but we present it in a user-friendly way. Thousands of people log-on for the 7 Day Forecast each day, and when severe weather happens, we are often the only local website that even covers it.

With KTVB being the news leader in the valley, have you encountered any unique challenges or expectations for the station's coverage of events or its day-to-day operations?

It's tough. We're a big big orginization. You've heard us say "more Idahoans get their news from KTVB than any other source," and it's a responsibility. We have to make sure we are providing a balanced, complete report that covers our area. The Boise/Twin Falls market is huge - the second biggest geographic market area in the country. Just last week, on a single day we had reporters in McCall, Stanley, Twin Falls and Ontario. Unlike a newspaper, where a reporter can sit at a desk and make phone calls - we actually have to get people in front of a camera, so we cover more turf each day.

It extends to projects like HS GameTime's Friday Night Flights. On an average football Friday, we get to 16 games - covering 32 teams. It takes a team of 6 photographers, plus a producer, helicopter, a web producer and three anchors to sew it all together. The other guys can't do as much. So being big allows us to better serve the community. Not only do you see 30 seconds of the game on TV, but you get extra stuff online. Our HSGameTime.com site was BIG in 2007, and will explode in 2008. It is Idaho's first social network, and the amount of photos and videos uploaded was just astounding. We put several hundred photos from the website back on TV each week - and I'm very proud of the effort.

How do you think the local media does as a whole? Do you see things moving in any certain direction in the future and what kind of improvements can be made?

It is incredibly competitive. KTVB started putting news online in 1996, and we didn't have a single competitor until 2000. When I started, we were the only site doing news. Now I'm watching KBCI, the Statesman, Press Tribune and even non-traditional sites like NewWest - and yes - BroncoCountry.

We changed the rules in the market by deciding that we don't hold news. Ever. If we know about it, it goes online. Sure - we could try and string you out and make you wait for a newscast, but it doesn't work that way. We also don't just put stuff online at 10:01pm so we can pretend we put it online first. It goes up as soon as it is ready, because we are worried about serving the users FIRST, not serving our ratings or circulation. Our philosophy is that if you focus on being the best everywhere, you'll be the best anywhere.

Having worked with local media for awhile, how sad was it to see Paul J. go, and to see him go the way he did?

I don't mean to be coy, but I really can't comment. I covered the whole episode on IdahoRadioNews.com, and uncovered some things that really upset people. I wasn't trying to work an agenda, but rather find the truth.


What are your thoughts on the new Peak broadcasting team for Boise State games?

Peak has some smart people operating its stations. They also have experience, since most of them used to work at Citadel, so I think folks will appreciate the coverage. KBOI intends to still produce pre and post game shows, and competition will make them both better. Either way, the fans win.

What has been a highlight of yours (sports or otherwise) during your time at KTVB and IRN?

I know it'll sound like I'm just playing to the audience - but damn the Fiesta Bowl was incredible. I was working for KTVB, and sitting on the sideline with a laptop in my hand when the game ended. I've never experienced anything like it. I could blather on about it here, or you can just read what I wrote about it on IdahoRadioNews.com at the time (http://idahoradionews.com/index.php/2007/01/05/the-feeling/)


Boise State football seems to be the hottest ticket in town nowadays. Do you see this continuing? Do you see this changing if the team loses more games than usual? Where do you see the whole Bronco Nation phenomenon going from here?

Just before answering these questions, I walked over to look at the stadium expansion. It's incredible. Before the Fiesta Bowl, I pulled an old John Miller story about guys clearing snow at Bronco Stadium. Pokey Allen was hoping to get 20,000 fans into the stadium for a game. This was 1995. No corners. No Allen Noble. No Caven-Williams. No Stueckle Sky Club.

It feels like a less-than-stellar season is always possible, but the school has built such an incredible base that the momentum will be hard to stop.

• Favorite radio station?
  I'd never live it down if I answered that!
• Favorite radio show?
  Same deal.
• Favorite TV show?
  The Office
• Favorite website?
  That I'm not involved with in some way? TVNewser.com
• Favorite book?
  Freakonomics
• Favorite sport?
  Football
• Favorite BSU memory?
  My first game with my grandpa and dad in the 1980s.
• Who is your choice for starting QB this year?
  I think Justin Corr might have some eligibility left.