WIR: Boise State football with love

Week in Review (WIR) is very glad the writer's strike is over because watching Deal or No Deal was starting to get pretty old pretty fast.

Dave Tester's mugshot from hell.
Kudos to the Statesman.
Scandrick going to the combine.
We couldn't be more over Sean Renfree.
Grading WAC recruiting classes.
Southern Miss still on the schedule.
Marty Tadman forever.
Hawaii's rings of power.
Vote, vote, vote.

See you all next week.

Vote for NCAA Football 09 Wii cover

EA Sports is bringing college football to the Wii for the first time, and to commemorate, they are allowing fans to vote a mascot onto the cover of the Wii version.

There are the typical entrants: the Syracuse Orange, Ralphie, Uga, etc. But our very own Buster Bronco is a choice, too!

Vote for him here.

Grading the classes: Idaho

This week, OBNUG will be grading the recruiting classes for each WAC team. Our research may be spotty, but as you can see from the final result, there is no questioning our loyalty.



Idaho

To understand the recruiting strategy of the Idaho Vandals is to believe that winning occurs through osmosis and not, as many believe, through hard work.

“I like the fact that every guy on this list … comes from a winning program,” Akey said. “All but one were in postseason play.”

One such winner is DE Hank Bryant, a recruit from Tumwater High School.

“I’m sure what they liked is his athleticism and agility,” Tumwater coach Sid Otton said. “He has a great first two or three steps.”

Actually, coach, what they liked was the fact that he played on a winning team. Having a great first step is just a coincidence.

Eschewing talent and athleticism, the Vandals completed their recruiting class with 19 high school seniors and two junior college transfers. All of them will have a chance to play right away considering that the Vandals are not all that good.

If help arrived anywhere, it was along the defensive line. Big bodies like Bryant and Brad Marboe, the lone Idaho product in the class, should make a difference along the defensive front. And yes, we consider garbage time sacks during a 35-10 loss as a difference.

Compared to some other teams in the WAC, Idaho's class looks pretty good. Of course, that's not saying much.

Scout.com rank: 81
Rivals.com rank: 101
OBNUG grade: F

Akey fields second recruiting class [Spokesman-Review]

Boise State Football's Greatest Highlight

The Broncos' Fiesta Bowl highlight has moved into the second round of ESPN's Greatest Highlight faux-tournament. Boise State had to beat Michael Jordan's game-winning shot against Utah to advance.

Their foe in the next round? Cal-Stanford "The band is on the field!" play. We should be able to take them. Voting is on Wednesday. If you vote for only one thing this year, make it ESPN's Greatest Highlight. If you vote for two things, vote for the President.

ESPN's Greatest Highlight [ESPN]

Grading the classes: Nevada

This week, OBNUG will be grading the recruiting classes for each WAC team. Our research may be spotty, but as you can see from the final result, there is no questioning our loyalty.


Nevada

The Wolfpack's incoming class is heavy on defense as 15 of the 22 recruits will be suiting up on D in the coming years. I guess scoring 67 points and losing will make one rethink their priorities.

"The focus was on defense, in particular the skill positions in the secondary," head coach Chris Ault said. "... In terms of speed and ball skills, this is as good of a class that we have recruited. This is the best group (of defensive backs) that we have recruited collectively."

One of those good defensive backs is Thaddeus Brown, who reneged on his verbal commitment to Boise State. He joins a class of defensive backs that has the Nevada coaching staff downright giddy.

"There are some guys that we signed in the secondary, at least four, if not five, that I would have died to have at Oregon State," defensive coordinator Nigel Burton, who joined the staff this offseason after five years at Oregon State, told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "It's a pretty stunning class. If we can continue to pull this off, it's going to be a fun run."

He went on to say, "But I'm pretty sure that we can't continue to pull this off."

The class was also big on linemen, and by big we mean large. There are some hefty kids joining Nevada next year, none heftier than 6'5", 310-pound tackle Steve Werner. The plan is to have him playing guard and tackle by his senior season.

Scout.com rank: 113
Rivals.com rank: 79
OBNUG grade: F

Nevada stresses defense in recruiting class [Nevada Appeal]
Nevada team report [Yahoo.com]

Hawaii's WAC championship rings tell the painful truth

Wednesday night, Hawaii received its WAC championship rings...along with a painful reminder of how they failed on the nation's biggest stage.

The all-silver ring, designed by McMackin, features the words "WAC Champions" and "Sugar Bowl" on the front. One side has a depiction of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach with the words "Hawaii," "12-0," and "Believe."

For the record, Hawaii lost the Sugar Bowl 41-10, ending any discussion of them being a relevant football program.

The 12-0 record is also somewhat of a boldfaced lie, considering that the Sugar Bowl was an actual game and everything. I guess selective memory is easier to swallow than the truth.

Warriors receive 2007 championship rings [University of Hawaii]