WIR: 500 isn't old if you're a tree

Week in Review (WIR) was happy to have another busy week of Bronco football, and with a scrimmage tomorrow night (6:00pm at Bronco Stadium, in case you hadn't heard), the good vibes will continue into the weekend.

Also, the good vibes will continue into Monday, when we reveal our big surprise. Is it an OBNUG video game? Are we joining forces with Murph's Turf? Is this site going public? Stay tuned and find out on Monday.

Here are the best stories from the past week:

• Ryan Clady disappoints Woody Paige.
• First BSU scrimmage in the books.
• Nick Lomax in the QB derby?
• Season previews for Utah State and Nevada.
• Brian Murphy stirs debate.
• Happy 500th post, us.
• Practice going better than the scrimmages.
• Patience for the QB race.
• NFL preseason week two preview.
• Dustin Lapray: grandiloquent.
• What to watch for at scrimmage #2.
• Boise State adds two to schedule.
  

See you at the scrimmage, Bronco fans.

QB battle: Moore vs. Hamdan: Day 12

The most important decision in the history of the world will be made in the next few weeks, and we'll be providing daily updates on all the hype and hyperbole surrounding the Boise State quarterback competition.

Vs.

Tomorrow night we get our second chance to see the quarterback competition for ourselves, but until then, we'll just have to rely on our trusted local media for guidance. Scary thought, huh.

Moore: the People's choice
Hamdan: the Media's choice

Advantage: Hamdan. The media does see practice, after all.

In the lead...Tie. It will make for a more interesting scrimmage this way.

2009 Boise State schedule tentatively finalized

Boise State has released a tentative schedule for next season, and there is no opening week Division I-AA opponent to be found. Doesn't feel right, does it?

The final two pieces to the scheduling puzzle were a visit from UC Davis, alma mater of Coach Pete and a guaranteed 30-point victory, and a trip to Oklahoma to face the Tulsa Golden Hurricane. Here is the non-conference schedule for the Broncos in 2009:

Sept. 5 vs. Oregon, Sept. 12 at Toledo, Sept. 19 vs. UC Davis, Sept. 26 vs. Miami (Ohio) and Oct. 3 at Tulsa.

For those of you counting on your fingers at home, yes that is five straight weeks of football during a time of season when teams usually take a week or two off. Despite playing in consecutive weeks, the schedule is easy enough for the Broncos to sail through undefeated, especially with the experienced team expected to return next fall. Is it too soon to be looking ahead to next season already? Yes. It is.

Broncos announce 2009 schedule [BroncoSports.com]

User's guide for watching BSU's second scrimmage

Tomorrow night's scrimmage will be the last opportunity for Bronco fans to see the team on the field before the Idaho State game in two weeks. And if we've learned anything from weekend and evening scrimmages, the we also know that it will be an opportunity for casual fans to hang out, be confused, talk about other things, and distract us.

We would like to change that. There are far too many important matters to be decided and nitpicked in tomorrow night's scrimmage, and we want our full attention to be on the field, not explaining how down and distance works.

Therefore, we've compiled the following user's guide for Boise State's second fall scrimmage tomorrow night (6:00pm at Bronco Stadium). Print it out if you need it, or bring it along to hand out to the people around you. 

• Kellen Moore is the short, left-handed one.
  
  
• Yes, the giant skyboxes and luxury suites are new.
  
  
• Don't boo if someone forces a turnover. That's a good thing.
  
  
• Ian Johnson will not play every down. This does not mean he is hurt.
  
  
• Jeremy Childs was suspended for academic reasons, not burglary, larceny, underage drinking, dogfighting, grand theft auto, or being too cool for school.
  
  
• Please stop asking us where Marty Tadman is.
  
  
• Do not, under any circumstances, start the wave.
  
  
• There may not be a whole lot of scoring. If this is an issue, we believe Pineapple Express is playing at Edwards at 6:30.
   
• Sure, that pink Kyle Wilson jersey looks good on you.
  

[UPDATE] Camp notes: good-bye East Jr. High, hello interceptions

Update 2:45pm: LaDustin files his report from morning practice. "Dear diary, I saw a fox today..."

The Broncos celebrated their final practice at East Junior High this morning with interceptions and popsicles. The IPT's Dave Southorn has the details.

At the end of the early practice, the offense had to run gassers after the defense held the upper hand most of the morning. Raphiel Lambert intercepted Bush Hamdan, while Travis Stanaway picked off Nick Lomax. Hey, at least everyone got popsicles afterward. Really!

Stanaway was mentioned as one of the standout newcomers who might see playing time this fall, and Lambert was a sensational high school running back who seems to be making a rather smooth transition to the defensive backfield. Coach Pete's bullhorn appreciated their effort.

The Broncos will have one more practice this evening before hitting the field tomorrow night for the team's second scrimmage of the fall. The scrimmage will be tomorrow night at 6:00pm, rather than 7:00pm time that had been previously reported. At least, that's what Judy from the Boise State athletics office told us.

We'll update this post as more reports from practice are filed. We are such freeloaders.

Broncos land 11th recruit, find Arizona enticing

The Broncos have landed their eleventh early commitment of the summer, DE Kharyee Marshall from Washington High School (Arizona). Expect the Statesman to confirm this recruit in late September.

The 6'2", 215-pound Marshall recorded 106 tackles and 16 sacks last year from his defensive end position. Ryan Winterswyk and Mike T. Williams nod in approval.

Kharyee Marshall profile [Scout.com]
This one goes to eleven [Fight Fight BSU]

An open letter to Dustin Lapray

Dear Dustin Lapray,

As diehard Boise State fans and admirers of excessively wordy reporting, let us be the first to say thank you for your informative, expressive, and detailed reports from Boise State football practice. What's that? We're not the first to say thank you? The guys at Bronco Country have already erected a paper mache statue to you in the end zone at East Junior High? Our mistake.

In that case, congraulations on winning over the Bronco Nation fan base in such a short amount of time. By our account, David Augusto is still trying. You have managed to fill a niche that was desperately void up until you and your thesaurus (and your bandana!) came traipsing into town.

RE: the thesaurus, we find it fascinating the words that you have used to describe the Broncos' practices, but we are loathe to admit that we may not know the meanings of some of them. Are the following definitions correct?

• Bellow: the sound John Gott makes when he bends over
  
  
• Inglorious: a euphemism for the Idaho State game
  
  
• Emulate: we believe you meant to write "Are you late"
  
  
• Azure: an adjective used to describe the quarterback situation
  
  
• Collusion: a Kyle Brotzman tackle attempt
  

Any help on these definitions would be much appreciated.

Your writing style is certainly unique to the Treasure Valley sports journalism scene, which is probably why you have been met with so much success in these first few weeks. You write as if the fate of the world depended on your ability to fit as many complex sentences into a single paragraph as possible. Seriously, a 40-word sentence? You are all man, Mr. Lapray.

For sure, the Twin Falls Magic Valley Times News must be thrilled to have you on staff. Who wouldn't love a person who can put the following inside joke about graduation orchestral arrangements into a sentence about Doug Martin and DJ Harper?

Neither has the grace of Ian Johnson, but they both got pop, and circumstance to spell the All-American.

LaDustin, you slay us!

We now must wonder whatever will you do for an encore. Your practice prose has been remarkably outstanding, so we are anxious to see what you will do during the football season. Will we be treated to an extemporaneous essay on the virtues of the "Q" offense? Will you write a play based loosely on the Oregon game? Your audience waits on pins and needles and quick-reference dictionaries.

Keep up the good work, DL.

Bellow.

Sincerely,
OBNUG

Ps. Please stop with the vague injury updates (ex. Jeron Johnson may or may not have hurt his foot). We'd hate to have BSU campus security forcibly remove you from practice.

Half-hearted NFL football week two

Week two of the NFL preseason is here. Time for the starters to put in a full quarter-and-a-half of work!

Former Boise State player Kimo von Oelhoffen did not make it out of week one, getting cut by the Philadelphia Eagles for having old knees. Who's going to tell stories about the 1970's at team dinner? Andy Reid made a big mistake.

Here are the best Bronco-related games of the weekend:

Tonight: 

Oakland at Tennessee, 6:00pm, FOX
Chris Carr seeks revenge against his old team by returning the opening kickoff, playing a few downs on defense, and taking a nap on the bench for the third and fourth quarters.

Saturday:

Dallas at Denver, 7:00pm
Orlando Scandrick was impressive in his Cowboys' debut. Ryan Clady was not in his first start for Denver. Needless to say that Woody Paige will be watching with bated breath.

Green Bay at San Francisco, 7:00pm
Korey Hall and Daryn Colledge continue their futile quest to boost Aaron Rodgers' confidence and make him feel like the team is much better off with him rather than Brett Favre.

 Chicago at Seattle, 7:00pm
Seahawks TE Jeb Putzier is battling for playing time at tight end. Fortunately, the good Bears linebackers will be on the field far less than the bad Bears linebackers.

Morning paper: Boise State football links 8/15

The Broncos had an afternoon/evening practice last night, and Dustin Lapray has some details on what went down. Specifically, he points out that Travis Stanaway and Daron Mackey are two newcomers who are getting Coach Pete's attention and that Bush Hamdan should win the starting quarterback job. Sigh. We thought you were different, Dustin.

Here is some more reading material for your day.

Camp notes from the IPT [Press-Tribune]
Two sentences is better than no sentences.

Coach Pete immortalized in Twin Falls newspaper [Times-News]
We would run through a brick wall for him, and we don't even know him.

Tickets still available for home games [Dave's Blog]
The LaTech is not all that popular. Imagine that.

Reggie Larry to start career in Cyprus [KTVB.com]
Good luck in South America...or Europe..or wherever Cyprus is.

Cal Poly could possibly join the WAC [KVNU]
They would immediately be the seventh-best team.

Nick Saban named most powerful coach in sports [Forbes]
USU's Brent Guy named weakest?

Season tickets arrive [Fight Fight BSU]
No wonder the line was so long at Dairy Queen last night. Celebrate!

Odds of winning at Oregon [What If Sports]
Computers say Broncos have 41% chance. Kellen Moore's left arm says otherwise.

Aaron Tevis playing time update [Statesman]
May get to rush the passer in special packages. Fine by us.

Linebackers in focus [Statesman]
Broncos focus on finishing [Press-Tribune]
Chris Carr turning heads in Tennessee [Tennessean]