Exciting newcomers, fall camp subplots, and the return of Boise State football

Boise State football is back. High five!



The Broncos take the field for the start of fall camp on Monday, and not a moment too soon. The offseason has been a difficult one, considering the way that last season ended for BSU. Two losses in a row is quite a different pill to swallow than a Fiesta Bowl win. But we swallowed it nevertheless, washing down the sucker with a tasty brew of early commits and media love. Mmmm, media love.

Now we can start over-evaluating players again. Woohoo! Here are the newcomers who will be in camp on Monday, listed in order of how stoked we are to see them.

1. LB Daron Mackey. Juco transfers are our weakness.
   
2. LB Byron Hout. The Hout era begins in earnest.
   
3. OT Tom Swanson. The biggest incoming lineman. Might eat Chris Potter.
   
4. WR Chris Potter. Fast, which should prevent Tom Swanson from eating him.
5. S Tyler Jackson. Young safeties out the wazzoo.

But of course, what would a Division I-A offseason be without drama. It would be a Division I-AA offseason probably. With the Broncos becoming more and more of a big deal every year, they have more and more questions to answer heading into the season. Here are some the most intriguing subplots to watch for when fall camp kicks off on Monday.

• Who will be starting quarterback?
• Will the offensive linemen be any bigger or any more experienced?
• What's the deal with that "Q" formation?
• Will playing in the shade of the Mothership make the Broncos complacent?
• Can Bob Behler pick Tanyon Bissell out of a crowd?
• Is Ryan Winterswyk human?
• How soon can we talk about Doug Martin again?
• Ian Johnson: overrated or not rated enough?
• Will bloggers receive press credentials?
  

Naturally, all these issues will sort themselves out by the time Idaho State comes to town on August 30. And if they don't, at least it's only Idaho State.

But for now, football is back. Life is complete. And the world is right again.

Friday: Links with Fall Camp

Story of the day:

Bronco recruits hit double digits [Press-Tribune]

The tenth verbal commitment for the Boise State Broncos came yesterday from Saguara (Arizona) defensive end Justin Jungblut. The senior-to-be is 6'6", 250 pounds, and he should feel right at home when he hits campus next fall.

Jungblut will join former Saguaro teammate Joe Kellogg on the Boise State roster. Kellogg is a freshman offensive lineman. Jungblut said he had 40 tackles, 15 for losses, and also had two sacks last season.

Jungblut also said that he had, like, 50 fumble recoveries.

Fight Fight BSU has the scouting report on Jungblut, who sounds like a keeper. Don't they all? He spurned offers from Idaho (good choice), Utah, UNLV, Air Force, and Wyoming. Coach Pete's penmanship sealed the deal.

“They did the best job of making me feel welcome, by far,” Jungblut said. “Coach Petersen has written me two letters — hand-written, so I thought that was pretty great.”

For some reason, Robb Akey's singing telegram just didn't do it for Jungblut.

Other links:

USA Today's preseason poll released [USA Today]
Boise State comes in at #34.

Murphy picks best offensive players in WAC [Statesman]
Not surprisingly, no Utah State players make the list.

KTVB 24/7 to air Bronco classics [Bronco Country]
Good luck finding KTVB 24/7.

USC #1 in Rivals countdown [Rivals.com]
Mark Sanchez must know someone at the Rivals office.

Fantasy CFB takes it up a notch [Wall Street Journal]
Now with names!

Coach Pete among up-and-coming coaches [Coaches Hot Seat]
Then again, so is Derek Dooley.

Unique shots of stadium expansion [Statue Left]
It looks so huge!

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]

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.

Wednesday: Links with determination

Story of the day:

For Oregon fans, BSU a better draw than some Pac-10 teams [Arbiter Online]

No wonder tickets for the Boise State-Oregon game are in such demand. Duck fans would rather see the Broncos than several conference opponents. Sorry, Stanford.

"Frankly, the Boise State game has garnered the type of interest amongst our ticket holders and donors that is as great as some of our conference games and greater than some conference games," Mike Marlow, senior associate athletic director at the University of Oregon said. "It's been a ticket that has been in demand from our season ticket holders and donors as well."

We're curious to find out what demand is for the Utah State game (or if "demand" is even the right word).

Also in the Arbiter's story was news that the Boise State ticket lottery would be happening soon. However, they neglected to describe what kind of lottery it would be. Scratch tickets? Ping pong balls? Names out of a hat? Human tetris contest? College journalists have a lot to learn about asking the right questions.

Other links:

Brock Forsey to speak at local youth camp [Statesman]
OBNUG to crash local youth camp.

Nevada's terrifying schedule poster [Wizard of Odds]
The wolf eye follows you everywhere.

Ada County Vandal picnic on Saturday [Statesman]
Bring your lowered expectations. And a Jell-O salad.

Minor glitch in Boise State's NCAA 09 schedule [GameZone]
No more Idaho State at least.

Flash animation of BSU's new turf [Statesman]
That's one way to spend your resources.

HOF nominee: Ian Johnson's Oregon State romp

Once again, we are privileged to feature the written-word stylings of Drew from Fight Fight BSU. A Boise State diehard and an occasional mascot interviewer, Drew has the honor of introducing the final nominee in the inaugural OBNUG Hall of Fame class: Ian Johnson's five-TD game against Oregon State.



We were sitting in the stands at Bronco Stadium on the night of September 7, 2006, and some rowdy Oregon State fans nearby were reveling in the Beavers’ fast start. Oregon State’s Sammie Stroughter had just returned a Boise State punt for a touchdown to put the Beavers up 14-0 in the first quarter, and a cocky OSU fan stood up and announced, “All day, baby. All day." The mood in Bronco Stadium echoed the lackluster play of the Broncos to that point.

Then something happened. My wife and I weren’t really even paying close attention as the Broncos hadn’t given us much to cheer about as of yet, but a loud cheer was starting to emanate from the crowd. I looked up to see the sophomore running back that everyone had been high on in spring ball slashing past two Beaver linebackers and outsprinting Oregon State’s secondary for a 60-yard touchdown. The crowd was on their feet and life seemed to be coming back to the sluggish-looking Broncos.

“Who was that?” my wife asked.

“Ian Johnson," I replied. "He’s supposed to be a good one."

Not even I knew how good Johnson would be on that September night...or how good he would be that whole year. Nobody knew, at that moment in the first quarter when the Broncos made it a one touchdown game, that Ian Johnson was going to be something special, perhaps even the greatest Bronco running back of all time. But by the end of regulation, we knew.Johnson came into his own that night, patiently following blocks, keeping his feet churning for extra yardage, showing explosive acceleration and determination. He was the feature back that everyone had been waiting for, and he didn’t just upstage the Beavers that night--he embarrassed them on national television.

Johnson rushed for 240 yards on 22 carries and scored five touchdowns against the Pac-10’s Oregon State. 240 yards on 22 carries?! Yeah, that is almost 11 yards per carry--11 yards per carry against an Oregon State team that defeated USC that same season.

None of Ian’s touchdowns more exemplified just how good he was that night than his third TD. Ian got the ball at about the four or five yard line and was hit at about the two. He was pushed back about a yard before surging forward again as Oregon State defenders piled on, trying in vain to stop him as he eventually carried the whole stack of ‘em into the endzone.

Around the time Ian scored his fifth TD, putting Boise State up 42-14, the Oregon State fans sitting nearby started to quietly head for the exits. I don’t know what came over me, but I stood up and shouted after them “All day, baby. All day.”

Ian has had some impressive and heroic games since that night. Certainly he is en route to be the greatest Bronco running back ever, but on September 7, 2006, Ian was simply amazing.

Voting for Ian Johnson's Oregon State romp will take place through next week. Use the poll in the sidebar to cast your vote.

Tuesday: Links with welcoming

Story of the day:

Behler's here; who's next? [Statesman]

Peak Broadcasting and BSU announced yesterday that Bob Behler will be the new Broncos play-by-play man. Who will be doing the color commentary? The Statesman has some info.

Peak Broadcasting will interview two potential color analysts for Boise State radio broadcasts Tuesday, Peak general manager Kevin Godwin said Monday afternoon. Godwin said the list is not limited to former Boise State players.

Oh, good, if Peak is interviewing candidates on Tuesday, then we should have an answer by Labor Day. At least we weren't given empty promises and loose deadlines.

Let the speculation begin for a color commentator to join Behler in the booth. Our money is on a return of Jeff Caves, but we wouldn't fight it if J Bates got the call instead.

Here are some more links to Behler stories:
Audio of Behler: football, basketball
Statesman profile
Bronco Country thread
Idaho Press-Tribune
KTVB.com
Most Valuable Network

Other links:

Mr. Irrelevant lives it up [the Big Lead]
Watching musicals at the Playboy Mansion is David Vobora's idea of a good time.

Dave Southorn tours the Stueckle Sky Club [Dave's Blog]
And writes his name on the inside of a bathroom wall.

WAC tidbits for a long offseason [Pugs, ponies, and preps]
Not so much "tidbits" as "Google facts."

Encouraging Boise State preview [Red Zone Report]
Anything that has the Broncos on top of the WAC is okay by us.

Friday: Links with possiblities

Story of the day:

Phil Dailey on the Fresno bandwagon? [Dailey's Bottom Line]

The local media is starting to turn in their preseason WAC ballots, and the transparency of the Idaho Press-Tribune affords us the luxury of peering into Phil Dailey's thought process. Playing a prominent role in Dailey's thoughts: the Hawaii Bowl.

I think you have to give Fresno State the nod, after all, the Bulldogs won their bowl game over Georgia Tech, while Boise State blew it against a not-very-good East Carolina team in the Hawaii Bowl.

Dailey has Fresno State at the top of the WAC, with Boise State at number two. Right behind them? Louisiana Tech. A gutsy call, but we like our local media members to think outside the box.

I’m a big Derek Dooley fan and I think he’ll have his team ready for the WAC after non-conference tilts against Mississippi State, Kansas and SE Louisiana.

We'll give you two guess who the teams at the bottom are.

Other links:

Reggie Larry does not hear his name called [Yahoo!]
He may still have a chance to catch on with a team this summer

BYU snags two recruits that had BSU's interest [Daily Herald]
When you factor in Mormon missions, the Cougars can have 'em.

IPT recaps preview mags [Press-Tribune]
And in the process, saves us $14.95.

Tom Scott weighs in on stadium expansion [Scott Slant]
Scott: The south end zone will be a horseshoe by 2013.

J Bates snidely rips Brian Murphy's blog [J's Blog]Nice to know we're not the only ones who notice these things.

Weekend series on Montana's D-1 hopes [Missoulian]

Idaho gets the spotlight today. Enjoy it while it lasts, Vandals.

South American vacay for Dan Hawkins [Longmont Times]
"It's Rio De Janeiro! It's the Amazon River! It ain't intramurals!"

San Jose State preview [Saturday Soundoffs]
If anyone cares.

Monday: Links with temper

Story of the day:

Aaron Burks, man of mystery [Statesman]

Congratulations on the Idaho Statesman for breaking some Boise State football news yesterday with the announcement of Texas high school WR Aaron Burks giving a verbal commitment to the Broncos. We have just one question: who?!

Burks is a mystery to a lot of Boise State fans. Fight Fight BSU couldn't find much about him. The guys at Bronco Country unearthed his stat line from last year (seven catches) and not much else. We're happy that the Boise State coaches are able to discover such gems, but Bronco Nation needs some more information.

Perhaps this is the problem: the Statesman might have spelled his name wrong. We found an Arron Burks on the Baylor Scout page, and Boise State's Scout profile has it spelled the same way. Perhaps this way we can find out more information about the kid. At any rate, the plot remains thickened.

Other links:

Goodbye, old blue turf [KTVB.com]

Better keep the Blue Turf Towel guy away from this.

How to bet on the Nevada Wolfpack [Bet Us]

Subtitle: More than one way to lose money in Reno

Coach Pete the racehorse [Statesman]
It appears someone likes Boise State more than we do.

An Oregon comic book: The Amazing O-men [SI.com]
It is only a matter of time before we have Idaho: The Disappointing V-men.

The Mothership in photos [Statue Left]
Still awesome and large.

Countdown to media day begins [PWtW]
We were wondering when Chris Ault would be speaking.

Monday: Links with success

Story of the day:

Stueckle Sky Club is pretty pricey [Statesman]

The price tag of Boise State's stadium expansion is quite staggering. The Mothership, in all its skybox and loge glory, could end up costing the university $35 million. We would have built it for $34 mil.

Boise State plans to pay the debt with lease revenues on the new premium seating. The facility is expected to be sold out for the Aug. 30 football season opener against Idaho State. In fact, Boise State has lease agreements ranging from three to 15 years for every seat so far in the new facility, according to the athletic department.

The Statesman calls the add-on the most expensive building project in BSU athletics history. Part of the bill will be footed by the payout from the Fiesta Bowl (about two million dollars) and donations of nearly seven million dollars from generous boosters (you're welcome).

The stadium addition should be paid off by 2038. Maybe then the university can think about closing in an end zone.

Other links:

The face of Idaho State [Kellis Robinett]
Glad to see Merril Hoge is in the running. Merril is glad, too.

College football coach twins [Saturday Soundoffs]

Our favorite was Brent Guy and Jesse Ventura.

The impact of Boise State's true freshmen [Fight Fight BSU]
George Iloka seems too old and wise to be a true freshman, doesn't he?

Golden State taking a long look at Reggie Larry [Statesman]
Graham ball to Nellie ball will be an interesting transition.

Friday: Links with thrift

Story of the day:

You win some, you lose some [Fight Fight BSU]

On the same day that the Broncos lost out on local prospect Darren Markle, BSU received a verbal commitment from Tesoro High (California) LB John Michael Davis. The bright lights of Boise apparently won him over.

From the Statesman:

He arrived in the city Wednesday and visited the school and met with coaches. That was enough for him.

"I just liked everything about it. The town was great. The campus was awesome. The coaches were great. It was a good fit," Davis said Thursday evening before heading to a Boise theater to watch "The Incredible Hulk" with his father.

We always try to celebrate our big life achievements with the cinema of Edward Norton, too.

Davis, in addition to having three names, is a 6'2", 225-pound stud, and he is expected to play middle linebacker at BSU. Welcome to Bronco Nation, John Michael.

Other links:

Did someone say superconference? [Orlando Sentinel]

Here's some food for thought.

Coach Pete's second-year coaching review [College Gridiron]
Another person who thinks he'll be in Boise for awhile.

Utah State website sees the light [USU Aggies]
Spending money on a football team? What a crazy idea!

Nevada stocks up on JC transfers [Reno Gazette Journal]
Highly sought-after freshmen are so overrated.

A positive story on the Mothership [KBCI]
Rhode quits Boise Burn [Statesman]
Taylor Bennett (LaTech QB) feature [Rivals.com]

The face of the program has no face

ESPNU's Face of the Program contest came to an end today as the last of the D1-A teams were alphabetically revealed. Hope it was worth the wait, Wyoming.

As evidenced by the photo above, Boise State's selection for "Face of the Program" was the blue turf. We'll let Ted Miller explain why.

It takes just a fraction of a second to know whether a Boise State home game is on television. That's because Bronco Stadium is distinguished by the only non-green playing surface in the nation. Of course, the unusual field color would just be a curiosity and more than likely would invite mostly ridicule if not for this: Though the stadium seats only 30,000 fans, that field is one of the toughest places to play in the country.

Perhaps the Face of the Program should have been the belligerently loud "Whose House?" guy in the North End Zone.

Among WAC members, Boise State fared pretty well considering that its selection was both nationally relevant and unique. Here is the list of the other WAC choices.

• Fresno State: Pat Hill. The Fu Manchu on the face of the program.
  
• Hawaii: June Jones. No Timmy Change? No Colt Brennan? Is island hero worship that fleeting?
  
• Idaho: Jerry Kramer. Offensive lineman, kicker, natural gas spokesman.
  
• Louisiana Tech: Terry Bradshaw. Life is so unfair to Tim Rattay.
  
• Nevada: Chris Ault. By default and longevity.
  
• NMSU: Charley Johnson. Who?
  
• San Jose State: Bill Walsh. Good choice. We will not make any jokes about this one.
  
• Utah State: Merlin and Phil Olsen. Do they each get half of the face? How will this work?
  

Face of the Program [ESPN.com]

Wednesday: Links with loyalty

Story of the day:

Childs a steal on fantasy football depth charts [RotoWorld]

We consider ourselves pretty big dorks for taking fantasy football so seriously. Yet we are nowhere close to the uber-dork territory of college football fantasy players (although, now that you mention it, we are rather intrigued).

Jeremy Childs found himself on the fantasy football list of RotoWorld as the nation's 37th rated fantasy receiver. Congrats, we guess.

Should all go as planned then Childs is certainly worth a top receiver pick. Yes there's concern over breaking in a new starting quarterback, but if Boise has proven anything over the years it's the ability to make seamless transitions in personnel and keep the offensive train rolling.

We're not sure how the scoring works, but we assume that it is one point for every 10 receiving yards, six points for a touchdown, and 10 points for an "A" on an original essay.

Other links:

Oregon season preview [FOX Sports]
Who doesn't have a QB controversy this summer?

Free magazines at the IPT [Dave's Blog]
What? They're Phil Steele magazines? Then never mind.

Update on stadium construction [Arbiter Online]
Still no mention of a Dairy Queen kiosk.

What went wrong with Hawaii [USA Today]
It's not rebuilding if you're not building anything.

Life Coach: Airport Cheering 101

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.

Dear Life Coach,
I recently was in another airport and saw another traveler wearing a Boise State shirt. I suddenly had an uncontrollable urge to shout "Boise!" and he responded with "State!" Is this acceptable?
Annoying in Arco

No. A thousand times no. Please do not do this. If you do this, mature Boise State fans will slowly shake their heads, look down to the ground, and sigh. Here’s why.

I lived in Ohio for a year once. In Ohio, one person will yell “O-H!” and another person will yell “I-O!”. It’s fun. It’s unique. It’s been around forever. That’s why it works. But it does NOT work for us to do our "Boise...State!" cheer. First, it’s not fun to do it with just two people (especially if the guy on the back end is a little quiet because then it's just a dude in an airport yelling “BOISE!” and that’s a little odd). Second, it’s not unique at all. Every team has a back and forth cheer like that. And third, we’ve only been doing it so habitually for, like, 10 years – ever since we’ve been good. So please, please, don’t do this.

But there is something all to our own that is kind of cool that you can yell in an airport at another Boise State fan. By yelling this, you will see if this person really is a fan or not, and it will be a special moment between the two of you where you will both laugh and high-five each other. Just yell out, “And that’s another Boise State…” And if he or she is a true fan, they will yell back “FIRST DOWN!”

Life Coach,
How many Idaho Vandals does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Seriously, because I have four here right now and that isn't enough.
Handy in Hailey

It actually takes 17 Vandals to screw in a light bulb. Why? Because 16 isn’t enough, and 18 is too much.

It doesn’t have to make sense. We hate you, Vandals. Get better so we can have a rivalry again.

Mr. Life Coach,
Are Utah State fans worth jeering or are we just wasting our breath?
Sincerely, OBNUG

Well, let me say this. The name “Aggies” is actually short for “Agriculturalists." Now, don’t get me wrong; I support our agriculture as much as the next guy. But I just don’t think we need to waste our breath jeering the Utah State Agriculturalists. Not worth our time.

But we could do something new and exciting. I would encourage all fans instead of jeering to simply pity the other team. Simple and genuine pity. Instead of giving them the effort of our jeers, we could just feel bad for the Agriculturalists and their relative obscurity (ed's note: this works well with those New Mexico State Agriculturalists, too). Gentle pats on the back. Small encouragements for them to “keep trying, guys!” This will infuriate them. Agriculturalists hate pity.

Monday: Links with pectorals

Story of the day:

BSU chosen to research turf injuries [Int'l Herald Tribune]

Always at the forefront of turf-related news, Boise State University has been commissioned by the NFL to investigate turf-related injuries.

The (research) could provide the NFL with some of the most comprehensive information available on how and why turf-related injuries occur, and if changes in footwear or artificial turf could result in fewer injuries for NFL players. The NFL gave Boise State researchers a $115,000 grant last year for the project.

Our best solution for turf-related injuries is to plant grass. Problem solved. Now, go spend that $115,000 on Dairy Queen kiosks.

Other links:

Greg Graham closes in on extension [Idaho Press-Tribune]
The contract might include bonuses for successful inbound plays.

Idaho high school kids hit the combine [Scout.com]

No word yet on if Robb Akey cared to attend.

Mark Schlabach's post-spring Top 25 [ESPN.com]
Fresno State and Oregon crack the top 25. Boise State waits for when it matters.

Alex Guerrero interview [Fight, Fight, BSU]

Do all former Boise State players end up in the CFL at some point?

Webcams are becoming new recruiting tool [Int'l Herald Tribune]
Yeah, for recruiting nerds.

Stadium expansion will have fly nickname

Duane and Lori Stueckle, longtime donors to all things BSU, will have their name grace the new stadium expansion when the Stueckle Sky Club opens in August. The new skybox, suites, loges will be a beautiful addition to Bronco Stadium, and they will have a phat nickname. Can't wait to watch a game from the S Club!


Ain't no party like an S Club party, indeed.

Bronco Stadium addition to be named... [Idaho Statesman]

WIR: Photojournals and the combine

WIR (Week in Review) was thrilled to see the fancy new stadium addition and ecstatic that there was no security around to keep people off the field. By the way, if someone is missing an orange chair come football season, we are meaning to give it back; we just haven't got around to it yet.

• Spring practice will be here before we know it. Pro Day, too.
• ESPN widget good for comic relief.
• The Mother Ship coming along nicely.
• Hit up Ryan Clady for money.
• The Combine is upon us.
• DQ something right, Bronco Stadium.
• What's Brock Forsey been up to?
• ESPN validates Boise State's greatest moment.

Have a great weekend Bronco fans. Watch more Combine than you should.

Bronco Stadium's secret ingredient

When Boise State’s new luxury suite/press box opens in a few months, it will be a glorious, beautiful jewel in the crown of BSU athletics, and it will help kick off the next great era of Bronco football. But will it have a Dairy Queen?

We would hate to see Boise State sink millions of dollars into a fancy new stadium addition and not have it equipped to serve the needs of its patrons. What do its patrons need exactly? Cherry dipped cones, of course.

The fancy glass paneling and state-of-the-art facilities are nice touches, but for a stadium add-on to succeed, it needs to have a certain soft-serve appeal to it. Fans will get tired of the blinding glare off the façade; they’ll want meat, substance, and a basket of fries. A critically acclaimed architectural masterpiece won’t cut it.

Amenities are what keep boosters and donors coming back for more, so I hope that BSU planners have made appropriate steps toward ensuring that the Mother Ship will cater to its audience. Cake displays in every suite! Double cheeseburgers on demand! Fresh pickles next to the ketchup! And ice cream out the wazzoo would be nice.

On the day we set foot in that giant glass polyp of progress, we want to be handed a chicken strip basket, a Mr. Misty, and a medium Oreo Blizzard and be directed to the big screen TV with College Gameday. We aren’t asking too much.

Do we speak for all BSU fans? All BSU fans who have ever had a Peanut Buster Parfait, yes. Anyone who has experienced Dairy Queen will know that the only thing better DQ’ing something right is watching football while you’re DQ’ing it.

Hopefully, this issue has already been resolved. The demand for Dairy Queen speaks for itself, and there would be an awful lot of Blizzard fan club members upset if Boise State couldn’t find room in its multi-million dollar facility to accommodate them.

We’d hate to have to boycott home games on account of Dilly Bars.

Bronco Stadium construction photos

A couple days ago, we checked on the progress of the Mother Ship being built onto the side of Bronco Stadium. The addition is pretty awesome in person, and it should look great when it is all finished. I've posted a couple below, and you can check out the rest here.

Bronco Stadium too small

Hawaii led the WAC in attendance in 2007, thanks in part to a successful year but mostly because of its giant stadium. Cheaters. Fresno State was second, averaging over 36,000 per game, and Boise State came in third at 30,338 per contest.

Considering that capacity at Bronco Stadium is 30,000 people, BSU fans were doing all they could to pack the house every game. The stadium just isn't big enough.

Cripes reported in the Statesman this week that the new construction project at the stadium is right on schedule, and when it is completed this summer, it will raise the capacity to 32,000. No doubt the new addition will be wonderful. We can't wait to see it. But we also can't wait to see the South end zone closed in.

Let's get it done, BSU administration. We don't like losing to Hawaii and Fresno in anything.

Construction on Bronco Stadium right on schedule [Idaho Statesman]
UH ranks 51st in FBS football attendance [University of Hawaii]