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.

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.

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.

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]

QB battle: Moore vs. Hamdan: Day 11

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.

Coach Pete spoke about the quarterback race yesterday, but not in the way that anyone had hoped.

Petersen said he didn’t learn anything new about the quarterbacks competing for the starting job, senior Bush Hamdan and freshman Kellen Moore. They continue to split time with the first team.

As much as we want to know who the starter will be, we know that the Bronco coaching staff is doing the right thing by waiting as long as it takes to make sure they pick the right guy. In the meantime, we can keep getting our hopes up that maybe we'll have an answer soon. Like tomorrow?

Offensive coordinator Brian Harsin said the race was similar to last season with both quarterbacks basically in a dead heat, including a so-so first scrimmage. Like last season, the competition will continue for another week at least.

Bummer.

Moore: taught Coach Pete nothing in the first scrimmage
Hamdan: also taught Coach Pete nothing in the first scrimmage

Advantage: Rosetta Stone.

In the lead...Moore. Day 11 of the quarterback competition just happens to match his jersey number. Serendipity?

Morning paper: Boise State football links 8/14

Woodruff named camper of the day [BroncoSports]
Take that, defensive line!

Recap of evening practice [BSU blog]

It's almost as if you were there.

Sean Bingham and the D-line [Statesman]
The Statesman's position-by-position preview begins.

Jamar Taylor spotlight [Statesman]
Happy to be in Boise so he won't "get in trouble."

Bart Hendricks asks the obvious [ISZ]
O-line should be focus of debate, not quarterback.

It's not easy being a walk-on [Press-Tribune]
Scholarships get the chicks.

Nevada to face BYU in 2010 [ESPN.com]
Oh yeah? Well, Boise State plays Toledo, so there.

Hitting QBs in practice sounds like a bad idea [SI.com]
GaTech QB Josh Nesbitt agrees.

Hawaii QB decision looming [Star Bulletin]
As is the potential for a five-win season.

QB battle: Moore vs. Hamdan: Day 10

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.

The Bronco quarterback competition is into the double digits now, and we are still without a starter for the Idaho State game. Hmm, when we say it like that, it doesn't seem like such a big deal.

Hamdan: Threw a touchdown to Vinny Perretta, threw an interception to Kyle Wilson
Moore: Threw left-handed

Advantage: Push. An interception washes out a touchdown, and left-handed people make us feel awkward.

In the lead...Moore. He's living off his scrimmage performance, which is pretty much all anyone has to go off of now.

[UPDATE] Camp notes: 85-yard TD pass and a Doug Martin sighting

Update: Dustin Lapray has filed his camp report. Tally-ho!

The Broncos are back on the practice field today (Thank goodness! Don't ever leave us again!), and they seem to have recovered well from a listless scrimmage. Touchdown bombs, interceptions, and false starts: at least it wasn't boring.

From Dave's Blog:

There were a heck of a lot more big plays than in recent practices. The defense dominated the first set of 11-on-11, but the offense played well in the middle part of practice, highlighted by a great 85-yard touchdown from Bush Hamdan to Vinny Perretta. That being said, the defense saw a pair of interceptions from Cedric Febis and Kyle Wilson in the final few minutes of practice

One of the picks was thrown by Hamdan, just in case you were getting your hopes up that someone was pulling away in this quarterback race.

While Southorn's report was encouraging, the Statesman's Chadd Cripe brings us some slightly more discouraging news:

Bad snaps, false starts and quick sacks left the offense frustrated.

But it wasn't all bad, right Chadd?

Freshman tailback Doug Martin darted up the middle for 35 yards.

Thanks. That makes us feel better.

The Broncos will have another practice later today, and we'll update this post as needed throughout the afternoon..

First scrimmage short on excitement, long on potential

The Broncos' first scrimmage of the fall went about as planned, provided you were planning on few big plays, lots of missed blocking assignments, and absolutely no idea who will be the starting quarterback in 18 days.

The reports from the media kind of made it seem like the end of the world out there, but it's not like Jon Gott was taking his shirt off or anything. Then the newspapers might have had something to complain about. From what we saw of the scrimmage, it looked pretty similar to one of the lackadaisical scrimmages from the spring, except it was hotter. And Bob Behler was there.

Are we panicking? Of course not. If anything, we are stoked because we got to see the Broncos play for the first time in months. They'll have all the issues ironed out by Saturday (the next scrimmage), and we'll be in for a good show.

Here are some observations from the first scrimmage of the fall:

• Blitz!

The Boise State defense was coming early and often for a good portion of the scrimmage. Let's hope we see this same aggressiveness during the season. The linebackers and defensive backs for the Broncos are some of the most athletic guys on the team, so it makes sense to put them in position to make plays. Derrell Acrey, we're looking at you.

• Johnson!

The Johnson who stood out in yesterday's scrimmage was not the one you might expect. While Ian Johnson had a decent enough afternoon, safety Jeron Johnson really shined. He had a number of big hits on ball carriers and receivers, and he looked solid roaming the secondary.

• Blocking!

The final numbers for the running game were 122 yards on 52 carries. And it looked like it. If you enjoy watching running backs blast into piles of big bodies, then this was the scrimmage for you. On the one hand, the defensive line did a good job holding the line of scrimmage. On the other hand, the offensive line did a bad job of creating running lanes, opening holes, or doing its job.

• Indecision!

We would bet large sums of money on the fact that Coach Pete and his staff are not making any quarterback decision following this scrimmage. First off, they love to tease us. Secondly, no one separated themselves far enough to make the decision easy. One interesting subplot from the scrimmage was the time that walk-on QB Drew Hawkins spent under center. We really don't need a five-man quarterback race right now.

• Heft!

There are some big freshmen out there. Specifically, we noticed Faraji Wright enveloping people, and we were shocked to see how big Byron Hout's arms were. Along the line, there are several new players with some much-needed size, including Wright, Joe Kellogg, and others. The future looks bright...and beefy.

• Drops!

Wide receivers dropped an awful lot of passes yesterday, which will probably be the first and only time that will ever happen. As an aside, it sure was nice to see Jeremy Childs lining up alongside Titus Young, Austin Pettis, and Vinny Perretta.

Morning paper: Boise State football links 8/12

There is plenty to talk about regarding the first scrimmage of the fall, and before we get into our take on things, let's hear what the Internets have to say. Aren't we gracious?

Fall scrimmage reports

• Moore vs. Hamdan vs. everyone else still up in the air [Fight Fight BSU]
• QB stats and Coach Pete audio [Dave's Blog]
  
• Gassers do not sound like fun [Bronco Beat]
• Taylor Tharp and Coby Karl were there. Party! [Press-Tribune]
  
• Did Dustin Lapray just start his post with a bandana story? [BSU Blog]
  
• Photos and feedback from the scrimmage [Statue Left]

Hop on the D.J. Harper bandwagon [Statesman]
We're already on it, but thanks anyway for the invitation.

The O-line has some work to do [Press-Tribune]
Rushing for 2.3 yards is far too San Jose State-ish.

von Oelhoffen released by Eagles [Statesman]
Carson Palmer's knee laughs an evil laugh.

Boise State best team of last decade [FOX Sports]
We'll take it even if it's only FOX Sports who's giving it.

Injuries strike Vandal line [Statesman]
Good thing they have depth. Oh wait. Never mind.

Week One predictions [What If Sports]
Boise State should be safe.

Boise State scrimmage: questions that need answering

The Boise State Broncos will take the field later this afternoon for the first scrimmage of fall camp, and we could not be more excited. We could also not be more curious.

Over the inexorably long summer, we had plenty of time to sit around and think up open-ended questions about the Broncos upcoming season. And with practices being closed to the public, we have had to cobble together answers based on spotty play-by-play from the local media.

Not today. This afternoon we will finally get a chance to put the pieces together for ourselves about this 2008 Bronco team. Here is what we'll be looking for:

Will Ian Johnson's backup be D.J. Harper or Jeremy Avery? One of these two should be in line to get the scraps of Johnson's carries, and thus far through the first week of camp, they seem to be pretty even. Harper and Avery? Avery and Harper? We'll see in a little bit.

Can we forget the whole "Q" formation ever happened? The Broncos' spring surprise was a version of Nevada's pistol that looked pretty cool right up until the snap when everything fell apart. For that matter, what will shotgun snaps look like? The Boise State centers have had all summer to perfect the art of throwing footballs between their legs, so there should be some improvement. We're willing to reconsider the "Q," but the Broncos are going to have to do an awful lot of convincing.

Do you think we'll recognize Jeremy Childs? Absence makes the heart grow fonder...at least that's what we told ourselves when the girls we liked wouldn't return our phone calls. Childs has been off the field for what seems like an eternity. It will be the highlight of our August to see him running routes beside Titus Young, Austin Pettis, Vinny Perretta, and others.

Could Mike T. Williams and Ryan Winterswyck get sacks on every play? We're pretty sure they could if they wanted to. Out of all the Bronco storylines going into this year, these two defensive ends are the ultimate headliners. Hyperbole alert: they could be the greatest pass rushing duo that the WAC has ever seen! We are literally giddy with excitement.

Which Kyle Brotzman will show up? In spring practice, we saw the inaccurate, complacent Kyle Brotzman, but we really want to see the precise, confident Brotzman from a season ago. We'll attribute the spring misses to Brock Jaramillo's extortion tactics. Let's hope things are better today.

Will Dustin Lapray be wearing a derby with a feather? The Magic Valley Times journalist/poet/worsdworth writes like he has been transported out of 17th century literature, and his BSU blog reads more like a Shakespearean play than a football practice report.

Oh, and we may be a little interested in seeing some of the quarterbacks throw.

Before you head to the scrimmage, make sure to print yourself a roster.

Morning paper: Boise State football links 8/11

Happy Monday, Bronco fans. Today is the Broncos' first scrimmage of the fall from 3:00 to 5:30 this afternoon at Bronco Stadium. We'll be there, so feel free to come say hi. We'll be the ones with the Marty Tadman life-size cardboard cutout.

Saturday camp recap [Dave's Blog and Bronco Beat]
Ugh, two-a-days.

Sunday camp recap [Dave's Blog and Bronco Beat]
A Drew Hawkins TD run? We have no idea what is happening with this QB race.

Campers of the day [BroncoSports.com]
Spoiler alert: Martin, Mackey, and Brockel.

Dave Southorn's mohawk update [Dave's Blog]
This is probably what we would do if we had media credentials, too.

No Nate Potter vs. Idaho State [Press-Tribune]
Arthroscopic knee surgery for the new OT.

More no-huddle is fine by us [Press-Tribune]
So long as the no-huddle does not involve the "Q."

Hamdan love from the Statesman [Statesman]
Does Chadd Cripe have a crush?

The story behind the jersey numbers [Press-Tribune]
Coach Pete used to wear #9, which is our new favorite idea for a personalized jersey.

Interesting Jarrell Root story [Statesman]
Taking on Clady in practice couldn't have been easy.

Ian Johnson feature at [Pro Football Weekly]
It's like January 2007 all over again.

Robert Smith has lost his mind [PWtW]
ESPN "analyst" picks Kaepernick as Heisman candidate.

SMU ticket sales up by 50 percent [Dallas Morning News]
Hawaii ticket sales down by 50 percent?

WIR: Bronco Nation rejoice, football returns

Week in Review (WIR) had a wonderful summer vacation, thanks for asking. But now there's work to do. First off, about the weekend. The Broncos will be practicing Saturday and Sunday, and here are some places to go if you need a fix of Bronco news. (We're pretty sure you could have found these on your own; we just like mothering you.)

• Dave's Blog
• Bronco Beat
• BSU Blog

This week was the busiest yet at OBNUG, as we cranked out 26 posts in five days. Hello, early onset carpal tunnel syndrome! Here are the best posts from the last week:

• Camp notes from Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and today 
• WAC quarterbacks falling like flies.
  
• Zabransky not as clutch as people remember.
  
• The Statesman surprises.
  
• Fresno State team preview.
  
• WAC teams are unusually happy.
  
• Hawaii's season preview.
  
• Preseason football should be fun.

We'll see you bright and early on Monday morning. Have a good weekend, Bronco fans.

QB battle: Moore vs. Hamdan: Day 5

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. 

The Press-Tribune has posted audio from Kellen Moore's post-practice press conference. Here's the link: Press-Tribune multimedia. We know what will be playing in David Augusto's iPod this weekend.

Here's today's breakdown:

Moore: connected with Titus Young on a deep TD, thought it was "awesome"
Hamdan: found Vinny Perretta for a long touchdown toss, celebrated with Geritol and extra-cautious high-fives

Advantage: Moore. Assuming Young will be on the field more often than Perretta, Kellen chose the right wideout to connect with.

In the lead...Hamdan. By a hair. And no, we have nothing to base this on.

Camp notes: pads are heavy and other new experiences

Today's Boise State practice was full of firsts:

• First time wearing full pads
• First time practicing on the new blue turf
• First time newcomers practiced with returners
• First time the offense showed up
  
• First time Paul J realized that Jeremy Childs and Jeremy Avery are different people.
  

Dave Southorn filed his report from the morning sessions, and he had plenty of nice things to say about RB D.J. Harper, even though Harper did not have many nice things to say about himself.

"I was actually really disappointed with how I did last year," Harper said. "If I can stay healthy, I want to be a lot more productive."

The offense finally showed some firepower with three long touchdown plays during practice today. Kellen Moore and Bush Hamdan threw for two of the scores, and Jeremy Avery broke a 45-yard TD run. It sure was nice of Ryan Winterswyck and Mike T. Williams to let them.

Chadd Cripe has details, too.

More on practice today if anything surfaces.

Morning paper: Boise State football links 8/8

Practice begins in earnest today as the players put on full pads and the newcomers join the returners for morning practice. David Augusto could NOT be more excited.

Brandyn Thompson named camper of the day [BroncoSports.com]
That brings the tally to Defense 3, Offense 1, Special teams: 0.

Get your Ian Johnson injury pdf [Press-Tribune]
Now the season can officially get underway.

Further details on Bronco practice [Times-News]
Dustin Lapray is nothing if not descriptive.

George Iloka is the man [Statesman]
He is more mature at the age of 18 than we are now.

Yakima loves adopted son Kellen Moore [Yakima Herald]
Reporting on other newspapers' polls must mean a slow news day.

Idaho needs wideouts [Statesman]
In addition to most everything else.

Elkin first to admit he was awful last year [Statesman]
Punting is not as easy as it looks apparently.

Freshman DT Michael Atkinson could be good [Dave's Blog]
At least a few of these freshmen are going to see playing time. Why not the big one?

Nevada is so weird [ESPN.com]
First hynotism. Now volleyball. What's next? Improv?

Beer and fantasy sports are here to stay [SI.com]
Maybe there is hope for college football after all.

QB battle: Moore vs. Hamdan: Day 4

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.

Today was an ugly day in the Boise State quarterback competition, as the Bronco defense picked off six passes. Though throwing six interceptions might be good enough to win Nathan Enderle the starting job at Idaho, the same is not true of the Boise State QBs. Here is where things stand after four days.

Moore: was picked off at least once
Hamdan: was picked off at least twice

Advantage: Direct snaps to Ian Johnson.

In the lead: Joe Southwick. The quarterback recruit for the class of 2009 did not have an interception today...that we know of.

Camp notes: defense making up for lost time

The defense is typically ahead of the offense during the first few days of fall camp. But six-interceptions ahead? That's just showing off.

According to the reports from the morning session, the Boise State D got to Bronco quarterbacks six times, which is nearly half as many interceptions as the defense had all of last year. Who all got a pick? Here's the list.

• Derrell Acrey
• Brandyn Thompson
• Derrell Acrey again
• Keith McGowen
• George Iloka
• Aaron Tevis
• Chadd Cripe

Of note from the various camp breakdowns, Dave Southorn reports that Jeremy Childs still has it, Cripe reveals that Andrew Woodruff has lost 35 pounds, and Brian Murphy picks a fight with Graham Watson. Perhaps we can get media credentials to that.

If you are curious about hearing an Ian Johnson interview, the Press-Tribune has the audio up on its site. We'll be updating this post with any breaking news throughout the afternoon.