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.

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]

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]

Grading the classes: Utah State

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.



Utah State

One publication described the Utah State recruiting class as big on warm bodies. I assume this was meant as a compliment.

“We’re excited about this class coming in,” recruiting coordinator Danilo Robinson said. “We’ve addressed some needs that we have and hopefully some guys can come in and fill some holes. We’re excited about this group and are looking forward to a great year from them.

“On average, they’re a little bit taller, a little bit faster and have a little bit more potential to play right away for us. We’re excited about this crop so far.”

I don't even know where to begin with that.

The Aggies won their final two games of the season — both on the road, no less — and carried that momentum into the recruiting process.

Apparently, it paid off.

If by "paid off" you mean that people actually signed with the team, then you would be correct. Twenty-one newcomers were lured with the promise of playing time and approachable Utah co-eds. Want to start a large Mormon family and play some quarterback? Then you've come to the right place.

Twelve of the recruits play offense, including two quarterbacks, two running backs, three wide receivers, and three tight ends. Never mind having people to block for these guys, Utah State seems to be planning the world's largest seven-on-seven drill. Good luck with that.

We want you to succeed, Utah State. We don't like making fun of you all the time. But seriously, help us out a little bit. We're running out of jokes.

Scout.com rank: 119
Rivals.com rank: 101
OBNUG grade: F

Utah State signs 21 [The Herald Journal]

Grading the classes: Fresno State

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.


Fresno State

Pat Hill and Co. have outdone themselves this time. After what many felt was his best recruiting class in 2007, Hill and the Bulldogs reeled in an even better one in '08.

By recruiting-service standards, Fresno State assembled its best class in football coach Pat Hill's 12 seasons.

Of the 22 high school players signed, nine are considered three-star recruits by both Rivals.com and Scout.com.

That's a best for Hill and places the Bulldogs atop the Western Athletic Conference in recruiting for the first time since 2002 with a class ranked 59th in the nation by Rivals.com.

"This class here is as good of a class [as we've had] on paper," Hill said. "We're doing a better job every year of finding personality types. Now it's up to us to develop them."

I'm not sure what scares me more: Dave Tester's mugshot or Fresno State in two years. But why wait two years? I'm scared of them now.

The incoming class features the future backfield for the Bulldogs in QB Ebahn Feathers and RBs Michael Harris and Ricky Pemasa. But the real damage will come in the form of defensive line prospects. Seven of the 22 newbies are defensive linemen; is the 5-2 defense far behind? I hope so because I learned some pretty sweet ways of exploiting it during my high school football days.

We would grade them higher, but honestly, we're giving everybody F's because we're homers.

Scout.com rank: 59
Rivals.com rank: 60
OBNUG grade: F

Bulldogs' football recruiting showing depth [Fresno Bee]

Grading the classes: Louisiana Tech

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.



Louisiana Tech

Putting the "Eastern" in "Western Athletic Conference," Louisiana Tech has an entirely different recruiting experience than most WAC schools. Stuck between SEC and Big 12 country, the Bulldogs have a lot to deal with in terms of competition for recruits. Although, they seem to be having trouble from places you wouldn't necessarily expect.

"It was pretty apparent we were recruiting the right guys,” head coach Derek Dooley said. “If you look at the last two weeks, it was an absolute assault on our entire commitment list by some quality programs. That’s great news. I think that’s a good sign.”

Solid verbal commitments for Louisiana Tech were pursued, and in some cases lost, to Texas Christian, Southern Methodist, Tulsa, Southern Miss and Memphis.

Memphis? Do they even play football there? And Southern Methodist? Would that be 1-11 Southern Methodist? Those Conference USA teams are cutthroat, man.

Regardless, the Bulldogs did have people sign with them. Not playmakers, mind you, but people nonetheless. The relative big names were on defense as coach Derek Dooley focused a second consecutive class on being able to stop potent WAC offenses. This is the point in the story where we feel obligated to tell you that LaTech barely averaged 20 points per game last year.

The Bulldogs' best signing was LB Eric Harper. Unless he scores points with tackles, we don't see how he is going to help.

Scout.com rank: 91
Rivals.com rank: 75
OBNUG grade: F

Tech recruiting notebook [The News Star]

Grading the classes: Hawaii

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.


Hawaii

We wanted to go easy on the Warriors since they have such a disadvantage recruiting from the islands. But then we remembered what punks they were when we played last year, so all bets are off.

Losing June Jones certainly did not help the incoming recruiting class. And Jones' admission that he left because of a lack of commitment to football by the athletic department wasn't too great either. Still, 22 players chose to come to Hawaii, including eight from local high schools.

"I'm very proud and honored that we were able to keep some of the top athletes from Hawai`i to stay home," Hawaii head coach Greg McMackin said. "That was our mission and we were receptive from their coaches and families, who were very gracious and hospitable, to invite us into their homes and schools to give us a chance to convince their kids to play for the University of Hawai`i."

Apparently, more people want a piece of Northern Illinois than we thought.

The class includes two quarterbacks, junior college "stars" Greg Alexander and Brent Rausch, who will compete with Tyler Graunke for the starting spot this fall. Replacing Colt Brennan will be tough, but I'm pretty that's what they said about Timmy Chang, too. Heh, Timmy Chang. (Giggling quietly to ourselves.)

The more difficult task will be replacing the four starting wide receivers who either graduated or turned pro. There can't be that many kids out there who act inappropriately after every catch, think more highly of themselves than they ought, and have dreadlocks. Good luck with that.

Scout.com rank: 93
Rivals.com rank: 84
OBNUG grade: F

Warriors sign 22 student athletes [University of Hawaii]

Grading the classes: San Jose State

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.


San Jose State

The Spartans incoming class features only 17 new players, due to the fact that seven scholarships were revoked due to low test scores (and by "low test scores," we mean "nearly losing to Idaho"). Head coach Dick Tomey's connection to the vacant Hawaii job this offseason did not cost the team any players, probably because those players didn't have scholarship offers elsewhere.

The best recruit might be Ina Liaina whose name may or may not be spelled correctly here. As a linebacker/running back hybrid, Liaina has a good shot of making the team at both positions, considering this is San Jose State and all. Seriously, though, he'll be a linebacker.

"It's a good group," Tomey said. "Where we needed help right away we're going to get help, and where we needed young guys to come in and learn, we got that."

Translation: "I have nothing particularly interesting to say about these guys, and I'm not even sure I've seen them all before."

You have to love playing in the WAC.

Scout.com rank: 116
Rivals.com rank: 115
OBNUG grade: F

San Jose State weathered recruiting storm [San Jose Mercury News]