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]

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 experience

Story of the day:

WAC coaches favor, ignore early signing period  [Statesman]

Much has been made of the proposal of an early signing period for college football. Strangely enough, even the WAC seems interested

"I'm 100 percent for it," Louisiana Tech coach Derek Dooley said. "You would save some money so you don't have to keep seeing guys and babysit and prevent the negative recruiting that comes after a commitment. It would prevent (other) schools from getting in and trying to confuse and manipulate."

The news is strange considering that there have been hardly any early commitments in the conference outside of the nine from Boise State. What difference would an early signing period make then? Do WAC schools enjoy not meeting deadlines? Are they in a rush to be turned down? Are they hoping impressionable high school kids would be more akin to bad decisions earlier in the year?

Of course, not everyone is thrilled about an early signing period, although the issue with this particular program might be its anathema to recruiting in general.

"I still like to evaluate kids during their senior year," Utah State coach Brent Guy said. "I want to see a guy get better from his junior to senior year and keep improving. I wouldn't use it."

Adding, "I hardly use the one we have now!"

Other links:

Clady's contract worth $17.5 million [AP]
$11.5 in guarantees, one wild night at Six Flags Denver.

BSU schedule featured on Wiz of Odds [Wizard of Odds]
Complete with predictable Ian Johnson age joke.

NFL-caliber Boise State QBs [BNN]
Forget who's starting! Who's third-string NFL material?

Fresno State wants to go to the BCS [Honolulu Advertiser]
Aw, they're jealous.

Oregon suspends starting linebacker [Yahoo! Sports]
Nate Potter breathes sigh of relief.

LaTech loses four players [ESPN.com]
Suspension, academics, transferring, indifference to LaTech football.

WAC has work to do [Statesman]
Breaking news: Idaho not pulling its weight.

Friday: Links with regret

We'll recap the WAC media convention later today. Lots of good things to learn.

Story of the day:

Coach Pete reveals roster updates [Statesman]

At the WAC media convention yesterday, Coach Pete had a veritable laundry list of roster turnover to discuss, including some disappointing news about two potentially exciting recruits.

Linebacker Jack Sula of Carson, Calif., told the Broncos staff that he will not join the team because of family issues, Petersen said.

Van Drumgoole of Vallivue High, a speedy wide receiver, plans to attend a junior college instead of Boise State to improve his academic record, Petersen said. The Broncos had planned to grayshirt him.

Petersen also said that OL Paul Lucariello's BSU career is over due to medical reasons, and DL Phillip Edwards and DL Kapono Rawlins-Crivello will not be returning to the team. Spencer Gerke, an incoming will recruit, will be the only one to grayshirt out of the incoming class.

There was no word on WR Jeremy Childs, and there was even less of a word on the starting quarterback.

Other links:

USA Today picks Boise State [USA Today]
And if USA Today says it, it must be true.

Alex Guerrero returns home [Fight Fight BSU]
The afl2 playoff chase is so on!

SJSU player arrested, keeps scholarship [ESPN.com]
Probably because no one else wanted it.

Dinwiddie's reign over CFL begins [Winnipeg Sun]
450 yards passing? Game-winning touchdown? Sounds like Dinwiddie to us.

The name says it all [Holbrook4Heisman]
Thanks for the tip, Graham Watson. Or rather, no thanks.

Oregon picked third in Pac-10 [ESPN.com]
One more reason to be scared.

BSU recruiting: where are all the linemen?

The Boise State recruiting tally looks like this: a quarterback, a running back, two tight ends, two linebackers, two cornerbacks, one wide receiver...and zero offensive or defensive linemen. Strange, don't you think?

The Broncos have been the most proactive team in the WAC this summer, but they have yet to reel in a linemen on either side of the ball. Is this the curse of Ryan Clady leaving early? Is the WAC transitioning into a seven-on-seven conference? Whatever the case may be, the whole situation is making us very curious.

But perhaps we should clarify. Despite the lack of linemen, we could not be happier to have nine verbal commitments in mid-July. This kind of activity is something you normally expect from a BCS-conference school, so it is great to know that the Broncos have such an outstanding reputation in recruiting pockets around the country. Plus, Boise State is really separating itself from the rest of the WAC as a premier destination for football, and with early recruits becoming more and more the norm, the Broncos are at the forefront of the future of recruiting. Taste the revolution, Fresno State!

That said, we would still like to see some linemen.

In our opinion, the line is the most important position on the football field, so we would figure that it would be a focal point of Bronco recruiting classes. We imagine that when all is said and done, there will be plenty of hefty high school kids in the '09 class. But in the meantime, we are left to wonder why no big kids have come out and declared their BSU allegiance yet. Are they riding go carts at Camp Hope or what?

Here are some theories we have on the situation.

1. Linemen are harder to recruit.
   This could be true for a number of reasons: No one knows how big 17-year-old kids will get. The potential of linemen is harder to judge at an early age. There is not as much game tape available on linemen as there is for other positions. There hit-or-miss probability with a lineman is extremely high.
2. Boise State coaches are looking for JC transfers. Certainly, having two years in college under their belt would give any lineman an advantage. Plus, the coaches would be more aware of what to expect when the kids arrive on campus.
3. Linemen aren't born; they're created. Perhaps BSU is not in a hurry because they know they can grow their own linemen whenever necessary. Bronco coaches are notorious for molding players into outstanding linemen.
4. The line is young enough as it is. If this year's young class of linemen pan out, the Broncos will be set for at least a couple more years. Maybe the next recruiting class will be the windfall of big uglies we've been expecting.
5. The line isn't as important in the WAC. To be successful in the WAC, you have to score points and create turnovers. Linemen are not prominently involved in either.
6. The more you weigh, the less decisive you are. We have no evidence of this theory other than Jared Lorenzen's NFL career.

On an encouraging note, Scout.com has a list of linemen who are at least interested in the Broncos. Here some of the top guys:

• OT Charles Siddoway: 6'7", 310 pounds (offered)
• DE Jackson Powell: 6'5", 220 pounds
• OT Gavin Pascerella: 6'5", 260 pounds

The list also includes some junior college players and other big high schoolers, so at least the Broncos are trying. And the fact that we are concerned over a lack of linemen in a recruiting class that still has seven months to fill out and which has absolutely no bearing on anything that will happen on the football field this year, well, it's probably a bit presumptive of us. As always, the Bronco coaches know what they're doing, so we really needn't worry.

Our anxiety would be better spent on the "Q."

Friday: Links with kitties

Story of the day:

More recruits! How 'bout that! [Press-Tribune]

The Broncos have reeled in recruit number nine. QB/LB Gabe Linehan from Banks High School (Oregon) has given his verbal commitment to the Broncos. Does his name sound familiar? It should. His uncle is Rams head coach and former Idaho quarterback Scott Linehan, and his father was an All-Big Sky linebacker at Idaho.

Despite the fact that the Broncos' roster is already replete with quarterbacks and linebackers, Linehan was still happy to commit early. Of course, he won't be a QB/LB for long.

He said Bronco coaches want him to play tight end once he arrives in Boise, though he is the quarterback at Banks.

Currently, Linehan is 6'4" and 205 pounds, so he will need to put on some weight to be effective at the tight end position. Fortunately, Linehan has two 300-pound brothers who have played line for Pac-10 schools, so his mom should know how to feed him.

Here is some extra reading on Linehan:

Idaho Statesman

Scout.com

Fight Fight BSU

Other links:

Taylor Tharp cut by Panthers [Statesman]
Our immediate reaction: Tharp was still on the Panthers?

New turf is nearly complete [Statesman]
Next up? New Boise State inflatable helmet for team intro!

Coaches association discussing changes for recruiting [Birmingham News]
An early signing period would be nice right about now

BSU football is best sporting event in Treasure Valley [Statesman]
The Idaho Steeleheads will forever be bridesmaids.

Rather comprehensive WAC preview [Southern college sports]
We stopped reading after it said Boise State was rebuilding.

Highlighting the skinny BSU offensive linemen [Scott Slant]
Thirty pounds lighter than last year, but the heavier expectations should balance that out.

Yep, Oregon is still good [Rivals.com]
And we're still scared of going to Eugene.

Thursday: Links with religion

Story of the day:

Peak redeems itself with Jadon Dailey [Statesman]

With the hiring of former BSU center Jadon Dailey as the new color commentator for Bronco football games, Peak Broadcasting has done something that has thus far eluded them: appear competent. If the reaction to Dailey's hiring is any indication, then Bronco fans are feeling pretty good about life after Paul J.--at least as good as they could feel.

Bob Behler's already a fan.

Behler, who said he has worked with many first-timers in the booth, was impressed with Dailey's intelligence and enthusiasm. "He's going to add a lot in stories and knowledge," Behler said. "He's going to help me a heck of a lot, knowing personnel, history and coaches. He's going to bring a lot to the table."

Will Dailey's lack of experience be an issue? Not with Behler, the father of modern radio, in the booth! Besides, if things get bad, Peak can always just play snippets of Dailey's Out of the Blue commentary in between Behler's live-action play-by-play calls. Don't think anyone would mind that. 

Other links:

New recruit Mooney not taking other campus visits after all [Press-Tribune]
Guess he was okay missing out on all the fun times at Army.

Bush Hamdan is a better man than you are [Scott Slant]
Thanks to Tom Scott we suddenly feel much less charitable for giving that homeless guy a dollar.

Boise State season preview [Don Best]
Always trust a man with a mustache...except for Robb Akey.

Cocaine hoax fuels Big XII rivalry [SI.com]
We anxiously await the Idaho "pirated Norbit DVD" hoax.

Tuesday: Links with unemployment

Story of the day:

Seattle LB commits to Broncos [Scout.com]

Chalk up another one for proactive Bronco recruiting.

According to Scout.com, O'Dea (Seattle, WA) linebacker Allen Mooney has given a verbal commitment to Boise State, choosing the Broncos over an offer from Army and interest from Pac-10 schools like Washington and Oregon. How did the Broncos land him? Judging by the lede of the Scout story, it may have been that his height was an issue for some teams.

He may not be the tallest linebacker in America, but Allen Mooney carries some big game with him. And the 5-foot-11, 215-pound Mooney - from O'Dea High School in Seattle - will be taking that big game to the Gem State...

A 5'-11" linebacker is not the end of the world, so if other schools were scared off by Mooney's size, we are happy to have him. Of course, it's not an official verbal commitment until the Statesman says it is, so give them a week or so to catch wind of the story and do whatever fact-checking they do.

Also, check out Fight Fight BSU for some Mooney video.

Other links:

Tom Scott's personal thoughts on summer practice [Scott Slant]
Tanyon Bissell and Vinny Perretta get him very excited.

Completely pointless Bob Behler interview [Statesman]
This just in: Behler watched the Fiesta Bowl, likes sports.

A gambler's preview of Boise State [Bet US]
Hint: give the points.

Is this how we're getting so many recruits? [SI.com]
I would have chosen a college, too, based on their making a personal comic book of myself.

Friday: Links with independence

Story of the day:

Karl Benson bares his soul [Denver Post]

The Denver Post is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the Mountain West's split from the WAC the only way they know how: making Karl Benson relive it all over again.

DP: That had to be the lowest point of your professional life 10 years ago when the Mountain West teams left...

KB: May and June 1998 was certainly difficult. It was challenging, tumultuous and gut wrenching both professional and personally.

Next question!

Aside from the start of the interview (great ice breaker, Denver Post), the story ended up being a positive look at how the WAC has survived throughout the past 10 years. Benson gave a lot of praise to Fresno State for soldiering on in the early years, and he of course had good things to say about Boise State football, too. But God bless him if he didn't try his best to put a positive spin on Utah State, Idaho, and NMSU.

DP: You're like the Statue of Liberty of college athletics: Give me you poor, your tired, your huddled masses. 


KB: We were forced to fill some holes, fill the gaps... We claim when teams join the WAC they get better, some get better quicker than others. I'm still confident our last three additions are going to get better.

Translation: my bad.

The behind-the-scenes information from Benson was pretty neat to hear, and the Denver Post followed the story up with a feature on the present state of the WAC and the MWC. For all the bad things that are said about the WAC, it was nice to find a story that showcases the conference to a certain degree. That said, we'll flip to the Pac-10 in an instant if they come calling. Sorry, Karl.

Other links:

BSU's Grinnell competes for Olympic berth [Scott Slant]
The triple jump finals or Mars Attack? We could go either way.

Nick Jezierny's interview with BSU's latest recruit [Statesman]
Watch your back, Chadd Cripe.

BSU President Kustra working for the NCAA [Press-Tribune]
Alright! We got a man on the inside.

Colt Brennan autograph signing tour [Pictures Plus]
He will not be signing souvenir Sugar Bowl T-shirts.

Ian Johnson a top five running back [End Zone Buzz]

Why, UNLV?! Why?! [UNLV Rebels]
Thank goodness we don't have to see these uniforms in person any time soon.

Another recruit?! California tight end commits

Updated info at bottom

The recruits just keep on coming.

Trevor Peterson, a tight end from El Dorado High School in California, has given a verbal commitment to the Broncos, according to Scout.com. The 6'4", 220-pound senior-to-be recorded 964 yards and eight touchdowns last season, and he chose the Broncos over Oregon State, Utah, UC Davis, and Harvard. We wonder if the Bob Behler announcement sealed the deal.

Trevor Peterson [Scout.com]

Peterson was named offensive MVP on last year's team, according to the school's website. Also according to the website, Peterson wants to go to Cal-Berkeley. Let's hope his commitment sticks.

Monday: Links with distractions

Story of the day: 

Brilliant Boise State football feature [Missoulian]

Can the Missoulian be Boise's newspaper? Please? The paper from Missoula, Montana, just finished up a series of fine journalism on the chances of U of M moving into Division 1-A. Saturday, they wrote a fascinating piece on how Boise State has fared since the Broncos' move to big-time college football.

The Boise State Broncos represent a best-case scenario for all Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams pondering a move up. An example of what is possible for those that risk stability for a spot in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

Not only was the article a wonderful read, but there was some good BSU knowledge in there, too. Reporter Bill Speltz did his homework and then some. Witness this encouraging quote:

“We purchased East Junior High School, just a quarter of a mile from here, that will give us 15fi acres we can access next summer,” BSU AD Gene Bleymaier said. “We'll move the (running) track out of Bronco Stadium and our next expansion will be to horseshoe the south end of the stadium and add another 6,000 seats."

Thanks for the Bronco Stadium update, Missoula paper. Best of all, one of the endearing themes of the story was its focus on the importance of a great fan base. The Missoulian gave Bronco Nation a great big slap on the back.

The people of Boise are also a big part of the Broncos' success. When Boise State made its leap of faith into FBS football in 1996, Bleymaier knew he could depend on the community for support. That confidence made the transition about as smooth as can be expected.

And to think, we were joking when we took credit for BSU's success. 

We highly recommend you reading this story for yourself.  

Other links:

So long, Gary Craner [Scott Slant]
Turned ankles will never be the same.

List of Broncos in the CFL [Statesman]
Bronco Nation north of the border, eh?

Boise State offers Kellen's little bro [Tri-City Herald]
Bronco fans immediately pencil him in as starting wide receiver.

Are Boise State's home games for sale? [BNN]
Our Ian Johnson/Marty Tadman two-sided jersey sure hopes not.

Fresno's baseball success gives credibility to WAC [Shreveport Times]
Calling Fresno the "California Bulldogs" loses credibility for this story.

Brian Murphy to the Aaron Burks rescue [Murph's Turf]
We don't even want to touch this one.

Boise State's early verbals: When to expect them on the field

The Broncos have seen a rash of early commitments this summer, which is great for the program and fun for fans. A total of six recruits so far have committed, which is roughly 1/3 of the entire 2009 recruiting class. Let's hear it for proactivity!

While we're at it, let's hear it for perspective, too. These half-dozen 17-year-olds are at least a year away from having any on-field impact whatsoever, and it is hard to picture them on the blue when they are still in high school for 10 more months.

Well, when should Bronco Nation expect these players on the field? Glad you asked.

Joe Southwick QB

We're starting to lose track of which quarterbacks we should be excited about. With Kellen Moore performing football miracles for the next few years, Southwick better Nazarene himself some patience. Worst case scenario: Moore plays every game for the next few years, Southwick gets anxious and switches to tight end. Best case scenario: Moore leads the Broncos to the national championship in '08 and '09, turns pro, and Southwick takes over. The actual scenario is probably somewhere in between. Southwick will most likely redshirt in 2009, back-up Moore the next two years, and grab the reigns his junior year.
Look for Southwick in 2012.

John Michael Davis LB

Don't know about the rest of you, but we always keep an extra box of Pop Tarts in the pantry just in case something happens to the first box. We feel that BSU is doing the same with linebackers. An obvious focus of last year's recruiting class was to build up the position to avoid the type of letdown from the 2007 unit. Where does Davis fit into the mix? We're pretty sure that Davis will redshirt, but he seems like the type of player who won't be on the sideline long.
Expect Davis in 2010.

Malcolm Johnson RB

Depth is the strength of the Bronco running backs, which is good news for touchdowns but bad news for Johnson. Still, BSU coaches will not keep a good player off the field (unless he plagiarizes during bowl week), so Johnson will have every chance to contribute immediately. We believe that Doug Martin is the future; Coach Pete told us so in a dream. Still, we think Johnson could get his share of carries as early as his freshman year. Give him a redshirt season on the scout team, and he'll be ready.
Watch for Johnson in 2010.

Ebo Makinde CB

Though he isn't rated as high as some of his fellow '09 recruiting class members, Makinde has had some outside interest from Pac-10 schools since his verbal. Can you say potential? Like fellow recruit Quaylon Ewing, Makinde will have lots of opportunity to play right away, but we feel that he may be more of a late bloomer type. Give him a grayshirt for the time being, and he'll deserve a nice, long look in a couple years.
We foresee 2010.

Quaylon Ewing CB

Cornerbacks are a precious BSU commodity, which may be why the Broncos have had a long history of starting young DBs. Ewing should be next. If he has a good senior H.S. season, he could pull a George Iloka, get in camp early, and be in the mix to contribute immediately.
Could be a factor in 2009.

Arron Burks WR

The most recent BSU recruit is still quite an enigma to Bronco fans. Sure, he's got size, but does he even exist? We'll leave that one to the Statesman to figure out. In the meantime, Burks will most likely have a long wait until he sees the field. With the youth at the wide receiver position (Young, Pettis, Potter), a grayshirt then redshirt seems like a possibility. Don't go buying your Burks personalized jersey just yet.
Wait until 2014.

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.

Another early recruit for Broncos

The Idaho Statesman has breaking news that Aaron Burks, a 6'3" 180-pound wide receiver from Timberview High (Texas), has given an oral commitment to play for the Broncos. Did lowered expectations reel him in?

"He said the campus was bigger than he thought it would be. He was impressed with the town, the campus and the coaches," high school coach Terry Cron said. "He thinks it's a good fit for him."

Perhaps BSU is serious about wrapping up this class by August.

BSU lands oral commitment [Statesman]

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]

Thursday: Links with feminism

Story of the day:

Markle commits to Washington State [Idaho Sports Zone]

Local prep standout Darren Markle from Mountain View High School has given his verbal commitment to the Washington State Cougars.

An opportunity to play in the Pac Ten and an opportunity to play early were cited as contributing factors in Markle's decision, as well as a high level of comfort with the new coaching staff in Pullman, headed by former Cougar offensive lineman Paul Wulff.

No word yet on whether or not he's actually visited Pullman.

Many BSU fans had hoped Markle would join the Broncos next fall, considering his local ties and apparent beastliness. Oh well; you can't get all the local recruits (right, Idaho?).

Other links:

More news on BSU radio search [Statesman]
An announcer with NFL experience? Bring on Jesse Palmer and Ron Pitts!

Comprehensive list of preseason polls [LSUfootball.net]
Boise State is at least in the discussion.

Non-BCS odds at a national championship [Fanblogs]
Odds? Not very good.

Statesman and Press-Tribune to merge printing [Statesman]
Can a single Sunday paper be far off?

Youngest Hawkins to walk-on at BSU

Drew Hawkins, the youngest son of former BSU coach and current goat Dan Hawkins, will be playing quarterback at Boise State this fall. Join the club.

Dan and Misti Hawkins' youngest child, Drew, signed a letter of intent to play
for Boise State in February and already has enrolled.

We're pretty sure he didn't sign a letter of intent, and Dave Southorn can back us up on that.

Drew Hawkins, the youngest son of the former Bronco coach and brother of
Colorado starter Cody, will walk-on at Boise State. However, in an ESPN article,
Ivan Maisel said Drew signed a letter of intent. As far as I know, Drew will be
a walk-on.

Either way, the golden touch of the Hawkins family will be gracing clipboards on the BSU sideline in the near future.

Drew Hawkins already on campus [Dave's Blog]
Father and son... [ESPN.com]

Monday: Links with relativity

Story of the day:

Hot Lotto! Boise State tickets up for grabs [BNN]

JT Ray at Bronco Nation NOW was kind enough to spill the details of his season ticket mailer that described the process for getting tickets to away games. For those interested in BSU-Oregon, be prepared to get your lotto on.

The Oregon game is being handled a bit different. In a separate form, any season ticket holder can submit an application for a Lottery to be held sometime after June 27, 2008. Those entering just pay for 2 tickets if selected and no more. Also those that are selected can pick up their tickets in Eugene, OR the day of the game with a photo ID. The total price is $112.00 and some mailing &
processing of $5.00.

Let's just hope that Boise State does the lottery thing justice and we get a live telecast of ping-pong balls in a hopper or Paul J picking names from a giant hat.

The rest of the away games are significantly less of a chore. BSU assigned ticket values, ranging in price from Southern Miss and SJSU at $37.00 to New Mexico State at $14.00. Plan your entire autumn appropriately.

Other links:

Update on Jeremy Childs...kind of [Scott Slant]
He may or may not be in town.

Leave Ebo Makinde alone [Scout.com]
Boise State verbal commit gets offer from Pac-10 school. Jerks.

WR transfers from Arkansas to LaTech [SI.com]
You read that right.


Chase Holbrook on QB watch list [NMSU.com]
Watch out for what? Failed expectations?

Don't tow me, bro [Olympian]
City of Boise reconsidering socialist towing laws.

Stadium update with video [Fight Fight BSU]
FYI: we swing a pretty mean hammer if need be.

Tuesday: Links with recruiting

Story of the day:

Welcome, Malcolm Johnson [OregonLive Blog]

The big recruits just keep coming.

Boise State got a verbal commitment from Barlow High (Oregon) RB Malcolm Johnson, one of the top-rated running backs in the state.

"I really wanted to commit early and then focus on my senior year," Johnson said.

We really wanted you to commit, too.

Johnson's junior season numbers were outrageously great and not at all congruent with the offers he had received.

Johnson, who led Oregon’s Class 6A in rushing with 2,514 yards last season, chose the Broncos over offers from Portland State and Air Force.

Hmm, Portland State, Air Force, or five-time WAC champion and national darling Boise State? We like that our recruits can problem solve, too.

Other links:

Wolfpack players not above Reno DUI law [Deadspin.com]

Well, at least they're getting national media attention.

Colt Brennan throwing for Redskins [Redskins.com]
We don't really have a joke for this one.

Fresno season hinges on injuries [Fresno State blog]
...and on actually beating teams on the WAC schedule.

New CB recruit a Scandrick clone? [Dave's blog]
Hello, shirtless wind sprints!