Far out predictions for preseason WAC awards

Today: Preseason WAC players of the year
Tomorrow: Preseason conference standings
Thursday: a nap

The official preseason players of the year in the WAC will be revealed in the next couple days, and they are sure to reek of predictability and groupthink. Ian Johnson, anyone?

Our picks are a little different. We know from experience that a college football season rarely plays out as planned, which is why we've done our best to think outside of the box with preseason prognosticating. Does Chadd Cripe know any better than we do about what will happen this season? Of course not.Will his ballot reflect a stuffy assuredness of safe answers and false modesty? We hope not.

To be sure, we know the right answers to the preseason players of the year questions; they are obviously outlined in every preview magazine on the shelves. However, we stand by our decisions for players of the year, and we're more than happy to eat crow when things start falling apart in Week Three.

So without further ado, here are the picks:

OBNUG's preseason WAC defensive player of the year

Jeff Schweiger, San Jose State DE

Who? What? Are San Jose State linemen even eligible? These same questions ran through our heads, too, but we put peer pressure and good sense aside and went with Schweiger anyway.

Perhaps a little background would help: Schweiger is a 6'5", 255-pound transfer from USC. He owned SJSU's spring practice, and he was so good that 2007 all-WAC DE Jarron Gilbert has moved inside to tackle. Obviously, Pac-10 competition is a step above WAC play, so we're expecting Schweiger to really be an animal this fall. San Jose State is supposed to be one of several strong WAC defensive teams, and Schweiger will be the reason.

Don't let us down, Jeff Schweiger. Although, from a San Jose State Spartan, we may be asking the impossible.

What the media will say: Solomon Elimimian or Adam Leonard, Hawaii LBs

Other candidates we considered: Ryan Winterswyk, Derrell Acrey, Jake Hutton, David Veikune, Moses Harris, Elimimian, Leonard, Marty Tadman

OBNUG's preseason WAC offensive player of the year

Nick Graziano, Nevada QB

The Nevada Wolfpack have tangible hype going into the season, which could be dashed in an instant by a 4-for-26 Colin Kaepernick quarterbacking performance.

The funny thing is that you probably didn't even flinch at the absurdity of those numbers. Kaepernick completing one-sixth of his passes is a very real possibility, and thusly Kaepernick finding the bench is just as plausible. When it happens, we could see former starter Graziano stepping in and saving the Pack's season.

He'll have a wonderful running back behind him in Luke Lippincott. The offensive line will be solid. He'll have every chance to put up big numbers, and he could bring stability to an offense that will become fairly predictable once Kaepernick starts breaking the pocket immediately on passing plays. You may be thinking, "Then why not pick Lippincott for player of the year?" Because we're idiots. But only time will tell.

FYI: We were thisclose to picking Idaho RB Deonte Jackson, but we couldn't bring ourselves to openly support anything that has to do with the Vandals or anyone who shares a backfield with Nathan Enderle.

What the media will say: Ian Johnson, Boise State RB

Other candidates we considered: Jackson, Malcolm Lane, Ian Johnson, Titus Young, Ryan Mathews, Taylor Bennett, Lippincott, Ryan Dinwiddie

What do you guys think? Who would get your vote? Do you agree with our picks? Are we idiots? Actually, don't answer that last one.

Tuesday: Links with stardom

Story of the day:

Boise State radio details [Idaho Radio News]

For those still curious as to how the whole Peak/KBOI/BSU radio deal went down, Don Day at Idaho Radio News has the details. The report from IRN is vast and impressive, giving insight into virtually every aspect of the dealings. We were particularly interested to hear about the "inappropriate overtures."

BSU president Bob Kustra mentioned several “overtures” on behalf of groups that wanted “this contract very badly.” He told the board that no back-channel requests ever came from Peak. But clearly someone at Citadel did something that Kustra thought to be improper.


“It’s particularly distressing that we bent over backwards to be fair, to be objective and to ignore some overtures that I think that were improper,” he said.

We imagine those overtures to be Magic 93.1's free Rhianna tickets.

The whole story is a good read, and we would suggest checking it out. Day put in some good work to get those details (200 pages of documents, emails, records, and a dozen Red Bulls), and you can tell from the final product.

Other links:

Channel 2 belongs to J Bates [J's Blog]
Well, at least the sports department and Wayne Dzubak.

WAC media day schedule [WACSports]
Plan your day around the Akey news conference.

Behler's competition for the job [Idaho Radio News]
Is there anything Don Day can't do?

The Mountain West media go to Vegas [ESPN.com]
The WAC media burn with jealousy from their Salt Lake City hotel rooms sans cable TV.

Unique photo collage of BSU QB race [Odd Waffles]
Nick Lomax, we hardly recognized you.

Salt Lake City braces for WAC media

The WAC media convention is nearly upon us. Starting tomorrow, media members from WAC cities across the country will meet in Salt Lake City for three days of interviews, buffets, and Sugar Bowl jokes. Sounds like fun, right Will Hoenike?

We think it sounds like fun. However, being excited about a media convention is not enough to get invited to a media convention, and as such, we will be following along from the comfort of our office chair and gigantic, old Dell monitor. Too bad because we had always wanted to tour the Mormon Temple with Chase Holbrook and Luke Lippincott.

The media will be releasing their picks for players of the year and conference champion, and there will gads of interviews that will lead to gads of Honolulu Advertiser feature stories. As for the Statesman, we'll be curious to see if they marry the idea of all-day football news and blogging. There's a first time for everything.

Other things that we're excited about:

• Kellen Moore coming up in conversation entirely too often.
• Colin Kaepernick crashing the party.
• Hawaii coach Greg McMackin drinking his weight in Coke.
• The Marriott running out of continental breakfast and every column mentioning it in his WAC media days article.
• Whether or not San Jose State bothers to show up.
• Hearing Robb Akey use the word "family."
• Living vicariously through Dave Southorn's blog.
• Mormon Keno.
  

Who do you think will be the players of the year? What will the conference standings look like? Who is your pick to win the WAC? Let us know by leaving a comment or sending us an email. We'll reveal our answers to those questions over the next couple days, and we'll keep you updated on all the other WAC media convention news.

Dinwiddie takes over in Winnipeg

Out with Kevin Glenn; in with Ryan Dinwiddie.

Last year's East Division most oustanding player, Glenn has fallen from grace in Winnipeg rather swiftly, and Dinwiddie is in the right place at the right time. Dinwiddie will get the start on Thursday for the Blue Bombers, and even if it takes him awhile to get settled, it sounds like Winnipeg will not be going back to Glenn any time soon.

Head coach Doug Berry said Thursday's game isn't a one-game trial for Dinwiddie, either. He's the No. 1 quarterback until further notice.

Winnipeg is 0-4, and much of the blame is being placed on Glenn's shoulders.

  "I don't think I've played perfect football up until now," he said.

You think? To be specific, Glenn has played the worst football in the CFL. His efficiency rating is 65.9, which is worst in the league. He has thrown eight interceptions, which is worst in the league. Dinwiddie will be a revelation by comparison.

Reaction from Winnipeg fans has been highly encouraging. An OBNUG reader and Winnipeg resident, who alerted us to the story, is thrilled to have Dinwiddie starting, and judging by the Blue Bomber message boards, other fans are looking forward to a change under center, too.

listen to Ryan Dinwiddie. hes confident, he's a field general, his attitude seems to be contagious, heck just listening to RD there, makes me cant wait until thursday. God i hope its nice out

...and...

this might be the spark they need.

GO DINWIDDIE GO!

Now if we could only get Brock Forsey in the backfield.

Dinwiddie takes helm [Winnipeg Sun]
Bombers message board [BlueBombers.com]

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.

Going camping: Broncos in the pros Part II (NFC edition)

image courtesy of Inside the Iggles

Before we get into the NFC part of our training camp preview, allow us the following aside.

Remember the days when the Chicago Bears used to be a bastion for BSU alumni? Both Brock Forsey and Ryan Dinwiddie were once on the roster, but neither were able to stick. Timing is everything. Today, the Bears are struggling to find both a go-to running back and a reason not to have Rex Grossman any more. What we wouldn't pay to rip a hole in the space-time continuum and have Forsey and Dinwiddie get one more shot.

Without further ado, here are the Boise State players on NFC training camp rosters. (The AFC list can be found here.)

S Quintin Mikell, Philadelphia Eagles
Other Philadelphia Eagles safeties: Sean Considine, Quintin Demps, J.R. Reed, Marcus Paschal
Camp starts: Monday (rookies), Thursday (veterans), Bethlehem PA
Link: Rockford Register: Take that, Sean Considine!

Outlook: Mikell's strong effort in place of Considine last year has him atop the depth chart going into training camp. Mikell doesn't get the same local love as other successful BSU players, but he has quietly put together a fine career. More importantly, we are finally able to remember which one is Quintin and which one is David.

DT Kimo von Oelhoffen, Philadelphia Eagles
Other Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackles: Brodrick Bunkley, Dan Klecko, Trevor Laws, Mike Patterson, Montae Reagor
Camp starts: Monday (rookies), Thursday (veterans), Bethlehem PA
Link: Bleacher Report: not everyone's a Kimo fan.

Outlook: Yes, von Oelhoffen is old. Yes, von Oelhoffen recorded only two tackles last year. But von Oelhoffen is an NFL veteran with experience, and he makes Andy Reid look thin by association. Therefore, Kimo stays. At least until the first round of cuts. Then he's probably gone.


CB Orlando Scandrick, Dallas Cowboys
Other Dallas Cowboys cornerbacks: Terence Newman, Adam Jones, Mike Jenkins, Anthony Henry, Alan Ball, Quincy Butler, Tyler Everett, Evan Oglesby, Jerron Wishom
Camp starts: Thursday, Oxnard CA
Link: Dallas Morning News: Scandrick switched agent to get contract done

Outlook: Scandrick will find a place on the Cowboys, even though their secondary is loaded. Fortunately, Newman is injury-prone, Jones is stripper-prone, and Henry is bound to be moved to safety, so there may be opportunity for Scandrick to move up and make an impact. At any rate, special teams will be glad to have him.

FB Korey Hall, Green Bay Packers
Other Green Bay Packers fullbacks: John Kuhn, Corey White, Ryan Powdrell
Camp starts: 7/27, Green Bay WI
Link: Press-Gazette: plenty of depth at fullback

Outlook: Hall was very impressive in his rookie season last year, yet the Packers still come into camp with four fullbacks on the roster. Four! Kuhn and Hall were last season's starters and did a fine job, so who knows why Powdrell and White are present. Looks like Hall will have to earn his job again, which shouldn't be a problem.

OG Daryn Colledge, Green Bay Packers
Other Green Bay Packers tackles: Ryan Keenan, Cameron Stephenson, Josh Sitton, Jason Spitz, Junius Coston
Camp starts: 7/27, Green Bay WI
Link: Press-Gazette: Packers are favorites, guards are competitive

Outlook: Colledge started most of the season last year after being in and out of the starting lineup his rookie season. He'll again be battling Spitz and Coston for a starting spot, but he seems to be getting better every year so a starting spot should be expected.

S Gerald Alexander, Detroit Lions
Other Detroit Lions safeties: Dwight Smith, Greg Blue, Daniel Bullocks, Kalvin Pearson
Camp starts: Wednesday, Allen Park MI
Link: Michigan Live: Alexander versus Bullocks at strong safety

Outlook: Alexander probably surprised many people with his ascension to a starting rookie safety with the Lions. He looks to have a bright future with the team. And, yes, that may be the only time that "bright future" is mentioned in regards to the Detroit Lions.

WR Jerard Rabb, San Francisco 49ers
Other San Francisco 49ers receivers: Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie, Arnaz Battle, Isaac Bruce, Cameron Colvin, Jason Hill, Robert Jordan, Josh Morgan, Dominique Zeigler
Camp starts: 7/24, Santa Clara CA
Link: 49ers website: big battle for final roster spot

Outlook: Rabb stuck with the practice squad last season, and he'll have his work cut out for him to make the roster this summer. The 49ers are full of medium-tier wide receivers, so Rabb will at least have a good shot at breaking through. Plus, with Mike Martz as O-coordinator, the 49ers could very well be in 5-WR sets fairly often.

TE Jeb Putzier, Seattle Seahawks
Other Seattle Seahawks tight ends: John Carlson, Will Heller, Zac Alcorn, Joe Newton
Camp starts: 7/22, 7/24, Kirkland WA
Link: Sporting News: Carlson outplayed by vets

Outlook: Putzier has experience on his side in the battle for starting tight end. Though the Seahawks might like to see rookie Carlson get the job, Putzier and Heller may be better options to start the season. At any rate, there will be probably be ample TE rotating, so Putzier should see the field often.

Friday: Links with extracurriculars

Story of the day:

Get rich on the Broncos [Scott Slant]

No, Tom Scott was not condoning gambling on his daily blog, er, column, er, slant. But he might as well have been.

Las Vegas oddsmakers have come out with their over-under predictions on team wins for 2008. They have Boise State at 9.5 and Fresno State at 8.5. So it's 9-3 or 10-2 for the Broncos, the way they see it (or the way they want you to bet on it). 

The Broncos have won fewer than 10 games exactly once in the past six years, so you would think that taking the "over" would be easy money.

Well, let's look at the Broncos' schedule. Losing one non-conference game and one WAC game would still put the Broncos at 10 wins, which would be enough for the "over." If Boise State beats Oregon (which we believe in our heart of hearts they will), the Broncos would have to lose to a combination of Southern Miss, Fresno State, and Nevada to fall below the 10-win threshold.

If we were a betting man, our savings would be so out of the bank right now.

Other links:


Scandrick signs with Cowboys [Dallas Morning-News]
Four years, $1.89 million doesn't sound like that much in today's NFL.

Bronco defense preview [BroncoSports.com]
Strange to hear that the "D" will carry the team.

Predictions for the upcoming season [Bleacher Report]
BSU beating Fresno is good, losing to Oregon is bad.

SDSU radio man was runner-up for Peak job [Tube Talk]
Lee Hamilton sounds like a Civil War general.

Indisputable evidence that BSU rocks [Phil Steele]
Makes you feel proud to be a Bronco fan.