2007 Boise State
Broncos
Recap:
The darlings of college football a season ago, Boise State was
forced to take a WAC seat to Sugar Bowl-bound Hawaii in 2007.
The Broncos reeled off nine straight wins after losing at
Washington on Sept. 8, but finished with back-to-back losses at
Aloha Stadium, a 39-27 loss to the Warriors for the league title
and a 41-38 loss to East Carolina in the Hawaii Bowl. During
the winning streak, Boise State scored more than 50 points four
times, largely due to the crisp passing of senior Taylor Tharp,
who did a nice job as a one-year stop-gap after Jared Zabransky
graduated.
Offensive Player of the Year: QB Taylor Tharp
Defensive Player of the Year: S Marty Tadman
Biggest Surprise: WR Jeremy Childs. The Bronco staff
knew Childs had potential, but few expected it to reach the
surface this early in his career. The sophomore set a school
record with 82 catches for 1,045 yards and nine touchdowns,
despite skipping the bowl game for disciplinary reasons.
Biggest Disappointment: The Bronco defense, so solid for
more than two months, came apart at the end of the season,
allowing Hawaii to rally for a conference-clinching win and East
Carolina to pile up 476 yards in the bowl game. Pirate RB Chris
Johnson treated the Boise State defenders like mannequins,
zipping past them for a bowl-record 408 all-purpose yards.
Looking Ahead: Who replaces Tharp at quarterback? Senior
Bush Hamdan, junior Nick Lomax, sophomore Mike Coughlin, and
redshirt freshman Kellen Moore will duke it out beginning this
spring. The program already received good news when it survived
another December without losing coveted head coach Chris
Peterson to another school.
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2007 Boise St Preview
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2006 Boise St
Season
2007 Schedule
CFN Prediction:
10-2
2006 Record: 10-3
Aug.
30
Weber State
W 56-7
Sept. 8 at
Washington L 24-10
Sept. 15
Wyoming
W 24-14
Sept. 27
So Miss
W 38-16
Oct.
7
NMSU
W 58-0
Oct.
14
Nevada
W 69-67 4OT
Oct.
20
at La Tech
W 45-31
Oct.
26
at Fresno St
W 34-21
Nov.
3
San Jose State
W 42-7
Nov.
10
at Utah State
W 52-0
Nov.
17
Idaho
W 58-14
Nov.
23 at
Hawaii L 39-27
Hawaii Bowl
Dec. 23 East Carolina L 41-38 |
Dec. 23
2007 Hawaii Bowl
East Carolina 41 ... Boise State 38
East Carolina avoided a huge collapse with a 44-yard drive in
six plays finishing up with a 34-yard Ben Hartman field goal
with no time left on the clock. Pirate RB Chris Johnson set the
NCAA record for all-purpose yards in a bowl while scoring from
68 yards out on a first quarter run and caught an 18-yard
scoring pass in the second. Down 38-14, and without star RB Ian
Johnson, who was knocked out with an ankle injury, Boise State
came roaring back with 24 straight points helped by a 25-yard
Jeremy Avery touchdown catch, a one-yard D.J. Harper scoring
run, and on a 47-yard fumble return for a touchdown from Marty
Tadman with 1:25 to play after Chris Johnson put it on the turf.
Dominique Lindsay scored on two three-yard touchdown runs in the
second quarter. ECU outgained Boise State 322 yards to 98 on the
ground.
Offensive Player of the
Game:
East Carolina RB Chris Johnson ran 28 times for 223 yards and a
touchdown, caught three passes for 32 yards and a score, and
returned six kickoffs for 153 yards. He set the NCAA record for
all-purpose yards in a bowl with 408 yards
Defensive Player of the Game: Boise State S Marty Tadman
made ten tackles and recovered a fumble for a 47-yard touchdown
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor Tharp, 30-44,
270 yds, 2 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Jeremy Avery, 10-69. Receiving: Austin Pettis, 9-89
East Carolina - Passing: Pat Pinkney,
12-19, 118 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Chris Johnson, 28-223, 1 TD. Receiving: Jamar Bryant, 6-78
Thoughts & Notes ... Did Boise State start to believe its own hype?
After everyone picking the Broncos to walk past East Carolina,
the Hawaii Bowl turned out to be a shocker early on as the
Pirates and Chris Johnson came out roaring. This appeared to be
a fully focused ECU team, but once Boise State settled down, it
showed a little of the magic expected with the fantastic
comeback. In the end, this wasn't the same Bronco defense as it
was in past years, getting shoved around way too easily up
front. ... The loss of Ian Johnson to an ankle problem isn't an
excuse for Boise's loss, but with the offense already reeling
after not having burgeoning star receiver Jeremy Childs, who was
out for violating team rules, the team struggled to find a go-to
playmaker. Taylor Tharp started to play well late, but he's not
the type of quarterback who could carry the offense by himself.
... Lost in the heroics of a last-second field goal for the ECU
win, and the wild fourth quarter, was a tremendous day from both
punters. ECU's Matt Dodge put it in the end zone four times, but
he showed great blast averaging 43.1 yards on seven kicks. Boise
State's Kyle Brotzman averaged 42.2 yards on four boots.
Nov. 23
Hawaii 39 ... Boise State 27
Colt Brennan took advantage of a banged up Boise State
secondary to hit Jason Rivers from seven yards out and C.J.
Hawthorne on a brilliant 38-yard throw to push the Warriors
ahead in the third quarter on the way to the WAC title. Boise
State started off the scoring with a 50-yard Ian Johnson run,
answered a Brennan one-yard touchdown run with a Johnson
one-yard touchdown, and got a six-yard scoring catch from Richie
Brockel, but couldn't get the offense going in the fourth
quarter. Davone Bess caught 15 passes for the Warriors with
touchdown catches from 23 and 22 yards out. Solomon Elimimian
made 14 tackles for Hawaii with ten solo stops.
Player of the
game:
Hawaii QB Colt
Brennan completed 40 of 53 passes for 495 yards and five
touchdowns with two interceptions, and ran nine times for 18
yards and a touchdown. Davone Bess caught 15 passes for 181
yards and a two scores
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor Tharp, 22-36,
231 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Ian Johnson, 22-86, 2 TD. Receiving: Jeremy Childs, 8-102
Hawaii - Passing: Colt Brennan, 40-53, 495 yds, 5 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Kealoha Pilares, 9-48. Receiving: Davone Bess, 15-181, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
While it can't necessarily be used
as an excuse since the offense didn't do its part in the fourth
quarter against Hawaii, injuries in the secondary proved to be
deadly. The Warrior offense is tough enough to deal with without
losing defensive backs. Taylor Tharp was fine, but considering
the running game wasn't working, he didn't have the special game
needed to pull off the road win. Ian Johnson couldn't get on
track after a big early touchdown run, and Hawaii's defense
seemed to control way too much of the game from the first
quarter on.
Nov. 17
Boise State 58 ... Idaho 14
Idaho hung around for about 29 minutes with touchdown runs
from Deonte Jackson and Eddie Williams making it 17-14 Boise
State, and then the roof caved in. Austin Pettis caught the
first of three touchdown passes with 25 seconds to play to spark
a run of 41 unanswered points with Titus Young catching a
58-yard scoring pass, Ian Johnson running it in from 15 yards
out, and Jeremy Childs taking a Bush Hamdan pass 71 yards for a
score. The Broncos ended up outgaining Idaho 556 to 348.
Player of the game:
Boise State QB Taylor Tharp completed 22 of 31
passes for 282 yards and four touchdowns, and ran eight times
for 30 yards.
Stat Leaders: Idaho - Passing: Nathan
Enderle, 8-23, 182 yds
Rushing: Denote Jackson, 24-84, 1 TD. Receiving:
Deonte Jackson, 3-53
Boise State - Passing: Taylor Tharp, 22-31,
282 yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Ian Johnson, 21-108, 2 TD. Receiving: Austin
Pettis, 8-139, 3 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
It's good that Boise State can turn
it on whenever it wants to and beat a bad team like Idaho
without a problem. It took a little too long to put the game
away, but there's no arguing with a 44 point win. And now it's
on to the task at hand and dealing with Hawaii in the WAC game
of the year. The offense is certainly coming into the showdown
hot, and it's going to have to be operating at peak efficiency
to pull it off and get to the BCS (maybe).
Nov. 10
Boise State 52 ... Utah State 0
Boise State crushed the Aggies with a near-perfect day from QB
Taylor Tharp, a blocked punt return for a score from Ia Falo,
and Titus Young touchdown runs from eight, nine and 38 yards
out. Utah State never had a chance, turning the ball over four
times and only gaining 236 yards of total offense. Ian Johnson
ran for 110 yards and a 15-yard score.
Player of the game:
Boise State QB Taylor Tharp completed 26 of 29
passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor
Tharp, 26-29, 283 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Ian Johnson, 19-110, 1 TD. Receiving:
Jeremy Childs, 7-70
Utah State - Passing: Leon Jackson, 7-15,
95
Rushing: Jase McCormick, 5-32. Receiving: Rob Myers,
5-66
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Boise State did exactly what a good team is supposed to against
a team like Utah State and put it away early and never had to
sweat. This was a near-perfect day with Taylor Tharp able to
play catch with his receivers thanks to a ton of time to work,
while the running game rumbled effectively enough to take the
pressure off the passing game. Now the momentum has to keep on
rolling with a Idaho up next before the showdown against Hawaii.
With the way the Broncos are playing, the backups should be
ready for playing time.
Nov. 3
Boise State 42 ... San Jose State 7
Boise State blew the game wide open in the second quarter with
a 44-yard touchdown catch from Ryan Putnam, the first of two
Austin Pettis touchdown catches, and a 37-yard Jeremy Avery
scoring dash, and Ian Johnson put it away in the second half
with two short scoring runs. San Jose State managed just a
four-yard Kevin Jurovich touchdown catch in the second quarter
before the Broncos went on a 28-point runs. Boise State
committed ten penalties, San Jose State didn't commit any.
Player of
the game:
Boise State
QB Taylor Tharp completed 28 of 35 passes for 259 yards and
three touchdowns.
Stat Leaders: San Jose State - Passing:
Adam Tafralis, 11-19, 77 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Jacob French, 10-37. Receiving: Jalal
Beauchman, 4-33
Boise State - Passing: Taylor Tharp, 28-35,
259 yds, 3 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jeremy Avery, 7-56, 1 TD. Receiving: Austin
Pettis, 7-54, 2 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Boise State keeps on rolling, getting the running game
controlling things one week, getting Taylor Tharp and the
passing game going the next. San Jose State was never in the
game, with the Bronco defenses stuffing early drives and not
letting the running game go anywhere. The ten penalties were a
bit excessive, but that's the only knock on a near-perfect
performance. Now the goal will be to maintain focus in layups
against against Utah State and Idaho before the showdown against
Hawaii.
Oct. 26
Boise State 34 ... Fresno State 21
Boise State pounded away for 282 rushing yards with Jeremy
Avery tearing off scoring runs from 24, 10 and 13 yards out
yards out, with the final score capping off a 24-0 run that
Fresno State couldn't match. The Bulldogs to a 65-yard punt
return for a touchdown from Clifton Smith and a 21-yard
touchdown catch from Clifton Smith and a 21-yard scoring catch
from Marlon Moore, but it wasn't nearly enough to overcome the
BSU running game. BSU converted ten of 18 third down conversion
chances, while Fresno State converted just one of 13.
Player of
the game:
Boise State
RB Jeremy Avery ran 18 times for 124 yards and three touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor
Tharp, 18-29, 158 yds
Rushing: D.J. Harper, 19-159, 1 TD. Receiving:
Jeremy Childs, 9-82
Fresno State - Passing: Tom Brandstater,
21-39, 263 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Clifton Smith, 5-65. Receiving:
Marlon Moore,
6-79, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Talk
about picking up the slack, Ian Johnson suffers a bruised kidney
and Jeremy Avery and D.J. Harper pick up the slack, and then
some. Give credit to the offensive line against Fresno State for
making the holes for the Avery and Harper to run through, while
the backs did a great job of finishing off their runs and
keeping the chains moving. The defense might not have been a
rock. but on the road in one of the WAC's most hostile
environments, it was good enough.
Oct. 20
Boise State 45 ... Louisiana Tech 31
In yet another Boise State shootout, the Broncos came up with
465 yards to Louisiana Tech's 463, but the defense came up with
four turnovers and Taylor Tharp threw five touchdown passes.
Without an injured Ian Johnson, it was up to Tharp to carry the
offense, and he came through in the second half, breaking open a
24-24 game with touchdown passes to Jeremy Childs from 83 and 27
yards out, and an eight-yard Austin Pettis score. The Bulldogs
had their moments with Daniel Porter tearing off a 74-yard run
and Patrick Jackson scoring twice in the first half. In all,
there were seven scores from 20 or more yards away.
Player of
the game:
Boise State
QB Taylor Tharp completed 21 of 35 passes for 328 yards and five
touchdowns with two interceptions
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor
Tharp, 21-35, 328 yds, 5 TD, 2 INT
Rushing: Jeremy Avery, 21-110, 1 TD. Receiving:
Jeremy Childs, 7-143, 2 TD
Louisiana Tech - Passing: Zac Champion,
24-42, 255 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT
Rushing: Daniel Porter, 13-131, 1 TD. Receiving:
Phillip Livas, 5-50
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Uh,
defense? It's one thing to get into a shootout with Nevada, but
to struggle to slow down Louisiana Tech is another. Without Ian
Johnson, who's out with a kidney injury, it'll be up to Jeremy
Avery to provide the consistent spark on the ground against
Fresno State, but for now, it's all on a defense that has to
start tackling better, and Taylor Tharp, who did plenty of good
things against Tech, but also threw two picks.
Oct. 14
Boise State 69 ... Nevada 67 4OT
In the highest scoring game in recent D-I college football
history (going back to 1930 when the official records starting
being kept), Boise State won in the fourth overtime on a
defensive play, Nevada tried for a two point conversion after a
seven-yard Luke Lippencott touchdown run, but QB Colin
Kaepernick was tripped up. Boise State forced overtime with a
27-yard Kyle Brotzman field goal as time ran out, and that's
when the fun began. Lippencott ran for a 25-yard score, and then
Boise answered with a 25-yard Sherm Blaser catch on its first
play. Jeremy Childs gave the Broncos the lead on a 25-yard
Jeremy Childs score on the next play, and then the Pack answered
with a weaving Kaepernick 25-yard touchdown run. The two teams
traded field goals in the third OT, and then Boise took the lead
for good on a one-yard Ian Johnson run and a Jeremy Avery catch
on the two point conversion. The statistics are ridiculous.
1,266 total yards of offense, 58 first downs.21 of 34 on third
down conversions. Nevada averaged 7.6 yards per carry and 22.1
yards per completion, while Boise State cranked out 353 passing
yards.
Player of the
game:
Boise State RB
Ian Johnson ran 28 times for 205 yards and two touchdowns, and
caught four passes for 51 yards and a score
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor
Tharp, 26-35, 320 yds, 4 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Ian Johnson, 28-205, 2 TD. Receiving:
Jeremy Childs, 12-140, 1 TD
Nevada - Passing: Colin Kaepernick, 11-26,
243 yds, 3 TD
Rushing: Luke Lippincott, 31-187 yds, 4 TD. Receiving:
Marko Mitchell, 4-161, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Boise State can breathe a sigh of relief after beating Nevada in
one of the wildest games ever, and now the coaching staff can go
to work trying to revamp the defense after it couldn't tackle
the Luke Lippincott or Colin Kaepernick. Taylor Tharp had a
third straight great game to take the pressure off of Ian
Johnson, while the offense came through with every play needed
to pull it off. Now it's time to hit the road with three away
games in the next four, including the showdown with Fresno
State.
Oct. 7
Boise State 58 ... New Mexico State
0
Boise State dominated, outgained the Aggies 604 yards to 89,
with Jeremy Childs catching touchdown passes from nine, 24, and
33 yards away, Ian Johnson running for a six-yard score, and
Taylor Tharp throwing for four scores, including an 18-yard pass
to Ryan Putnam and a 50-yard play to Titus Young. Aggie star QB
Chase Holbrook started, but was too injured to last more than a
drive.
Player of the
game:
Boise State WR
Jeremy Childs caught six passes for 103 yards and three
touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor
Tharp, 19-26, 251 yds, 4 TDs
Rushing: Ian Johnson, 17-85, 1 TD. Receiving:
Jeremy Childs, 6-102, 3 TD
New Mexico State - Passing: J.J. McDermott,
10-19, 57 yds, 2 INT
Rushing: J. Williams, 3-8. Receiving:
Chris Johnson, 4-32
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... Even
though most of the world was watching the Bears vs. the Packers,
Boise State once against proved how unbelievable it is when at
home with the national spotlight on. Everything worked on both
sides of the ball against New Mexico State, with QB Taylor Tharp
having his best game yet, and Ian Johnson cranking out yards in
chunks with both his running and receiving. The team is starting
to hum at just the right time.
Sept. 27
Boise State 38 ... Southern Miss 16
It was the Ian Johnson show, as the Bronco running back ripped
off touchdown runs from 12, 22 and two yards out, and Southern
Miss didn't have an answer. Down 28-3 late in the first half,
the Eagles appeared to take the momentum with a one-yard Damion
Fletcher touchdown run in the final minute, and then marched on
a 75-yard drive to open the second half, with a 23-yard
touchdown catch from Shawn Nelson. But the extra point hit the
upright, and nothing else went right from there. The Broncos
started off the scoring with two Taylor Tharp touchdown passes
in the first quarter.
Player of the
game:
Boise State RB
Ian Johnson ran 22 times for 111 yards and three touchdowns and
caught three passes for 80 yards
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor
Tharp, 19-27, 307 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Ian Johnson, 22-111, 3 TD. Receiving: Ian
Johnson, 3-80
Southern Miss - Passing: Jeremy Young
13-23, 190 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Damion Fletcher, 21-83, 1 TD. Receiving:
Chris Johnson, 5-71
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ... When
the national spotlight is on, Boise State is always tremendous.
Against Southern Miss, the Bronco offensive line dominated
throughout, while Ian Johnson made things happen as a receiver
and a runner, slipping through Eagles for a big game that'll put
him back on the Heisman map. While Johnson's performance helped
pad Taylor Tharp's stats, this was still a strong day for the
passing game. As long as the O line plays like it did, ripping
through the WAC won't be a problem.
Sept. 15
Boise State 24 ... Wyoming 14
Boise State got out to a 21-0 lead on two Taylor Tharp
touchdown passes and an eight-yard D.J. Harper run, but it was a
struggle. Wyoming kept the Bronco offense in check, for the most part,
but Boise State's defense swarmed, allowing just 35 rushing yards. The
Cowboys got on the board with a 21-yard Devin Moore catch midway through
the fourth, but it was too late. Wynel Seldon added a two-yard touchdown
run in the final minute.
Player of the game:
Boise State
QB Taylor Tharp completed 15 of 30 passes for 182 yards and two
touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor Tharp,
15-30, 182 yds, 2 TD
Rushing: Ian Johnson, 24-83. Receiving: Jeremy Childs,
4-88, 1 TD
Wyoming - Passing: Karsten Sween, 26-48, 227 yds, 1
TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Devin Moore, 8-27. Receiving: Greg Bolling, 6-59
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Wyoming is a dangerous team with a nasty defense, and Boise State did a
nice job of bouncing back from the Washington loss with an effective,
tough defensive performance of its own. The Wyoming running game didn't
go anywhere, and the passing attack didn't get the chains moving until
it was too late. Most might look at the box score and assume the Bronco
offense isn't what it used to be, and it isn't, but it's effective,
holding on to the ball for 19 minutes in the second half, and outside of
one fumble, mistake free. Chalk this up to the Broncos doing what they
had to do in a grinding win over a good team.
Sept. 8
Washington 24 .. Boise State 10
Washington ended Boise State's 14-game winning streak as Jake
Locker ran for a six-yard score and connected with Marcel Reece for a
58-yard touchdowns. The Huskies took a 14-0 lead when RB Louis Rankin
hit Quintin Demps for a 16-yard score, but Boise State responded :20
later with a one-yard Taylor Tharp scoring run. The Broncos wouldn't get
in the end zone again, and neither team was able to score in the second
half. BSU RB Ian Johnson's streak of seven straight 100-yard games was
halted as he was held to 81 yards.
Player
of the game:
Washington QB Jake Locker finished 13-of-25 for 193 yards, one touchdown
and one interception, while rushing 16 times for 84 yards and a score.
Stat Leaders: Boise State - Passing: Taylor Tharp,
29-47, 285 yds, 3 INTs
Rushing: Ian Johnson, 20-81. Receiving: Jeremy Childs,
9-94
Washington - Passing: Jake Locker, 13-25, 193 yds, 1
TD, 1 INT
Rushing: Jake Locker, 16-84, 1 TD. Receiving: Marcel
Reece, 4-102, 1 TD
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Boise State can beat most teams straight up, but it can't afford to make
mistakes against teams that now take the game seriously. BSU is a name
game now, meaning teams like Washington will bring their A games. Four
turnovers, nine penalties, and not doing much on third downs isn't going
to get it done, especially when the offense is sputtering. Taylor Tharp
made too many mistakes and not enough big plays to take advantage of all
the chances the Huskies provided.
Aug. 30
Boise State 56 ... Weber State 7
Boise State exploded for 49 first half points helped by Ian
Johnson touchdown runs from one, 54, and five yards out and a 53-yard touchdown
pass from Taylor Tharp to Titus Young. WR Vinny Perretta started off the scoring
on a five-yard dash after lining up at quarterback, and Jeremy Avery closed the
Boise State fun with scoring runs from seven and three yards out. Weber State
got its only points on a 21-yard Bryant Eteuati catch after getting down 56-0.
Player of the game: Boise State RB Ian Johnson ran 18
times for 129 yards and three touchdowns
Stat Leaders: Weber State - Passing:
Jimmy Barnes, 9-23, 67 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Trevyn Smith, 19-76. Receiving:
Bryant Eteuati, 6-51, 1 TD
Boise State - Passing: Taylor Tharp,
14-19, 184 yds, 1 TD
Rushing: Ian Johnson, 18-129, 3 TD. Receiving:
Jeremy Childs, 5-61
Whoopty doo. What does it all mean, Basil? ...
Forgetting that it was a ridiculously overmatched Weber State team Boise State
got to play around with, there were some great signs in the season opener.
Taylor Tharp was impressive in his first game as the main man under center, and
Jeremy Avery was a bolt of lightning in relieve of Ian Johnson. The machine just
keeps on rolling, but now comes the big test against Washington on the road.
Tharp has to remain poised, and the offensive line has to continue to dominate
and give Johnson and Avery just a sliver of daylight.
Aug. 30 – Weber State
Sept. 8 – at Washington
Offense: All eyes in Seattle will be fixed on the debut of
hot-shot rookie quarterback Jake Locker, but if there’s one priority for
Tyrone Willingham in 2007, it’s to get more consistent on the ground.
Conservative by Pac-10 doctrine, the third-year coach wants to pound it
between the tackles to set up the pass. Top back Louis Rankin is more
of an outside runner, putting the onus on 210-pound sophomore J.R. Hasty
to start realizing his vast potential. While Locker has all the tools
for stardom, he’ll spend most of the upcoming season adapting to his new
role as the face of the program. His big-play target will be senior
Marcel Reece, a Mike Walker clone poised to make a salary run.
Defense: Even with a slight improvement in 2006, the Husky pass
defense ranked among the nation’s worst for the second straight year.
With no stars and two new starters, expect more of the same in 2007.
The problems in the secondary will again overshadow a sneaky good front
seven that features four returning starters on the defensive line and a
group of young, dynamic linebackers, including sophomores E.J. Savannah
and Donald Butler that could evolve into playmakers. Defensive ends
Greyson Gunheim and Daniel Te’o Nesheim are a couple of warriors that
combined for two dozen tackles for loss last fall. At 6-5 and 265
pounds, Gunheim runs like a gazelle, making him a magnet for NFL scouts
visiting the Northwest.
Sept. 15 - Wyoming
Offense: The offense wasn't consistent and did nothing
against the good teams (averaging 8.5 points against Boise State, New
Mexico, TCU and BYU), but there's plenty of hope for a big turnaround
with a good pair of backs in powerful Wynel Seldon and speedy Devin
Moore, a strong receiving corps with Michael Ford, Hoost Marsh, and
emerging deep threat Greg Bolling, and a great quarterback situation
with three possible starters led by rising star Karsten Sween. The one
issue could be the offensive line that returns just two starters and has
question marks at guard.
Defense: The Cowboys had a terrific, unnoticed defensive season
finishing ninth in the nation in total defense. However, it struggled at
the end of year, for the second straight season, and now it has some
holes to fill. The linebacking corps, with four great starters and a
slew of good reserves for the 3-4, will be among the best in the league,
and while there aren't any returning starters up front, they're big.
Corners Julius Stinson and Michael Medina should be excellent, but the
star safeties of last year have to be replaced.
Sept. 27 - Southern Miss
Offense: While it’s become fashionable for programs across the
country to switch to some fancy derivative of the spread offense,
Southern Miss is content to pound the ball on the ground, control the
clock and let its defense win games. Sure, the Eagles prefer balance,
but in Hattiesburg, the run continues to set up the pass. Last year’s
league-leading rusher, sophomore Damion Fletcher, is back for an encore,
and this time, he brought friends. Southern Miss is deep in the
backfield, which will take pressure off versatile, yet erratic, senior
quarterback Jeremy Young. His favorite target will again be tight end
Shawn Nelson, a future pro with All-America potential. For a change,
there are restless moments about an offensive line that’s replacing
three starters, two of which were First Team All-Conference USA in 2006.
Defense: The “Nasty Bunch” defense that’s become the trademark of
Southern Miss football under Jeff Bower should be one of the nation’s
top ranked units in 2007. It’s fast and experienced, and if Bower gets
his way, about to become as physical as his vintage teams of the late
1990s. The Eagles return nine starters, including the entire front
seven and five players that earned all-Conference USA recognition in
2006. Good luck moving the ball on this veteran group. If there’s a
weak link on defense it’s in the secondary, where two new starting
corners will be broken in. One way to help rookies Eddie Willingham and
Michael McGee will be to get more pressure on the quarterback than last
year, when USM was No. 81 in the country in sacks.
Oct. 7 - New Mexico State
Offense: So that's how it's supposed to work? With Chase
Holbrook at the helm, the Aggies finished third in the nation in total
offense averaging 475 yards a game, 15th in scoring averaging 31 points
a game, and second in passing averaging 399 yards per game. Those
numbers might seem pedestrian this year if everyone stays healthy. Nine
starters return including the top seven pass catchers, starting running
back Jeremiah Williams, four linemen, and of course, Holbrook, who'll be
one of the nation's statistical leaders all year long if the line, which
found the right combination late last year, gives him just a little more
time.
Defense: Big plays, big plays, big plays. The call has gone out
from defensive coordinator Woody Widenhofer for the defense to use all
its experience, with eight returning starters (with safety Gerald
Gurrier moving to receiver) to find a way to force more turnovers, come
up with more stops on third downs, and most importantly, generate a pass
rush. The Aggies came up with a mere 15 sacks and 55 tackles for loss
last year, and those numbers need to double to give the beleaguered
secondary any shot of being better. There isn't a whole bunch of talent
from top to bottom, so everyone will have to be ultra-aggressive and
more consistent.
Oct. 14 - Nevada
Offense: The offense is going to be a work in progress and should
be far better midseason than it will be to start. The biggest question
marks are on the offensive line, particularly at tackle, after Charles
Manu moved to guard and Dominic Green move to center. The receiving
corps is big, faster than last year, and should make more big plays with
big-armed Nick Graziano taking over at quarterback. The running backs
need Brandon Fragger to be healthy to add a speed option along with Luke
Lippencott. The Pistol offense will likely use a little more fullback
this year, and will try to push the passing game deeper.
Defense: There will be some new defensive coaches taking over
with coordinator Ken Wilson keeping the 3-4 scheme to take advantage of
the great linebackers. Ezra Butler, Jeremy Engstrom, and Joshua Mauga
are as good as any trio in the WAC, and will be the team's strength. The
line is solid, helped by the emergence of nose tackle Matt Hines as a
top all-around playmaker. The secondary is fine, but nothing special;
the better WAC passing games won't have a problem against it.
Oct. 20 – at Louisiana Tech
Defense: 2006 was expected to be a year of transition, but yeesh.
The D was the worst in America allowing 483 yards and close to 42 points
per game, and it was simply awful from start to finish. Step one for the
new coaching staff is to find a way to get into the backfield after the
Bulldogs finished dead last in sacks and tackles for loss, and it'll
alternated between a 3-4 and a 4-3 to try to get some production. The
linebacking corps should be decent, the secondary can fly, and the
defensive line is full of decent-sized veterans. Now there has to be
come semblance of production.
Offense: It's not like the offense was awful last year, but it
wasn't consistent and it didn't do enough to keep in all the shootouts
created by its defense. Enough talent returns to look for more overall
production, especially in the running game where Patrick Jackson should
shine behind a big, veteran offensive line that can block, but can't
pass protect. The quarterback situation will be worth watching with Zac
Champion likely to get the job to start the season, but will be pushed
by Michael Mosley and Ross Jenkins for time.
Oct. 26 – at Fresno State
Offense: New offensive coordinator Jim McElwain will pump some
life into a stagnant passing game with a wide-open attack featuring some
funky, multi-receiver formations while not running quite as much. Call
it playing to the strengths, as the receiving corps is lightning fast,
but untested, while Tom Brandstater, who struggled mightily last year,
is still a talent who appears ready to make a big jump and become a
major player. The running game will suffer without Dwayne Wright, but
Lonyae Wright and Clifton Smith should be decent. The line is the
strength of the team with four starters returning to a group that
allowed just 12 sacks.
Defense: After a tremendous 2005 season when the defense
dominated, last year was a step back, especially in the secondary.
Enough overall experience returns to be better, but the line has to do
more to get into the backfield and the corners have to pick off more
passes after taking away just three. There's plenty of speed and
athleticism in the linebacking corps to swarm to the ball, and there's
size and pass rushing ability from the front four, but there have to be
more big plays and more takeaways.
Nov. 3 - San Jose State
Offense:
The offense wasn't always explosive, but it
was steady, didn't give the ball away, kept the chains moving, and got
the job done. Expect more of the same if the offensive line can quickly
replace three starters and the new recruits for the receiving corps can
play right away. The passing game loses the top three targets and 141 of
181 catches, so ultra-efficient QB Adam Tafralis has to be even better.
Yonus Davis leads a small, quick, veteran group of running backs that
can take it the distance with a little bit of room.
Defense: The Spartan defense took a giant leap forward giving up
yards, but not a whole bunch of points allowing fewer than 24 in ten of
the final 11 games. Seven starters are back from the ball-hawking crew
led by tackling machine Matt Castelo at middle linebacker and corners
Dwight Lowery and Christopher Owens. The defensive front has to do a
better overall job, and it will now that it's experienced after cutting
its teeth last season. Jarron Gilbert and Justin Cole will be pass
rushing terrors. Expect this group to give up plenty of yards, but also
come up with more than its share of takeaways.
Nov. 10 - at Utah State
Offense: The offense did next to nothing last season scoring
fewer than 14 points seven times and finishing averaging 10.83 points
and 254 yards per game. The offensive line isn't bad and the starting
receivers, led by Kevin Robinson, are solid, but the quarterback
situation isn't settled with Riley Nelson out on a church mission, and
there's no experience whatsoever at running back after Marcus Cross
transferred. Basically, the attack needs to find one thing it can do
well.
Defense: If experience counts for anything, the Aggies should be far
better with 11 returning starters and a ton of veteran backups ready to
fill in. Now the defense has to stop someone after getting ripped apart
by just about everyone. How bad did things get? The Aggies allowed an
average of 48.8 points per game over the final five games. Ben
Calderwood leads an undersized line that has to do more to get into the
backfield. The corners are way too small, the linebackers are way too
small, and the tackles are way too small. If the overall team quickness
isn't accounting for big plays, there will be problems.
Nov. 17 - Idaho
Offense:
Same idea, different implementation. The new
coaching staff will go with a one-back set using four and five-wide
formations, sort of like the old coaching staff did, but there will be
an even bigger emphasis on tough running. That's a good thing with the
strength in the running back corps with four good players, led by junior
Jayson Bird, to carry the offense early on. The quarterback situation
will be settled this fall with the likely winner being 6-5 redshirt
freshman Nathan Enderle, but the receiving corps is going to be a work
in progress well into the season. The starting five up front should be
fine due to its experience, but it's nothing special.
Defense: There's experience and all-star talent to work with, so
why was the Vandal defense so miserable last season? The line. The front
four has to find tackles that can stop the run, and ends that can get
into the backfield. If that happens, there could be a night-and-day
improvement as the coaching staff looks to attack, attack, and attack
some more. With MLB JoArtis Ratti back and healthy, he should combine
with David Vobora to create the WAC's most dangerous linebacking duo.
Corner Stanley Franks is an interception machine, and safety Shiloh Keo
is an undersized hitter. Now everything has to start working around
those four.
Nov. 23 – at Hawaii
Offense: Everything worked last year as Colt Brennan and the
offense exploded for a nation-leading 559 yards and 46.86 points per
game. While Brennan is back, after flirting with the idea of turning pro
early, along with star receivers Davone Bess, Jason Rivers and Ryan
Grice-Mullen, the line isn't remotely as good as last year's and the
running game will desperately miss Nate Ilaoa. David Farmer has to add
the run to the run and shoot, or else Brennan won't be nearly as
effective. Even so, expect video game numbers out of the nation's best
passing attack.
Defense: With defensive coordinator Jerry Glanville gone, Greg
McMackin will change the D from a 3-4 to a 4-3, even though the one weak
spot, at least early on, is experience on the line. The linebackers will
be excellent with good depth behind top tacklers Adam Leonard and
Solomon Elimimian, and they won't have to do as much compared to last
year with a more conservative, though not that much, overall defensive
approach. Three starters return to a secondary that needs to be far
tighter and far more clutch in big situations.
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