Boise State
Broncos
Preview 2008
By
Pete Fiutak
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2008 CFN Boise State Preview
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2008 Boise State Offense
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2008 Boise State
Defense
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2008 Boise State
Depth
Chart
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2007 CFN Boise State Preview
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2006 CFN Boise
State
Preview
The 2007 Fiesta Bowl
win over Oklahoma changed the Boise State program and showed that it
really could compete and beat the biggest of the big boys when all
the pressure was on, but after a disappointing season, if 10-3 can
actually be considered a downer for anyone, it's time to prove the
miracle in Glendale wasn't a culmination. Instead, it needs to be a
jumping off point to bigger things brought on by the attention a win
like that could bring, but that doesn't mean there won't need to be
a little bit of rebuilding done now and then.
With seven
ten-win seasons and 96 wins
over the last nine years, this is
hardly the little-program-that-could. It was a big deal for
Washington, a decidedly mediocre BCS team, to beat the Broncos. It
was a huge deal for Hawaii to pull off a win to take the WAC title.
And it was really important for East Carolina to win the Hawaii Bowl
as it showed what it's like when the tables get turned. Boise State
was not the big boy and the hunted, while ECU was the hungry program
looking for respect. That's not going to change for a while.
Head coach: Chris Petersen
3rd year: 23-3
Returning Lettermen:
Off. 22, Def. 19, ST 4
Lettermen Lost: 19 |
Ten
Best BSU Players
1.
RB Ian
Johnson, Sr.
2. WR Jeremy Childs, Jr.
3. DE Ryan Winterswyck, Soph.
4. CB Kyle Wilson, Jr.
5. DE Mike T. Williams, Sr.
6. WR Vinny Perretta, Sr.
7. RB Jeremy Avery, Soph.
8. LB Derrell Acrey, Soph.
9. PK Kyle Brotzman, Soph.
10. LB Kyle Gingg, Sr. |
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2008 Schedule
CFN Prediction:
9-3
2006 Record: 0-0
Aug. 30
Idaho State
Sept. 6 OPEN DATE
Sept. 13 Bowling Green
Sept. 20 at Oregon
Sept. 27 OPEN DATE
Oct. 1 Louisiana Tech
Oct. 11 at Southern Miss
Oct. 17 Hawaii
Oct. 24 at San Jose State
Nov. 1 at New Mexico State
Nov. 8 Utah State
Nov. 15 at Idaho
Nov. 22 at Nevada
Nov. 28 Fresno State
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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 |
High expectations can
be a good thing, and it's not necessarily bad when a program isn't
satisfied with a ten-win campaign. The linebacking corps struggled
against good running teams, the offense wasn't quite as consistent
throughout the year, and the early loss to the Huskies put a damper on
season from the start, but even though the Broncos exited the national
spotlight in early September, and with everyone focusing on Hawaii, a
very, very good year might be quickly forgotten about.
Two losses to close the season marred what was yet another strong
season. The Broncos were 10-1 going into the date with the Warriors and
searching for a possible second straight BCS bid. They struggled against
Nevada, but they blasted everyone else in the WAC with an offense that
never slowed down even when star RB Ian Johnson was banged up, and while
there were a few issues on defense, the train just kept on rolling.
The trips to Hawaii have to be used as a wake-up call. Losing to the
Warriors is nothing to fret over, that was a special team that was
sky-high for the huge WAC battle, but the loss to East Carolina proved
that as good as Boise State might be, it can never rest, and it can
never read the press clippings. It still has to maintain that little guy
edge with a big-time attitude.
Hawaii was the hot team last year, Fresno State will be the star this
season, and Nevada and Louisiana Tech are each going to be sneaky-good.
However, this is still Boise State's league and everyone else is hanging
around in it. At least that's what this year needs to prove.
What to watch for on offense: Can the offensive line somehow
rebuild in a month? Let's cut through the bull. Boise State isn't going
to lose to Idaho State, and it's not likely to lose to Bowling Green.
It'll lose at Oregon, but there's an off-week before the WAC season
kicks in against Louisiana Tech. By October 1st, a lighter, more
athletic, far less talented, inexperienced line will have to be ready to
let the skill guys do their thing. If the line isn't ready for
primetime, all the experience and all the talent elsewhere won't matter.
What to watch for on defense: The ends. Mike T. Williams has
seemingly been a part of the Broncos since the program was back in the
Big West, but he just now appears to be blossoming into an all-around
star. Sophomore Ryan Winterswyck led the team in sacks in a strong first
season, and now he's about to go nuclear as, possibly, the WAC's most
dangerous defensive player. These two need to make up for a mediocre
group of tackles, and they need to set the tone for the rest of the D.
The team will be far better if … the run defense is
nastier. The Broncos play two teams that can run the ball, Oregon and
Southern Miss, before dealing with Nevada and Fresno State in the final
two games of the year, so the statistics will be great. The run defense
will be ranked in the top 25 until mid-November and all will seem right
with the world, but the linebackers have to be far better at the point
of attack, and the tackles have to be more physical.
The Schedule:
While Boise State is at the point
where it thinks it can play with anyone, the only almost-certain loss is
probably at Oregon. Everything else is winnable and there's a nice build
up to the trip to Autzen with relative layups against Idaho State and
Bowling Green along with a week off. The road trip to Southern Miss will
be a battle and WAC away dates against San Jose State and Nevada will be
challenging, but overall this isn't that bad. The big key is getting
Fresno State at home in the regular-season finale. That could mean
everything for the WAC title.
Best Offensive Player:
Senior RB
Ian Johnson. Even with a bruised kidney that basically cost him three
games and part of others, he still ran for 1,041 yards and 16
touchdowns. When he's on, and he's healthy, he's one of the nation's
most productive backs, and even with good backups in Jeremy Avery and
D.J. Harper to help the cause, he should finish his career, assuming he
can stay healthy, with over 4,500 yards and 60 touchdowns.
Best Defensive Player:
Sophomore DE Ryan Winterswyck. Named the team's best defensive
lineman last year, now the hype and the attention is about to come. Can
he handle being the target of offensive gameplans? Can he handle the
double and triple teams he'll likely face? It he's as good as he was
this spring, the answer could be a resounding yes.
Key player to a
successful season: Redshirt freshman OT Nate Potter. While there
will be several other options tried out to replace first round NFL
talent Ryan Clady at left tackle, Potter will get the first shot at the
gig. It could be argued that Clady was the best offensive lineman to
play in the WAC in the last ten years, and he was the foundation for
everything the Bronco offense was able to do. Potter isn't the massive
blocker that Clady was, but he's a good athlete with excellent upside.
The season will be a
success if
... Boise State wins the WAC title. The schedule works out well with the
toughest league games coming late in the year. By that time the holes
should be plugged and the lines should be jelled. Last year could just
be a hiccup as the Broncos get back on their title train again.
Key game:
Nov. 28 vs. Fresno
State. If they can beat the Bulldogs on the blue turf in the regular
season finale, the WAC title should be theirs. Since joining the WAC,
the Broncos are 26-3 in November with all three losses coming on the
road. They haven't lost a home game in November since dropping a 36-35
heartbreaker to Idaho in 1998.
2007 Fun Stats:
- Penalties: Boise State 92 for 828 yards – Opponents 67 for 518 yards
- First quarter scoring: Boise State 143 – Opponents 59
- Sacks: Boise State 35 for 219 yards – Opponents 19 for 192 yards