SB Nation - Tom Brandstater

Boise State beats Fresno State 51-34 in WAC shootout

Kevan Lee — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:31:31 -0000

More photos » by Gary Kazanjian - AP

3 months ago: Boise State's D. J. Harper runs past Fresno State's Terrance Kindle, center, and Desia Dunn for a touchdown in the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sep. 18, 2009 in Fresno, Calif. (AP Photo/Gary Kazanjian)

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The Broncos and Bulldogs combined for big plays galore, but it was Boise State who came up with the biggest. A 67-yard Jeremy Avery TD catch sealed it, and a fumble recovery in the end zone by Titus Young proved to be huge.

Talk about your feelings on the game and what you think went right and wrong for BSU. (Updated: 11:34pm 9/18)

What. Was. That?!

I thought Boise State was good on defense. I thought Fresno State rolled over in big games against conference opponents. I thought there was some sort of cap on 60-yard TD runs.

What a wild, crazy, stressful, disappointing, electrifying, nerve-wracking, awesome, amazing game to watch. This one could have Bronco fans talking for weeks. I can't wait to hear what everyone has to say about this. Here are some of my initial impressions.

It's Titus Young's world and we're just kicking off to it

Titus Young surprised me tonight by doing something I have yet to seen him really do: impact a game without big receiving stats. Young finished the game with three catches for 29 yards and a seven-yard score in the second quarter. But that wasn't the story.

Didn't he look great returning kickoffs? His 77-yard return after Fresno kicked a second quarter field goal set up the Broncos in great position to take the three-TD lead. And his kickoff return TD to start the second half was incredible, too (a dubious holding penalty on Chuck Hayes negated it, but since when is falling on a guy considered holding?).

And then there was the hustle play to recovery Avery's fumble in the end zone. How huge was that? I wonder if it would have been a play that Young made last year. His maturity really impressed me tonight, especially on that TD recovery, but also on the way that he carried himself and didn't get caught up in the trash talking and emotion.

Young was very impressive.

(Note: Shhh, I know he fumbled in the first quarter. Let's not talk about that right now.)

What is D.J. Harper's status?

Harper went down awkwardly in the third quarter after a big hit down near the Fresno goalline. BSU players were cramping all night, but this was no cramp from Harper. It looked serious, like a knee injury, and he did not return the rest of the game.

Interesting enough, prior to Harper's injury, Jeremy Avery seemed to be the Broncos' less effective back. Harper had come in and looked very impressive, racking up 107 yards on 12 carries and a 60-yard TD. Would we have seen very much of Avery again this game? It's hard to tell.

More importantly, though, what is the final word on Harper? The Broncos are not deep enough at running back to absorb a loss like Harper's, at least not without getting creative. If he misses an extended period of time, will it produce a need for Doug Martin to head back into the backfield?

D.J. who? Jeremy Avery does not like the comparisons to Ian Johnson, thankyouverymuch

Just when the Broncos' running back position seemed sunk, Avery responded with two absolutely huge plays. First, his 67-yard screen pass TD was the right call at the right time, as it caught the Fresno defense out of position and put Avery in a position to put his speed to use. Then, on the next Bronco possession, he broke a 69-yard gainer down to the Fresno 15, leading to the game-icing field goal. Two huge plays after Harper left the game.

Avery's final stats of the night: 11 carries, 186 yards, 16.9 average; 5 catches, 83 yards, 1 TD. Funny enough, it seemed like more.

Billy Winn asserts himself as the best defensive lineman in the WAC, possibly the West

You can't block Billy Winn, you can only hope to run as far away from him as possible. Fresno State learned this the hard way, as Winn repeatedly blew up plays in the backfield and harrassed QB Ryan Colburn.

Tonight, more so than the previous two games and even all of fall camp, Billy Winn was clearly the Broncos' best defensive lineman. It wasn't even close. Winterswyk wasn't better. Baker wasn't better. It was Winn by a landslide. His combination of size, strength, and agility makes him a difficult assignment for a single offensive lineman. Fresno had to double him to hope to get any traction at the line of scrimmage. Best of all, Winn makes the players around him better, too. Many players on the line had some good plays, but it was Winn who showed up most often and made the biggest impact.

Offensive line, circa 2008

The Broncos pulled the first O-line switch of the season before the game with Garrett Pendergast replacing Michael Ames at right tackle. But that didn't really fix anything, now, did it?

Matt Slater was absolutely abused by Chris Carter in the first half. The push by the Fresno defensive line was solid for the majority of the game. Kellen Moore never looked comfortable in the pocket. The offense was sputtering in large part due to the offensive line.

Fortunately, things improved in the second half. The play of Nate Potter, in place of Slater, helped, and Bryan Harsin mixed up the playcalling enough to buy Moore some time outside the pocket and neutralize Fresno's aggressive defense with misdirection and timing plays. The Bronco offense never looked comfortable tonight, except when it was breaking off big runs. Huge, gaping holes were the exception, not the norm. Credit Fresno's defense for owning the line of scrimmage.

Who is Boise State's quarterback, and what has he done with Kellen Moore?

Obviously, the line was not at its best, but neither was Moore. Throwing off his back foot? Who does he think he is? Tom Brandstater? Moore's performance was very un-Moore-like, even though he finished the game 18-for-26 for three TDs. Numbers never lie, but these ones are exaggerating just a little. Most of Moore's completions were screens, flares, or short passes - high percentage throws, basically. His deep passes? Let's not even go there. That is a conversation for a different 1,000-word blog post.

Am I alone in thinking Moore didn't look like himself? I wonder how much of Moore's greatness is due to his having time to operate. Fresno's defense did a good job keeping him from typical Moore perfection. In a sense, it was fitting, seeing that the game included a tribute to the late Dan Brown.

Winston Venable makes a case for never coming off the field

I need more Winston Venable in my life. Boise State's nickelbacker made perhaps the defense's two biggest plays of the night: the opening drive pick-six, and the penultimate drive QB hit on fourth down.

Let's talk about that QB hit, shall we? My heart nearly leaped out of my chest when I saw it live, and then every subsequent replay, I beamed a little brighter. Seeing Venable go airborne to take down Ryan Colburn was awesome. It was inspiring. I could watch it a million times and never even notice Joe Tessitore ruining it by talking.

(Note: This is the point in my babbling that Fresno fans complain it should have been a spearing penalty.)

One thousand fist pumps to you, Winston Venable.

Now onto the matter of Venable's playing time. Did it not seem to anyone else like Venable was absent for large stretches of the game, including Fresno State's three long TD runs? I know that the Broncos rotate nickelbackers regularly, but wouldn't you agree that Venable's performance tonight placed him in an echelon along with Kyle Wilson, Jeron Johnson, and others? Substituting is fine and all, but that kid can play. He should stay on the field in games like this.

The Jeron Johnson three-ring tackling circus

To quote myself from earlier in this post, "What. Was That?!" Johnson whiffed on two, if not all three of Ryan Mathews' long TD runs. What's worse is that he was the last man in on all three plays, so his missed tackle sent Mathews off to the races.

You'll notice that each time Mathews broke free, it was to the short side of the field (Johnson's side) and there was no one around beyond five yards past the line of scrimmage. Johnson had to make the tackles on those plays and he just plain didn't.

While we're on the topic of missed assignments, what is everyone's take on Jason Robinson? He was on the field for a couple of Fresno's big plays, which tells me that coaches think highly enough of him to give him good playing time. I didn't see anything from Robinson that made me think he deserved it. In fact, juding from the personnel on the field, it appeared that Robinson was taking time at one of the safety positions, instead of his normal nickelbacker role, and it seemed like he was taking the place of Iloka.

Fact: The Boise State defense looked tons better with Iloka on the field. He is quicker to the ball and makes solid tackles. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with Robinson or not, but I thought I'd point it out.

Kyle Brotzman is not on the field for the biggest kick of the game

Guess who got all the fourth quarter kicking duties? "Mr. Clutch" Jimmy Pavel. Brotzman did not see the field in the fourth quarter, leaving Pavel in charge of kickoffs and field goals. And boy, did he have a big field goal.

It was the final points of the game, and it was a relative gimme, but it was still huge. Pavel's 24-yard field goal gave the Broncos a three-score lead with under four minutes left (not that many of the Fresno fans saw it; they were headed to the parking lot a couple minutes before). Miss it, and Fresno has hope. Make it, and the game is out of reach.

Where was Brotzman? Injured, ineffective, or something else? Pavel did his job well when he was in there, including a big hit on kickoff coverage. This will be something to watch this week.

Curious play-calling from Fresno State sure helps

During the heat of the scoring, Fresno State drove down to the Bronco 10-yard line, trailing 34-24 with five minutes left in the third. And what did the Bulldogs do? Incomplete, incomplete, incomplete, field goal. Thank you, Pat Hill.

In the fourth, with the Bulldogs driving and trailing 48-34 with seven minutes left, Fresno had the ball on Boise State's 26-yard line with a 1st and 10 and proceeded to gain two yards on their next four plays, resulting in a turnover on downs. Ryan Mathews touched the ball zero times.

Those two series were huge, and none of them involved Ryan Mathews running the ball. Have fun answering those questions in the press conference, Pat Hill.

Random Thoughts

If I never see another flare pass to Mitch Burroughs, it will be too soon.
Do you think Kellen Moore saw Ryan Colburn's Hail Mary long passes working and thought he'd try the same?
What's your take on Colburn? I didn't see him throw a good pass all night. He threw plenty of completions, but none of them were accurate or in stride. None. Not a single one. It is a miracle he didn't have more than two INTs.
What will this do to Boise State in the polls? I'm not even going there yet.
Fresno was scary pumped there for awhile. I thought we were going to have college football's first krunk dance off after a second quarter Boise State three-and-out.
That Austin Pettis can block. Oh, and he can catch, too.
Congratulations, Ryan Mathews. You've just entered a common-law marriage with Graham Watson, whether you wanted to or not.
What's this Chick-fil-a I keep hearing so much about?
Jeremy Avery: plays of 74, 67, and 69 yards. Ryan Mathews: plays of 60, 69, and 68. Fortunately, Avery's supporting cast was better tonight.
Great showing by Fresno State. They have nothing to be ashamed of. They gave the Broncos more of a fight than many Boise State fans expected, and my hat is off to them.
No 3-3-5 until late in the fourth quarter? Then why did I waste so many words on it last week?
Angry Coach Pete is back.

Share your thoughts in the comments.

Poll

Who was Boise State's player of the game?

Titus Young

123 votes

Jeremy Avery

55 votes

Winston Venable

41 votes

Billy Winn

18 votes

237 votes | Poll has closed

Top 5 Mid Major - Big Ten Games of 2009: #5 Wisconsin v. Fresno State

grahamfiller10 — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 03:11:51 -0000

Some of the Big Ten's most egregious losses came to Mid-Major opponents in 2008. Consider:

Michigan fell to Toledo, and I know 2008 was an aberration, but it was still quite shocking.
By losing to a hungry Western Michigan team in Detroit, Illinois cemented its reputation as overrated and soft.
Indiana was blown out early by Ball State and nipped by CMU, putting everyone on notice that a decent MAC team eclipses a Big Ten cellar dweller.

In partnership with Mid-Major Madness (MMM), SBN's haven for non-BCS coverage, we present to you the top five match-ups between Big Ten and Mid-Major football teams. At number five stands an important game for the U Dub diehards. Can the Badgers overrun an experienced and fearless Fresno team? Will Pat Hill's mantra of "play anyone, anywhere" pay off with a huge upset in Madison?

Game Hype

MMM: The Bulldogs will head up to Madison, Wisconsin in week two of the 2009 season to play arguably their toughest game of the season. This will be a match-up of two very tough teams that could both use a big out-of-conference win to start the season with some momentum.

For the Bulldogs being the underdog is nothing new; head coach Pat Hill is regarded as one the best in the business at using the underdog status to motivate his to team to big upset victories. More significantly, because Hill's teams have somewhat underachieved the last few seasons, he'll be feeling the heat this year and a big win early on in the season could really help reduce some of that tension.

The Bulldogs look to have a much-improved team from their 2008 campaign in which they finished with a disappointing 7-6 record. The biggest question for them is who will be able to fill the hole left by the three-year starting quarterback, Tom Brandstater. If they can find someone to effectively run the offense and utilize its arsenal of weapons, including electrifying running back Anthony Harding, they'll have a shot at pulling off the upset. Playing on such a big stage so early in the season will be a lot to ask a young quarterback to do, but unfortunately Fresno has no real alternative. This game will a good barometer of Hill's ability to develop young talent and get them ready to execute on a grand stage.

TRE: Bielema's struggles at Wisconsin have led to great drinking game ideas. Idea 1: Every time an announcer says "hot seat" or some variation during a UW game, drink. Idea 2: Every time the cameraman zooms in on Bielema looking confused, angry, or lost in the clouds, drink.

This season must feel, for UW fans, like standing on a slanted roof. On one side is the former glory of the last 10-12 years and on the other side is the strange possibility of being a mediocre team for a second straight season. It seems like the Badgers could fall either way.

What do Foxy Brown and I have in common? You can find both of us at the hot spot...

Another quick thought - This isn't the same Fresno team that almost took out Reggie Bush's USC team in '05. But this also isn't the 1 loss Badgers from three years ago.

Key Matchup

Badger QB vs. Bulldog Defense

MMM: The Badgers yet again have another dilemma regarding the starting quarterback role. It seems as if they enter every season not knowing who is going to jockey their offense. The leading candidate during this off season has been Dustin Sherer, due to his [limited] experience in running the Badger offense. However Sherer did not exhibit the most impressive play during the 2008 season where he threw for only 6 touchdowns to 5 interceptions. Sherer seemed unstable during 2008, but that can be written off to inexperience.

Pat Hill's defense looks very impressive heading into the 2009 season. They have major playmakers returning and will most certainly improve greatly from a season ago. The most notable returnee is Ben Jacobs who will anchor one of the toughest linebacking cores in the WAC. Jacobs led the Bulldogs in 2008 with 113 tackles and Hill knows his young stud will produce even more in 2009. The Bulldogs biggest problem on defense in 2008 was blown coverage's. This will be different in 2009, as the once juvenile secondary has matured considerably. Moses Harris is going to be a major force in the revamped unit. Harris recorded 75 tackles along with 2 forced fumbles last year. Fresno's defense must create more turnovers and an experienced defense will help accomplish this.

TRE: I agree completely. If the vaunted run game is slowed early, the entire state of Wisconsin is going to be staring at Sherer. Can Wisconsin run play action and get Sherer out of the pocket? Will Garrett Graham play like the possible All-American candidate we know he is? And will Bielema tinker with Sherer's loopy mechanics before the season begins?

Significance

MMM: There is no question that Pat Hill's team is capable of pulling great upsets. The team has done so throughout his tenure and certainly posses the talent to do so again this year. This game will be an excellent indicator for Fresno's 2009 season. If they win, it will go along way towards giving them the courage and confidence needed to be successful during conference play. They are set to play Boise St. the following week and a big win in Madison could really give them the extra boost need to beat their in-conference rival.

TRE: Big Ten v Fresno = Big Midwest favorite, usually. Even the horrendous Wisconsin team from last year went undefeated during its out of conference regular season match-ups. However, a closer look at those games show that both Fresno and Cal-Poly (?!) came within a few plays of pulling upsets. This is the most vulnerable Wisky team of the Bielema years and a loss here spreads more Anti-Big Ten grumbling throughout America.

Predictions

MMM: Both teams are fairly similar talent wise, making this an even battle. Ironically enough they both have similar problems in the quarterback position and whichever team addresses the issue first will be victorious on September 12.

Playing at home, the Badgers will have a distinct advantage. Sherer should show much improvement from 2008 as he is now more acquainted with Bielema's offensive schemes. It is the perfect opportunity for him to break out of his shell and show the Badger faithful his true talents. He will need to minimize his turnovers and if he can do so should lead his team to victory. This will be a hard fought match by both teams that will come down to the wire. Wisconsin 17, Fresno State 14.

TRE: Coach B has made it clear that he isn't modifying the offense or stepping away from the power running. If the big backs get their pads pointed downfield, this game will be over. I see some surprise on the Fresno sideline when Clay runs over some smaller defenders early in the game. Wisconsin 24, Fresno State 14.

Extra Coverage from MMM: A Fresno State season preview where MMM drops this bomb:

"The Bulldog fans are now beginning to see through the mask put up by Hill's upset wins and are beginning to question his coaching ability."

Well then...Here is a list of BCS teams that Hill has beaten during his reign at FSU -

'00 - Cal

'01 - Wisconsin, Colorado, Oregon State

'02 - Georgia Tech

'03 - UCLA, Oregon State

'04 - Washington, Kansas State, Virginia,

'07 - Kansas State, Georgia Tech

'08 - UCLA, Rutgers

2009 MMM Fresno State Bulldogs Preview

aGent37 — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:00:10 -0000

Head coach Pat Hill will have to put up a quite impressive record during the 2009 season in order to insure he's not on the hot seat in 2010. During Hill’s tenure the Bulldog’s have upset many of the nations biggest programs, however at the end of last season they ended up in the middle of the Western Athletic Conference standings. Hill, as of late, seems to lack the consistency needed to turn Fresno St. into a premier program.

The Bulldogs entered the 2008 season with a high level of talent and even higher expectations from their loyal fan base. The team had all their weapons come back and yet finished with a mediocre 7-6 record, including a bowl loss to Colorado State. The Bulldog fans are now beginning to see through the mask put up by Hill’s upset wins and are beginning to question his coaching ability.

The Bulldogs will be faced with several speed bumps along the road prior to the kickoff of the 2009 season. First off, Hill needs to find someone to take over the quarterback role that was filled by Tom Brandstater for the past three years. This means that Hill will call upon an inexperienced QB to run the offense, which usually leads to a sloppy and inefficient offense. The upside for the offense is that they have their leading rusher, Anthony Harding, returning for his senior year. Last year Harding ran for an impressive 822 yards on only 147 carries. My guess is that Harding will get a lot more touches this year and if he runs as he did during 2008, could have a breakout season.

The defense looks to be much improved from the 2008 season. Last seasons young defensive unit has greatly matured and returns many promising starters in 2009. The biggest strength for the Bulldog’s D looks to be their linebacking core that showcases junior Ben Jacobs, who led the team in 2008 with 113 tackles. Hill has also installed a wonderful secondary that should be able to hold their own, even in the pass heavy WAC. Mosses Harris will anchor the secondary and if he puts up similar numbers to his 2008 season (75 tackles 2 forced fumbles) the Fresno defense should be one of the best in the WAC.

The question still remains, can Pat Hill, on the shoulders of a rookie QB, pull off a few of his infamous upset wins and put together a season good enough to hoist the WAC trophy?

Prediction: 8-5

Your Turn! - 2009 NFL Draft Grade - Denver Broncos

John Bena — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:26:20 -0000

You've read all the comments, the quotes from the players, the coaches, the talking heads and all of us here on MHR and across the web. You've taken it all in, and hopefully come to some kind of early conclusion. Now take a stab at grading the 2009 Denver Broncos draft.

Below are all the picks, provided with a bit of commentary from Styg. Six offensive players, 4 defensive players. Look at it, and make an educated decision based on what the Broncos did, what they addressed, instead of what others say should have happened.

2009 NFL Draft
Rd/Pick	Player, position	School	Comments
1.12	RB Knowshon Moreno	Georgia	The Man.
1.18	DE Robert Ayers	Tennessee	Technique and Talent.
2.37	CB Alphonso Smith	Wake Forest	Savvy ballhawk.
2.48	FS Darcel McBath	Texas Tech	Smart and attacks the ball
2.64	TE Richard Quinn	N.Carolina	Best blocking TE in the draft.
4.114	FS David Bruton	Notre Dame	Team leader.
4.132	OG Seth Olsen	Iowa	Versatile interior lineman.
5.141	WR Kenny McKinley	S.Carolina	Tenacious, quick, great hands and routes.
6.174	QB Tom Brandstater	Fresno State	Likely #3 QB.
7.225	C Blake Schleuter	TCU	Smart and very athletic.

Poll

Your Turn! Grade the 2009 Denver Broncos Draft

A

370 votes

B

1078 votes

C

694 votes

D

416 votes

F

231 votes

2789 votes | Poll has closed

Josh McDaniels discusses Day 2 of the 2009 NFL Draft

John Bena — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:03:01 -0000

More photos » by Ed Andrieski - AP

7 months ago: Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels talks about this weekend's NFL draft at its conclusion at the team's headquarters in Englewood, Colo., on Sunday, April 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Ed Andrieski)

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HEAD COACH JOSH McDANIELS

END OF 2009 NFL DRAFT PRESS CONFERENCE

Opening statement

"Day two is officially over, well I don't know if the draft is over, but our part in it is. I am very happy with what we have accomplished here in the last two days which was to add the kind of players that will compete for spots on our team, and we feel like we did that with five more players today. I am looking forward to the competition as it begins later this week in our second mini camp"

On QB Tom Brandstater (6th Rd., 174th overall, Fresno State University)

"In terms of the mold of a quarterback, the arm strength, the height, he is 6'5" 220 and has a good arm. He is bright and smart, and I like that a lot. He has above average feet that he can maneuver a little bit in the pocket. I think he also has a passion for football, and for being the best player that he can be. He has got a long way to go as most quarterbacks coming into the league do, but he has a great attitude and a great approach, and he will be here later this week. I am looking forward to getting him in here and beginning to teach him."

On comparisons between QB Tom Brandstater and New England QB Tom Brady

"The body type may be similar, but I would not compare any quarterback to Tom [Brady] or Matt [Cassel] at this point. We are talking about a guy who has never even practiced at this level, so I am not going to put anybody in that category. I don't know if I have been around any rookie quarterback that has come in ready to compete immediately. He is going to come in and be competitive with his work ethic and in meetings, so we will see how far he can go, and we will continue to coach him the entire time he is here."

On the way he approached the draft

"I don't think this is a very deep draft in terms of players that would fit our system in those areas. When you get to a selection and you have a player that you valued much higher than another player, then in my opinion you don't want to draft someone because they play a certain position. There may have been a few times where there was some discussion had, but we are not looking to draft players and cut them, especially early on. If the player is not going to come in and compete with someone on our roster, then we are going to go in a different direction at another position, and that is what we did the entire draft."

On finalizing the roster

"We will not be done with our roster until the end of August. If that means college free agency after the draft, we are never going to stop looking. We are not going stop looking at any position not just including the front seven. We have players who have been here for the past few months working extremely hard, and we are going to see how they do and how much we can coach them."

On if they got every player they wanted

"I'm not going to say any names here or there, but the players we drafted yesterday and today I am very pleased with. Each has an opportunity to come in and compete and make our team this year and make our team better. That's what we were looking for, guys with skill sets that we value at those positions and the traits. Most of you have spoken to or asked questions to the guys we drafted on the first day and hopefully they represented what we are all about, which is tough, smart, competitive, good people, believe in the team. Not just it's ‘me, me, me.' None of them are like that. You're not going to find the five we drafted today are like that either. I'm very happy with the results of what we tried to get done this weekend. Again, the results won't speak until these guys actually get here and go into their first meeting and come out with a big headache and not having any idea what to do. Then they get out on the field and try to get better each day. It's a slow process, but we're excited about what we added on our team this weekend and we're looking forward to coaching them here on Friday."

On if they targeted more offensive players

"I mentioned before, we were trying to add good players on either side of the ball. I think the perception was that we were going to do more on one side than the other, but if we could add good players on either side of the ball or, in many cases, we added players that can help on our special teams which is a big key for us. We have so much room to improve on special teams. We were 32nd in the league in field position, so anybody that can help us on a kicking unit, I'd love to have them in a Bronco uniform. We addressed some areas where we felt we could help our team. Some of those were offense, some were defense. I didn't have a preset number. Sometimes when you get to a selection, you have two or three guys you are hoping are going to be there. Then you mini-rank them throughout the draft, then two picks before you pick, one of them is gone, then the pick before you pick, the other's gone, so you say, ‘that's our guy.' That happened more than a few times. That's the process that you go through and we hopefully got the value we were looking for at each pick."

On speaking with drafted players

"I personally spoke to each player that we drafted before we actually sent the card in today. Most of the players, I think seven in total, came to the facility before. The other three we worked out extensively in private workouts. We either met them here, did a private workout, or, in many cases, did both. We are very familiar with each player we have now. I think that helps the process. When we called today and I got on the phone, there was a familiar voice on the other end. They knew me, I knew them, and they knew what we're about too. They've heard it before."

On familiarity with drafted players

"We took advantage; we used almost all of the allotment we are permitted as far as bringing players in. I think the number is 30 that you're permitted. We brought in close to 30. Like I said, seven of ten have been here before. They know their way around, they've seen the facility. They've met me and the coaching staff. We targeted players; we weren't trying to throw a bunch of smokescreens in the process. We wanted to bring in players we had a sincere interest in and we felt could help our team. We're fortunate that we felt comfortable with them, we watched them on tape, we brought them here, and we saw them at the combine. We have a mini relationship started already with many of them."

On WR Kenny McKinley (5th Rd., 141st overall, University of South Carolina)

"He can really run and he's got very good hands. He's smart and loves to compete. He's a guy that can play more than one spot in the receiver alignments. Adding a player that has sub 4.4 speed, I think anytime you add a skill player with that kind of speed, it's a good thing and you've gotten faster. You've hopefully helped out your special teams in some capacity, which hopefully Kenny can do. He's a great kid. Again, he loves football and he loves to compete. He's very much like the other players we drafted, he has a little different skill set, but should fit in and compete with the talented receivers we have on our roster."

On S David Bruton (4th Rd., 114th overall, Notre Dame University

"He's one of the finest special teams players in the draft, period. He was a great gunner for the punt team, getting down there and getting to the returner before the ball was caught, many times forcing a lot of fair catches. He's got great speed. I think he's the fastest safety in the draft. He could really impact us on three or four teams; punt, punt return, kickoff, kickoff return. I think he's blocked a kick or two in his career, or certainly has the capability to do that. He's got great range in the deep part of the field as a safety also."

On if any rookies will start this season

"I think it's so hard to tell how fast they are going to get to that point. At some point through injuries or progression, you may end up with that many starting. I don't know, we'll see. But I love the attitude that every one of these guys is going to approach our organization and our team with, which is that they are going to come in and work hard. They know they have good competition ahead of them. They know they have good veteran players to learn from. They're going to try in any way they can to help us improve. If that means starting one of them, or five of them, or all ten of them at some point, then I hope our team is better for it."

On offensive line

"I think that's a spot you always- you know, you don't ever turn head away from. If you feel like you've got good players inside that fit your scheme, that are athletic, physical, smart players that can play more than one position, which is important. We don't want to have players too many players along the front that don't have good versatility. (C) Blake (Schlueter) and (G) Seth (Olsen) both, they can play either guard or Blake's certainly more center than Seth. But Seth is a player that will learn how to snap the ball and play center once he's here. So, to have three-position versatility inside is very big. We have some players on our roster right now that have that, and we looked to add more and those two players were guys that we really liked."

On strategy during draft

"I think we were aggressive, if you want to use that term. We didn't have that many players on our board once we were done with the evaluation, and that was the goal. ‘Let's get the players on the board that we want on our team. Let's not have 200 names up there if we don't want 200 guys on our roster.' So, we had a board that was thinned out. (General Manager) Brian (Xanders), and the scouts and the coaches did a great job evaluating the players they had in their areas. And, by the end of the process, our board was thin. We knew we wanted to come away with players on our board and we did, we didn't go to the back board for anybody. At some certain points in the draft, I think you ask yourself ‘If we wait, is he going to be there?' And there were a few times where we felt like there's no way. If we wait, we're not going to be able to attain a player that we'd like to get. We weighed the value of what we were trading to try to go ahead and get the players that we were looking to get. And we have a totally full draft next year, one through seven. So, we didn't give away any rounds next year. We had a couple extra (this year) and we used those to move and get the players in this year's draft."

On trading own pick in 2010 draft to Seattle to acquire CB Alphonso Smith (2nd Rd., 37th overall, Wake Forest University)

"We agreed that (the pick) could be ours. After talking through with (Seattle), we felt like ‘that's okay, we'll roll the dice. I have no idea where Chicago's pick is going to be, and I don't have the foresight to know where our pick is going to be. So, we felt like, at that point to haggle over something like that, that may not turn out in your favor, but it may. After discussing it with (Seattle), we said, ‘alright, let's go ahead and do it."

On trying to get more picks in Rounds 3-7

"It's an interesting night after the first day of the draft where you kind of take the players that are left. After the first day, it's even thinner than it was when it started on Saturday. We took the players that were left on our board, that we felt very good about in terms of wanting to try to acquire those players. We stacked those differently from top to bottom. We felt like if that group of 20-some players starts to go quick in the third round, where we didn't have any selections, then our best maneuver would be to try and get as many of them as we could. But, we felt comfortable with where we were at, looking at the players that we had a chance to get, so we just took them."

On pursuing college free agency, feelings of roster

"I don't think the work's going to ever stop. We're going to address the college free agency hard, we're going to bring in some college free agents and see if they can compete. And, if they can win a roster spot, that's great, that's good for our football team. And the ongoing spring, college free agents, veteran free agency- there's a lot of things that go into that. By the time August rolls around, we'll have a much better idea, a much better feel. But we're going to bring in the amount of players that we can bring in after the draft to try and give ourselves an opportunity to see as many guys that we kinda liked that didn't get drafted as we can. And if those players are good enough through a month-and-a-half of minicamp and passing camp practices to make us want to take them to training camp once all the draft picks are signed, then we'll do that. But they'll have an opportunity to do that in the next month-and-a-half, and if they succeed at that, it makes our team better."

On the type of player the Broncos were targeting

"From the get-go, we targeted a certain type of player: tough, smart, competitive, versatile, a good person that loves football and wants to win. And we think we brought in those types of free agents with every guy we brought in and we think we drafted 10 players that fit that mold also. And the college free agents that we bring in will hopefully be the exact same. So, if our locker room is full of those kinds of players, we're going to be happy with the kind of player we have in there. And, ultimately, it's our job and their job to come together and improve throughout the entire spring so that'll we get to the point, as a football team, where we can actually execute and play well. It's not only good to have those kinds of players, but to play well with them. And all of them are good players, and they're going to have an opportunity to make us better. Again, I can't emphasize enough how much we're going to try and win as a team. It will not be one side of the ball. It will not be one side of the ball beating the other team, it won't be the other side of the team beating the other team. It'll be three phases, playing well, playing together, complimenting one another and playing good situational football, and that's how we'll win."

On S Darcel McBath (2nd Rd., 48th overall, Texas Tech) and CB Alphonso Smith (2nd Rd., 37th overall, Wake Forest)

"Both (S) Darcel (McBath) and (CB) Alphonso (Smith) have gotten their hands on the ball. And that, to me, is sometimes something you can coach a player to improve in that area, and sometimes that's instinctive, that's something that they possess as football players. They can see the quarterback and the route at the same time so they can get to the catch-point before the receiver does. I would say it's hard to find guys in a draft or free agency that you feel like have that kind of production. So, hopefully we've addressed an area where we feel like we can help our team turn the ball over more with the players we have in the secondary. And hopefully it shows this year on the field."

On pursing college free agents

"We're going to try to get as many as we can today. The competition starts as soon as (pick) 256 is done. So, we'll see how fast we can get it done and obviously we'll work as late as we can today to try and close those things off, so that in the morning we feel like we've got an idea of who's going to be here on Thursday."

On C Blake Schlueter (7th Rd., 225th overall, Texas-Christian University)

"He's one of the best athletes, in terms of those interior positions, that was in the draft. I think he was the fastest interior linemen, not that that matters a whole lot- they don't have the ball and are running away from everybody. But it shows that he can move and that he has good movement skills and that he can do some of the things that we ask our centers and our guards to do, in terms of the zone scheme that we'll use, in terms of pulling and getting out in front of the runner, screens- a very athletic player that can do some of those things and that's going to be something that we're going to try and improve at this year, is our screen game. Blake (Schlueter)'s very versatile, very, very good kid, very smart, multiple positions, flexibility. And he fits the mold of what we're looking for in there. His athletic ability is certainly a big plus."

On C Blake Schlueter getting bigger

"I think he was 292. If he can get a little heavier, that's great. But he's certainly effective, strong, plays strong, plays with great leverage. That's one of the things, he's 6-2-and-a-half and he uses that to his advantage. He can bend, he can get under people, he can anchor the pocket and drop back passes, and that's something that's valuable to us here. But I think he can probably get a little bigger."

On draft experience as head coach

"It was great. (General Manager) Brian (Xanders) and I worked hand in hand the whole weekend and it was a lot of fun. It's always great fun when you're sitting there adding player after player after player that you feel like can come in and improve your team. And to actually put the tag on the board, where he's actually on your roster, on your depth chart, that's a neat feeling. So, it was a great experience, I look forward to next year's draft and going through the process again."

2009 NFL Draft: Official Scouts Inc. 7-round mock draft

Fooch — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 15:00:13 -0000

While we do have an official mock drafting FanPost, I thought the official 7-round mock draft presented by Scouts Inc and Todd McShay was worth posting to the front page. Well, the 7 rounds for the 49ers at least. If you have any questions about who went where, post it in the comments and I (or anybody else with Insider access) will be happy to post an answer. I figure that doesn't cross ethical boundaries....maybe.

1. Michael Oher, OT, Ole Miss - While I do like Oher, this remains less than inspiring given where Oher is listed among best players available. If it comes down to Oher and Sanchez I remain convinced the 49ers will trade down. Of course McShay and Co. actually have Sanchez going 4th overall. I'm really quite intrigued to see what happens with Sanchez on Saturday.

2. Louis Delmas, FS, Western Michigan - A quick search brought up a Mocking the Draft scouting report on Delmas (and the fact that the Cowboys took him with their 2nd round pick in our mock draft). The general idea with Delmas is that he is great in coverage, but a bit soft in tackling and might be a bit undersized. As a 4-year starter and 3-time all MAC player he would likely be able to provide some solid competition for Dashon Goldson.

3. Sebastian Vollmer, OT, Houston - Vollmer ranks right behind Phil Loadholt and Jamon Meredith among offensive tackles. At 6'7, 314lbs he definitely brings some serious size to the tackle position. It sounds like his primary weaknesses are bull rushers getting in under him and generally plays too high. Of course, when you're 6'7, I'd imagine it's difficult to play low. Is it possible for a guy to be toooo tall at offensive tackle?

4. Kenny McKinley, WR, South Carolina - The folks at Mile High Report have an interesting scouting report on the 6'0, 189lb corner from USC. Size-wise he seems like Dominique Zeigler. However, his hands don't seem quite as sure as Zeigler's can be. If he has to add some bulk in the NFL it could hurt his speed. At the same time, he seems to play well against zone defenses. Who knows how smart a player he is but he seems to recognize the limitations of his size.

5a. James Davis, RB, Clemson - While it's hard to tell at this point, some folks would have you believe Davis is worth upwards of a third round pick. From what the Scout's Inc report indicates, Davis is not the fastest guy in the world but has a strong ability to read the defense and exploit holes. All things considered, I wonder how much more the 49ers would be getting from him than what we already get in Frank Gore. The 49ers do need another running back, but would it be better to go with a more complementary back?

5b. Ryan Mouton, CB, Hawaii - At 5'9, 187 lbs, Mouton definitely doesn't bring much size to the secondary. At the same time he seems to have a lot of athleticism and really likes to hit folks. While he might turn into a solid NFL corner, I see him as more of a special teams guy. Anybody who is small and likes to hit people seems to work well as a special teams option.

After the jump we go through the 49ers last three picks and give some wrap-up analysis.

6. Anthony Parker, G, Tennessee - At 6'1 297lbs, one of the main concerns with Parker is his somewhat below average size for an NFL guard. Apparently his speed is fine but if he has to put on weight, will the speed come down? He seems to have the skills needed to be successful, but I keep coming back to size. The NFL is getting bigger and bigger. Any thoughts on relatively undersized offensive linemen?

7a. Tom Brandstater, QB, Fresno State - I put together a scouting report back in early March about the local boy. He's got size and surprising speed for such a guy. The problem is accuracy. If they snagged him in the 7th round I would be quite pleased at the value. I'm not sure if he's a long-term solution, but I'm intrigued to see what could happen with him in camp.

7b. Derek Walker, DE, Illinois - Walker is a bit undersized for a defensive end, but he seems like a guy who could fit the 3-4 DE role of occupying blockers. It sounds like he brings solid strength to the position which seems like one more positive for the 3-4 DE role.

So there you have it. Three different OL, FS, CB, DE, QB, RB and WR. I find value in a lot of the picks, but I'm not sure I see three offensive linemen being drafted. Maybe two, but three seems a bit much. Walker is the only DL/LB taken and it sounds like he can't make the conversion to OLB. I definitely think an OLB gets drafted somewhere in there.

I'm sure folks have plenty of areas of disagreement with this mock. Thoughts?

Random Ramsdom, 4/5: QB edition

VanRam — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:45:33 -0000

Sunday morning comin' down, down with Kyle Boller. The Frerotte discussion is officially dead in the water, but the same conclusion still stands for Kyle Boller: he's a backup QB, and at 27, probably a little less of a risk than Frerotte was, though Boller isn't without an injury history of his own.

Boller comes from an offense not know for its passing, mostly by plan. In fact, the Ravens chewed up QBs, and Boller was the best of the parade of guys that worked under center for the Ravens through the middle part of this decade. He has experience playing with a featured TE in Baltimore, Todd Heap, and knows how to throw the shorter passes and work the crossing routes. His streakiness lends him well the backup QB role. Earlier this spring the Cowboys were trying to sign him as Romo's backup. A much better backup QB to have than Treent Green...or Frerotte.

Did Frerotte back out of a deal with the Rams because he thought they would draft a QB?
Speaking of QBs, take a look at the three the Rams have visits with: Sanchez is a first rounder, and only available if the Rams trade down; Josh Freeman is a likely second rounder, and Tom Brandstater is a fourth round guy. Brandstater's intriguing because of his late round steal potential, and Freeman didn't play in a spread (?) offense.
The Rams QB of now, Marc Bulger, made a good impression on the new staff at minicamp this week, and vice versa. Hopefully this is a bounce back year for Bulger. Love 'em or hate 'em, this guy has to succeed for the Rams to win games.
It's Bulger's birthday today. Happy birthday, now get back to the Pro Bowl level.

2009 NFL Draft: When do you draft a QB?

Fooch — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:00:12 -0000

I have to admit that the ability to schedule posts might be my favorite upgrade to SB Nation. My law school had a spring party and now I sit at home at 2am after a few cocktails watching Die Hard and discussing my 49ers. How much better can life get?

Given that we're rolling into the weekend, I thought I'd open up a little discussion on the QB position. I know we've been through the top portion of the draft, but let's look at QB as a whole. We could be talking about anything from Matt Stafford, Mark Sanchez and Josh Freeman to Rhett Bomar and Tom Brandstater.

So who is your personal preference? Or maybe you think that the 49ers will just sit out on the QB sweepstakes. Although I realize that he might not be the best option, Tom Brandstater is a guy I feel could end up being the draft pick. Maybe it ends up being Nate Davis from Ball State.

If anything goes down, we'll be on it. Whatever the case may be, let's hear what you think about the 2009 NFL Draft class of QBs.

Cowboys set some pre-draft visits

Dave Halprin — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:00:13 -0000

The ever-resourceful Todd Archer writes that the Cowboys have lined up some pre-draft visits with local prospects coming in on the 10th, and the national guys beginning on the 15th. Three quarterbacks and three safeties top the list. Go read Todd's article for more info on the guys, but here are the names to chew on:

QB: Stephen McGee, Chase Daniel, Tom Brandstater
DB: Mike Hamlin, Louis Delmas, Darcel McBath, Jarius Byrd, Bradley Fletcher
LB: Lawrence Sidbury, Jason Williams
TE: Anthony Hill, James Casey
WR: Patrick Turner

I wish I'd seen a little beef at NT on that list. Tank Johnson has left and is talking to the Bengals, so Jay Ratliff needs a little help on the interior. Maybe our new DE, Igor Olshansky, can motivate one of our own to jump up his game. Wade Phillips discussed Olshansky's relationship with potential backup nose tackle, Junior Siavii, who was picked just behind Drago in the 2004 draft (Round 2, pick 36):

"They have a close relationship," Phillips said. "They work hard together. Both were high draft choices coming out of Oregon and they push each other and compete with each other with everything they did in college. Igor talked about, I'm going to get with Junior and we're going to do this and we're going to do that and Junior says, Well, I can out do him. So I think it'll be a fun thing for us to have them."

Coach Phillips on Olshansky:

"He's still a young player, one of the strongest if not the strongest guys in the league. And he plays hard. He learned to play hard. Hopefully I helped him with some of that when he was young. But he plays very hard and he's a big man that can move."

Being Billy Devaney - QB

Tackle Box — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 17:27:35 -0000

Well, here we are, trying to fill out the roster, create some depth, and maybe even try to build some potential for the future. If things go as planned, by the time the Rams draft in the 5th round, we'll have all (well, maybe most) of our most pressing needs filled and will be looking to make a great steal late on the 2nd day.

While the subject of Marc Bulger is controversial (to say the least) around here, can we all accept he's going to be our quarterback this season? You might not like it, but there's about a .00001% chance there will be someone other than Bulger lining up under center when the Rams take the field for their season opener.

I for one fall into the category of a Bulger supporter. I'm just putting that out there. However, I'm not blind to the fact that he'll be 32 when the season starts and isn't going to be any younger the following season. We've got a young offense (2nd youngest in the league at press time) so it makes sense that we're going to have to start developing a quarterback, right? Is this the year to start that? I'm not sure. A lot of it depends on what is available in the later rounds, and is what is available going to be a better bet than what will be available at the top of the draft next year? That's a good question, no?

So, let's start with looking at our roster after the jump.

Marc Bulger - 6'3" 212 - Signed through 2013 - Bulger still has a lot of guaranteed money left which will count against the cap this year and next ($22.5M in 2009 and $18M in 2010). I can now tell you how he's still a good quarterback, but ultimately that's my opinion. He's been battered for the past couple of seasons and that's definitely taken its toll on him. How he responds to much better protection and a run-centric offense is still a mystery, but at this time the team can't afford to not bet on him to succeed.
Brock Berlin - 6'1" 215 - Signed through 2009 - Berlin is a backup quarterback, plain and simple. Anyone who thinks or tells you he deserves a legit shot to win the starting job at any point in the next year is letting their disdain for Marc Bulger interfere with rational thinking. There's nothing special about Berlin other than maybe he's fun to be around. If the Rams have to turn to him at any point this season, then a top 5 draft pick is definitely in our future.

After Bulger and Berlin, the Rams are suspected to be interested in and on the verge of signing Gus Frerotte. Sexy? Not in the least bit. But he can pick up offenses quickly, is a professional about himself, and played in a similar offense last season to what the Rams are going to install this year. He's a one year filler. Nothing more, nothing less. He's not here to compete for the job but can do the job if he has to and at age 38, he's a much better option than turning the reigns over to Brock Berlin.

And that's our Quarterbacks. Not pretty, but with Bulger hopefully we have some upside to look forward to. If he fails this season (or falls short of expectations), it's not the end of the world. I expect a major improvement this season, but I'm realistic. That improvement should result in a better record (how could it not, right?), but we're going to have to watch the games to see the little things. Simply looking at the record and forming an opinion is being short-sighted.

So, with that being said, should the Rams draft a quarterback this year? Is it worth it? We've already got a full stable of QBs (assuming they sign Frerotte) so they wouldn't be filling out the roster. If they do draft a QB, you can kiss Mr. Berlin goodbye but I don't think there will be any demonstrations at the Dome or demands of season ticket money being returned as a result.

But, I ask again, is it worth it to draft a Quarterback this year when drafting for depth on either of the lines or at Cornerback or Tight End or Running Back or wherever might benefit the team much more? Well, one reason might be that you can start to teach the new QB the system and get him some time with the team. Is that a benefit? Eh. Matt Ryan doesn't seem to think so, but then again he was a 1st round draft pick. We won't have that luxury here of such a high profile addition, so maybe it is better. Who really knows, right? Either way, let's see what's going to be available in the later rounds of this year's draft (rounds 5 through 7).

Rhett Bomar - Sam Houston State - 6'2" 215 - Had a pretty good season for the Bearkats with 3,355 yards, 27 TDs, and 13 INTs. Was originally an Oklahoma Sooner (when he was the top quarterback recruit in the nation) but was kicked off the team after taking money from boosters. Resurfaced at Sam Houston and salvaged his career. He has the ability to play in the NFL, but comes with some character question marks, I suppose.
Nate Davis - Ball State - 6'2" 217 - Once considered to be a possible 2nd round lock in this year's draft, Davis has seen his stock slip over the last month or so. Many are questioning his decision to leave school early especially after his struggles in his last two games at Ball State. He has a big arm and is extremely athletic but apparently many teams doubt his ability to lead an NFL team. Only one team (Indianapolis Colts) sent a representative to Davis' Pro Day workout (Muncie is like an hours drive away from Indy). Scouts also have concerns about his height, but in my opinion 6'2" isn't all that short. Just ask Drew Brees.
Mike Reilly - Central Washington - 6'3" 214 - The 49ers seem pretty interested in Reilly saying he's "Not a high-round guy, but a middle-round guy that's got some upside" Had a great season for the Wildcats compiling 3,706 yards, 37 touchdowns, and 6 INTs. He's got a big arm and has plenty of confidence. Also has a lot of upside. If he's available in the 6th round (he probably won't be), it'd be hard for the Rams to pass him up if they're serious about developing someone with great talent and tons of upside.
Nathan Brown - Central Arkansas - 6'1" 217 - Put up great numbers through his career at Central Arkansas (10,558 yards, 100 TDs) and has been considered by some to be the best college quarterback to ever play in the state of Arkansas. That's one heck of a compliment for a guy virtually no one has ever seen play. Could be a great pick late in the draft.....could be nothing more than a backup. It's hard to tell.
Mike Teel - Rutgers - 6'4" 220 - Was red hot to end the season for the Scarlet Knights who has the size NFL teams covet at this position. He struggled for about the first half of last season, but the finish he put up might have convinced some teams he can play at the next level. Frankly, it's guys like this that concern me. I'd prefer a QB who very rarely struggled and didn't take half a season to get it figured out before I went and spent a draft pick (and every pick of ours this year are extremely valuable to the rebuilding process) on him.

After Teel, you'll be looking at guys like Graham Harrell (Texas Tech), David Johnson (Tulsa), Hunter Cartwell (Louisville), Cullen Harper (Clemson), and Tom Brandstater (Fresno State). Some of these guys might even go un-drafted, which means you could pick them up as a free agent. Personally, outside of maybe Nate Davis or Mike Reilly, I'd probably pass on this bunch. I just feel we'd be wasting a pick on a backup quarterback when someone who could play special teams might be more valuable.

Depending on how the season plays out, it's probably a better idea to wait until next season to draft a QB. I'm not overly excited about the 2010 class of QBs, but next year we should have a better handle on the roster and much less holes to fill making a reach or a high draft pick much easier to swallow. Plus, we will still probably have Bulger on the roster in 2010 so you probably wouldn't expect any of these guys to step in on day one.

Anyway, here's a look at what's probably going to be available next year.

Sam Bradford (Oklahoma), Jevan Snead (Mississippi), Tim Tebow (Florida), Colt McCoy (Texas), Jimmy Clausen (Notre Dame), Pat Devlin (Deleware), Tim Hiller (Western Michigan), Zac Robinson (Oklahoma State), Dan LeFevour (Central Michigan), Jake Locker (Washington), Juice Williams (Illinois), Jarrett Brown (West Virginia), and Daryll Clark (Penn State)

I have to admit right now of my man crush on Dan LeFevour. I've probably seen him play 3 or 4 times (once in person) and he has always impressed. He's got good size, a heck of an arm, and has great feet. He can beat you in so many ways.

So, what do you guys think? I know there are probably people who would love to see the Rams trade for Jay Cutler but a move like that would totally hamstring any chances the team has of having any roster flexibility for the next 3 years. So....do we draft this year and if Bulger falls on his face we can then replace him next sesaon, or do we put our faith in our curent QB and look at acquiring his replacement next year when we can pick a guy a little higher in the draft?