SB Nation - Ellis Powers

Game balls and player ratings for Boise State vs. Fresno State

Kevan Lee — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:49:56 -0000

Boise State beat Fresno State on Friday, despite how you may have felt immediately after the game. There were good plays, bad plays, and whatever you call Kellen Moore's deep throws. Here are the ones that stood out the most to me, as well as individual player ratings for all involved for the Broncos.

Game Balls

Reader Choice Award Player of the Game

Titus Young

"Is this how Ian Johnson did it? With his head up? I think I'm doing it wrong." (via media.idahostatesman.com)

Rock the vote, commenters.

Fifty-one percent of you thought Young was deserving of the POG honor for his efforts in the return game and the fumble recovery game. Those are skills you cannot teach, and they are apparently skills that Young has in spades.

I mentioned this in my recap, but it bears repeating. On a night when Young had only 29 yards on three receptions, he still was Boise State's most valuable player. That speaks volumes to his growing maturity. I wouldn't be surprised to see him working the Jugs machine at the Boise Rescue Mission this week.

Most uninspiring tackling

Jeron Johnson, et al

Everyone in the greater Boise area is saying it, so you don't need to hear it again from me. But man, was Boise State that bad at tackling or was Ryan Mathews just that good of a back? Either way, hopefully we won't be having this conversation about Bowling Green running back Willie Geter. (Hint: pretty sure we won't.)

Mr. Cellophane

Tyler Shoemaker

Shoemaker took the 0-fer for the second time in three games this season. Against Oregon, I could understand. Boise State's gameplan involved more running plays and throws to the TEs. But there were simply no excuses for Shoemaker versus Fresno.

Drew has an interesting theory that he brought up last night in his recap.

... receivers aren't consistently getting open ...

And though he didn't name Shoemaker by name, I could sense it in the deafening word spaces and the accusatory commas. Tyler Shoemaker, you need to get open more often. Drew says so. Or I say so and am simply blaming others so that I don't look like the bad guy.

Most whimsical pass

Ryan Colburn

Throwing into double coverage is never a good idea, but it becomes even a worse idea when throwing into double coverage happens on the first series of the game and said throw is a lazy wobbler begging to be housed by the defense.

Winston Venable snagged Colburn's second pass of the night and took it 30 yards to the end zone, where it belonged. Colburn was wrong for throwing it, but give Venable credit for reading Colburn's eyes, making the catch, and outsprinting hefty linemen and a besmirked Colburn into the end zone.

Also considered: every Kellen Moore deep pass he threw all game

Good Old Times Award for Period of Play that Most Resembled the Good Old Times

First quarter

Boise State's defense looked like Boise State's defense for 15 minutes on Friday night, holding Fresno to zero first downs, 10 total yards, and innumerable Pat Hill faces. Ah, the first quarter. It was a simpler time.

Play that probably shouldn't have worked for a 70-plus-yard run but it did anyway

Horizontal stretch handoff from the shotgun

It's easier when they're not chasing you. (via media.idahostatesman.com)

If there is one play in the Bronco playbook that I never want to see again, it is this play. However, since it worked, I think I'm stuck with it.

The horizontal stretch was the one that Avery took 74 yards to the 1-yard line before fumbling. I despise the play because it is a) expressly horizontal, b) a running play from the shotgun, and c) a waste of time 90 percent of the time that the Broncos run it against fast, penetrating defenses. In other words, look for it a lot next week.

Coach of the Game

Chris Petersen

Not only did Coach Pete keep his cool on the sideline, but he is also not Pat Hill. And I wasn't about to give this award to Hill.

Player Ratings

Boise State offense

Austin Pettis - 7 - A quiet night for Pettis receiving, other than his slick TD catch on the fade route. What I was most impressed with was Pettis' downfield blocking. The Broncos would not have had as many big plays as they did were it not for Pettis.

Titus Young - 8 - Like I said, very impressive. Young found ways to impact the game with his hustle, his hard work, and his athleticism. There is more to life than go routes, apparently.

Tyler Shoemaker - N/A - I have nothing to judge Shoemaker on because Shoemaker did nothing. And yes, this rating is ripped from the report card of an Idaho Vandal student athlete.

Kyle Efaw - 5 - Two catches for 23 yards will go unnoticed. His blocking was probably a bigger factor.

Tommy Gallarda - 5 - No catches for Gallarda, but his impact is typically felt in the ground game.

Garrett Pendergast - 5 - Solid but unspectacular in supplanting Michael Ames.

Kevin Sapien - 7 - Perhaps the least victimized Bronco offensive lineman in the passing game. Played well.

Thomas Byrd - 6 - Had trouble with a first half snap, but was otherwise strong in both run and pass blocking.

Will Lawrence - 7 - Pressure rarely came up the middle, which is a credit to Lawrence, Byrd and Sapien. Offensive guard has been a solid position for the Broncos so far this season.

Matt Slater - 4 - Could not handle Fresno DE Chris Carter's speed. Nate Potter did better in relief.

Kellen Moore - 6 - Threw for three TDs and did an admirable job managing the offense. Missed badly on several deep throws and was constantly hurried in the pocket.

Richie Brockel - 5 - Made an impact in the running game, but not much else.

D.J. Harper - 8 - The most impressive Boise State offensive player prior to his knee injury. Let's hope it is not serious.

Jeremy Avery - 8 - Looked to be having a quiet night prior to the second half. Hit the hole with abandon, decisive on his cuts, and blazing with his speed. Does natural grass make that much of a difference to him? He looked like a different back.

Boise State defense

Ryan Winterswyk - 7 - Quietly had four tackles and 1.5 TFLs. His impact hasn't been noticed much this season, but he has been playing well.

Billy Winn - 8 - Great, great work all game long. Finished with three TFLs and tied for the team lead in tackles. The only way he could have earned a higher rating is if he had blown up one of Mathews' long runs.

Chase Baker - 7 - Another solid game from Baker. Split a sack with Winterswyk and got into the backfield on a handful of occasions.

Jarrell Root - 4 - Quiet night. Didn't crack the scorebook at all.

Byron Hout - 4 - Didn't have an impact. Would have liked to see him more in the 3-3-5 but the situations never called for it.

Shea McClellin - 4 - Still working himself into gameshape, it seems. Should be better in a couple weeks, just in time for the WAC schedule.

Derrell Acrey - 6 - Only one tackle on the night for Acrey. When Fresno focused so much on their running game, you need more from a middle linebacker. His pick of Colburn before the half was a great play.

J.C. Percy - 5 - Got in on a lot of plays but needs to shed blocks quicker.

Aaron Tevis - 5 - Didn't do much until his big hit on Colburn, made possible by Tevis being blocked in the back by a Fresno receiver.

Daron Mackey - 4 - Minimal impact.

Winston Venable - 8 - Loved the passion and aggression he played with. With more playing time, he might challenge Ellis Powers' production from last season. Didn't have to work too hard on his pick six, but he made the play anyway. His blitzes were powerful and effective. More playing time!

Jason Robinson - 5 - Seemed a step slow to react on several plays. His first quarter tackle on third down was Jeron Johnson-esque.

Kyle Wilson - 6 - Survived in one-on-one coverage on the edge, but it was kind of scary. Good in run support for the most part, except noticeably late or out of position on Mathews' third TD run.

Brandyn Thompson - 5 - Left alone, Thompson struggled to defend one-on-one. Credit Fresno receivers for making plays as Thompson was often in good position but just couldn't finish.

Jeron Johnson - 4 - Missed several tackles and heard about it from Coach Pete on the sideline. I have to think his play on Friday night was an exception.

George Iloka - 7 - Tied for the team lead in tackles with six. Looked solid in run support and quick to the ball when it was in his area. His timing to break up a long pass in the second half was just off.

Boise State special teams

Kyle Brotzman - 6 - Didn't miss a field goal from the left hash, so that's a plus. Missing clutch fourth quarter opportunities due to cramps is a slight concern.

Jimmy Pavel - 7 - Excellent work spelling Brotzman. Loved his tenacity to tackle on the kickoff.

Boise State coaching

Coaching staff - 7 - Offensive adjustments at halftime helped. Defensive gameplan put defenders in the right places. Would have liked to see Harsin give help to Matt Slater earlier in the first half. Not much to complain about overall.

Thoughts on these ratings? Anyone you think deserves higher or lower grades? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Getting to know the Boise State Broncos: Question & Answer with OBNUG

jtlight — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 21:00:13 -0000

More photos » by Matt Cilley - AP

Ian Johnson sure is excited about that 40% success rate he had last season against mostly WAC competition. Replacing his production may not be as hard as some Duck fans assume.

Browse more photos »

With two days left to the big matchup on the blue turf, we touched bases with Kevan over at OBNUG, and exchanged a few questions. Kevan's answered a few questions for us here, while we've answered some questions over at their site. Let's get right to it:

Does Kellen Moore have any weaknesses? If you were an opposing team, how would you attack him?

Weaknesses? Well, Kellen Moore works too hard and he cares too much. [Office'd!] Also, he is not a scrambler, although he showed some surprising non-sedentary movement in the fall scrimmages. You can't knock his accuracy. You can't say anything bad about his leadership. He might seem hit or miss on the deep ball, but isn't every quarterback hit or miss on the deep ball? I mean, you can only expect to complete about half of those anyway.

I think that the TCU game showed the first chink in Moore's armor, and it really had nothing to do with Moore. If I were to defend him, I would do it similar to how TCU did - collapse the pocket and get people at his feet. When Moore sets to throw, he is deadly. When he is uncomfortable in the pocket, he is less deadly. The important part is to collapse the pocket, not just to get pressure. He knows how to escape pressure, like a squirrel knows where to bury nuts. It's innate. If he has nowhere to go and has to make plays off his back foot or under duress, he can be fallible.

Honestly, it is really the only time I have ever seen him be anywhere close to average. The INTs he threw last year (he did throw 10 of them, despite what we Bronco fans might tell you) were so scattershot and random - tipped balls, bad routes, defensive pressure - that you can't really point to a common trend. He did everything else like a champ. He's a tough one to defend.

Last year, the Broncos were fairly weak in the run game. Will that improve? Will Boise State be able to control the line and run the ball consistently against good teams?

I wrote far too many words about this over at OBNUG today because I really feel it will be important when all is said and done on Thursday. I cannot say with confidence that Boise State will be a better running team in 2009. I can say it with blind hope and homerism and childlike faith. I cannot say it with any certainty because I have yet to see it happen.

The best glimmer we fans got of a strong running game was in fall scrimmage when a backup safety ran for boo koo yards. He was an RB last year, so it wasn't that big of a stretch, but it really did underscore the complete and total mystery surrounding what the Bronco ground game will look like this year.

I'll tell you this much. I like our running back situation a lot more than I did at the end of last year. Ian Johnson was not a good fit for our offensive line; Jeremy Avery was much better. The only problem is that the line we had last year (the one that we tolerated all season long with the promise that there would be experienced players in 2009) is not the line that we have this year. We have two newbies at important spots (RT and LG), and no one has ever seen them in actual games.

Will we control the line this season? We're bigger in girth, so maybe. Can we do it against good teams? That's certainly the goal. But honestly, I have no idea until I see what happens on Thursday night.

No question Boise State has a number of playmakers on both sides of the ball. Overall though, there is a great deal of underclassmen playing key roles. Do you feel that inexperience will be a factor in the game?

The youth doesn't concern me because of the experience factor. Boise State's roster is young, but it is filled with players who endured last season's 12-1 campaign. If we want to get very particular at who is new, I'd say the only real ones you could point to are Michael Ames and Will Lawrence on O-line, Tyler Shoemaker at WR, Winston Venable at S/LB, and maybe Aaron Tevis at LB (Tevis actually started our season opener last year). That's only five guys out of what preview mags might have called eleven or so.

I'm okay with their youth since the experience is there. What concerns me a little is the magnitude of this Oregon game and playing with expectations. Last year in Eugene was huge, except that no one really expected the Broncos to win. Everything is different this year, we are ranked as high as we've ever been preseason, there's an enormous amount of national attention. I can't imagine that the players would not feel some of that.

On the defensive side, how do you feel that the defensive side as a whole will fare against Oregon's spread option attack?

Apart from LeGarrette Blount hurdling defensive backs, I think the Broncos will do pretty well. D-coordinator Justin Wilcox is savvy when it comes to these types of offenses since we are so used to seeing the spread option run a myriad of different ways across the WAC.

Of course, no one we'll see this season will run it as well as Oregon. I have the utmost faith that our players will be in the right position to defend the spread option. It will really come down to one-on-one battles to see how it ultimately plays out. I think that the confidence the defense gained from last year will be a huge plus going into this game. It's one thing to know that you will be in the right position to make a play, but it's another entirely to remember that you've been in that position before and you've made the play. It's kind of like how I feel every time I have to warn an Oregon commenter on my site. The experience helps.

The secondary of BSU is one of the best in the nation. I think that the offense will hold the advantage, and that if given enough time, any secondary will be beat. What are your expectations on the secondary?

You're so right. A good secondary does not make for a good pass defense. The pass rush will have to show up, the linebackers will have to play assignment football. There are so many factors that are outside the secondary's control.

The Bronco secondary alone will hold up just fine. The luxury of having a player like Kyle Wilson (who I think would start at a number of Pac-10 schools, if not all, and maybe even be all-conference) is that he can lock down an entire side of the field if necessary, allowing the Bronco defense to get creative. But let's assume that he doesn't, and the Broncos play everything straight up. There are future stars at safety in George Iloka and Jeron Johnson (I'm not sure if you guys remember him or not, but he played against the Ducks last year). CB Brandyn Thompson will be the future Kyle Wilson, starting next season. The depth at corner at BSU is astounding, so I don't think the Broncos will run out of options there.

I'm curious to see how S/LB Winston Venable does. He is playing the Ellis Powers role from last year, which was a huge part to our secondary. The tricky part about defending Oregon is that they can beat you in so many different ways. I expect the secondary to have a great game on Thursday night. I think they will hold Masoli to around 50 percent passing, create at least one turnover, and take away the deep pass. That said, Masoli could still beat the Broncos by making plays with his feet, taking what the defense gives him, and buying time in the pocket. I don't think that a great performance by the Boise State secondary will preclude the Ducks from winning. It will take a team effort from the Broncos, no doubt.

OK, as much as I know you don't want to say it, isn't this the biggest game in the history of Bronco Stadium?

Yes, it is. Until UC Davis comes to town in October.

BSU position preview: Is the 2009 Boise State secondary the WAC's best ever?

Kevan Lee — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:54:24 -0000

As difficult as it was to pass on the Broncos last season, it will be even tougher to do so this year. With four out of five starters returning and an All-American candidate holding down one corner, Boise State has one of the best secondaries in the West and one of the best WAC secondaries of all-time. How does the 2009 Bronco secondary stack up to the all-time greats? And how will their legacy be written this year? Let's find out.

(You've stumbled upon a series of Boise State position previews leading up to the Oregon game. Previously: The new breed of 4-2-5 linebacker. Next up: OREGON PREVIEWS!!!.)

Bronco secondary depth chart

Player	Yr	Pos	Ht	Wt
Kyle Wilson	Sr	CB	5'10"	186
Brandyn Thompson	So	CB	5'10"	180
Jeron Johnson	Jr	S	5'11"	194
George Iloka	So	S	6'3"	207
Winston Venable	Jr	S/LB	5'11"	223
Jamar Taylor	So	CB	5'11"	193
Doug Martin	So	S/LB	5'9"	201
Jason Robinson	Jr	S/LB	5'11"	194
Jerrell Gavins	Jr	CB	5'9"	171
Cedric Febis	So	S	6'3"	197
Travis Stanaway	So	S	5'11"	188
Garcia Day	Sr	S/CB	6'1"	204

The starting five in the Boise State secondary are pretty much set in stone. Kyle Wilson and Brandyn Thompson on the corners, Jeron Johnson and George Iloka at safety, and Winston Venable at the safetylinebacker. Out of those five positions, I would expect Venable to switch off most often, probably with Doug Martin. The other four positions will probably stay on the field for every defensive snap.

The exciting part of the Bronco secondary is its depth. Behind Wilson and Thompson are Jamar Taylor and Jerrell Gavins, two players who would be starters on several other WAC teams. Jason Robinson was a former Bronco starter, so you know he has talent. Cedric Febis looked solid in fall practices. Every single player on the Broncos' two-deep secondary depth chart could come in and do a stellar job. It says a lot about the depth of the Broncos, but it also speaks volumes to the talent of the players in the starting lineup.

A season to remember in 2008

via cache.daylife.com

There were so many bright spots in the Boise State defense last fall that I'd hate to single just one of them out. But, man, did you see the Bronco secondary last season?

Boise State was in the Top 20 in several national pass defense statistics, holding opponents to a 50 percent completion rate and less than 200 yards per game. Take out the second half of the Oregon game, and those numbers would look even better. Also, the BSU secondary was a big play mecca, nabbing 22 INTs. Of those 22, 17 came from the starting five of Powers, Wilson, Thompson, Johnson, and Iloka.

Boise State was rewarded for its stellar play when the postseason award circuit made its rounds. Wilson and Powers landed on the All-WAC first team; Johnson made the second team. True freshman Iloka found himself on national freshman all-American teams. It was almost enough to make you forget about Marty Tadman. Almost.

(Aside: The rise of lock-down corners like Wilson has allowed the Boise State defense an amazing level of freedom to run more risky blitzes and exotic schemes. Players like Wilson change everything. Just ask Chase Holbrook's NFL draft stock.)

Hype for this fall

The most wonderful part of last year's breakout season was the fact that four out of the five secondary studs would be returning in 2009. Powers was the only one to graduate, and although he leaves a big hole to fill, having the other four positions set in stone is enough to have the Bronco secondary as one of the most hyped units in the WAC this season.

For starters, Kyle Wilson is the WAC's preseason DPOY. And if that's not enough, he is also projected as a first- or second-round draft pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. He has found his name on several preseason watch lists, including the Thorpe and the Bednarik, and he is a consensus preseason WAC first-teamer.

D.O.C. [Death of Cornerback] #1 Kyle Wilson Pro Day Highlights from justfndoit on Vimeo.

The other players in the secondary have also had their names bandied about this offseason. The most complimentary place for the Broncos has been Phil Steele's season preview magazine, where three of the four starters in the secondary were named to his All-WAC team. The only one not on the first team is Iloka, who winds up third behind two Idaho safeties, one of whom left the program.

Another popular preseason All-WAC team (the WAC does not release an official team) is hosted at the CBS Sports website. Naturally, Kyle Wilson makes the team, but he is the only Bronco. CBS puts LaTech's Antonio Baker, SJSU's Duke Ihenacho, and Nevada's Jonathon Amaya on the All-WAC team. CBS obviously does not get Nevada games on its satellite.

Previous WAC secondaries

With so much preseason hype going into the year, the question becomes: Will Boise State's 2009 secondary be the WAC's best ever? To find out, here are some of the best ones from the past decade (the WAC became the WAC as we mostly know it back in 1999).

2000 TCU: First team: Curtis Fuller, Greg Walls; Second team: Russell Gary
2001 Fresno State: Two-time First team: Vernon Fox; Second team: Devon Banks
2002 Boise State: Two-time First team: Quintin Mikell; Second team: Gabe Franklin
2003 Hawaii: First team: Hyrum Peters (two-time), Kelvin Millhouse
2005 Fresno State: Second team: Richard Marshall, Marcus McCauley (both juniors)
2007 San Jose State: First team: Dwight Lowery; Second team: Christopher Owens

As you can see, there has rarely been a consensus, dominant secondary in the WAC over the past 10 years. The two teams that came the closest were:

2000 TCU
2007 San Jose State

The 2000 TCU secondary was part of the Horned Frogs' back-to-back WAC champions. They pulled the same stunt that the Broncos pulled last year by placing two starters on the first team (Boise State also had Ellis Powers, albeit listed as a LB) and one on the second team.

San Jose State's 2007 secondary would be the only other WAC secondary to get consideration for an all-time best, but that distinction is based more on the talent of two individual players and not the secondary as a whole. Both Lowery and Owens were picked up by NFL teams and were considered to be some of the most NFL-ready WAC defensive players to come out of the conference in recent years.

Are there any other secondaries that spring to your mind as some of the WAC's all-time best? Should 2007 San Jose State even be considered with only two solid players? Anyone remember that TCU team?

The WAC's best secondary players in 2009

One obstacle that could keep the 2009 Broncos from going down in the WAC's record books as the conference's all-time best is the competition from fellow conference DBs and safeties.

An initial look at the conference shows that LaTech's Antonio Baker and SJSU's Duke Ihenacho are the two players who could most easily slip onto the WAC's first or second team. Idaho's Shiloh Keo is a media favorite because he is one of the few Idaho players the media knows by name. Fresno State's A.J. Jefferson and Moses Harris are darkhorse candidates, and Nevada's Jonathon Amaya could make some noise.

Of course, is ending the season on the All-WAC team the best way of determining all-time best? Are there other factors to consider that would make the debate fair?

Just for fun: Want to switch for past Bronco stars?

This part of the discussion has little to do with the overall question of the legacy for the 2009 Bronco secondary. But I thought it would be fun.

Would you trade any of the current players in the Bronco secondary for any past Bronco stars?

Here are some of the most obvious candidates:

Two-time all-WAC safety Quintin Mikell (and member of CBS' WAC team of the decade)
CBs Gabe Franklin and Wes Nurse
Three-time all-WAC safety Marty Tadman

*all-WAC refers to WAC first- or second-team

Another interesting angle on this question: Would any of these four players be able to crack the starting lineup on this year's team? What do you think?

Conclusions

The answers to the secondary question are obvious. Either,

Yes, the 2009 Broncos have the WAC's best secondary ever.
No, the 2009 Broncos are not the WAC's best secondary ever.

I suppose you could find yourself somewhere in the middle of the debate by taking a stance of "We'll have to wait and see" or "There's really no way to measure this." I tend to think toward the latter with most questions like this.

However, I am completely blown away by the talent level of the Boise State secondary in 2009, and I feel that it will go down in history as the best WAC secondary to ever take the field. Top to bottom, at all five positions, and well into the two-deep roster, these guys are great.

I have a feeling that all five (or four, if you consider Venable a LB) won't make the final All-WAC first team, due in part to politics and the peer pressure of not voting for an entire team at one position. But seeing them on the field should tell you all you need to know.

Where would you put the Bronco secondary in the all-time rankings? Would you trade any current Bronco stars for past ones? Will the secondary improve on their 17 INTs this season?

Let's discuss.

BSU position preview: Does the 4-2-5 defense increase or decrease the value of Bronco linebackers?

Kevan Lee — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 14:58:42 -0000

Boise State's linebacker history runs deep and wide with names like Korey Hall and Andy Avalos dotting the list. Will that legacy become a thing of the past with BSU's move to a 4-2-5 defense? Where does this new look leave the Boise State linebackers? Let's find out.

(You've stumbled upon a series of Boise State position previews leading up to the Oregon game. Previously: The correlation of lineman size to winning. Next up: The legacy of the Boise State secondary.)

Note: Before I get to the linebacker preview, I have a couple thoughts on BSU not naming starting linebackers yet despite promising a decision would be made following Friday's scrimmage. First thought: Were the linebackers really bad in that scrimmage? That's the only reason I can think of for why the team would not name any. If they were all excellent or mediocre, so what? Use the body of work from practice and the previous scrimmage to decide on starters. If they were really bad, then I can understand wanting to send a message or not feeling comfortable choosing anyone until the level of play is better. I mean, if you've already come out and said that a decision would be made, something pretty drastic would have had to happen for you to call the whole thing off.

Which brings me to my second thought: Were Bronco coaches really planning on naming starters at all? Another way of wording this: Did reporters oversell the linebacker decision? It could just be a big misunderstanding with quotes taken out of context, or it could be a sinister plot by the Bronco administration to mislead fans and withhold information until the last second.

I guess there's a third option. Things really are as Coach Pete says they are, and BSU still wants to see the linebackers compete more in practice. But that option is a lot less interesting.

Bronco linebacker depth chart

Player	Yr	Pos	Ht	Wt
Derrell Acrey	Jr	MLB	6'1"	235
Hunter White	So	MLB	5'11"	224
Aaron Tevis	So	OLB	6'3"	228
J.C. Percy	Fr	OLB	6'0"	214
Daron Mackey	Jr	MLB	5'11"	233
Tommy Smith	Fr	OLB	6'1"	218

Nothing has been decided on who the starting linebackers will be, so this six-man depth chart encompasses everyone who has a shot.

You'll notice a couple of big names absent from this list: true freshmen John Michael Davis and Allen Mooney. These two future Boise State stars seem to be redshirt sure-things this fall, which will mean they can transition into the starting lineup over the next two or three years. Whenever they get there, they'll be good ones.

General consensus around Bronco Nation seems to have Acrey and Tevis as the starting linebackers come September 3. Acrey was the team's fifth-leading tackler last season, and Tevis is the only OLB candidate with game experience. Those two would be a solid choice, and an intriguing one. Throughout his career, Acrey has seemed to lack that intangible linebacker quality that oozes confidence, which might be why he's had a hard time holding onto a starting role. Tevis lost his starting spot last season after the opener for what seemed to be a lack of sound, assignment football. Long and lanky, Tevis' build is a departure from the Tim Bradys and Kyle Ginggs of last year. It will be interesting to see how Bronco coaches use him, if they decide to.

R.I.P., SAM Linebacker

Nathan Enderle's Heisman hopes weren't the only thing to die in the opening weeks of the 2008 season. Sometime between the Bowling Green game and the Oregon game, maybe as early as Idaho State and maybe not even until LaTech, the Broncos offed the SAM linebacker in the name of progress. Ellis Powers' nickelbacker took over, and the rest is history.

To be sure, the move was the right decision. A fluid, mobile 4-2-5 allowed the Broncos to easily defend against the myriad spread option attacks that they faced on a near-weekly basis. Powers had a season to remember and was named to the All-WAC first team (as a linebacker, ironically). No one has given a second thought to the contraction of 1/3 of the linebacker force - not even incoming recruits (see Mooney and Davis, above). SAM linebacker is gone, and as soon as I'm done writing about it, it will be forgotten.

The season of which we will not speak

The 2007 season was a tough one to stomach if you were the adopt-a-mom for the Boise State linebackers. They got absolutely trashed when the disastrous (and by disastrous, I mean 10-3) season was over.

They were blamed for the Nevada scare. They were blamed for the Washington, Hawaii, and East Carolina losses. They were blamed for not creating enough turnovers or big plays. They were blamed for David Augusto's broadcasting performance. It was rough.

And to be honest, it was probably a little unfair. As you'll recall, it was a Boise State linebacker who ended that terrifying overtime game against the WolfPack. And linebackers are sometimes only as good as the defensive linemen in front of them or the secondary behind them.

Still, linebacker play was a definite weakness, and it was one of the biggest question marks going into the 2008 season.

The impact of Kyle Gingg and the 2008 linebackers

via cache.daylife.com

Gingg was there for that bitter 2007, but it wasn't the same Kyle Gingg who held down the linebacker spot in 2008. The 2008 version was a man possessed, and he got better as the year went on. Gingg's final numbers:

76 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 2 FFs

Gingg finished third on the team in total tackles (he could have been second, but Powers played in one more game than Gingg did) and even chipped in 2.5 sacks. He was an unsung hero on last year's defense, outshined by Powers, Kyle Wilson, Jeron Johnson, Ryan Winterswyk, and Billy Winn. But without him, the defense would not have been as effective as it was.

His linebacker mates also raised their level of play from 2007. Tim Brady had 42 tackles on the season and 5 TFLs. Acrey recorded 59 stops. Tevis added an interception. The linebackers improved by leaps and bounds over the 2007 unit. They didn't force many more turnovers (six FFs and INTs total), but they were consistently in the right place at the right time. And perhaps, most importantly, they were in the right defense that allowed them to succeed.

What's expected of linebackers in the 4-2-5 defense

A disclaimer: No matter how hard I try and no matter how many times I have cowboyed his name at an Applebee's, I am not Bronco defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox. I never will be. He is a genius, and I am a boob, and he should be the one describing the linebacker's responsibilities in the 4-2-5. But with him not being a boob, that means he is also not a blogger, so you're stuck with me.

Stuff the inside run

The Bronco defense has the athletes to run with players in space on the edge and the smarts to funnel plays back inside where the linebackers can clean up. That leaves the inside running plays as one of the biggest responsibilities that the new breed of Bronco linebacker has. On the spread option, this assignment is obvious. Stuff the running back if the QB hands him the ball. In more traditional offenses, the job gets a little harder as there are giant offensive linemen in their way. Still, the LBs are counted on to clean up those runs.

via www.cfwphoto.com

Don't miss tackles

Since they are at the center of the action, the onus is on the linebackers to bring down ball carriers when they have a chance. Missed tackles were one of 2007's greatest themes with opponents slipping through on a fairly regular basis. Last year, Gingg was as sure of a tackler as they come. Acrey is solid as well. I wouldn't be surprised if tackling is one of the most important factors when the Broncos choose their starters for this fall.

Force turnovers and make plays

With only two of them on the field at most any given time, linebacker turnover numbers are sure to be smaller. But there are so many different ways that this position can make a difference. Big plays could mean a stop on third and short or a pass broken up on a screen or drag route. Whatever way they can find to make a difference, it is tantamount that the LBs pull it off.

Responsibilities the linebackers lose in the 4-2-5 defense

Leading the team in tackles

Jeron Johnson was the team's leading tackler in 2008, Ellis Powers was second, and George Iloka was fourth. This safety/nickel threesome always seemed to be near the ball, which is largely due to the design of the defense. It used to be that having a safety lead your team in tackles was a bad thing, but it obviously worked okay for the Broncos last season.

QB contain

The Nevada game serves as Exhibit A for this role. Safeties and nickels are better suited to chase down slippery quarterbacks, and the Bronco defense put these players in the best position to make that happen. It makes sense to have the hard-nosed linebackers sticking to what they do best on the inside of the defense and not getting isolated in no-win situations on the outside.

Major parts of pass defense

As teams have shifted to an increased number of athletes in the passing game, and as tight ends have developed into essentially giant WRs, linebackers have had a harder and harder time covering them. The nickel/safety accounts for this. Boise State linebackers still regularly drop in coverage, but they are far less often chasing 4.3 players down the field. Boise State's stellar secondary is far better suited to do most of the work in pass defense, allowing the linebackers to handle all the underneath routes.

Conclusions

How do you view Bronco linebackers now that the 4-2-5 has taken over? Are they any less valuable than before? There are few different ways to look at it.

Boise State's linebackers are just as important as they always are, if not more so.
Boise State's linebackers are the least important position on the defense and are quickly becoming obsolete.
Boise State's linebackers are still important, but the defensive line and secondary will still matter most when it comes to the success of the defense.

And when you take the conversation to the bigger picture, how do you think linebackers fit in?

The resurgence of the Boise State defense had nothing to do with the linebackers.
Without the solid play from the linebackers, the 4-2-5 defense wouldn't work.

There are probably some responses that I haven't touched on here. Do you feel a different way than any of these listed?

If I were to give my opinion, I would say that I am high on Boise State's linebackers being as important as ever and a vital part to the defense's resurgence. I don't say this to reduce the impact of the nickel/safety because I still think that position is one of the greatest inventions of the 21st century. But I have been able to notice just how important the linebackers' role is to the greater good of the defense. The safeties make their plays because teams are forced to go away from the run. They're forced to go away from the run because of the linebacker play in the middle.

What are your thoughts? Are you high on the linebackers or low on them? How much of their success can be attributed to the Broncos' stellar defensive tackle rotation? If you could replace the linebackers with nickel safeties, would you do it?

Let's discuss.

Five questions for Boise State's 2009 Fall Camp

Kevan Lee — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:38:54 -0000

Boise State's fall football camp opens tomorrow, so you'll have to excuse me if I don't make it through this post without a couple dozen exclamation marks and rambling, incoherent sentences that are full of WAHOOOs.

Having football back is indescribably great, but it also is realistically business. The Oregon game is less than a month away, and there are questions to be answered all over the Bronco roster. Five questions, to be exact. These five.

1. Who will emerge along the offensive line?

C Thomas Byrd has already staked his claim to a starting spot, as well as a mention on the Rimington watch list for the nation's best center. Thank goodness something good came from last season's offensive line learning experience.

The good news is that the patchwork unit that "led the way" and "opened holes" for Bronco running backs returns with a lot of game experience. The bad news is that the "big" uglies never did enough to secure a starting job. "Nuts."

Nate Potter and Matt Slater are familiar faces. So, too, Kevin Sapien and Cory Yriarte. And while those four would make a strong, solid starting unit, I'm interested to see which newbies show up and make a play for a starting role.

My advice: Keep an eye on Will Lawrence, Faraji Wright, and Tom Swanson.

2. How will Winston Venable do on defense?

Replacing Ellis Powers is no easy task. The safety/linebacker was maybe the single biggest reason why the Bronco defense was so successful a year ago.

The news out of spring ball was that Venable is up to the challenge, but a lot can change before the month of August is over. I think he'll be fine. The Idaho Statesman thinks the job is still up for grabs. Which one of us do you believe?

3. Which true freshman might avoid the redshirt?

Last year, the top freshman in fall camp was George Iloka, whose rapid ascension into the starting lineup took everyone by surprise. By mid-August, coaches were sure he would have to redshirt. By mid-September, he was starting versus the University of Oregon.

There are a lot of strong candidates to pull an Iloka this summer, but I'm looking at three positions in particular: running back, linebacker, and wide receiver. As we've discussed before, running back is potentially very thin behind Jeremy Avery and D.J. Harper. There could very well be an opening for stud Oregon HS running back Malcolm Johnson if he plays his cards right in Fall Camp.

Linebacker will be another relatively thin area with some room for a freshie to sneak in. I like the chances of John Michael Davis. Others prefer Mr. Allen Mooney. You really can't go wrong with either.

And then there's this Kirby Moore fella at wide receiver, who I hear is pretty good.

4. What did Bronco Nation do before Canadian Bacon was around?

With Michael Atkinson out injured/suspended for at least the first three games of the season, Bronco fans are going to be without their rotund Canadian fix for awhile. More importantly, Boise State is going to miss some serious defensive line depth.

The D-line was already a thin spot before Atkinson's rendition of Mr. Toad's Wild Ride to Hell. How the Broncos mend it in fall camp will be interesting to see. Last season, when injuries struck, BSU coaches started moving players around, giving us the gift of the Hout at defensive end. Will we see anything similar this fall? I think so. Don't be surprised if a linebacker (Aaron Tevis, maybe) shifts to defensive end and a defensive end (Shea McClellin, maybe?) moves inside to defensive tackle. If it works for the New York Giants, it can work for the Broncos.

5. How did Coach Pete spend his summer?

Of course, I could ask all the questions in the world, and Coach Pete would still find a way to surprise me. The great part of Fall Camp is that you never know what is going to happen, who is going to emerge, and what the opening day roster will look like on September 3.

Coach Pete and his staff have things under control - things I haven't even thought to ask.

Fall Camp scrimmage dates

Thursday, August 13
Friday, August 21
Wednesday, August 26