Football Blog

Boise State Graduate and Green Bay Packers fullback Korey Hall puts on kids football camp.

Bodybuilding.com teamed up with Korey to supply everyone with some camp shirts. The kids had a blast and really enjoyed being able to learn and play with a pro like Korey.

A message from Korey Hall:

Thanks to bodybuilding.com for sponsoring our football camp. It was a great way for kids in the surrounding areas to compete in a free camp and have the opportunity to learn from quality coaches and players. We were able to provide these young athletes with valuable skills on and off the field. Hopefully the camp will be a success in many years to come.

- Korey Hall

New Football Uniforms

You’ll want to bookmark BroncoSports.com for next Monday morning, June 1 at 10:00 am, as the first photographs of the 2009 Boise State football home and away uniforms will be released.

Senior All-American candidate Kyle Wilson will be in full uniform for the photos, showing off the new look the Broncos will sporting when they take the field on September 3rd against the  University of Oregon in the season opener.

The new uniforms were designed and manufactured by Nike.  Replica jersey pre-orders will be available beginning Monday morning.

Only at broncosports.com

Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier Discusses BCS System With Congress
Courtesy: Associated Press
    

WASHINGTON (AP) — Tackling an issue sure to rouse sports fans, lawmakers pressed college football officials Friday to switch the Bowl Championship Series to a playoff, with one Texas Republican likening the current system to communism and joking it should be labeled "BS," not "BCS."

John Swofford, the coordinator of the BCS, rejected the idea of switching to a playoff, telling a House panel that it would threaten the existence of celebrated bowl games. Sponsorships and TV revenue that now go to bowl games would instead be spent on playoff games, "meaning that it will be very difficult for any bowl, including the current BCS bowls, which are among the oldest and most established in the game’s history, to survive," Swofford said.

Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, who has introduced legislation that would prevent the NCAA from calling a game a national championship unless it’s the outcome of a playoff, bluntly warned Swofford: "If we don’t see some action in the next two months, on a voluntary switch to a playoff system, then you will see this bill move."

After the hearing of the House Energy and Commerce Committee commerce, trade and consumer protection subcommittee, Swofford told reporters: "Any time Congress speaks, you take it seriously."

Yet it is unclear whether lawmakers will try to legislate how college football picks its No. 1 before the first kickoff of the fall season. Congress is grappling with a crowded agenda of budgets, health care overhaul and climate change, and though President Barack Obama favors a playoff, he hasn’t made it a legislative priority.

College football’s multimillion-dollar television contract also could be an obstacle.

The BCS’s new four-year deal with ESPN, worth $125 million per year, begins with the 2011 bowl games. That deal was negotiated using the current BCS format. While ESPN has said it would not stand in the way if the BCS wanted to change, the new deal allows the BCS to put off making major changes until the 2014 season.

Jonathan Turley, a constitutional law expert at George Washington University, said the legislation could result in a court challenge.

"This is a rare effort by Congress to prevent people from using what is a common description of sporting events," he said in a telephone interview. The legislation, he said, "may run afoul of the contractual agreements between parties, wiping out benefits that have already been paid for by companies."

Barton, the top Republican on the committee, said at the hearing that efforts to tinker with the BCS were bound to fail.

"It’s like communism," he said. "You can’t fix it."

He quipped that the BCS should drop the "C" from its name because it doesn’t represent a true championship.

"Call it the ‘BS’ system," he said to laughter.

The current system features a championship game between the two top teams in the BCS standings, based on two polls and six computer rankings.

Under the BCS, some conferences get automatic bids to participate while others do not. Conferences that get an automatic bid — the ACC, Big East, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-10 and SEC — get about $18 million each, far more than the non-conference schools. Swofford is also commissioner of the ACC.

"How is this fair?" asked the subcommittee chairman, Democratic Rep. Bobby Rush of Illinois, who has co-sponsored Barton’s bill. "How can we justify this system … are the big guys getting together and shutting out the little guys?"

"I think it is fair, because it represents the marketplace," Swofford responded.

Craig Thompson, commissioner of the Mountain West Conference, which does not get an automatic bid, called the money distribution system "grossly inequitable."

The MWC has proposed a playoff and hired a Washington firm to lobby Congress for changes to the BCS. The proposal calls for scrapping the BCS standings and creating a 12-member committee to pick which teams receive at-large bids, and to select and seed the eight teams chosen for the playoff. The BCS has previously discussed, and dismissed, the idea of using a selection committee.

The four current BCS games — the Sugar, Orange, Rose and Fiesta bowls — would host the four first-round playoff games under the proposal.

Valero Alamo Bowl chief executive Derrick Fox, representing the 34 members of the Football Bowl Association, said that a playoff "is rife with dangers for a system that has served collegiate athletics pretty well for 100 years."

But Gene Bleymaier, athletic director at Boise State University, noted that his school’s football team went undefeated several times, yet never got a chance to play for the national championship under the BCS.

Asked by Rush whether Congress should intervene, Bleymaier responded, "The only way this is going to change is with help from the outside."

In the Senate, Utah Republican Orrin Hatch has put the BCS on the agenda for the Judiciary’s antitrust subcommittee this year, and Utah’s attorney general, Mark Shurtleff, is investigating whether the BCS violates federal antitrust laws.

Fans were furious that Utah was bypassed for the national championship despite going undefeated in the regular season. The title game pitted No. 1 Florida (12-1) against No. 2 Oklahoma (12-1); Florida won 24-14 and claimed the title.

USA TODAY PROJECTS KYLE WILSON A FIRST ROUND PICK IN THE NEXT NFL DRAFT
Courtesy: Boise State Sports Information

BOISE, Idaho – With the 2009 NFL Draft completed just last month, USA Today is already working on next year’s pro football draft and has selected Boise State University cornerback/punt returner Kyle Wilson as a first round pick.

            A senior from Piscataway, N.J., Wilson was one of 32 players the national newspaper selected as the top collegiate seniors to watch during this upcoming season.  In its brief commentary on each of the players, USA Today stated “Not only does he have excellent coverage skills, but last year Wilson averaged 14.2 yards on punt returns with three touchdowns”.  

            Wilson is coming off a stellar junior season earning second team All-American honors as a punt returner from Sporting News & SI.com when he returned 33 punts for 470 yards and three touchdowns.

He also received first team All-Western Athletic Conference (WAC) honors on defense in 2008 leading the Broncos in interceptions with five.  Wilson also broke up 10 passes and made 35 tackles, including three behind the line of scrimmage.

Boise State has had only one player selected in the first round of the NFL Draft when offensive tackle Ryan Clady was picked by the Denver Broncos as the 12th overall selection in 2008.  Clady, who will be starting just his second year with Denver, was recently named by Sporting News as the top offensive tackle in the NFL.

The Broncos open the 2009 season on Sept. 3 (Thursday) at Bronco Stadium against the University of Oregon in a nationally televised ESPN game.

May 30-31, 2003
Rocky Mountain High School
Meridian, ID

Demetrius Byrd, Former LSU receiver and NFL prospect, is in intensive care after a car crash in Miami on Sunday. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Reports say Byrd was on his way to church Sunday Morning when he was involved in the accident.

Byrd was expected to go in Day 2 of the NFL draft as rated as the 13th best receiver in the draft.

White Team Wins Big in 2009 Boise State Blue and Orange Game
Courtesy: Becca Faulds, BroncoSports.com

BOISE, Idaho –  The Blue team dominated the first half of play, but the White team’s defense and trickery pushed them ahead as they defeated the Blue team, 14-10, in Boise State’s Blue and Orange Game, Friday.

It seemed as if the first quarter could have gone scoreless, but the Blue team was able to put points up on the board as Kyle Brotzman kicked a 32-yard field goal with 1:35 left on the clock. The tough defensive play continued, but the Blue team managed to score the first touchdown of the game when wide receiver Titus Young caught a 13-yard pass from Kellen Moore to end the first half.

Despite being down 10 points entering the second half of play, the White team began to fight its way back as it scored its first touchdown of the game as Mike Coughlin connected with wide receiver Tyler Shoemaker on a 26-yard pass.

The biggest play of the spring came when the White team regained possession late in the fourth quarter.  Down three with less than four minutes to play, Coughlin pitched the ball left to Matt Kaiserman, which was reversed to wide receiver Austin Pettis who threw up an 85-yard pass to Shoemaker for the game winning touchdown.

For the Blue team, Moore connected on 10-of-16 passes for 106 yards while Drew Hawkins was 4-of-10 for 57 yards with two interceptions. It was running back Jeremy Avery that led the Blue offensively with 57 all-purpose yards, while safety Winston Venable tallied six tackles. The Blue team totaled 231 offensive yards on the day, with 163 passing and 68 rushing.

Defense was key for the White team as defensive back Cedric Febis led the team with seven tackles. Corner back Jamar Taylor and defensive lineman Jarrell Root each picked up an interception. While Pettis had the longest pass of the day (85 yards), Coughlin went 7-for-13 for a total of 81 yards. Overall, the White team passed for 166 yards and ran for 57 to bring its game total to 223 offensive yards.

The Blue and Orange game marked the end of spring workouts for the Broncos and will return to the gridiron for fall camp as they prepare for the 2009 season. Boise State will open its season against Oregon on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 8:15 p.m.

Where: Bronco Stadium
When: Friday, April 17th 6:30 PM
Price: $7-General Admission
Parking: Free general parking on East side of Bronco Stadium

If you can’t make the game you can check it out on Broncovision.

For a complete roster of who will be competing on each team click here

NFL ALL-PRO AND FORMER BRONCO QUINTIN MIKELL TO VISIT BOISE
www.BroncoSports.com

BOISE, Idaho — Former Boise State University star and current Philadelphia Eagles starting safety Quintin Mikell will be in Boise this weekend making public appearances at two different events.

The first meet and greet with Mikell will be this Friday (Feb. 27) on the Boise State campus, with the other on Saturday (Feb. 28) at the Boise Towne Square Mall.  Both are free of charge to the public and provide a chance for autographs and pictures with one of the rising stars in the NFL, while also showing support for Bronco football by picking up the 2008 "No Off-Season" Commemorative DVD.

Friday’s event will be from Noon to 1:30 pm at the Bronco Stadium Shop located on the west side of Bronco Stadium near the Allen Noble Hall of Fame Gallery.  On Saturday, Mikell will be upstairs in front of the Blue and Orange Store at the Boise Towne Square Mall from Noon to 2:00 pm.  Bronco merchandise, including the "No Off-Season" DVD will be on sale, as will Quintin Mikell photographs.  All media are welcome to attend the events, and Mikell will be available for interviews on both days.

"I am truly looking forward to being in Boise and seeing all the fans. It’s a way for me to keep connected to a city and a program that has truly helped shape me," said Mikell.  "It’s going to be a great weekend of saying thank you to the Bronco fans and also being able to see for myself how far the Boise State program has come."

Mikell was one of the key building blocks in the national rise of Bronco football.  The four year starter (1999-2002) was a member of Boise State’s first Football Bowl Subdivision (formerly division I-A) conference championship and bowl team in 1999, and was the defensive leader on two other league title and Humanitarian Bowl championship teams in 2000 and 2002.

He earned Big West Conference Defensive Most Valuable Player honors in 2000 and was voted Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Defensive Player of the Year in 2002, the only Bronco player to earn league MVP honors in two different conferences.  His 401 career tackles ranks second all-time at Boise State, while his eight forced fumbles in 2002 set an NCAA record at the time and currently ranks second in college football single season history.

This past season was Mikell’s sixth with the Philadelphia Eagles, and first as a full-time starter.  He led the Eagles with 169 tackles, while ranking second on the team with four forced fumbles and three interceptions.  Mikell was rewarded for the breakout season by being voted second team All-Pro by the Associated Press, one of two former Broncos (along with Ryan Clady of the Denver Broncos) earning All-Pro recognition in 2008.

During the Eagles 2008 run to the NFC Championship game, Mikell made 26 total tackles in three playoff games.  He also picked off Giants quarterback Eli Manning to secure the 23-11 NFC Divisional Playoff win over New York.

"He’s a beast. He’s an animal. He’s just an old-school football player," said Eagle teammate and fellow defensive back Sheldon Brown.  "He’ll have a bloody nose, bloody mouth, you’re going to look at him and he’s going to line up again and bring it."

Mikell owns 318 career tackles and five interceptions on defense, while his 126 special teams tackles since 2003 leads the Eagle team.  His aggressive special teams play earned Mikell Philadelphia’s Special Teams MVP Award in 2005 and 2006, and a spot on Sports Illustarted’s Paul Zimmerman’s All-Pro Team as a special teamer in 2006.

Mikell originally signed with Boise State in February of 1998 out of Willamette High School in Salem, Oregon, red-shirting during the 1998 season.  After his stellar Bronco career ended, he joined the Eagles as a free agent in 2003, making the opening day roster and playing in at least 14 games every season since.

He completed his communications degree from Boise State in 2005.

Ian Johnson is one of the many talents being scouted at the Combine, and he’s not doing bad.

Ian looked impressive and took advantage of this opportunity to show NFL scouts and coaches what he is made of.

Ian had an impressive second fastest time, out of 32 running backs, in the 40 yard dash, running a 4.46. He also had the fourth fastest time in the 20 yard shuttle, tied for fourth in the 60 yard and eighth in the 3-cone drill.
Put up 225 lbs for 26 reps.

Ian will be back in Boise in March for the Broncos Pro day and yet another chance to show the NFL and everyone else what he is made of.

Ian is expected to be a second day selection at the NFL draft in April.

Teams looking for intangible that can’t be measured by drills
By Steve Wyche  |  NFL.com
Senior Writer

INDIANAPOLIS — The prospective NFL offensive linemen moved about the media circuit at the combine Thursday at Lucas Oil Stadium following extensive medical workups. Most looked the part, strolling around in black sweats, meeting media that probed which teams the players will be meeting with before going through a multitude of drills in the coming days.

Yet, this whole circuit might not dictate much of what teams — especially those in desperate need — are looking for in an offensive lineman.

“Toughness,” Dolphins coach Tony Sparano said about the main trait he wants in an offensive lineman.

Can’t measure that in a 40-yard dash or in drills where guys go at it in non-padded Under Armour gear. You can measure it, though, but it might take the insight of an offensive line coach, by nature, like Sparano.

“It’s OK to watch them against the best player, but I kind of like to watch them against people they should play well against and see maybe what they’re about,” Sparano said.

Manhandling the vulnerable measures a player’s focus, will and, maybe, his nasty streak — requirements that are mandatory in the NFL, where there are no patsies eager to make their mark by racking up quarterback sacks and tackles for lost yardage.

Sparano, along with members of Miami’s personnel staff, saw what he liked in Michigan tackle Jake Long and used the NFL draft’s No. 1 pick on him last season. Though a lot of other things fell in place, Long’s development at left tackle factored into the Dolphins advancing to the playoffs after winning just one game the season before he was drafted.

As a result, Miami will select 25th overall in April’s draft, long after most of the top offensive line prospects have been snatched up.

Tackles Andre Smith (Alabama), Eugene Monroe (Virginia), Jason Smith (Baylor) and Michael Oher (Mississippi) and centers Alex Mack (California) and Max Unger (Oregon) lead an offensive line group that is highly regarded for its depth and top-end talent, especially at tackle. The guard group isn’t viewed as spectacular, but solid players can be found (isn’t that what is always said about guards?).

“We coached in the Senior Bowl last year, and you had a pretty good idea about both (teams’) lines,” Raiders coach Tom Cable said about the offensive line prospects in the 2008 draft class. “This year, just going to the Senior Bowl and watching, I thought all these guys are going to be NFL players. I wasn’t sure about all those guys last year.”

Most of the teams in the top 10 of the draft need to upgrade their offensive lines with top-level players (St. Louis, Cincinnati and Jacksonville, especially), and some of them will. The run on tackles could start much earlier than last season, when six went in the top 19 picks. There might not be as many tackles selected, but the top four could be gone before the 15th selection.

The projected first-round picks among the offensive linemen have the size, footwork, strength and athleticism to be anchors for years. Yet, do they have that extra bit of heart that will let them overcome being whipped by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison on the previous play? Do they possess that extra toughness to move Albert Haynesworth back a yard at money time after being hammered for the better part of four quarters?

[Read More]

Courtesy: Staff

BOISE, Idaho - Former Boise State running back Ian Johnson will make a promotional appearance in Boise on Saturday February 14th. The event will offer an opportunity for fans to meet Ian as well get free autographs. Johnson will begin signing autographs at 10am on the upper level of the Boise Towne Square Mall outside of The Blue & Orange Store.

February 14th also will mark the official release of the Ian Johnson Commemorative Football. Each football is individually numbered, and only 250 were produced. It is available exclusively at The Blue & Orange Store. The 14th is also the release day for the 2008 Season in Review Bronco Football DVD.

IMPORTANT CROWD CONTROL INFORMATION
Due to expectations of a very large crowd, a limit of two autographs per person will be strictly enforced. Mall doors will open at 6am. Line will be closed once capacity is reached. It is possible the line will reach capacity before 10am.

ABOUT IAN JOHNSON
Ian Johnson recently completed his senior season at Boise State University and is now living in California training for the NFL Draft. Ian is the all time WAC rushing TD leader with 58 touchdowns. He rushed for 4,183 career yards and is best known for scoring the winning points in the 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. His #41 jersey is the best selling Boise State jersey of all time.

BRONCO VALENTINE’S DAY “SWEETHEART OF A DEAL”
Courtesy: Boise State Sports Information

BOISE, Idaho — As an added benefit for those attending the Boise State University-Utah State University men’s basketball game this Saturday night (Feb. 14), key members of the 2008 WAC Champion Bronco Football team will be on hand pre-game meeting fans and signing autographs.

The "Sweetheart of a Deal" Valentines Night event is part of the launch weekend for the 2008 Bronco Football "No Off-Season" Commemorative DVD, which will be on sale at the event.

The football players will be signing autographs from 5:00-7:00 p.m., with the basketball game tipping at 7:05 p.m.  A ticket to the Utah State basketball game is needed as admission to the autograph event, which will be held in the Taco Bell Arena Auxiliary Gym.  Fans will use Entrance 3 of the Arena to enter the autograph event and game.  Adult tickets are $12 and youth tickets $5 to the game and can be purchased the night of the game or at any Select-A-Seat outlet leading up to the game.

Sixteen football players will be on hand for the autograph event, including graduating seniors Vinny Perretta and Mike T. Williams, as well as returning all-conference players Kellen Moore, Austin Pettis, Ryan Winterswyk, Kyle Wilson and Jeron Johnson.  Other players on hand will be Jeremy Avery, DJ Harper, Kyle Efaw, Richie Brockel, Billy Winn, Derrell Acrey, Brandyn Thompson, George Iloka and Kyle Brotzman.

ESPN.com

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Oregon coach Mike Bellotti wants college football to have tougher penalties against unsportsmanlike conduct and dangerous hits.

Now it’s time to find out whether his coaching colleagues agree with his suggestions.

Bellotti, the NCAA football rules committee chairman, said Wednesday officials should eject more players for flagrant personal fouls, and agreed to seek input on whether some celebration penalties should be live-ball penalties, which could result in losing points.

While the ejections will be a point of emphasis next season, the celebration recommendation is not even a formal proposal yet.

"We’re going to poll the coaches and see if they support that [celebration change]," Bellotti said. "They may not."

Bellotti said the change was not likely to take affect for at least two years, and even if approved would likely apply only to players who begin taunting opponents before crossing the goal line. The penalty would be assessed from the spot of the foul, like offensive holding calls in college football.

Teams would not be penalized, Bellotti said, for a group celebration after the score because the NCAA wants to emphasize the team concept, not individuals.

Then again, the committee may not have to do anything.

"That would be a huge change, so we want to give it time to soak out there," said Rogers Redding, the SEC coordinator of officials. "We may change behaviors just because we’re talking about it."

Other proposals include a revised statement on sportsmanship that could lead to harsher penalties.

The edited version would make coaches responsible for player behavior before, during and after games. If there are repeated infractions, a coach and school could be disciplined by conference officials.

None of the proposals will become official until they are passed by the oversight committee next month.

Bellotti also wants officials to have more leeway in ejecting players for flagrant personal fouls. Those calls would also trigger an automatic review by conference officials.

"We believe, in some cases, that players must be penalized more severely when the contact is clearly flagrant and dangerous," Bellotti said.

Another change would limit the protective area for punters.

That is a reaction to the trendy rugby style kicks, a tactic in which punters move several steps before kicking the ball on the run. If adopted, opponents could not be called for roughing or running into the kicker if the punter is outside the tackle box.

Game clock and time issues that have dominated rules meetings in recent years were not major topics this week.

"There was consensus approval by coaches on all levels on the clock discussions," Bellotti said. "I think the clock rules worked out as we thought they would. It may have cost teams four or five plays per game, but that’s what we were expecting."

The committee also approved a provision allowing both teams to wear colored jerseys in games when there is a clear contrast in color and only if both teams agrees. The agreement is also subject to conference approval.

If there is not an agreement, the visiting team would wear white jerseys.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press

On Wednesday February 4th BSU celebrated the welcoming of 21 new recruits, the Stueckle Sky Center at Boise State was filled with Blue and Orange to welcome the newest members to the Bronco football team. The event lasted 3 hours and had over 400 fans watching highlights of each of the new players and listening to coaches interviews.

Welcome to Boise all 21 of you!

The geographical diversity of the group is represented by 8 different states and even a couple of recruits from the Netherlands.
BSU finished off last years season 8-0 for their conference and 12-1 overall, and was ranked 11^th in the AP poll and 13^th in the USA Today poll.

Nick Alexander           Los Angeles, CA           Defensive End     6′3" 228
Jonathan Brown       El Sobrante, CA        Safety                6′0" 205
Jake Broyles       Henderson, NV        Offensive Line     6′4" 242
Aaron Burks               Grand Praire, TX        Wide Receiver     6′2" 180
John Michael Davis     Coto de Caza, CA        Linebacker        6′0" 216
Quaylon Ewing       Sugar Land, TX        Cornerback        6′0" 180
Geraldo Hiwat       Amsterdam, Netherlands Wide Receiver     6′2" 179
Malcom Johnson       Gresham, OR                Runningback        5′10" 182
Justin Jungblut       Scottsdale, AZ        Defensive Tackle  6′4" 241
Charles Leno       Oakland, CA                Offensive Line     6′3" 246
Gabe Linehan       Banks, OR                Tight End        6′3" 200
Ebenezer Makinde       Phoenix, AZ                Quarterback        5′9" 165
Kharyee Marshall       Phoenix, AZ                Defensive End     6′2" 200
Allen Mooney       Maple Valley, WA        Linebacker        5′9" 207
Kirby Moore               Prosser, WA                Wide Receiver     6′2" 195
Trevor Peterson       Camino, CA                Tight End        6′2" 218
Joe Southwick       Danville, CA                Quarterback         6′1" 183
Mike Tamburo       Suwanee, GA                Quarterback         5′11" 172
Bryant Thomas       Boise, ID                Offensive Line 6′2" 249
Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe    Amsterdam, Netherlands Defensive Line 6′2" 282
Winston Venable       San Rafael, CA        Safety         6′0" 209