Broncos Look for Improvement This Week

Boise State hosts Miami of Ohio in the Broncos' home opener this season Saturday at 2 p.m. in Bronco Stadium.  It will be the first game after expansion that has put capacity of the stadium near 37,000.

The Broncos have had two weeks to think about a season-opening loss to Michigan State, a game in which just one play made at any time of the game would have resulted in a win.  Shoulda, coulda, woulda.  And didn't.  Lesson learned.

While recognizing that Michigan State has a top team this year, the loss to the Spartans revealed several problem areas for the Broncos.  The Boise State offensive line couldn't hold their blocks longer than a Little League team I used to help coach.  Granted the level of play is night and day but the principle is the same.  I was frustrated then and I know Coach Chris Petersen is frustrated now.  It all starts with the line and if they can't dominate their man, nothing works behind them.

Meanwhile, the Bronco defensive line had its own share of problems, namely with one Le'veon Bell.  Rather than penetrating the line of scrimmage (as Michigan State did to the Boise State offensive line), the Bronco players waited for Bell to come to them, something you can't do with a back of his caliber.  By then, Bell had a head of steam and was much tougher to bring down than he would be in the backfield.

Unlike Boise State, the Redhawks' offensive line turned in a strong performance in its last game.  Spencer Treadwell rushed for 73 yards and quarterback Zac Dysert became one of just 12 Mid-American Conference quarterbacks to throw for 9,000 yards with 226 passing yards in a 30-12 win over Southern Illinois.

Dysert has now thrown 50 career touchdown passes, third on the Miami list behind Ben Roethlisberger (84) and Josh Betts (54).  The Miami offense possesses quite a different challenge for Boise State's defense.  While MSU climbed on Bell's back and rode him to victory with run after run, Dysert loves to fling the pigskin.  In two games, Dysert has thrown it 89 times, completing 59 (66.3%) for 529 yards and two touchdowns.  Wide receiver Andy Cruse has cruised along through two games with 20 receptions, tied for fourth in the NCAA.  Nick Harwell (11 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown) and Dawan Scott (9 receptions for 118 yards) are the other top targets.
Pat Hinkel is one of 20 players in the nation to have two interceptions so far--he has 49 yards of interception returns with one returned for six.  Hinkel also leads the Redhawks with 18 tackles and four pass deflections.  Mwanza Wamulumba leads Miami with 1.5 sacks and he has 2 tackles for loss; Mike Johns has 2.5 tackles for loss among six tackles this season.  Chris Wade (14 tackles), Brison Burris (13 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss) and Dayonne Nunley (11 tackles, 2 pass deflections) have been the other stars of the defense.  
Boise State is a big favorite in the game, but don't tell that to the Miami players.  They've seen the Michigan State film too and they're hungry to exploit the weaknesses they saw.  Boise State Coach Petersen has said many times that his team has to earn their status.
This Saturday, Boise State will have to earn it.  The game will be televised live by NBC Sports Network.

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