Tommy Smith Signs With Browns

Boise State linebacker Tommy Smith has signed a free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League.

Always liked Tommy for his intensity and passion for the game.  Hope he catches on.

Top Broncos of All-Time

OK, first off, deciding on "The Top Broncos of All-Time" is a little bit like choosing your favorite kids.  You love them all, and it's difficult to say one is better than the other.  For a phrase such as this, I would include not only their on-field but off-the-field performance, as well as how well they represent the school.  Plus, when you're talking Broncos, the term "blue-collar" isn't just a phrase; it's a way of life for Boise State football, so I strongly considered those Broncos who bring their lunchbox in every day and go all out for the team.

Here are the past players that have to deserve consideration for a list such as this:

Jim McMillan, Don Hutt, Cedric Minter, David Hughes, Randy Trautman, Rick Woods, Doug Scott, Carl Keever, John Rade, Marcus Koch, Pete Kwiatkowski, Erik Helgeson, Frank Robinson, Bart Hendricks, Brock Forsey, Ryan Dinwiddie, Quintin Mikell, Andy Avalos, Daryn Colledge, Korey Hall, Ian Johnson, Ryan Clady, Nate Potter, Shea McClellin, Doug Martin, Kellen Moore

Athlon's 10 Greatest Broncos of All-Time

Like the bleacher report list of a few years back, Athlon doesn't list Brock Forsey and I have a problem with that.  To me, he epitomizes everything good about Boise State--he didn't earn a scholarship but was given the chance to walk on from Centennial High School.  Not only did he make the team, he began contributing immediately as a freshman, starred throughout his career, and led the nation in scoring his senior year.  Boise State prides themselves in being "blue-collar".  If you were to look up "blue-collar" in a dictionary, it would have a picture of Brock Forsey next to it.

Since Athlon went and published it, I'll have to do my own list and feel free to add yours to the "Comments" section.  Besides Forsey, other notable omissions are Daryn Colledge and Korey Hall.

Athlon Ranks Boise State #11 in Preseason

That's a good ranking, but I don't think good enough.  We'll see what the Broncos have in mind and if they come out this season fired up.

Boise State in the History Books

We have completed our newest creation--the Boise State in the History Books Tab.  Please check it out at the top of the website and let me know if you see any typos in inaccuracies.  You can refer to it at any time from now on!

Boise State Tied for 3rd in Nation in Shutouts Over Last 10 Years

Yesterday, we brought you the list of teams that have gone the longest without being shut out.  Today, we focus on the other side of the ball.  Which defenses have done the best job of shutting down their opponents of the last 10 years?  With the tough defenses of the SEC, you might expect an SEC team to be at the top, and they are, but look who is at #3.

1.    Alabama (13 shutouts from 2003-2012)
2.    Virginia Tech (12)
3.    Boise State (10)
3.    TCU (10)
3.    USC (10)
6.    Florida State (9)
6.    Rutgers (9)
8.    Ohio State (8)
8.    Oklahoma (8)
8.    Virginia (8)
11.  Georgia (7)
11.  LSU (7)
13.  Iowa (6)
13.  Mississippi State (6)
13.  Missouri (6)
13.  Oregon State (6)
13.  Penn State (6)
18.  BYU (5)
18.  Louisville (5)
18.  Michigan (5)
18.  Nebraska (5)
18.  Texas (5)
23.  Air Force (4)
23.  Auburn (4)
23.  Central Florida (4)
23.  Fresno State (4)
23.  Oregon (4)
23.  Temple (4)
23.  Utah (4)
23.  Virginia (4)

Longest Streaks Without Being Shut Out

1.    Michigan (Last Shut Out:  10/20/1984)
2.    Florida (10/29/1988
3.    TCU (11/16/1991)
4.    Air Force (12/31/1992)
5.    Ohio State (11/20/1993)
6.    Tennessee (9/17.1994)
7.    Virginia Tech (9/16/1995)
8.    Georgia (9/30/1995)
9.    Nebraska (9/21/1996)
10.  Kansas State (11/16/1996)
11.  Wisconsin (8/24/1997)
12.  Boise State (9/27/1997)
13.  East Carolina (10/4/1997)
14.  Georgia Tech (10/18/1997)
14.  Texas Tech (10/18/1997)
16.  USC (11/1/1997)
17.  Oklahoma (11/7/1998)
17.  Mississippi (11/7/1998
19.  California (9/11/1999)
20.  Houston (9/23/2000)
20.  Louisville (9/23/2000)
22.  Indiana (10/14/2000)
22.  Iowa (10/14/2000)
22.  Marshall (10/14/2000)
25.  Michigan State (10/21/2000)

Most Consecutive Bowl Victories

(not necessarily consecutive years)

1.    Florida State 5
2.    Alabama 4
2.    Boise State 4
2.    BYU 4
5.    Kansas 3
5.    Oklahoma State 3
5.    San Jose State 3
5.    Texas Tech 3  
9.    Baylor 2
9.    Central Michigan 2
9.    Cincinnati 2  
9.    Central Florida 2
9.    Illinois 2
9.    Louisiana-Lafayette 2
9.    Maryland 2
9.    Michigan State 2
9.    Ohio 2
9.    Oregon 2
9.    Rice 2
9.    SMU 2
9.    South Carolina 2
9.    Syracuse 2
9.    Texas 2
9.    Texas A&M 2

Sam Ukwuachu Dismissed from Team

Starting defensive end Sam Ukwauchu has dismissed from the team for "unspecified violation of team rules".  We know why, and he certainly deserved it.  Why would you know the team rules and then break them, sacrificing a chance at the NFL on the best college football team in the country?

In other news, quarterback Jimmy Laughrea has left the team.  No word on if another school is interested in picking him up.

New Tab Coming Soon!

We're excited about a new batch of information we're going to unveil soon on Blue Football Through and Through.  Actually, it's not new information to those who have paid close attention over the years.

We are currently working on assembling a new Tab that will be featured on the website called "Boise State in the History Books".  The Tab will feature all of the lists and statistics that include Boise State as one of the historical players in college football. 

hen you're a current fan of college football, it's easy to get caught up in the moment and lose track of the big picture.  Boise State is obviously one of the major players in the sport and has been for quite some time--even this fact is grudgingly admitted by more and more people each year.  But it goes beyond that.  Boise State is not just one of the best in the nation at this time, but is making achievements of historic significance.  We have chronicled those for you as they happen, showing how Boise State is one of the most successful football programs in the history of college football.

The new "Boise State in the History Books" Tab will contain all of these achievements in one place, so you can always easily find them and refer to them.  Together, they represent monumental achievement since 1999.  Not only you check on these statistics and perhaps find ones you weren't aware of, you can easily pass this information on to friends, as well as fans of other schools.  The hope is that the local and national media can use this information for their research into Boise State.

There are dozens of categories in which Boise State has shown they are one of the most successful teams in history, and it will take us a few weeks to finish putting it together.  But it should be up for all to see by the end of the summer!

Records Section Now Most Complete Boise State Records Section Available

The Records Section* (which is split into Offensive and Defensive & Scoring) has been updated and expanded.  You will be the final judge of course, but it is the most complete and expansive Boise State Football Records Section available to you.  It surpasses the online Records Section from Boise State as well as the Football Yearbook, in both number of categories and number of players listed for each record.  There will be further expansion in the weeks to come.

Check it out! 

Boise State's All-80's Team

Blue Football Through and Through has presented the Boise State All-70's Football Team*.  Now it's time to salute the Boise State All-80's Team*:

C--Dan Schrader 
(This was a tough call because Schrader only played one year of the decade, but if you're going to do that, why not get chosen to the All-Big Sky team, earn Honorable Mention All-America and be the center for the National Champions in that one year?

G--Tom DeWitz 
Tom was a starter at guard for three and a half seasons for Boise State, earning the nod during his freshman season of 1984 and not letting up until he had been named All-Big Sky Conference his junior and senior seasons.  DeWitz was tabbed as a I-AA All-American his senior year.  

G--Jon Zogg 
This is another tough one as Zogg beat out 1980 All-Big Sky guard Shawn Beaton and 1985 All-Big Sky pick Steve Despot.  Beaton only played one year of the decade and Despot also split time his career playing center. Zogg was a two-year starter and earned All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America in 1982.

T--Dennis Brady
 Brady anchored the Bronco line in 1980 and 1981, helping Boise State to the National Championship in '80 and the semifinals in 1981.  Both years, Dennis earned All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America for his performance.

T--John Kilgo 
John was a three-year starter for Boise State, earning All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America in 1984.

QB-- Joe Aliotti

 This is a very tough position to call, as Boise State used no less than eight starting quarterbacks in ten years.  Only DesPres (part-time starter for 2 1/2 years), Tim Klena (part-time starter for 2 years) and Hazsen Choates (2 years) started more than one year out of the decade.

We tabbed Aliotti over a field that included Mike Virden and Vince Alcalde because you look for a quarterback to lead the team to victory, and that is what Joe did in taking the Broncos to the 1980 National Championship.  In that season, Aliotti connected on 134-of-218 passes, far and away the best percentage of any 80's quarterback (61.5%), for 1,590 yards and 13 touchdowns against 8 interceptions.  Aliotti was the only quarterback to earn All-Big Sky recognition in the decade.

RB--Rodney Webster

 Rocket rushed for 2,889 yards and 19 touchdowns as Boise State's starting tailback from 1981-1983, a more than adequate replacement for legendary Cedric Minter.  (We strongly considered Ced even though he played only one year of the decade.)  Webster earned two All Big Sky Conference selections and was a second-team All-American his senior year.

RB--Jon Francis 
Francis rushed for 2,172 yards and 18 TD's in 1984 and 1985 and also caught 43 passes for 436 yards and four scores.  Francis also was named to the All-Big Sky team twice. (Chris Thomas was also strongly considered, but  he played two years in the 80's and two in the 90's.)

WR--Kipp Bedard

Bedard accumulated 122 receptions and 1,971 receiving yards in his Boise State career, and who can forget his three catches in the final minutes to put the Broncos in position to win the National Championship in 1980?  Kipp was named All Big-Sky in both 1980 and 1981 and earned Second Team All-America honors his senior year.

WR--Eric Andrade 
Eric caught 104 passes for 1,546 yards and 15 touchdowns in two seasons as the starting wideout.  He earned All-Big Sky honors and was Second Team All-America in 1987.   (strong consideration to Winky White and Kim Metcalf)  


DE--Markus Koch 

The toughest position to decide.  Boise State had amazing defensive ends in the 80's:  consider that Erik Helgeson, John Rade and Lance Sellers are left off the starting 80's team (I know.)  We went with Koch--a three-time All Big Sky selection and two-time All-America who went on to win Super Bowl rings with the Washington Redskins.  Marcus had 213 career tackles, 27 for loss, with 3 forced fumbles, 4 recoveries and 2 pass deflections.

DE--Pete Kwiatkowski 

Pete had 261 tackles in his career with 62 tackles for loss.  They only began recording sacks during Pete's senior season, but he had 15 in that year alone.  Kwiatkowski also had two forced fumbles, four recoveries, six pass deflections and an interception.   He was honored as a two-time All-Big Sky selection and was named to the 1987 All-America team.  (Helgeson's best year, his senior season, was in 1990 and thus ineligible for consideration on the 80's team.  But that doesn't take away that he still is on the Boise State All-Time Team*.)

DT--Randy Trautman

 Randy was a two-time All-Big Sky and All-America choice.  Trautman had 177 tackles, 16 for loss, in the two years of the decade that he was a menacing force on the Bronco defense.  They didn't keep sack statistics back then, but rest assured #70 piled them up.  Trautman is still Boise State's only member of the College Football Hall of Fame.

DT--Michel Bourgeau 

Bourgeau earned two All-Big Sky selections at Boise State.  Michel had 190 career tackles with 25 for loss, one forced fumble and five recoveries.

LB--Scott Russell
 Russell had 284 tackles in the decade, with 19 of those for loss, and six pass deflections and a fumble recovery.  Scott earned All-Big Sky honors in 1988.

LB--Carl Keever

The three-time All-Big Sky and two-time All-American accumulated 397 career tackles, 23 for loss, with 4 forced fumbles and recoveries, 5 interceptions and 11 pass deflections.

LB--Rex Walters
This was a tough call, since Walters and Jim Ellis both earned All-Big Sky and Honorable Mention All-America the same year.  We went with Walters, who was the more disruptive force.  In two years at Boise State, Walters had 145 tackles, a whopping 36 of them for loss, with 2 forced fumbles, 5 recoveries and 7 pass deflections.

CB--Frank Robinson

In his freshman and sophomore years, Robinson had 76 tackles, 1 for loss, with a sack, 8 interceptions, 15 pass deflections and 2 fumble recoveries.

CB--Chris Bell
A tough call over Keith Morioka and Chuck Compton, Bell started for the 1980 National Champions and 1981 semifinal team, totaling 97 tackles, 2 for loss, with 6 interceptions, 16 pass deflections and a fumble recovery.

S--Kenny Kuehl
Kuehl earned two All-Big Sky selections and was Second Team All-American in 1988.  Kenny became one of the top tackling defensive backs in school history with 315 tackles in the three years of the decade, and had 11 interceptions, 3 sacks and 15 pass deflections.

S--Rick Woods

Boise State featured great safeties in the 80's, with Woods beating out Rod Johnson, Maury Moore, Phil Bartle, Butch Fisk and Larry Alder.  Woods had 149 tackles in 1980 and '81, 7 for loss, with 5 interceptions and 14 pass deflections.

PK--Roberto Moran
Moran beat out Mark Jensen, Mike Black and Kenrick Camerud by hitting 34 of 53 field goal tries, including a 56-yarder that is still the school record.  Roberto also connected on all 57 of his PAT tries.

P--Ron Talbot
Talbot beat out four-year starter Tom Schimmer and Tom Spadafore, whose punting in 1980 (41.9 avg.) was a key force in Boise State's National Championship.  Talbot had 172 punts for 6,918 yards (40.22 career average).  Talbot's high, booming kicks also allowed little return yardage.

PR--Rick Woods
Woods' punt return average (10.39) was the best of the 80's return men, but, since Woods rarely called for a fair catch, he made yards out of every return, getting valuable field position for the 1980 National Champions and 1981 semifinal Broncos.  Rick was All-Big Sky in '81.

KR--Robbie Washington
Robbie returned 39 kickoffs for 908 yards (23.28 average) for the Broncos from 1987-1989.

KR--Tony Hunter
Hunter had 19 returns for 453 yards (23.84) for Boise State in 1984 and 1985.