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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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