Kellen Moore Makes Detroit Roster Again

This really isn't news to celebrate, although it does continue to give him a paycheck.  The Lions should either use him, or cut him loose.  His amazing talent is being wasted on the sidelines.

Detroit Column on Kellen Moore

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2014/08/column_kellen_moore_outplays_d.html

Kellen Moore Leads Lions to 23-0 Shutout

Kellen Moore did his job, firing 17 of 28 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns in leading Detroit to a 23-0 pasting of Buffalo in the final NFL preseason game.

Matt Miller 4 Receptions Shy of Career Record

Matt entered the game with 216 receptions in his career, eight behind Austin Pettis.  Miller has four right now, halfway there.

Broncos Going Toe To Toe With the #18 Team in the Country in Their Own Region

Boise State down 7-3 well into the second half.

It's Gameday!

The 2014 Boise State football team makes its debut in Atlanta, Georgia, going against nationally-ranked Mississippi.

Corey Bell and Matt Miller Will Be Full-Time Captains

Can't think of two better representatives of Boise State football--and Corey and Matt will be the Bronco Captains for this fall.

All-SEC Team

Ole Miss getting respect in the preseason All-SEC team.  If you look just at these expectations, they will be comparable to the Georgia team Boise State played three years ago.

OFFENSE
First Team
QB Nick Marshall, Auburn (241)
RB T.J. Yeldon, Alabama (281)
RB Todd Gurley, Georgia (280)
WR Amari Cooper, Alabama (282)
WR Sammie Coates, Auburn (207)
TE O.J. Howard, Alabama (188)
OL La'el Collins, LSU (231)
OL Arie Kouandjio, Alabama (188)
OL Laremy Tunsil, Ole Miss (183)
OL Cedric Ogbuehi, Texas A&M (174)
C Reese Dismukes, Auburn (226)

Second Team
QB Dak Prescott, Mississippi State (118)
RB Mike Davis, South Carolina (240)
RB Alex Collins, Arkansas (126)
WR Laquon Treadwell, Ole Miss (182)
WR Malcolm Mitchell, Georgia (71)
TE C.J. Uzomah, Auburn (141)
OL A.J. Cann, South Carolina (166)
OL Vadal Alexander, LSU (112)
OL Alex Kozan, Auburn (112)
OL Corey Robinson, South Carolina (107)
C Ryan Kelly, Alabama (126)
Third Team
QB Bo Wallace, Ole Miss (94)
RB Corey Grant, Auburn (52)
RB Keith Marshall, Georgia (44)
WR Jameon Lewis, Mississippi State (67)
WR Marquez North, Tennessee (66)
TE Hunter Henry, Arkansas (72)
OL Austin Shepherd, Alabama (106)
OL Chad Slade, Auburn (101)
OL John Theus, Georgia (96)
OL Chaz Green, Florida (94)
C Evan Boehm, Missouri (77)
DEFENSE
First Team
DL Robert Nkemdiche, Ole Miss (239)
DL Dante Fowler, Jr., Florida (212)
DL A'Shawn Robinson, Alabama (208)
DL Gabe Wright, Auburn (192)
LB Trey DePriest, Alabama (253)
LB A.J. Johnson, Tennessee (186)
LB Ramik Wilson, Georgia (147)
DB Landon Collins, Alabama (274)
DB Vernon Hargreaves, III, Florida (243)
DB Cody Prewitt, Ole Miss (210)
DB Deshazor Everett, Texas A&M (183)
Second Team
DL Trey Flowers, Arkansas (181)
DL Chris Jones, Mississippi State (150)
DL Alvin "Bud" Dupree, Kentucky (134)
DL Markus Golden, Missouri (125)
LB Benardrick McKinney, Mississippi State (143)
LB Jordan Jenkins, Georgia (137)
LB Denzel Nkemdiche, Ole Miss (116)
DB Robenson Therezie, Auburn (144)
DB Tre'Davious White, LSU (141)
DB Damian Swann, Georgia (127)
DB Tony Conner, Ole Miss (116)
Third Team
DL Ray Drew, Georgia (102)
DL Montravius Adams, Auburn (94)
DL Carl Lawson, Auburn (87)
DL Jermauria Rasco, LSU (79)
LB Kwon Alexander, LSU (112)
LB Cassanova McKinzy, Auburn (82)
LB Serderius Bryant, Ole Miss (76)
DB Jon Mincy, Auburn (99)
DB Corey Thompson, LSU (86)
DB Rashard Robinson, LSU (84)
DB Brison Williams, South Carolina (81)
SPECIALISTS
First Team
P Drew Kaser, Texas A&M (221)
PK Marshall Morgan, Georgia (224)
RS Christion Jones, Alabama (262)
AP Christion Jones, Alabama (130)
Second Team
P Sam Irwin-Hill, Arkansas (136)
PK Colby Delahoussaye, LSU (142)
RS Andre Debose, Florida (97)
AP Terrence Magee, LSU (111)
Third Team
P Jamie Keehn, LSU (81)
PK Andrew Baggett, Missouri (103)
RS Marcus Murphy, Missouri (72)
AP Trey Williams, Texas A&M (89)

Bronco Depth Chart

DEPTH CHART (PROJECTED)

QUARTERBACK HT. WT. YR. 
9 Grant Hedrick 6-0 198 R-Sr. 
15 Ryan Finley 6-4 190 R-Fr.

TAILBACK
27 Jay Ajayi 6-0 216 R-Jr. 
26 Devan Demas OR 5-8 174 R-So. 
21 Jack Fields 5-9 203 Jr.

WIDE RECEIVER
2 Matt Miller 6-3 213 R-Sr. 
14 Troy Ware 6-2 183 R-Jr.

WIDE RECEIVER
6 Chaz Anderson 5-10 182 R-So. 
81 OR Dallas Burroughs 5-9 169 Sr.

SLOT RECEIVER
11 Shane Williams-Rhodes 5-6 158 Jr. 
82 Thomas Sperbeck 6-0 173 So.

TIGHT END
88 Jake Roh 6-3 228 R-Fr. 
89 Connor Peters 6-4 251 Sr. 
87 OR Alec Dhaenens 6-3 239 R-Fr. 
84 Jake Hardee 6-3 238 R-Jr.

LEFT TACKLE
71 Rees Odhiambo 6-4 310 R-Jr. 
75 Eli McCullough 6-5 288 R-Fr.

LEFT GUARD
73 Travis Averill 6-3 298 R-So. 
60 Kellen Buhr 6-1 290 R-So. 
52 OR Andrew Tercek 6-1 280 R-Fr.

CENTER
72 Marcus Henry 6-3 286 R-Jr. 
59 Mason Hampton 6-3 274 R-Fr.

RIGHT GUARD
66 Mario Yakoo 6-4 339 R-So. 
74 OR Archie Lewis 6-3 283 R-Fr.

RIGHT TACKLE
70 Steven Baggett 6-3 289 R-So. 
76 Jerhen Ertel 6-6 271 R-Jr.

KICKER
41 Dan Goodale 5-10 185 R-Sr. 
49 Tyler Rausa 5-9 192 R-So.

END
53 Beau Martin 6-2 258 R-Sr. 
33 Gabe Perez 6-4 231 So. 
OR 32 Rondell McNair, 6-2, 242, R-Jr.

TACKLE
69 Tyler Horn 6-5 273 Sr. 
94 Sam McCaskill 6-3 250 R-So. 
OR 96 Elliot Hoyte, 6-4, 271, R-So.

NOSE TACKLE
40 Armand Nance 6-0 301 Jr. 
OR 98 Antoine Turner 6-1 290 R-Jr. 
58 Robert Ash, 6-3, 286, R-Jr.

STUD
8 Kamalei Correa 6-3 247 So. 
54 Mat Boesen 6-4 219 R-Fr.

WEAK-SIDE LINEBACKER
51 Ben Weaver 6-0 235 R-So. 
OR 36 Tyler Gray 6-4 229 Jr.

MIDDLE LINEBACKER
20 Tanner Vallejo 6-1 228 So. 
OR 13 Blake Renaud 6-2 255 Sr.

NICKEL
38 Corey Bell 5-11 203 Sr. 
37 Cameron Hartsfield 5-10 186 R-Fr. 
OR 9 Mercy Maston, 5-11, 197, Sr.

CORNERBACK
5 Donte Deayon 5-9 152 Jr. 
1 Bryan Douglas OR 5-9 175 R-Sr. 
9 Mercy Maston 5-11 197 Sr.

CORNERBACK
3 Cleshawn Page 5-9 178 Sr. 
30 Jonathan Moxey 5-10 187 So.

SAFETY
10 Jeremy Ioane 5-10 192 R-Sr. 
28 Dillon Lukehart 6-1 208 R-Jr. 
OR 29 Dylan Sumner-Gardner, 6-1, 196, Fr.

SAFETY
4 Darian Thompson 6-2 208 R-Jr. 
22 Chanceller James 6-2 208 R-So.

PUNTER
19 Sean Wale 6-2 186 R-So.

LONG SNAPPER
46 Kevin Keane 6-0 207 Jr. 
42 Matt Cota, 6-1, 189, R-Fr.

Question Mark and the Broncos

Question Mark and the Mysterians were a 60’s band, best known for their big hit “96 Tears”. 

Unlike the band, the “Question Mark” here doesn’t refer to anyone specific, but rather a vast number of question marks surrounding the Boise State team. 

Bryan Harsin had an amazing record as an assistant coach, helped rebuild Texas’s offense, and did a fine job as the head man at Arkansas State coach.  But the team he inherits in Boise isn’t the one he left—up until last year, Boise State had not lost a game by more than four points since way back in 2007.  Last year’s Bronco team was crushed 38-6 by Washington, thumped 37-20 by BYU, and ripped by Oregon State 38-23.  You have to go all the way back to 2001 to find a blue and orange team that lost three games by 15 points or more.  Until last year. 

Are the current Boise State players on the level of the Broncos of 13 years ago, or was the coaching just poor last year, or some combination? 

People who produce the recruiting ratings are no experts, and people who follow them know that great prospects don’t necessarily translate into great players.  But the recruiting classes at Boise State the last few years have been among the best in the history of the school.  So it seems that the Broncos certainly had the talent to be champions.  The old Bronco coaching staff installed a new offense a few seasons ago, a highly predictable system that relied chiefly on bubble screens and runs up the middle.  But the question remains:  Did Boise State lose the most games since 1998 (5) because of poor coaching or poor execution?   

Boise State built its reputation on having strong, aggressive offensive lines, and has sent many linemen to the National Football League.  The Broncos always prided themselves on picking up the tough yard on fourth and short.  Last year, Boise State slipped in fourth down production, ranking all the way back at #55 in that department.  Was that because the Bronco line is not up to the level of past years, or was the play-calling just bad?  

Well, Boise State sent another one to the NFL (tackle Charles Leno), and two other starters are gone, so unfortunately, we may not get an answer to this one for a while.  The 2014 Bronco offensive line is very young and relatively inexperienced.  It will take a few games to get a good handle on their talent level.  Will they be able to not only hold their blocks, but resume serving pancake blocks, then running downfield to knock someone else down?  Boise State was one of the best in the nation at protecting the quarterback not that long ago.  But last year, the Bronco line also allowed the most sacks of quarterbacks Joe Southwick and Grant Hedrick of any year in recent memory (ranking #60 in sacks allowed).  Have the new coaches corrected the problems of a year ago? 

Last season, when he first became a starter, Hedrick turned in a couple of gorgeous runs in the Nevada game, then it seemed as if he was hesitant to run after that.  Was that his decision, or was he told by the old coaches not to head upfield?   

Demarcus Lawrence’s decision to go professional after his junior year may have been a great move by him, but what bearing does that decision have on the remaining defensive linemen?  With the Bronco secondary being one of the strengths of this Boise State team, there should be ample opportunities for sacks.  Can the Broncos turn up the pressure this year on the opposing quarterback, and if so, who will be the new leader on the line? 

Speaking of the secondary, they certainly have the talent to be one of the top units in the country this year, and, in defensive coordinator Marcel Yates, have a coach with plenty of experience to know what he wants them to do, having played the position himself.  But just how good is this unit?  In Mississippi, they’ll be facing a talented corps of SEC receivers.  Can they stay with them, or are the defensive backs overrated? 

Last year, every time Boise State needed a key stop, be it trying to gain control against Washington, or in a tight conference game, they had trouble.  The 2013 Broncos ranked 86^th in third-down defense.  If a defense is on the field for most of the game, they’re going to get tired, the tackling won’t be as crisp, and they’re more likely to get pushed around by the opposing team.  This is what happened in games such as Washington, BYU, and others.  Has Yates instilled the fire in his unit to come up with those key stops, or will we see more of the same? 

And then it comes back to coaching.  On paper, the Bronco coaching staff seems as able as any the team has had in the past decade.  They have a great combination of young excitement and ideas and savvy veterans.  Harsin helped Arkansas State win the Sun Belt last season, but he’s never faced an opponent the caliber of Mississippi as a head coach.  How will he fare?  Harsin hopes he and his staff have prepared the team to play well enough to make it close.  If it is, then it comes down to coaching.  We know Harsin was an excellent offensive coordinator—how good of a head coach is he? 

We should find out the answer to that question and many of the ones posed above soon.  In fact, we are one week away from the opener in Atlanta, Georgia.  One doesn’t get a lot of opportunities to better themselves or their position in life.  The game with Ole Miss is one of those opportunities for Boise State.  Which leads us to yet another question? 

Will the Broncos show that they are underrated as huge ten point underdogs, or will the Bronco players be crying “96 Tears”?   

Boise State #41 in Preseason AP Football Poll

http://espn.go.com/college-football/rankings/_/poll/1/week/1

Boise State Soccer Team Picked Third

The Bronco soccer team, runner-up last year with a 6-3-1 record in the Mountain West Conference, is picked to fall back a notch this season,  Boise State received two first-place votes in a poll of the 12 conference had coaches.

Two-time defending champion San Diego State was chosen first, with newcomer Colorado College vaulting to #2--each team received five first-place votes.

New Mexico was third, followed by Utah State, Fresno State, UNLV, Wyoming, Nevada, Colorado State and San Jose State tied, and Air Force last.

Boise State opens the season against Drake and Portland in Oregon August 22.

Boise State Will Debut Orange Helmets Against Ole Miss

http://www.broncosports.com/allaccess/?media=458313

Boise State Players in the NFL

Arizona Cardinals
Nate Potter # 76

Atlanta Falcons
Geraldo Boldewijn #14


Carolina Panthers
Richie Brockel #47


Chicago Bears
Charles Leno #72
Shea McClellin #50


Cincinnati Bengals
George Iloka #43


Cleveland Browns
Billy Winn #90


Dallas Cowboys
Tyrone Crawford #98
Demarcus Lawrence #90
Orlando Scandrick #32


Denver Broncos
Ryan Clady #78
Matt Paradis #61


Detroit Lions
Kellen Moore #17


Miami Dolphins
Daryn Colledge #67
Jamar Taylor #22


Minnesota Vikings
Chase Baker #91


New York Jets
Kyle Wilson #20


San Diego Chargers
Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe #73


Seattle Seahawks
Jeron Johnson #23


St Louis Rams
Austin Pettis #17


Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Doug Martin #22

Kellen Moore Outplays Johnny Football, Throws Winning Touchdown

Boise State's Kellen Moore has nothing to prove to us, but he proved a lot in front of a nation watching Detroit's preseason game, throwing the winning touchdown with just over a minute left.  KM was 11-13 for 121 yards in the win.

http://www.detroitlions.com/media-center/videos/Wide-receiver-Corey-Fuller-21-yard-TD-reception/c7d117bc-9190-4515-b5c7-03e072416ef9

Do the Lions even know what they have?

Dionza Blue Has Left the Broncos

after one day of practice.  Good luck to the young man.  I'll be curious to see who Coach Yates moves in to nickel.

Harsin's First Day of Fall Camp

If the players have done their jobs this past summer working out, Bronco Head Coach Bryan Harsin should have a relatively easy job.  He's working with a collection of the best recruiting classes in school history, and Day One of Fall Camp begins today in Bronco Stadium.

C'mon, boys--get it done!