After winning five straight WAC Titles, the Broncos were knocked off the top by the Hawaii Warriors’ dream season in ’07. They lost 39-27 to Hawaii in the season finale, but still finished with a 7-1 record in the WAC, 10-3 overall and outgained their conference opponents by an outstanding 136.4 yards per game. QB Taylor Tharp (3340 yards passing, 30 touchdowns) and RB Ian Johnson led the way for the Broncos with solid seasons, but the season ended on a sour note, as they were upset by East Carolina 41-38 in the Hawaii Bowl.
Boise State Broncos
Coach: Chris Petersen (3rd year at Boise St., 23-3 record)
2007 Record: 10-3, 7-1 WAC
Starters Returning: 12 (5 offense, 7 defense)
Top Returnees: RB Ian Johnson, WR Jeremy Childs, WR Titus Young, WR Austin Pettis, K Kyle Brotzman, DE Ryan Winterswyk, DE Mike T. Williams, LB Tim Brady, MLB, Kyle Gingg, LB Dallas Dobbs, CB Kyle Wilson
Key Losses: QB Taylor Tharp, TE Ryan Putnam, RT Ryan Clady, C Jeff Cavender, LG Tad Miller, RT Dan Gore, DT Ian Smart, DE Nick Schlekeway, SS Marty Tadman, CB Orlando Skandrick
2008 Schedule
Aug. 30 Idaho St
Sept. 13 Bowling Green
Sept. 20 @ Oregon
Oct. 1 Louisiana Tech
Oct. 11 @ S. Mississippi
Oct. 17 Hawaii
Oct. 24 @ San Jose St
Nov. 1 @ New Mexico St
Nov. 8 Utah St.
Nov. 15 @ Idaho
Nov. 22 @ Nevada
Nov. 28 Fresno St
Key game: Nov. 28 vs. Fresno State. This will be the biggest game of the season as the Bulldogs are Boise State’s main competition in the WAC. This game’s importance hinders on whether the two teams can keep pace with each other at the top of the conference heading into their end-of-season matchup. Keep an eye on the Broncos’ September 20th match-up with Oregon because that game could determine whether they’ll be fighting their archrivals for a BCS berth.
2008 Overview
After a ‘down’ year in 2007, Boise State should return to form in 2008, which could mean a WAC title and a second BCS bowl berth in three seasons. Both should be very attainable as the Broncos boast a relatively most difficult game comes against Oregon.
Coach Chris Petersen will look to his star running back and his wide array of options at wide receiver to lead the offense. RB Ian Johnson is back for his senior season after becoming the first Boise State running back to have back-to-back 1000-yard rushing seasons since Brock Forsey (2001-02). Despite dealing with multiple injuries throughout the season, Johnson finished last season with 1041 yards rushing, 312 yards receiving, and 17 total touchdowns. Johnson has two very good back-ups in sophomores RB Jeremy Avery (672 yards rushing, 153 yards receiving, 10 total touchdowns) and D.J. Harper (376 yards rushing, 6 touchdowns).
A vastly more experienced receiving corps returns this season. WR Jeremy Childs set a school record with 82 receptions and totaled 1,045 yards and nine touchdowns receiving. Childs was suspended for the spring, but he should be on the field in the fall. Vinny Perretta missed most of last season, but he could start when the season opens. The Broncos also have a pair of sophomore receivers in Titus Young (639 yards receiving, 5 touchdowns) and Austin Pettis (465 yards receiving, 6 touchdowns) who were highly impressive last season and round out a talented group of returning pass-catchers.
Who will throw to those receivers? There are three returning candidates that have some experience in Mike Coughlin, Bush Hamdan and Nick Lomax, who all saw various amounts of playing time last year behind Tharp. However, the name that could emerge from the contenders could be redshirt freshman Kellen Moore, a prolific passer in high school and one of the top QB recruits nationally in the 2007 class.
Unfortunately for the player who emerges as the starter under center, he will be playing behind a very inexperienced line, which lost several of its key players, including tackle Ryan Clady, who was drafted 12th overall by the Denver Broncos in April. RG Andrew Woodruff is the lone returning starter. Redshirt freshmen C Thomas Byrd and LT Nate Potter look to be in this year’s starting lineup.
The strength of the 2008 Broncos will be the defense, seven starters return on the defensive side of the ball, including a very experienced front seven. Five of the Broncos top eight D-linemen return, including DE Ryan Winterswyk (43 tackles, 5.5 sacks) and DE Mike T. Williams (28 tackles, 6 sacks).
Boise State is stacked at the linebacker position. They have all three players returning from last season. Kyle Gingg led the team with 94 tackles and 2.5 sacks, Dallas Dobbs added 71 tackles, 2 sacks and 3 interceptions, and Tim Brady had 57 tackles to go with 2.5 sacks. On the bench behind them is a talented group that includes some very highly touted recruits.
The Broncos’ secondary lost the likes of Tadman and Scandrick, but FS Jeron Johnson (54 tackles) and CB Kyle Wilson (41 tackles, 2 interceptions) are two returning starters and potential all-conference picks.
Boise State has some question marks at quarterback and on the defensive side of things, but with a potent offense and a talented defense, a return to the top of the WAC and another BCS berth are within reach.
