The Broncos are bigger and quicker than anytime in their history.

The Dogs are deep and talented at all positions, excpet QB and LB. Injuries at either could be trouble, especialy at QB. Both positions look solid, there just isn't much depth.

Broncos have 6 qb's and at least 4 are competing for the starting job. I don't think there will be a clear cut winner after spring ball. It may come down to the week of the game. The Defense looks very scary for other teams. The offense will take a few games to catch up to the defense.

NMSU has finished its spring practice. We return 10 of 11 starters on defense, which is expected to be fairly strong, with decent depth (defense and depth - for us - unheard of ). Based on last year's results I expect we will still be vulnerable to the long pass.

Offense is a bigger question mark. QB and WR are solid. Running game iffy. Kicking real iffy. We usually pile up the yards between the 20's, but bog down somewhere before the end zone - we'll see if we can reverse that trend this year.

Head coach is, as usual, pretty understated in his outlook (as he should be given last year's debacle).

The big battle for Boise State in spring football has been for the starting quarterback spot and the starting tailback spot and the starting SAM linebacker spot on defense. Other than those three positions everything else is, and has been, pretty well set.

The starting QB for Boise State, right now, looks to be Mike Sanford. He is a 5th year Senior, and he has a better grasp of the offense than any of the other QB's. He has looked the best this spring. However, it will still depend on what happens in fall camp regarding who ends up starting this year at QB for Boise State.

The starting tailback spot appears to have been won by redshirt Junior Jeff Carpenter. Carpenter is a local kid who was a walk-on at Boise State for two years. He has impressed in every game that he has gotten the ball. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry last season. Right behind him is another local kid named John Helmandollar (He was the Idaho State Offensive Football Player of the Year in his senior year in high school), a redshirt freshman, and Lee Marks, a Junior who has earned two letters at Boise State and has played both cornerback and tailback at Boise State. Calvin McCarty, a walk-on redshirt freshman out of Canada, may also figure in the mix tho.

The starting SAM linebacker spot appears to be up in the air. A Sophomore walk-on named Colt Brooks was recently listed on Boise State's two-deep depth chart as the starter at the SAM linebacker, but somehow I doubt that Brooks will be the starter next fall. Others in the mix include Josh Bean, a redshirt freshman out of Canada, and Jared Hunter, a Sophomore who was injured in a freak accident in practice last season, and Ben Chuckovich, a walk-on Junior.

The other starting positions (with one or two exceptions) seem to be pretty well set.

WR's - T. J. Acree (Senior) and Lawrence Bady (Senior) backed up by Chrisean Christopher (Junior)and Drisan James (Sophomore), Mark Onibokun (Senior) and Quinton Jones (Sophomore) and Brett Ralph (Junior) and Jovan Hutchinson (Sophomore) and J.C. transfer Joshua Smith (Junior).

OL - Daryn Colledge, a returning starter and Junior at LT, Tad Miller a Redshirt Freshman at LG, Klayton Adams a former walk-on J.C. transfer and Senior at Center, Mike Ansel a Senior returning starter at RG, and Jeff Cavender, a redshirt Freshman at RT.

TE - Derek Schouman, a starter as a true freshman last season, now the returning starter as a Sophomore. Backed up by Andy Weldon (a Senior blocking tight end primarily) and Sherm Blaser, a Sophomre, and Ryan Putnam a redshirt freshman and Cory Larsen a walk-on transfer from Oregon and a Sophomore.

FB - Brad Lau, a sophomore who was the # 2 fullback last season.

CB's - Three year starter Gabe Franklin, a Senior, at one cornerback and Gerald Alexander, a Sophomore who saw lots of playing time last season as a 5th or 6th DB at the other CB spot. Backed up by Marcosus LeBlanc a J.C. transfer who has been playing at Boise State this spring, and Austin Smith and Rashaun Scott and Ia Falo.

DE's - Three year Senior starter Julius Roberts (All-W.A.C. 1st team in 2003) at one DE spot and Mike Williams, a Sophomore at the other DE spot. Both were starters last season. Williams may be challenged by J.C. transfer Tim Volk when he gets here next fall.

DT's - Alex Guerrero, the only freshman to see playing time for Boise State two years ago, now he's a third year Junior (has not redshirted) who saw lots of playing time in a relief role last season at both DE and DT. Andrew Browning will likely start at the other DT spot. He's a former walk-on who earned a scholarship. They will be backed up by redshirt Freshmen, Ian Smart and Dan Gore and Russell Wiersma and Sophomore Jeff Biederman.

Rover Safety - Chris Carr returns as the starter here. He'll be a Senior next fall. He'll be backed up by Robby Jones, a Junior walk-on J.C. transfer who redshirted at Boise State last season, a Chad McKibben, a walk-on Sophomore and Ashlie Nyong-Dunham, a redshirt freshman.

Free Safety - Cam Hall was the Nickel back last season for Boise State. He'll be a starter as a Junior next fall. He's backed up by Senior 3 year letterman Deshan Cabaong and redshirt Freshman Duran Cooley.

Middle Linebacker - Korey Hall will return as the starter at the MLB spot as a sophomore next fall. He's backed up by Chris Barrios, a redshirt Junior who has seen LOTS of playing time in the last two years.

WILL linebacker - Andy Avalos will be the returning starter as a Senior. He was 1st Team All-W.A.C. in 2003 and he has been the leading tackler at Boise State for the last two years. He will contend for the W.A.C. defensive Player of the Year in 2004.

NMSU has finished its spring practice. We return 10 of 11 starters on defense, which is expected to be fairly strong, with decent depth (defense and depth - for us - unheard of ). Based on last year's results I expect we will still be vulnerable to the long pass.

Offense is a bigger question mark. QB and WR are solid. Running game iffy. Kicking real iffy. We usually pile up the yards between the 20's, but bog down somewhere before the end zone - we'll see if we can reverse that trend this year.

Head coach is, as usual, pretty understated in his outlook (as he should be given last year's debacle).

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Do you guys still run the Nebraska Offense?

Boise State Rules,

Nice team summary. Wonder who will be the surprises next year. Who will be 2004's Shouman?

It looks pretty doubtful that there will be any true freshmen who will start next season like Schouman did last season. That's pretty rare and unusual. Schouman is just one of those guys who plays way above his competition and is better than his age would suggest. Players like that are pretty rare. The best of the new bunch, and the only one who would appear to have a shot might be Marty Tadman. But heck, he's not even made it to Boise State yet. :laugh:

Another freshman who I think might have a legitimate possibility of seeing playing time as a true freshman may be Ian Johnson.

I'm not too sure the O-Line starters are set yet. Hawk has said he likes to mix it up there and has not really decided on the starters yet. Of course DC is a lock, Ansel and Adams are as close as you can get.

AnotherBrickInTheWall Wrote:I'm not too sure the O-Line starters are set yet. Hawk has said he likes to mix it up there and has not really decided on the starters yet. Of course DC is a lock, Ansel and Adams are as close as you can get.

You are probably right about the O-line. But I think Colledge, Ansel and Adams WILL be three of the five starters on the O-line.

The problem they have on the O-line for Boise State is that they have too many quality guys for only two openings on the O-line. It's a nice problem to have, but a problem nonetheless.