Just curious to know what fans of the other schools in the WAC see as weaknesses on the Boise State football team this fall. This is how I see it shaping up.
OFFENSE
Receivers - A strength for Boise State, with the return of Seniors, T.J. Acree and Lawrence Bady, and depth provided by Senior, Mark Onibokun, and Sophomore Drisan James and redshirt Junior, Chrisean Christopher, etc. Acree was 2nd on the team in receptions last season and was named the MVP of the bowl game vs. T.C.U. Acree had 52 receptions last year and only Tim Gilligan had more (67) for Boise State. Lawrence Bady had only 29 receptions last year, but he averaged 25 yards per reception, and nobody in the entire nation had a higher yards/reception average. Bady also routinely seemed to make the "impossible" catches look easy.
O-line - A possible strength for Boise State. Or at least from what I saw of the starters in the Blue-Orange spring game it sure looked like a "strength" to me. Led by left tackle, Daryn Colledge (Junior) and by Center, Klayton Adams (Senior) and returning starter Mike Ansel at right guard (Senior). At this point it is assumed that they will be starting two redshirt freshman this fall at left guard (Tad Miller) and right tackle (Jeff Cavender), but both of these redshirt freshmen are said to be the "real deal" and they will both be starting ahead of several upper classmen who were considered to be pretty good in their own right. This O-line will not be huge, but they will be FAST and quick, much like the Boise State O-line of two years ago.
Running backs - A possible weakness - The top two running backs for Boise State last season are both gone, one by graduation (David Mikell), and one for academic reasons (Donny Heck). The top two running backs who are returning this year combined for only 47 carries total last season, for only 319 yards. However, Jeff Carpenter (Junior) averaged 7.6 yards per carry, and Lee Marks averaged 6.1 yards per carry as tailbacks last season. The unknowns are Jon Helmandollar and Calvin McCarty and Antwaun Carter. By that I mean we have yet to see what they might do next season, but all three are capable. Brad Lau will also see some time at tailback, but will likely be playing at fullback for the most part.
Quarterbacks - A possible weakness. The top two candidates are Senior, Mike Sanford (6' 4" 211 lbs.) and Jared Zabransky (6' 1" 221 lbs.) but neither one of them has seen a lot of playing time. Last season these two combined for only 36 pass attempts for only 288 yards, and both averaged under 50 percent in pass completions. However, both of them had QB efficiency ratings over 210 points in the Boise State spring game and both completed 75 percent of their passes in same. Redshirt Freshman, Taylor Tharp, also has a shot at the starting QB spot next fall.
Tight End - A strength. Sophomore, Derek Schouman returns as the starter, after earning the starting TE spot last season as a TRUE freshman. He had 17 receptions last season for 272 yards (16 yards/reception). And Senior, Andy Weldon, will be the 2nd TE in a two tight end set. Weldon is primarily a blocking TE. He had only 3 receptions last season, but is a solid blocking TE. They will be backed up by Sherm Blaser, a 6' 3" 218 lb Sophomore who was some playing time last year and redshirt freshman Ryan Putnam (6' 2" 242 lbs) and Sophomore Cory Larsen (6' 6" 250 lbs).
DEFENSE
Defensive Ends - A strength - Left End Julius Roberts (Senior) was All-WAC last season and returns as the starter this fall and Sophomore Mike Williams also returns as the other starting DE for Boise State, but he will likely be challenged for the starting right DE spot by JC transfer Tim Volk (Sophomore) who was signed by Arizona out of high school, and was considered to be among the top 10 high school DE prospects coming out of high school by Max Emfinger.
Defensive Tackles - A possible weakness - Both starters from last season are gone (Paul Allen and Dane Oldham), but their replacements both have seen lots of playing time. Junior Alex Guerrero (6' 1" 292 lbs.) and Sophomore, Andrew Browning (6' 0" 270 lbs) are currently listed as the starters, but both will be challenged by RS Freshman, Dan Gore (6' 4" 286 lbs.) and RS Freshman, Ian Smart (6' 3" 273 lbs) and Sophomore Jeff Biederman (6' 3" 282 lbs.) and RS Freshman, Russell Wiersma (6' 2" 280 lbs.). Guerrero was the only freshman in his class to see playing time at Boise State in 2002. He has seen lots of playing time at both DE and DT the last two years. Browning was a former walk-on who earned a scholarship with his outstanding play.
Linebackers - A definite strength - Led by All-WAC linebacker Andy Avalos (Senior) and middle linebacker Korey Hall. These two were 1-2 in tackles for Boise State last year. Avalos had 99 tackles last season and Korey Hall had 85 tackles. They also combined for 18 tackles for loss. The only question is who will start at the SAM linebacker spot. Walk-on Sophomore Colt Brooks (6' 1" 209 lbs) was listed as the starting SAM linebacker in spring ball but he may or may not be the starter in the fall. Others in the running are RS Freshman, Josh Bean (6' 2" 220 lbs) and Sophomore, Jared Hunter (6' 4" 221 lbs) and Junior, Chris Barrios (5' 11" 218 lbs) and RS Freshman, Mike Altieri (6' 0" 205 lbs).
Cornerbacks - A strength - Senior Gabe Franklin returns for the third year as the starting CB on one side and the other corner is likely to be either Gerald Alexander, a 6' 0" 192 lb. Sophomore, or Ashlie Nyong-Dunham, a 5' 10" 192 lb. RS Freshman, or JC transfer, Marcosus LeBlanc, a 6' 0" 187 lb. Junior, or Rashaun Scott, a 5' 10" 181 lb. RS Freshman or Austin Smith, a 5' 9" 166 lb. RS Freshman. Alexander saw lots of playing time last season as a 5th or 6th defensive back. Marcosus LeBlanc is considered to be one of the best JC defensive back prospects in the country this year and Ashlie Nyong-Dunham started in the Boise State spring game.
Safeties - A strength - Senior Chris Carr returns as the starting Rover Safety and Cam Hall, a 6' 1" 210 lb Junior, is likely to be the starting Free Safety. Cam Hall is among the very fastest players on the team and has seen LOTS of playing time the last two years as a Nickel back. Carr had 71 tackles last season, and Hall had 35 tackles. These two combined for 7 interceptions last season (Carr had 4, Hall had 3), and 10 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. They will be backed up by 3 year letterwinner, Deshaun Cabaong (Senior) and Robby Jones, a Junior JC walk-on who redshirted last year at Boise State, and two redshirt freshmen, Duran Cooley (5' 11" 189 lbs) and Ashlie Nyong-Dunham (5' 10" 192 lbs). Also, highly regarded true freshman Marty Tadman MAY see some playing time this season (5' 11" 174 lbs.) if he's not redshirted.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Kicking - A definite strength - Both of the starters return, in Senior PK Tyler Jones, and Sophomore punter, Kyle Stringer. Stringer averaged 40.3 yards per punt last season as a true freshman walk-on who earned himself a scholarship, and Tyler Jones routinely kicks the ball out of the end zone or very deep into the end zone, and very few of his kickoffs are returned as a result, and he also made 17 of 23 field goal attempts last season and 71 of 72 PAT's.
Kick & Punt Returners - A strength. Chris Carr returns as the Kickoff returner, after leading the team in KO returns last season with 24 KO returns for 627 yards (an average of 26.1 yards/return) and a long of 55 yards. Carr will also return punts this year. He had only 4 punt returns last season, but he led the team in punt return average with a 24.5 yards/return average. Cam Hall, Brett Ralph, Lee Marks, and Drisan James also saw playing time as punt returners last year. And Lee Marks also saw playing time last season as a KO returner too.
Coaching - A DEFINITE strength - Head Coach Dan Hawkins and Off. Coordinator Chris Petersen and Def. Coordinator Ron Collins are the best coaching trio in the WAC .......period.
