Yes, that's a direct reference to Kellen Moore, and also to a new batch of Broncos.

Saturday's 49-7 win was the first time in school history that three Broncos have scored two touchdowns apiece - Titus Young, Tyler Shoemaker and Richie Brockel.

It also marked a first, which of course was Moore's debut. He was sharp, to say the least, going 14-of-19 for 274 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions...read more

After a bit of a rocky start, Boise State's offense is humming here at halftime against Idaho State.

Kellen Moore has been excellent thus far, going 10-of-12 passing for 186 yards with a touchdown. Titus Young had an 80-yard TD catch and has 110 yards on four catches.

Aaron Tevis has looked very good at outside linebacker, with six tackles, a sack and a fumble recovery.
Look for guys like Mike Coughlin...read more

Freshman defensive end Jarrell Root will get the start for Boise State today, taking over for sophomore Ryan Winterswyk.
Also, Vinny Perretta, Chris O'Neill, Mike T. Williams and Tim Brady are today's captains....read more

The season opener is finally here. Here's three things to remember for today's BSU-ISU tilt:

Boise State will want to score early and often. With so many young players on the roster, if the Broncos can get a comfortable lead, that will get a lot more playing time for those freshmen and sophomores on the second or third team.

Kellen Moore knows the playbook. I don't expect a ton of short, efficient...read more

Last year's win for East Carolina over Boise State in the Hawaii Bowl sure wasn't a fluke. The Pirates looked awesome today, upsetting No. 17 Virginia Tech, 27-22.

ECU won with a blocked punt return with less than 2 minutes to play. It was a bit of a bitter pill for Hokies' coach Frank Beamer, who places such importance on special teams.

Plus, Boise State's next opponent, Bowling Green, is leading...read more

It’s probably the busiest time of the year for us sports guys, preparing for college and high school football. The fruits of our labor are finally completed.

Make sure you check out our College Gameday preview in Saturday’s IPT. I’m very excited about it. I’ve got some stuff on Boise State’s youth all over the place, some facts on Kellen Moore, plenty of WAC analysis...read more

Kellen Moore’s much-talked about debut is less than 48 hours away, so I figured we could take a look back at the five other freshmen who have started for Boise State since the 1980 national championship season:

Gerard Despres — Oct. 10, 1981 vs. Montana State: 13-21 for 197 yards, 2 TDs and 3 INTs in a 20-10 win.

Hazsen Choates — Oct. 1, 1983 vs. Cal Poly-SLO: 6-10 for 114 yards...read more

One of the nicer guys you’ll talk to is Idaho State offensive lineman Mitch Rudder, a Skyview grad and former Boise State Bronco.

He had signed with Utah State after his career with the Hawks and after his mission, walked on at Boise State. He left after last season and enrolled at ISU in Pocatello.

“The real reason was two-fold,” Rudder said. “My wife was going to school...read more

Boise State head coach Chris Petersen said Monday after his weekly news conference that redshirt freshman receiver Tyler Shoemaker and junior receiver Michael Choate have been placed on scholarship.

Shoemaker is a Mountain View graduate, while Choate transferred from Garden City Community College in Kansas. His family lives in Greenleaf.

Junior QB Nick Lomax will transfer, getting lost in the shuffle...read more

The Broncos' depth chart for Saturday's opener with Idaho State was released Sunday, with a few notable surprises.

Redshirt freshman Aaron Tevis is listed as the first-team SAM (strongside) linebacker, while Kyle Gingg is the first-team MIKE (middle) linebacker. Dallas Dobbs is listed behind Tevis, while Derrell Acrey is listed behind Gingg.

The three starting receivers are listed as Vinny Perretta...read more

I was checking out some of the bigger sports sites out there tonight and saw a link I'd pass along. Fox Sports ranked the Top 25 coaches in college football and Chris Petersen made the list.

See where he ended up here.

...read more

Senior quarterback Bush Hamdan spoke for the final time this season to the media and prefaced it with a short statement.

He said he was disappointed in the decision, but knows he still has a role on the team. Hamdan was honest and accommodating during the session. It was his idea to speak Saturday, not the decision of any higher-ups at Boise State or any media doing.

Kellen Moore also spoke, and he...read more

Thursday marked the first practice with Kellen Moore as the established starting QB, and he had a nice day.

On both of the long passes he attempted against the defense, both were completed, with Austin Pettis making a nice grab on a 50-yard hurl, while Moore threw a dead-on pass to Titus Young streaking up the sideline on a 40-yard pass that would’ve gone for a 90-yard score.

Moore did have...read more

Boise State’s new starting quarterback and head coach Chris Petersen spoke today at the Allen Noble Hall of Fame on Boise State’s campus.

Check out the audio here....read more

Us media folks were given a chance to tour the nearly-completed Stueckle Sky Club today, and it probably shouldn’t be a shock that it was awesome.

I’ve been in some pretty nice press box/luxury areas in my time, but not many like the one at Bronco Stadium. On its own merits, it’s beautiful. Add in what we used to work in the last few seasons and it is an architectural masterpiece...read more

After two weeks of practices, four split practices and four days of double practices, the last two-a-days wrapped up today.

There was a funny moment at the end, when some of the defensive seniors were carried off the field after their last set of two-a-days. It will be a few more days until we know if one of the seniors, Bush Hamdan, will get the nod as the starting QB.

Here's a look at some of the...read more

So far in Fall Camp, the trio of local players that grayshirted have had some strong showings: Mitch Burroughs, Shea McClellin and Matt Kaiserman.

I spoke with Bronco coaches recently about them, and here's what they said:

Special teams/running backs coach Jeff Choate on Burroughs: "He's already looking like a good player. I think with what he will do at receiver and in the return game, he'll...read more

It was only a few short days ago that kicker Kyle Brotzman told me he needed to have more fun out on the practice field. Well, it's definitely easy to say he did Sunday.

Boise State coaches said they would end practice about 45 minutes early if a quarterback could make a throw of about 40 yards into a 4x4 target, which neither Kellen Moore nor Bush Hamdan did. However, about 15 minutes later, they...read more

Here's the stats from tonight's scrimmage:

Scoring plays
Vinny Perretta 45 pass from Bush Hamdan (Kyle Brotzman kick)
Jeremy Avery 14 run (kick blocked)
Tyler Shoemaker 20 pass from Mike Coughlin (Brotzman kick)
Perretta 30 pass from Hamdan (Brotzman kick)
Nick Lomax 1 run (no PAT)
Austin Pettis 68 pass from Hamdan (no PAT)
Jeremy Childs 49 pass from Kellen Moore (no PAT)
Shoemaker 7 pass from Drew...read more

What a difference a few days makes. The Boise State offense racked up eight touchdowns in the second fall scrimmage Saturday - seven more than the first scrimmage Monday.

By the way, Ian Johnson is fine. Head coach Chris Petersen said the senior has seen plenty of carries already and that he didn't need to go through another scrimmage. Plus, it gave plenty of carries to guys like Matt Kaiserman, who...read more

I've been very impressed at how quickly the 2009 recruiting class has come together for Boise State, and it's been one with quite a bit of talent.The Boise State Broncos continue to mine the talent-rich Copper State.

For their 11th verbal commitment for the 2009 class, the Broncos picked up Phoenix defensive end Kharyee (pronounced Khi-rhee) Marshall, a 6-foot-2, 208-pound standout from Washington...read more

I know not many fans were terribly excited once next season's tentative schedule was released today. It's not a high-profile one, but it's not bad, in my honest opinion.

For one, I really like the Tulsa game. Maybe it's not a "wow" game for some fans, considering the Golden Hurricane used to be a WAC team, but I think Tulsa is and will be one of the five best non-BCS teams this season and...read more

The first of today's two practices marked the last one at East Junior High during Fall Camp. What I like most about East is that there is a lot of room for the Broncos to work.

However, I will not miss sitting on the old, wooden bleachers that are not horribly comfortable. There's no place for shade, so our pasty reporter skin does not respond well. For me, I like being at Bronco Stadium, because that...read more

As of Thursday, there were still individual tickets left for Boise State's home games.

Here's what they had left:

1,008 for Idaho State
839 for Bowling Green
1,528 for La. Tech
163 for Hawaii
1,000 for Utah State
184 for Fresno State

...read more

The Boise State coaching staff learned a lot last season from the race between Bush Hamdan and Taylor Tharp.

First, they let the competition play out, and Tharp went from the likely No. 2 to being consistent enough to be named the starter and wound up having a pretty good season. It wasn’t until all three scrimmages and almost all of Fall Camp that the starter was picked.

“It’s...read more

After the first fall scrimmage, without much pep from the sidelines and a bit less energy than usual, the Broncos looked a little more amped for their first of two practices Wednesday.

Both sides of the ball had a little banter going, especially the defense, giving some nice nicknames for the quarterbacks.

There also were a heck of a lot more big plays than in recent practices. The defense dominated...read more

There’s no practice today for the Boise State Broncos, but nonetheless, here’s a link from the “What Was He Smoking?” Department.

The Broncos’ WAC dominance is well-known. Their homefield advantage is becoming legendary. Averaging 52 points per game against Nevada the last nine years? Impressive.

So, even with a few questions at key positions, they should have their...read more

The first fall scrimmage is in the books, and just like last year, the QB picture is still clear as mud.

Kellen Moore was 9-for-22 for 137 yards and a touchdown, while Bush Hamdan went 5-for-15 for 48 yards. If Austin Pettis hadn’t dropped a likely TD pass, Hamdan would’ve had slightly better numbers.

Afterward, head coach Chris Petersen had the team run sprints because he thought his...read more

With Fall Camp a week in, the first scrimmage will take place Monday at Bronco Stadium.

It will give fans their first look at the quarterbacks, plus the nearly three dozen newcomers. For the team, it also provides an early measuring stick.

"I think everyone looks forward to that first one because you can see how they execute in a game-type situation," head coach Chris Petersen said. "You...read more

Saturday marked the first time the Broncos practiced twice in a day with the whole squad at both practices.

The morning session saw some nice plays from the offense, including touchdown passes from Bush Hamdan and Kellen Moore. Defensive tackle Darren Koontz caught a Brad Elkin punt while on the run during the final moments of the morning session.

Head coach Chris Petersen spoke with me between practices...read more

Boise State head coach Chris Petersen said freshman offensive tackle Nate Potter, who had been penciled in as the starter on the left side, is "doubtful" for the season opener against Idaho State on Aug. 30.

Potter had arthroscopic knee surgery Friday to repair some cartilage.

"He'll be out a few weeks," Petersen said.

Matt Slater and Kevin Sapien have seen time at tackle in Potter's...read more

There's been plenty of talk of the Broncos' mohawks thus far in Fall Camp, and truth be told, it's not all that rare in football.

I'm just waiting for a guy like Jon Gott to pick up the style instead of shorter-haired guys. Add D.J. Harper to the list with the hairstyle. Sean Bingham is to my knowledge the only defensive player with one, and it looks pretty cool with his hair dyed blond. The best hair...read more

Sophomore running back D.J. Harper has looked strong so far in Fall Camp, and he spoke today with media and I was able to grab him for a few minutes.

He's part of a loaded backfield that few schools in the West, maybe nationally, can match. Harper ran for 376 yards and five touchdowns last season, the sixth-best season by a Bronco freshman. He thought it could have been much better.

"I was actually...read more

It seems like every year, or at worst every class, that a recruit comes out of seemingly nowhere to make a good contribution.

Last year, it was Brandyn Thompson. He didn't come in with a lot of fanfare and wound up playing as a true freshman. Today was the last day of split practices between veterans and newcomers, so I thought I'd put up some thoughts on those possible sleepers.

One guy that has...read more

Everyone will tell you it's still early, which it is, but the Boise State defense has been sharp so far in Fall Camp.

The unit forced four fumbles yesterday, and notched five turnovers in this morning's session (three in 11-on-11 drills). Brandyn Thompson made a phenomenal interception on Kellen Moore, knocking the ball away from the receiver with his right hand and making the diving pick one-handed...read more

Though they won't don full pads until Friday, the Broncos sported shoulder pads today, and it showed that even something that seems relatively minor can have a big impact.

For one, when running backs coach Jeff Choate was talking to his players, he mentioned that now the ball is an extra three inches off their body, so keeping a good grip is vital. Well, it clearly was the first day with them on as...read more

I spoke with freshman safety George Iloka today, and he's a good interview, for sure.

I'll be doing a little bit on him for tomorrow's paper, but wanted to pass along some of the things we talked about. First, he talked about leaving high school early to come to Boise State in time for spring ball - a process Chris Petersen called "greenshirting." Iloka said he wouldn't advise every high...read more

The second of four straight days of split practices between veterans and newcomers is finished.

It is interesting to see how smooth things can run in the early practice, then not quite as well in the afternoon. There was one instance where a play had to be run three times, first because of multiple players jumping offsides and the second because everyone but the center moved.

The quarterbacks rotated...read more

Today was the first time since December that junior receiver Jeremy Childs has spoken to the media. I wanted to give a brief synopsis, and will put the audio in our Multimedia section.

The first thing he did was issue a statement in which he first apologized to the city of Boise, then a list of some of the people he thanked for helping him get back on the field. The Bronco staff said no further questions...read more

It's always tough to judge how good a freshman is, especially at his first-ever collegiate practice. Still, we got our first look at almost all the class of 2008 in the afternoon session.

First off, the quarterbacks were Mike Coughlin and Drew Hawkins (Dan's youngest). Each didn't have a big advantage since I believe none of the freshmen offensive linemen had ever played center. Don't worry though...read more

Boise State head coach Chris Petersen just finished speaking, and I have posted the audio in our Multimedia section. He spoke for a minute under a tree near the football offices before the sprinklers went off, so I put up the 15 minutes or so he spoke uninterrupted after that.

He talked a bit about Jeremy Childs, saying he will not play against Idaho State. I'll have a story on that tomorrow. He also...read more

The first practice of the fall is now wrapped up, and I'm back with a few observations and some news and notes.

First off, here's the 18 walk-ons that are on the roster, though one or two more may be added: No. 10 Drew Hawkins (QB, Boulder, Colo.), No. 17 Carlo Audagnotti (RB, Johannesburg, South Africa), No. 20 Josh Borgman (CB, Boise), No. 33 Jimmy Pavle (PK, Molalla, Ore.), No. 38 Josh Hill (TE...read more

Around here, football never falls off the radar, but it truly will be front and center starting tomorrow when Fall Camp kicks off for the Boise State Broncos.

If you see the story I wrote that ran today, I spotlighted a few players who will need to step up in Fall Camp, and certainly the first one may be the biggest - Bush Hamdan. He had a good showing last summer, but his hand injury set him back...read more

One of the best football previews out there is the New York Times' "The Quad," which is counting down from No. 120 to No. 1, much like our College Football Countdown. The newest team on there is No. 27, which is Florida State. The tease for No. 26 says that the next school is on its fourth coach since 1997, and the previous three went to BCS schools. Yep, that's Houston Nutt, Dirk Koetter...read more