By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Senior offensive guard Andrew Woodruff, the only returning starter on the offensive line, has lost 35 pounds since the Hawaii Bowl, he said Thursday.

Woodruff weighed 340 pounds when the Broncos returned from Hawaii. He was at 320 in June.

Now he's weighing 305 pounds — and it's showing in his play at left guard.

"He's really moving well," said offensive line coach Scott Huff, who joined the staff in 2006. "He's playing as good as I've seen him play since I've been here. It seems like it's really paying off for him."

Said Woodruff: "I couldn't do it anymore. I changed my eating up. I did a lot of extra work on my own, a lot of extra conditioning, a lot of lifting. Little by little, I dropped down. Now I'm just trying to maintain it. I feel really good. I'm moving well. I'm just trying to make the biggest contribution to the team. Losing the weight was the biggest thing I could do."

•••

The defense showed the playmaking that was missing last season during Thursday's morning practice.

A day after the veteran defense recovered three fumbles, the group grabbed five — or maybe six — interceptions.

Linebacker Derrell Acrey grabbed two picks, including one on which he tipped Bush Hamdan's pass that nearly got over his head for a touchdown and grabbed the deflection. Cornerback Brandyn Thompson batted a bullet pass with his right hand and made a one-handed, diving catch with his left hand. Cornerback Keith McGowen and safety George Iloka also snagged interceptions and linebacker Aaron Tevis had what looked like an interception, but it was unclear if he made the catch.

•••

Senior tailback Ian Johnson, on the team's run of Mohawks:

"We're hitting this thing with a whole new attitude — an attitude you can only have with a Mohawk."