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Linebackers face huge test vs. Oregon
Submitted by Brian Murphy on Thu, 09/18/2008 - 2:48pm.
Like the rest of the Broncos, Boise State’s linebackers face a huge test this week at No. 17 Oregon.
The Ducks’ spread offense puts a lot of pressure on opposing linebackers, who have plenty of responsibility in stopping the run and dropping to stop the pass.
“They’ve got a lot of run-pass responsibilities. They’ve got some gap responsibilities with the spread. There’s some deception in there,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said.
“You really have to play assignment football. You can’t be peeking.”
This is a chance for the Bronco linebackers — who admittedly did not have a great season last year as a group — to show that this season will be different. They played well in the Broncos’ first two games of the season, including against a spread team in Bowling Green.
But this is a much bigger test.
“I felt pretty comfortable and I think everyone else felt pretty comfortable last week,” linebacker Kyle Gingg said. “Coach (Justin) Wilcox does a good job of making it pretty simple with these funky offenses so we can just do what we’ve got to do to do our job. Once you’ve got that down cold, it’s easy.”
Staying healthy, however, hasn’t been easy for the linebackers. They face the most high-impact collisions on the field and their bodies take the toll.
“D-linemen and O-linemen, they might be one yard apart. We’re seven, five yards. Sometimes it’s more than that — there’s a lot more momentum and inertia involved,” said Gingg, who missed the season opener with turf toe.
Middle linebacker Derrell Acrey is battling an ankle injury. His replacement Dallas Dobbs is fighting nagging injuries.
“It’s funny because I go in the training room every day and I run into basically the whole crew in there,” Dobbs said.
Said Gingg: “We get a lot of crap from the trainers.”
If the linebackers can help shut down Oregon’s explosive offense, maybe they can keep the trainers quiet.
• Don't forget to pick the score of Saturday's Boise State-Oregon game for a chance to win a $20 gift certificate from Domino's Pizza. Enter to win here.
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need bigger linebackers
Don't get me wrong I like our linebackers but we seriously need to get some bigger stronger linebackers. What's with most of our linebackers losing weight and barely being over 200 pounds? Don't they hit the weights more? If they were bigger, they could take more impact.
Sounds like
You should tell Korri Hall this to pal. He may not be a linebacker in the NFL but he sure made it there man. Oh and have you not paid attention so far this year. We have let up a whopping 14 points on Defense.
Idaho State doesn't count,
Idaho State doesn't count, they even lost to the vandals. But shutting down BG was a good job by the D.
Size = Injury??
Acrey isn't exactly small and he seems to be injured quite a bit. Brady's not real big and I don't see him on the injury report....
I agree we need bigger linebackers but also athletic ones too which we are starting to recruit. Acrey, Tevis, Hout, and Mackey aren't bad for starters. The linbacking core is much improved from last year but it all starts up front which we are starting to see improvement from last year as well. Winn's a STUD and Boz has played pretty well.
strike3
"You should tell Korri Hall this to pal. He may not be a linebacker in the NFL but he sure made it there man. Oh and have you not paid attention so far this year. We have let up a whopping 14 points on Defense."
First of all, Korey Hall was listed at about 6'1" 235, which is a good size. Acrey is also about this size which is good.
With that said some of the other starting linebackers like Brady, Gingg, and Dallas Dobbs are barely over 200 pounds. Dobbs is the heaviest, listed at 215. These are safety weights. The thing that really stands out to me is all these guys have LOST weight since they started playing at BSU. That's a concern. Think about it Tim Brady and Kyle Gingg are no bigger then Ian Johnson, and he's the running back!!
sbessey said:
"I agree we need bigger linebackers but also athletic ones too which we are starting to recruit. Acrey, Tevis, Hout, and Mackey aren't bad for starters."
I completely agree we need more athletic linebackers and that was very evident during the ECU game last year, among others. I also agree we're off to a good start by getting Tevis (who needs to gain 20-25 pounds) Hout and Mackey. As long as they don't LOSE weight like, Dobbs, Brady, and Gingg.
When it comes to linebackers, yes, weight and athleticism does matter if they want to compete at a higher level.
Ian Johnson said it himself over the summer, that he needs to gain weight so he can take more hits.
What else you got strike3?
Another Thing
This is scary. Oregon's RBs are quicker and weigh more than Boise's linebackers. Heck even their 1/4 backs are 220 and 230!
Wake up Call
Ever watched a lawnmower in action in dry or wet grass? See it dry today as the Dux offense mows down the Boise defense as fast as they can line up. Then watch that Boise offense mower in tall wet grass sputtering and dying.
PAC-10
Just remember U of O only ended up fourth in the PAC-10 last year.
quick point on that
dont forget that they were also down to 5th string QB and were missing multiple starters... I know Oregon does not usually finish as strong as they should, however last year was a bit of an anomaly with the amount of injuries they had to deal with. They should have been in the NC Game if they could have stayed healthy. Oh well that is one of the prices they pay for playing in the Pac 10...