By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com
Boise State football coach Chris Petersen said Friday that Louisiana Tech’s big-play ability gives him the most concern going into Wednesday’s game on ESPN.
“They have athletes that can change the game in a snap of the fingers, on both sides,” Petersen said.
The Bulldogs have a 78-yard run, a 44-yard pass, a 57-yard punt return and a 42-yard interception return already this season.
Last year against Boise State, the Bulldogs generated 463 yards of offense, including a 74-yard touchdown run by tailback Daniel Porter. Porter had “one of the most unbelievable runs” last week, Petersen said, when he broke eight tackles for a touchdown.
“They’re an explosive unit,” Petersen said. “That’s their style of play. They can pound in there and pound in there and it doesn’t look like a lot, and then all of a sudden they hit you with a play down the sideline.
“… Extremely scary program for us to play — always has been and always will be.”
•••
Petersen wants to give the nation a good show on Wednesday, the Broncos’ first game this year on national TV and as a ranked team. Part of that audience, Petersen knows, will be potential recruits.
“I think people are talking about us because of what we’ve done the first few games,” Petersen said. “Now people get a chance to watch us. It’s very important to come out and play with great energy and take the next step in our development as a team. I hope the stadium is electric.”
•••
Petersen is hopeful that tailback Doug Martin and linebacker Derrell Acrey will play against Louisiana Tech. They practiced this week.
Wide receiver Vinny Perretta also should play, but he was unable to finish practice Thursday. He is recovering from a concussion suffered in the Oregon game.
Freshman defensive back Cedric Febis won’t play. He is out for two weeks after having arthroscopic surgery, Petersen said.
The Broncos have missed Martin, who played briefly in the opener before injuring his hamstring. He was expected to be one of the team’s best special teams players and a contributor at tailback.
“It’s hard,” Petersen said. “We feel bad for Doug and really for our team. We were so excited about (him). Now we have to get him back in there. We have to figure out a way to get him going not only special-teams wise, but get him back involved in the offense.”
A couple other things to watch on special teams: punter Brad Elkin has been practicing better and is competing for time with Kyle Brotzman, and Perretta likely will be the Broncos’ primary punt returner because he is more sound with the ball than Titus Young.
•••
In tomorrow’s paper, I’ll have a story on the Broncos’ lack of offensive production in the fourth quarter the past two weeks.
“We’re playing two and a half quarters, three quarters of good football, and then we just have to put that last one together,” offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin said. “That just is going to come with more experience, it’s going to come with more time.”
Delicious
Digg
Yahoo
yeah but they make a lot of mistakes too
LA Tech is capable of big plays but they've made a lot of mistakes too.
This will be ESPN's first visit to Bronco Stadium this year including their first visit to the new press box.
BSU should be pretty amped up for this game.
Even though LA Tech has big play ability, BSU will stomp them at home.
theblueturf.blogspot.com
Why are we talking about Louisiana Tech like this?
Why doesn't our coach just train his players on how to play against them and skip the drama?
----------
If this had been an actual troll post the attention seeking you just read would've been followed by screaming, name-calling and cutting and pasting for no apparent reason. We now return you to the Idaho Statesman already in progress.
Because Statesman...
... reporters are constantly asking him the same questions every game, and he has to try to come up with unique answers.
Yeah, but the FANS/whatever responding aren't helping.
----------
If this had been an actual troll post the attention seeking you just read would've been followed by screaming, name-calling and cutting and pasting for no apparent reason. We now return you to the Idaho Statesman already in progress.
Let's get back to discussing the Oregon game ~
because I posted that Ellis Powers' late hit on Oregon's quarterback, Masoli, put him out of the game and if the reverse had happened, how the game would have turned out. At least one reporter asked if, along with the other late hit that got another BSU player ejected, does BSU play dirty football? Of course, the coach said no. So, here I am again and I'm going to ask all you fat headed BSU fans what you would be saying if an Oregon Safety had taken YOUR quarterback out with a late hit? How many of you would still be complaining? If you want to read what the NY Times has to say, go to the blog below. Just cut and paste.
http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/28/the-hit-that-changed-oregons-season/
You are playing a team from the south, and they play about like BSU did last week, hit hard, hit dirty. You know the old saying? What goes around, comes around. You may be getting a reputation, but is it really the one you want?
Keith Jackson has spoken!
----------
If this had been an actual troll post the attention seeking you just read would've been followed by screaming, name-calling and cutting and pasting for no apparent reason. We now return you to the Idaho Statesman already in progress.
For most of what I have
For most of what I have seen, BSU does play really clean football. They play hard, full speed, and with a lot of passion. That being said, those two specific plays that have everyone's panties in a wad, were atypical. Did it change the outcome? I think so, but it is not the standard method of play for these two individuals. Brain farts happen, and if it ends up giving them a reputation, I am sure that they will lose the proper amount of sleep.
What changed...
the outcome of the game was that our freshman QB threw for 386 yards against the Ducks highly touted secondary. I didnt know two late hits accounted for 37 freakn points and made the Ducks FG kicker miss field goals. Sour sour grapes.
The Broncos slapped you around like a bunch of rag dolls you are..end of story.
Why is it no one can just talk about football?
Those two hits didn't have anything to do with BSU scoring 37 points. There is no arguing that. You guys put up 37 points on their starting defense. If they wrote about other games, then I would be discussing those as well, but since the only football written about in the Statesman is BSU football, I don't have a lot of options. Lord knows that Vandal football isn't worth discussing, although I would if they televised the games. Sorry us fans of the game annoy you fans of a team.
Now on to the football, IMO, it was only the one hit that really had any affect, and that was on the QB. The second hit by Johnson really only extended a drive that had stalled, although it had the potential to be disasterous for Boise. When Oregon lost Masoli(?)(Bad with names sorry), their offense became too one dimensional to be successful. Defense is a heck of a lot easier when you only have one threat to worry about.
The 4th quarter, though, was like a whole other game. BSU may have prepared to defend the run, but they are no stranger to pass defense. There were a few reasons why Oregon was able to move the ball as well as they did. One, BSU was getting tired. Defending the running game was wearing them down. Oregon didn't get into the end zone (kudos), but the stage was set for Thomas to open up the passing game. Two, BSU wasn't using the game plan that had been working for them the first three quarters, especially on offense. Three, plain old complacency. The players were celebrating the victory before the game ended.
Since BSU conditions more then any other team that I know of, there really isn't anything that can be done about getting tired. The changing of the way they played the last quarter resides on Coach Pete. You should never change from something that is working. The complacency, however, is the responsibility of the players themselves and the appointed team captains. They are the ones that need to keep the intensity level up.
Frasier
While we rarely agree on anything your points are thought out and respected. Your posts allow for discussion. Bosslady is right tho on this one , as she states the facts and is mostly fair everytime she writes. The Ducks need to move on from this loss. They won at WSU big and need to let this go.
The Vandal game was shown locally on CBS.
Okay me let go now
I have let it go, but then someone brings it up again, and its just like a drug. My fingers start twitching, my eyes roll up into my head, and then words start flying across the screen.
Vandals were televised? I guess they were showing at the same time. Or maybe the wife wandered in. She ain't real keen on me watching football all the time.
And we do agree on certain things. They being you're wrong and I'm wrong. Anywho, time for me to go home and take more meds. I have such creative thoughts when I do that.
But until next time, which will be the day after La Tech/BSU plays. And of course, just to anti-social, I will be rooting for La Tech, even though they gonna lose.
Somebody has to be the opposition on these comment boards, or else its just one big pep rally.
Elbow In Ear...
...get over it already!! You are beating a dead duck here! What do you hope to gain by asking this question over and over again? It has been acknowledged it was a late hit. It has also been acknowledged that it was not planned out...and BSU has never had a 'problem' with inflicting late hits per routine. This could have just as easily happened the other way.
I guess you are taking this loss pretty hard, huh? Maybe you should get a real life of your own so that you are not so devastated when your team loses. It is unhealthy, and can actually be dangerous, to tie your total self esteem up in a sports team. THE DUCKS LOST. LICK YOUR WOUNDS AND ATTEMPT TO HEAL YOURSELF. GET OVER IT.
Pathetic.