By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

The Broncos will play for first place in the WAC on Friday night at San Jose State. Here are some highlights from Boise State football coach Chris Petersen’s media sessions Monday (audio available here):

On playing for first place: “This will be the biggest game we’ve played, no question. … The thing I know about going to San Jose is it’s going to be a hard-nosed, physical, tight football game. That we have learned. We know what we’re going to get so there should be no surprises at all.”

On the offense’s progress: “I think we’re close. I think we’re getting better. We did some good things we didn’t do the game before just in terms of some consistency things. Whether that shows up this week or not because we’re playing against one of the top-rated defenses in the country is to be determined. … They’ve shut down everybody.”

On Brandyn Thompson’s big game against Hawaii: “I hope he’s feeling like he’s got something to prove this week as well. That’s how it’s done. We have not arrived. And Brandyn has not arrived just because he had a good game.”

On whether he follows the BCS standings and Utah: “Not even kind of. Not even kind of. That doesn’t have anything to do with us right now. Talk to me in six games. If we’re still doing well, it will mean something.”

On the crowd last week: “The environment on Friday was awesome. You could feel the electricity. Bronco Stadium was in full force and it sparked our guys, especially in the second half, which was impressive. I know a lot of times halftime can be fun and some people don’t make it back.”

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Petersen expects the Broncos to trot out a different offensive line again this week. They have started five line combinations in six games.

The line on the depth chart is the same as it was last Monday, but that group didn’t play together in the game. The depth chart lists, from left, Andrew Woodruff, Cory Yriarte, Thomas Byrd, Jon Gott and Kevin Sapien.

Byrd was benched last week after five starts.

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The Broncos are spending a couple days this week and next week practicing on grass because Spartan Stadium in San Jose and Aggie Memorial Stadium in Las Cruces, N.M., have grass fields.

The Broncos haven’t played on grass yet this season.

“It shouldn’t be a huge deal,” Petersen said.

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Here are some highlights from San Jose State coach Dick Tomey’s teleconference with WAC media:

On this week’s game: “We’re trying to compete for the championship. People down here say, ‘You’ve got a chance to spoil Boise’s BCS chances.’ That’s the furthest thing from my mind. We’re trying to compete for a conference championship. We’ve already beaten the defending champ on the road. We won another road game last week. Now we’ve got the perennial champs coming to our place. It’s a tremendous challenge. It’s a game where we’ll find out a lot about ourselves.”

On losing to the Broncos on a field goal in 2006: “When you’re playing against a champion, a team that has the mentality of a champion, you have to play four quarters. You have to play all the way. You almost have to double beat them because they’re going to come back if they’re behind. They just made all the plays down the stretch in that game to win the game.”

On Boise State QB Kellen Moore: “I’m very impressed with his poise and his judgment, the way he starts to run and finds people open. He seems to be tremendously accurate. It’s hard to be more impressed with someone than I am with him. … He’s a son of a coach. You see that all over the tape. It’s just reflected in the way he plays.”

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We’ve launched a page on our Web site to track Moore throughout his career. We’re still adding a few things, but we have his game-by-game stats on there, all of the stories we’ve written about him and soon we will have a highlight video. You can get to the page through the button at idahostatesman.com/bsufootball.

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Boise State sophomores Brandyn Thompson and Kyle Brotzman were named WAC players of the week Monday.

Thompson, a cornerback, grabbed three interceptions to help the Broncos beat Hawaii on Friday.

Brotzman, a kicker/punter, averaged 60.0 yards on three punts. One punt went 75 yards and two of them were killed inside the 20-yard line. Brotzman also was 2-for-4 on field goals. It was the second straight WAC player of the week award for Brotzman.

The offensive player of the week was Louisiana Tech running back Daniel Porter, who rushed for 145 yards and two touchdowns against Idaho.