By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com
New Mexico State leads the nation in pass defense — a tribute to new coordinator Joe Lee Dunn’s wacky scheme and an indictment of the Aggies’ run defense, which ranks 115th.
The Aggies’ past two opponents — San Jose State and Idaho — combined for 15-of-36 passing for 109 yards with one touchdown and five interceptions. However, five of their seven opponents have rushed for at least 270 yards.
“They do throw a lot of funk at you and one of the good things about a team that throws a lot of funk is they can hit you, but they also can be hit if you call it right,” Boise State senior tailback Ian Johnson said.
The Aggies, who use a 3-3-5 scheme, will line up with as few as two linemen, dropping as many as nine players into coverage. They also have cleared out one side of the line before.
“It’s a different look for people,” said San Jose State coach Dick Tomey, whose team managed just 201 yards against the Aggies.
Overall, the Aggies defense has been much more effective this year. They have dropped their yards allowed from 429.9 to 358.6, their points allowed from 36.2 to 30.3 and their passing yards allowed from 261.9 to 126.3. The rushing yards allowed have increased, though, from 168.0 to 232.3.
The rushing numbers have allowed opponents to play keep-away, controlling the number of times quarterback Chase Holbrook and the offense take the field.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a concern,” safety Derrick Richardson said, “but it’s definitely something we need to improve immediately.”
Richardson leads the nation with 13.5 tackles per game. He had 21 against UTEP and 16 last week against Idaho.
“Derrick has always been a real aggressive player,” coach Hal Mumme said. “(This defense) allows him to do that.”
•••
Junior cornerback Kyle Wilson is one of just a handful of Broncos defensive players who played in the 2006 game at New Mexico State, a 40-28 win in which the Aggies passed for 526 yards.
Wilson, who didn’t become a starter until two weeks after that game, remembers it vividly.
“I will never forget that game,” he said. “… I think we were playing on our heels. We were not playing our game. We were playing their game. Last year, we turned that around (in a 58-0 win in Boise).”
Linebacker Kyle Gingg is the only defensive player who was listed as a starter for the 2006 game and is expected to start this week.
•••
Johnson kept the ball he carried into the end zone for his school-record 51st career rushing touchdown last week at San Jose State. He famously threw the ball into the stands after scoring the game-winning two-point conversion in the Fiesta Bowl.
“This time I learned from my mistake,” he said. “… This time I’m holding onto it tight.”
Johnson is third in WAC history in rushing touchdowns. He should be able to pass LaDainian Tomlinson of TCU (54) and Marshall Faulk of San Diego State (57).
“That’s definitely the next step,” he said. “… I think I’m a little out of my league. Those guys are quite accomplished people. It’s just amazing to see what type of athletes have come out of the WAC and have excelled in the WAC.”
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Why didn't I ever get to play against a 3-3-5 or a 2-4-5? If
BSU plays it right they can "run" up the score to 100! If they play it right. But they won't. Once something starts working for them they change it. I don't understand that. Ian could get at least 50 of those 100 points. And 200 or more yards rushing. And put Richardson out of the game early with some hits from the big guys.
SHHH! At least you never got hit...
by the 5:15?
The more I read...
...what Ian Johnson says, the more I respect that kid. When referring to his chance to pass LT and Marshall Faulk, he said:
“That’s definitely the next step,” he said. “… I think I’m a little out of my league. Those guys are quite accomplished people. It’s just amazing to see what type of athletes have come out of the WAC and have excelled in the WAC.”
How cool is that.
I hope for nothing but the best for you Ian. You're a total gem in a field that has its share of prima donnas and ding dongs. Here's hoping you get a 200 yard game this Saturday!
If BSU:
1. keys on their leading all purpose runners, Williams (their leading receiver) and Anderson (their leading kickoff returner and one of their leading receivers),
2. blocks their leading FG kicker and punter, Hughes,
3. doesn't pass near their leading interceptors, House or Betts,
4. sacks Holbrook,
5. keys on their other leading receivers, Harris and Nieman,
6. keys on Colston when he runs.
So key on Williams, Anderson, Hughes, House, Betts, Holbrook, Harris, Nieman and Colston, 9 guys, and shut them out!!!
Benny
I never understand your comments. Are you being serious?
What I am sick of hearing is that every team
we face is the leading blah blah or the toughest team ever. If we played Idaho this week the statesmans report would be "Broncos haven't won since Idaho has Won." New Mexico is flat out a bad team that has played other bad teams. The Broncs should make thier gimmick defense look silly. Pass for 300 and rush for 300. A 50 point win is expected, but a 30-40 point win is ok. Anything lower than that and another cranky coach Pete it will be.
Scary?
Why r they trying to hype this game up? All I've heard was they have one all american that BSU should be scared of, they are mad from last weeks loss so their going to come out for revenge, now they have a passing scheme that would blow away the best. WTF! BSU's defense is going to slap the team up and down the field, BSU's offense is going to run circles around the D, and special teams if needed will well do their job like BSU always does. GET R DONE BRONCO's!!
BSU should be 7th in the polls
BSU has the 47th toughest schedule in the nation. Six teams have tougher schedules, hence BSU should be 7th.
The #2 and #3 teams have far easier schedules--like 76th and 78th toughest schedules.
Guess the AD at BSU should be kicked less severely.
7th, Yeah right!!
They have played teams with a combined record of 18-26. You really think they could compete with the likes of LSU (think GA a few years ago), Missouri, etc. They play in the WAC and have no competition. Even Coach Pete said the Oregon game was a fluke. "It benefitted us that Oregon was having QB problems, unfortunately for them." The BCS is a joke and the NAt'l Championship needs to be decided by a bracket on the field. Then there will be no questions.
Whoaa there James Bond!
Why so angry 007? The Broncos are a far better team than the one who went to Georgia. Besides, Zabransky literally gave Georgia 28 points becasue he had a meltdown. Kellen Moore is already a better QB than Z ever was. Oregon is a good team, not great, but good. I'm not suggesting that BSU would win the SEC, but yes they could compete in the SEC. They could beat LSU this year. LSU has a very poor QB situation. They certainly could beat Missouri. Auburn, Mississippi, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi St, would love to be as good as the Broncos. Those teams are awful. You really think the Broncos couldnt compete with those schools? Nobody is suggesting that the Broncos are national Championship worthy, but #7 seems about right. I will agree with you on one thing, they have to play it out on the field, not in the computers.
bond007
You left out Oklahoma, 2006, and I don't think Coach Petersen called the Oregon win a fluke. Not too many teams win there, regardless of the quarterback situation.
However, I can't argue against criticism of BSU's soft schedule. It will always work against their ranking until the AD wakes up and fixes it. I would like to see them schedule both a PAC-10 and Big Ten team each season, as well as one of the top tier teams from the Mountain West rather than Wyoming. In order to make this monetarily feasible, BSU will need to keep expanding its stadium--a big time stadium will translate into a big time schedule.
Schedule
Everybody needs to calm down about the scheduling. Pac 10 and Big Ten teams only want to play us at their house and usually as the opening game of the year. They know that we can beat them in Boise, so they will almost never come here. Its just not that easy to schedule good teams. Oregon was ranked in the top 5 last year until their quarterback got hurt. Now this year comes and we beat them but the win doesnt count for much because they are having a down year. Bleymaier cant control how good a team is going to be the year that we play them. A Pac 10 home and away game each year and a MWC home and away is about as good as it will ever get so you better get used to it. We used to be able to schedule BCS teams (UCLA, Arkansas, Wisconsin) but that was because they saw us as an easy win on their schedule. Now that we are hard to match up with, no one wants to play us. Losing to us makes them look really bad.
Bye the way, have you seen the non conference schedule of most of the SEC teams? The Vandulls could beat most of them. BSU isnt the only school sceduling patsies guys.
Money
That's where my belief stands. No one has a crystal ball either and the teams Mr. B tries to schedule are supposed to have a good year the year we play them but they don't : -( hey that's the first sideways face I made!! : -) and there's another. : > yo sideways chicken!!
:-O
Good work bluephan! Nice sideways chicken.