By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com
Boise State has scored touchdowns on just 59.3 percent of its trips to the red zone this season — a problem that was to blame for the Broncos’ subpar showing against UC Davis. The Broncos scored touchdowns on 66.2 percent of their red-zone chances last year.
Part of the problem against Davis was a lack of aggression by the tailbacks. The Broncos worked on that during the bye week.
They have 16 touchdowns and five field goals in 27 red-zone chances.
“When we get down there, we’ve got to finish,” offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin said. “... Our guys know that’s tough sledding down there and we’ve got to really be precise to get it in.”
The Broncos have scored 24 first-quarter points this season. That number should be much higher but they have been particularly ineffective in the red zone in the first quarter.
“We’ve been able to move the ball early,” quarterback Kellen Moore said. “We just do stupid stuff in the red zone and don’t get points out of it.”
•••
Boise State senior cornerback Kyle Wilson says he doesn’t have any lingering effects from the shoulder injury that sidelined him against Davis.
“It’s the furthest thing from my mind when I’m out there,” he said.
•••
Tulsa junior backup quarterback Jacob Bower has appeared in all but one game in his two seasons with the Golden Hurricane. Bower, a Meridian High product, could appear for certain plays against the Broncos, Tulsa coach Todd Graham said.
Bower lost a tight race to G.J. Kinne, a Texas transfer, for the starting job. Bower transferred to Tulsa last year from Bakersfield College.
“He and G.J. battled,” Graham said. “It was probably one of the closest battles for the starting job I’ve been associated with in my career. Jacob is one of those guys we’re confident in. … We think he is very, very talented. He’s a guy we feel blessed to have.”
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hmmm...
You know...I was thinking about how most BSU fans carry an arsenal of defensive excuses around in support of their team, and when you add it all up, the bottomline is they know that all of the fumbling and weak execution and scheduling problems are just what this team is this year. They are destined to lose at least once (I predict three times) and then..phwoot..all of the discussion is over...lol. When I think of a team around week 5-7, and mind you I watch as many of the games and replays as I am able, I just don't see this team as interesting or impactive in the way that Florida/Alabama/any SEC, Big 12, Big 10 team is. There should be a law that prohibits mentioning those teams in the same sentence as BSU...lol. Next year I'll feel different...this year, OVERRATED...OVERRATED....OVERRATED.
why are you here?
What - nothing interesting happen with your team this weekend so you have to come to a Boise site and hack on BSU? That's really not unique, by the way. We're used to it. Beating teams (Oregon, Oklahoma etc.) that are supposed to hand you your head on a plate is something that is fun to complain about!
Enjoy!
Go BRONCOS!!!
if you're going to live in the past
you might as well bring BSU's two national championships into the mix.
Point is, the only game that really matters for BSU is the game they're in, and they haven't looked very good.
I hope that they take care of busines sin their next game or else we'll slide right out of a BCS bowl berth and into the depths of the unranked by the seasons end
Hey acop, Lets put your
Hey acop,
Lets put your beliefs to the test, you say they will lose three, I have $2,500 that says you are wrong. You are weak, your arguments make no sense, you talk a lot. So stop talking and and prove yourself. $5,000 is also o.k if the other is not enough.
*chirp chirp chirp*
Nothin' but crickets from Apocalypse.... LOL!!!
GO BRONCOS!!!
excuses?
Bronco fans make excuses for the team? They're 5-0 and ranked #5 or #6 depending on the poll you fool. Who needs excuses? Those are for fans of weak teams like you that are ranked well below the Broncos, so you feel the need to attempt some weak smack as randomly as possible.
LOL!
Good one Eagle Man! Seriously - I wonder who these people are who waste time trying to annoy us Bronco fans! We're far too polite (most of us at least) to Vandal fans to warrant this. Pray tell is he a DUCK? What a dingdong.
Hey......I like the Broncos even thought I am new to Idaho
It's just that I wish they had a tougher schedule to brag on is all. Before I moved here....I hadn't even heard of 1/2 the teams on their schedule. Try playing Notre Dame,USC and LSU in a MONTH and then let me know how the Broncos are doing.
bring it on
I'd love to play any of those teams, especially USC. LSU would probably beat us, but we'd put up a good fight. Notre Dame would lose to us, most likely. Look, I'll be one to admit that a #5 ranking may be a little generous, but we are a good team and could put up a good fight against any team in the nation.
Welcome to Idaho
I'm a fan of a team that did play those 3 in a month, and now has the rest of the Pac10 to play. Several things you'll hear from the BS-U fans, over and over:
Play us home and home- even though we've got a small stadium and can't write the necessary check.
We can't help our schedule- even though our AD admitted that he's been avoiding these big time games.
The polls love us- even though we have beat a BCS team in their stadium only once in history.
We're the giant killers- even though Oklahoma has managed to lose 5 bowls in a row and we've lost 4 of 5.
This is Bandwagon State- ask the flag waving head to toe blue and orange fan what year they graduated- all you'll get is a blank look. Luckily, it's only a short drive from the Treasure Valley to the real state.
...
leave
Welcome!
Yeah, strength of schedule.. there's something we've never heard before (*heavy sarcasm of course*)
There are SO many points to consider when you talk about BSU SOS. Not trying to sound too black helicopter about the whole thing, but seriously - if you were ND or USC or LSU and the guys with the whacky blue turf called and asked for a home and home...would you say YES? Probably not!
If they win, they beat a no body. If they lose (and for the game at BSU there is a VERY high chance they would...) then you lose a lot more than one game. You kiss your season goodbye.
We Broncos are a patient bunch. We're very new to the 1A world (this is 14th season now) and have sense enough to be happy with being a top 25 so many times already. This #5/#6 air we are breathing now is pretty amazing, and many of us are just happy to be here! Time will show who has a great program.
Week in and week out we chug along and win. We beat teams that are beneath us (hey-good job OU for that 63-0 routing of Idaho State, by the way!) and we beat teams that we were never supposed to beat. (I'll quit talking about OU now. LOL) You cannot just ride the "who do they play" wagon all of the time. Do some research and you'll find that BSU actually does have an OK SOS. (Two weeks ago, we had a higher SOS than almighty TEXAS did! Yes, the #2 Texas.)
Getting better and better teams here is just a slow go and it will happen in time. As BSU builds up its own creds, the bigger guys will be willing to play us. None of the big guys want to get Appalachian Stated!
Another thing - when they schedule these other teams, no one knows for sure if they'll be impressive a couple years later when the game actually gets played. This is mall knowlege. Everyone was singing the praises of Tulsa and Ball St. last year (remember the perfect seasons that were unfolding?) Now they are criticizing BSU for playing Tulsa, and where oh where is Ball St?
Welcome to Idaho. Don't be an aggressive driver, don't try to change the way everyone does things here, and be patient with BSU!
GOOOOO BRONCOS!!!!
To: Luv Dem Broncos
Hey that's about the most intelligent comment I've ever heard here... if I didn't live in another state, I'd meet-up with you and buy you a beer. Go Ducks.
We're so sorry A pack of crap Now.
Let's see. Who should we cheer for? And we do you rag on us? Go away... your useless ranting is dreary. And that is all I'm going to say about that.
CollegeScam
If you are talking about Oregon as the "real state" it seems to me that BSU is 5-2 agaist teams from Oregon.
college fan
makes a couple of good points. the home & home argument is not one of them. the payday from a game at bronco stadium may be less but many teams(the dawgs for instance) would benefit because we are consistently ranked higher. we can help our non-conference schedule, obviously the wac is what it is.
as for the rest, we'll see how the season plays out. if uw is worthy, we could meet. the dawgs can display their domination if they have it. until then, beat oregon.
apocalypse wow
must not pay attention to college football. any big 10 or big 12 team or sec team? that would include such football powerhouses as indiana, northwestern, purdue, minnesota, illinois, colorado, kansas, baylor, iowa state, vanderbilt, kentucky and mississippi state. that is a 12-0 season for bsu.
Ohh time to beat up another
Ohh time to beat up another baby team tonight WOOT