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Pettis has fractured leg but may return for bowl; Mackey out with torn ACL; Harsin nominated for national award

Submitted by Chadd Cripe on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 10:58am, updated on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 4:10pm

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Boise State wide receiver Austin Pettis has a lower-leg fracture but may return for the bowl game, coach Chris Petersen said Monday.

Linebacker Daron Mackey is out with a torn anterior cruciate ligament — his second such injury in less than a year and a half.

Linebacker Derrell Acrey and left tackle Nate Potter are day to day, Petersen said. Potter got poked in the eye during the Nevada game and couldn't see, Petersen said.

•••

Boise State offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin has been named a finalist for the Broyles Award, which goes to the nation's top assistant.

The other candidates are Alabama defensive coordinator Kirby Smart, Cincinnati offensive coordinator Jeff Quinn, Florida defensive coordinator Charlie Strong and TCU defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas.

•••

WAC commissioner Karl Benson called the Boise State football team's berth in the BCS a "foregone conclusion" if Texas beats Nebraska in the Big 12 title game and the Broncos win their regular-season finale.

If Nebraska wins, the No. 6 Broncos likely would be pitted against No. 9 Iowa for the last at-large berth.

"Then there's going to be some uncertainty," Benson said.

Last week, it looked like Oklahoma State might beat out Boise State. Iowa has two losses. Oklahoma State had two losses before falling to Oklahoma on Saturday.

"It's a shame we're even talking about the possibility that an Oklahoma State or Iowa jumps over Boise State," Benson said.

•••

Boise State kickoff returner Titus Young was named the WAC special teams player of the week Monday.

Young returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown last week against Nevada. He’s the first Bronco to return two kickoffs for touchdowns in a season.

The other WAC honorees were Utah State running back Robert Turbin (183 rushing/receiving yards, five touchdowns) and Hawaii linebacker Blaze Soares (12 tackles, sack).

•••

Boise State coach Chris Petersen addresses the media at 1 p.m. I'll post an injury update as soon as possible.

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Broken ankle for Pettis

Submitted by JLandon on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 11:05am.

Hope "Shoe" is healthy for a bowl as the other team will key on Titus with double teams all game. Injuries suck. We've been lucky in the past but this year it seems the wins come with a loss too.

It's not broken

Submitted by bluephan on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 1:11pm.

Didn't he get up and walk off the field? Can't walk on a broken ankle. He may have avulsed the distal fibula but there shouldn't be a fracture through a bone. Probably a grade two inversion sprain. He'll be back.

My bad

Submitted by bluephan on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 1:32pm.

Didn't read the article although I thought I did. Lower leg break, should be easy to heal since it's not a big bone. Wade the Blade should be able to handle this one easy and get him back!!

Question for bluephan

Submitted by VNDL on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 3:35pm.

bluephan:

Curious here. Learning I guess.

So, how does a 'rolled ankle' take like 2-3 months to heal sometimes (basketball and tennis) and a 'broken' leg only 4 weeks?

Some B-Ball players are on crutches for months after 'rolling' their ankles.

And, I am curious if the healed fractured bones are more susceptible to injury in the future like 'rolled ankles' are?

My daughter 'rolled' her ankle as a soph in high school tennis years ago. She was on crutches for like 3 months. And still today it will go out on her, just walkng along, and then she's on crutches for another month or so - happens about every 2-3 yers now.

When the broken bones mend, are they stronger than before? - I have heard this at the hospital, but can't say I totally understand it. Never had a broken bone myself.

Thanx in advance for you help.

Oh boy VNDL

Submitted by bluephan on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 3:57pm.

Do you want the long or short answer? At work right now but will get back to you this evening.

TY

Submitted by VNDL on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 4:02pm.

TY - got it. Later

TY?

Submitted by bluephan on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 8:17pm.

too-dil-lou? What does TY mean?

Answer to your question, this may be long and make no sense but here goes. A break of a bone will heal faster than a stretch or tear of soft tissue. When a bone breaks and if casted correctly it should re nit stronger than before. It heals different than soft tissue and the time limit is much shorter.

When soft tissues, be it tendons or ligaments, get injured they have what you call plastic deformation meaning like a rubber band soft tissue will spring back for a little while, but with repeated trauma or movement to the joint it's associated too, the elasticity will lessen. When this happens the structures that are held together are held loosely and are more prone to injury. Your daughter for example has a long lasting injury that will never be 100% again unless she works on stabilizing the structure by re-aligning the joint surfaces of the associated bones of the ankle then re-aggravating the soft tissue enough to stimulate the pizo-electric effect so the soft tissue structures will adhere tighter than before. Now the joint surfaces are held together stronger, movement is corrected and having an injury is less likely. This is a very complicated method and the older the injury the less likely the recovery will take. You also have arthritis setting in and other complications that comes with aging.

When I was young I sprained my ankle really bad and the old way to heal it at that time was to splint it till the inflammation and pain was gone. Well before I discovered all of this I had a chronic weak ankle that was prone to injury which was as easy as stepping wrong on a little pebble. Then with proper stabilizing and rehab I was able to gain at least 70-80% strength and proprioception back. I'm no where close to 100% but I do enjoy sports to a degree I can be competitive.

If this doesn't make sense my apologies, I'm better at what I do then explaining what I do.

What an intelligent group we are.

Submitted by Omikey on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 10:20pm.

Well I would "like" to include myself. VaNDaL, being a Vandal is pretty sharp as well.

I've heard that high ankle sprains are even more difficult or lengthy in recovery.

TY Thank you

TY Again

Submitted by VNDL on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 10:23pm.

bluephan: TY was just my way of saying 'Thank You'. Not a blogosphere expert so did the best I could. I'm not hip to the computer lingo, like you young guys.

Thank you for taking the time to provide a great explanation - I even think I understand what you said.

Very nice of you to provide the answer.

I will arrange for my my daughter to see a specialist and pursue some sort of rehab, and who knows, maybe someday she will be able to play a little tennis again. I thought that maybe it was such an old injury that rehab was out of the question and not an option, but, after reading your post, it sounds like maybe there is a way to help it a bit.

I have learned something from you of great importance.

So, again, TY.

Go Broncos !!

VNDL

Should have known

Submitted by bluephan on Tue, 12/01/2009 - 4:13pm.

TY = Thank You. If she's in Boise have her see Dr. Hearon on Cole across from Asiagos. He's a extremity guru who would be able to help.

We need an update on ALL the injured......

Submitted by Bluemonster on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 1:39pm.

...players, are any/some going to be back in time for the bowl game.

Broken ankle??

Submitted by TheTruthTeller on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 11:34am.

If the ankle is broken, it's highly unlikely he'll be a go for a bowl game. Not good.

pettis

Submitted by weisberg on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 2:48pm.

he will not play let us get real bsu you will now have to play some local players

Hate to burst the BCS bubble here but....

Submitted by war_bronco on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 12:17pm.

A Pettisless offense will be pretty pedestrian in a BCS game against a BCS opponent. His size and ability to go up and snag balls from cornerbacks will be sorely missed. He is the only Bronco receiver with that skill set...a huge value against more athletic teams. The Bronco passing game was pretty average without him in there on Friday night. Best wishes on your recovery Austin.

No Pettis?

Submitted by JLF on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 2:21pm.

A minor crack, one that does not require surgery and screws, can heal in 4 or 5 weeks I am told by folks who know about such things. My broken toe took 4 weeks but then I walked on it daily. Maybe if he wraps enough duct tape around it...

No burst really

Submitted by tfunk on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 12:57pm.

Any team that loses a top skill player in the middle of a game looks average the rest of that game. What you are forgetting is a very very good coaching staff with a month to prepare (and a practice game to boot) with other personnel. Potter has played well but from what I've seen, the Moore kid is my pick to step up here. Any takers Moore has 10 catches V New Mexico?

Also, hang in Austin, next stop DC and 3 TD's

Start of a great Combo

Submitted by tigeraddison on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 1:35pm.

Moore to Moore will eventually be the Bronco's all time greatest combo. They've been QB to WR since Kirby was in diapers I bet. I was feeling really nervous in the Nevada game when they showed Pettis on crutches. But our coaching staff is the BEST at making in game adjustments (just not in some of the more recent bowl games apparently) and they delivered when Kirby caught that fade pass for a TD in the fourth. He stepped up and like one of you already said, we have a whole month to get Kirby all those first team reps and a practice game to boot.

With Pettis in the line up though we could beat ANY team in the country... Without him we might struggle against possibly three or four of them.

Moore # 2 ?

Submitted by JLF on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 2:12pm.

Maybe, but he does not have Pettis' hands, speed, quickness or athleticism. He does have 90 some odd previous TD's with the help of #1 Moore at QB. And, at 6'2" he is tall, however Iowa's CB's are 6' and 6'1". As long as Austin Pettis' athleticism isn't required and the ball is perfectly thrown, he should be OK.

Pettis still possible for the bowl game.

Submitted by marcsulf on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 12:59pm.

Even with a broken ankle, he might recover in time for the bowl game. Keep in mind, back in 2002, Ryan Dinwiddie broke his ankle on September 7 versus Arkansas. He returned to help obliterate Fresno State that year on October 18, just 41 days later.

Clearly, even if Pettis's ankle is broken, it is not a severe fracture, since he returned to hold the ball on the Broncos next PAT. The Fiesta bowl is January 4, and he injured his ankle on November 27, so that gives him 38 days to recover. It will be close, but it is possible.

Very good point

Submitted by JLandon on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 1:24pm.

And Dinwiddie cut his leg all up removing the tape from that broken ankle. But dont forget. Dinwiddie was a pocket Quarterback and Pettis is a route running Receiver.

Great Point!

Submitted by tfunk on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 1:02pm.

Positive thoughts abound!

a perfectly thrown pass every time

Submitted by broncos81 on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 2:28pm.

that is not really asking too much is it?

Injuries

Submitted by RipSKI on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 2:36pm.

I thought the Nevada coach was an idiot for not playing Lipincott as the guy is a stud. Turns out he had a broken bone in his foot requiring surgery. He broke it the week before against New Mexico state. Glad he was out as the other back appeared to tire.

ripski said...

Submitted by frog99g on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 10:31pm.

He thought the Nevada coach was an idiot for not playing Lippencott. Lippencott was in most all of the game. He even played on special teams.
it was because he was neutralized by our D that some thought he wasn't in the game. He was a non-factor just like their QB. (Actually, the QB threw some very helpful passes toward the end of the game. Their lame accuracy was greatly appreciated).

Injuries can be a real problem.

Submitted by Omikey on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 2:41pm.

I remember two years ago when because of a bad turn of injuries we were forced to use a raw recruit that had only been with the team for two weeks and was the fourth (4th) string quarterback. He hadn't even taken but 2 days of practice snaps.

We were playing a talented visiting team of blue guys from the east. It was a good game but the blue guys pulled out a squeaker at the end.

Yes, injuries can be troublesome.

injuries

Submitted by weisberg on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 2:45pm.

thanks bsu for sharing the injuries to your adoring public

Just a SWAG here - Don't Know For Sure - Might Be Wrong

Submitted by VNDL on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 10:37pm.

I am guessing, Mah-zoh-lee?

Okay, Masoli.

An Ode to the Ducks:

Roses are red
Broncos are blue
Against Boise State
You're Zero and Two

nice

Submitted by partyhater on Tue, 12/01/2009 - 3:07pm.

NICE, I almost teared up..

karl benson

Submitted by weisberg on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 2:44pm.

tou sure know a lot cincinatti loses to pitt cincinatti goes mid major out that is bsu

What?

Submitted by Omikey on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 2:49pm.

Standing by. Come again.

I think I can translate.

Submitted by marcsulf on Mon, 11/30/2009 - 3:18pm.

I think what Weisberg is trying to say, in his broken English, is that he believes that if Cinci loses to Pitt, they will be taken for the final BCS at-large spot ahead of the Broncos. He holds this position because he is of the mistaken opinion that the BCS bowl selection committees will automatically take a 1-loss BCS AQ team ahead of the Broncos. What he fails to recognize is that to the BCS bowls, there is practically no difference between the Big East and the non-AQ teams. They are both TV ratings disasters. But if they have to take one, they will go with the team that has had better TV ratings in the past, and that is definitely the Broncos.

Both Cinci and BSU have been in 1 BCS bowl. The 2009 Orange Bowl, featuring Va Tech vs Cincinnati, drew a 5.4 rating, which is, by far, the lowest rated BCS bowl game in history. The next lowest was the 2007 Orange Bowl (Louisville vs Wake Forest) which drew a 6.98. On the other hand, the 2007 Fiesta Bowl (Boise State vs Oklahoma) drew an 8.4 rating, which is by no means good, but is still nearly double the audience that watched Cinci.