Montana hires Idaho QB coach; How did the Broncos end up at No. 4?
Smith headed to Montana
Idaho quarterbacks coach Jonathan Smith will be Montana's offensive coordinator, the school announced Friday.
Smith did a nice job developing quarterback Nathan Enderle.
It also points to a problem the Vandals could have in the coming weeks. Head coach Robb Akey is negotiating a new contract with the school, one that could include raises for his assistant coaches.
"I want to see things get better for the staff," Akey said before the Humanitarian Bowl.
"My goal is with our place that we continue to make things better. If they're looking to move it's not because they have to go some place to take better care of their family," Akey said.
Idaho president Duane Nellis said Thursday in Boise that negotiations are on-going between the school and Akey, who led Idaho to its first bowl game and victory since 1998.
How did the Broncos end up at No. 4?
Boise State fans are a bit disappointed this morning, after their 14-0 Broncos finished No. 4 in the coaches' and media polls.
So how did the Broncos finish No. 4 in the media poll, the same poll that rewarded Utah with a No. 2 finish last year in a similar situation.
The answer?
Well, Craig James had a lot to do with it.
The ESPN college football analyst voted Boise State No. 7, their lowest ranking. His vote nearly single-handedly keeping the Broncos from the No. 3 position.
Here is how the Top 5 finished:
1 Alabama (60) 14-0 1500
2 Texas 13-1 1399
3 Florida 13-1 1370
4 Boise State 14-0 1366
5 Ohio State 11-2 1224
A first-place vote is worth 25 points. A second-place vote is worth 24. A third-place vote is worth 23 and so on and so on.
Here is a voter-by-voter look at how Boise State was treated.
James, who had voted Boise State No. 11 in his final regular-season rankings, moved the Broncos up to No. 7 in his final poll. The Broncos were behind Ohio State, Penn State and Iowa on his ballot. No voter put Ohio State, Penn State or Iowa higher on their ballots than James did.
Boise State received 19 points from James' ballot. Had James voted the Broncos No. 4, they would have earned three more points and closed the gap with Florida to a single point.
It's not just Boise State. James also voted TCU No. 14, the lowest among all voters.
Of the 60 ballots, Boise State was No. 2 on 22 of them. The Broncos were No. 3 on six. The Broncos were No. 4 on 30. They received a fifth-place vote (Kirk Bohls, Austin American Statesman) and a seventh-place vote (James).
Bohls voted Ohio State No. 4 and Boise State No. 5.
The difference between Florida and Boise State is that Florida did not have any low voters. All 60 placed the Gators No. 2, No. 3 or No. 4.
Had James and Bohls vote the Broncos No. 4, then Boise State ties for No. 3 in the country.
Coaches' poll
1. Alabama (58) 14-0 1,450
2. Texas 13-1 1,360
3. Florida 13-1 1,323
4. Boise State 14-0 1,312
5. Ohio State 11-2 1,190
The gap in the coaches' poll was 11 points and since votes are not made public it is tough to know how the Broncos finished No. 4.
But if you divide Boise State's total points (1,312) by the number of ballots (58, two coaches did not vote in the final poll), the average is 22.6.
So the Broncos averaged between No. 3 vote (worth 23 points) and a No. 4 vote (worth 22 points) from the coaches.
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Was glad to see the Broncos
Was glad to see the Broncos win but both teams should have dropped out of the top 15 with the way they played. I had to turn it off. Horrible game by both teams. Both defenses looked good because both offenses stunk up the place. Very disappointing bowl game...extremely boring.
lame
It seems you and tomellen are buddies. You thought the Broncos were going to get rolled by 3 tds and now you say both teams should drop out of the Top 15? So to cover your terrible prediction you now come up with that? Why dont you just beat it already? The Bronco players and coaches have absolutely earned another Top 5 ranking and for you to protect your own self served interests is pathetic.
....always living up to
.that "lame" part aren't you ? Keep up the good work. We will need you again next season, more fuel for the fire. Please don't ever change. Thanks.
Good lord you are a fool
Good lord you are a fool
You are an...
Idiot.
Two top 5 teams play solid defense....extremly good defense, and play each other close, so they deserve to be dropped?
If this was an SEC matchup, both teams would have been moved to number 1
Lamesched
Oh I see, a low scoring SEC or B12 game is an "epic defensive battle" But a low scoring game between two non AQ teams is "sloppy" Take your crap elsewhere.........
You are not glad! don't lie..
You had to turn it off? "very disappointing bowl"? listen lame-shed you are not a Bronco fan so don't pretend that you " are glad they won" no in fact it's killing you! go give coach Akey a hug and cry over the Broncos being light years away from your progam.
By that same logic
Alabama shouldnt be ranked #1. It doesn't matter if they won their NC game, they played horrible against a handicapped Texas offense. You think the Fiesta Bowl was disappointing? That NC was just as bad.
And, Boise State actually succeeds in fake punts. Your logic is warped.
Defense was good
Okay, you prefer higher scoring offensive games. But defense ruled in the Fiesta Bowl. You just have to learn to appreciate it.
Join the Foreign Legion, eh Lame-O?
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about what I expected.
actually #4 is about right.
James
Are we to be surprised? The helicopter parent has alway disliked the Broncos. At least his son carries on the family tradition of destroying programs. I wonder if Craig is still on SMUs payroll?
Craig James is the new Mark
Craig James is the new Mark May.
No....
James has always dissed BSU just like mGay....They are both equally BCS homeristic...always have been.
But remember, James got played to play his football at SMU, so technically, he is a professional.
Is he on FOX? I was watching the game, paid no attention.
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Figures...
Mike Leach just picked the wrong James to lock up in an electrical shed......
Craig James...
.....would fit in perfectly at the statesman. When murphy goes back to taking cheap shots at Boise State (and you know it WILL happen) he will be right at home. The only difference ? James is always disrespecting the Broncos. Consistency boys, and girls thats what we are talking about.
Nice info
Murph.
I just became a Mike Leach fan........
Not surprised at James
He's the ultimate 'soccer dad'. Even worse than Hawkins.
The more things stay the same, the more they stay the same...
4th?! What a joke.
I'm sure the BCS royalty agree wholeheartedly.
Alabama #1:
Ok, i get it, they beat a Texas team without their Heisman Finalist QB, Congrats.
Texas #2 and Florida #3:
First of all, both these teams have 1 loss, Boise State is undefeated. Texas lost it Bowl Game, BSU won it's bowl game.
I heard Herbstreit say on Gameday, "Throw out strength of schedule, now it is all about who takes care of business in their BCS bowl games." I agree.
So ridiculous, Boise State should be #2 or #3, Florida #3 or #2, Texas #4...
Once again, the Broncos lose the beauty pageant.
It's football, they wear pads, not pasties.
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lamesched
"Both defenses looked good because both offenses stunk up the place. Very disappointing bowl game...extremely boring" You obviously don't have a grasp of the game of football making a comment like that. If you are a true football fan it doesn't have to be 50 to 49 to be a exciting game. Even though offense is exciting, defense wins championships. The 2010 Fiesta Bowl was a nailbiter and played extremely well by BSU against a more than solid TCU team. But with all things said you are probably one of those idiots that say the Fiesta Bowl was a boring game but last years championship between Florida and Oklahoma was a super game because of the level of defense that was played. Give it up for the Bronco defense...they could have played with anyone in the nation Monday night. They matched a VERY fast TCU team stride for stride and then some.
TCU was horrible
TCU was horrible
So were Alabama and Texas.
You are just a groupie for the BCS conferences.
TCU was horrible
TCU was horrible
Hidden among all the
Hidden among all the rheotric is the fact the WAC conference is not any conference to shout about and having zero losses in such a conference is not anything to shout about. Also remember scheduling -- the coming years schedule will be a telling factor.
and what about beating 2 top
and what about beating 2 top 10 teams also numb nuts?
just for the sake of correctness
1 top ten team. oregon finished 11.
i don't get all the fuss about rankings. all the people on here complain about the rankings being biased and unfair, etc. so why even pay attention to them?
So true. It's all opinions,
So true. It's all opinions, and we know what opinions are like...
AND the fake punt play was
AND the fake punt play was not endearing to football purists. It was simply a trick play and did not add credibility to the strength of the team.
So Alabama
should be dropped in the polls because they tried a fake punt? They aren't #1 to football purists? Oh, wait, it's OK when a BCS team does that kind of thing, it's only a weakness if Boise State does it.
Fake punt
Well said!!!!!
The Fake Punt is Fundamental Football
I don't see the comments about the fake punt being anything but a lame excuse.
Most of football coaching is about misdirection -- that's why the huddle is attended by one team, not both.
People applaud play action passes (which are fake runs), looking off a receiver (which is a fake pass to that receiver), pulling linemen and misdirection blocking. That is all a fake punt is -- saying the punting team is doing one thing and then doing another. If the defense covers its guys, like it is supposed to, Efaw doesn't run through the line without coverage and the punter is rushed before he can get off the pass. Instead, TCU forgot its fundamentals and the pass worked.
That is good solid play and nothing else by Boise State.
A TRICK PLAY?
I'm not sure that I agree with you in the sense that just about every play in football is some sort of play meant to "trick" the opposing team, be it routine "play action" to pump fakes- hard counts- options- end arounds and reverses- fake FG's & punts- halfback direct snaps- flea flickers- screen passes-onside kicks and so on.
So as you can see, faking out the opponent is basically the nuts and bolts of a football game, and BSU is one of the best at it, which for some reason, is something that critics use to dismiss BSU.
At least our fake punt worked out better than the national champion's fake punt
Legal play, score resulted. Football is a game, not Sparta.
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Craig James Sux
Just another way to get his name in the news. Typical politician.
While Tommy James Rocks. NEXT.
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So, let's get this straight...
A majority of the voters put BSU at fourth. And then they finished fourth. And it's ONE GUY's 'fault'? Come on now...
Not a majority
30 out of 60 isn't a majority, 31 is.
Especially if you are that Nancy chick in Washington...
Wish it were SINATRA.
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Plurality.
30 is not a majority of 60. It is a plurality.
It's one half too.
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its ok.
I was thinking #3, but 4 is ok too!!!
Per the RIVALS recruit
Per the RIVALS recruit ranking between 2006-2009:
Alabama 11-10-1-1; Texas 5-5-14-5; Florida 2-1-3-11; Boise St. 70-68-89-72; After Alabama, who really had the best season? Boise finishing at #4 is an amazing accomplishment - and the springboard to a potential epic football season next year. This is a very special coaching staff and a very special group of players.
Hate to point this out
but if James had voted #4 instead of biased #7 and Chad would have bit the bullet and voted BSU #1............well you do the math.
Don't matter, BSU plays a weak conference, wins only on trick plays, opponents are not "mentally" there or had an off night. They play on a blue field. and now their recruiting sucks (A Heisman candidate? All-American? Nah, ain't happenin)
Oh, and we don't have a $5M coach that doesn't call a shuddle pass with 15 seconds left in the half from your own 37............
didn't realize it 'till just now, man we suck!
I can't get over Cripe not voting BSU #1
Prior to last night's game, I could understand Chadd's thought of voting BSU #2, but after watching the most boring national championship game of all-time, and seeing Texas drop into a fetal position and circle the wagons at such an early point in the game, well...no way are they deserving of their #2 rank, and shame on Chad Cripe for not seeing that the #1 team in the country wasn't really able to take command until late in the game, and then pad the score instead of taking a knee, but it sure would have been nice to see our local guy rank BSU as #1, but in all actuallity, I think he was scared to vote them #1 in fear that he may lose his vote in the future,but who knows?
Anyway, based on what I saw last night, there's no clear cut national champion, so why not crown the two and only 14-0 teams as national champs?
and especially after this quote of his
Quote from Chadd Cripe:
"If the game is ugly, some people will vote Boise State No. 1 — I polled nearly a third of the voters this week and several said they are considering the Broncos for that spot"
Chadd, if your reading this, I think that it would be really interesting if you contacted the voters who said if it was ugly, that they'd vote BSU #1, and ask them the following questions:
a) please define an "ugly" game?
b) how was last night's game not considered "ugly"?
c) what is it about last nights game that prompted you not to vote BSU #1?
tfunk did what to whose dog?
Who is the "we" you talk about? Do you have a frog in your pocket?
None in my pocket
But had a few beers with some prior to the game the other night. Nice people, but really didn't want to hear about how we, 0ops sorry, BSU plays defense. Anyway, one of those Frogs is, if honorable, walking around Fort Worth wearing a BSU hat (for the week). It's a good thing we, Oops sorry, BSU won, because I look terrible in purple.
When you learn sarcasm, then you can deal with OVERLAYS.
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