By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Nationalchamps.net released its college football preview Wednesday — and the Web site has Boise State ranked No. 25 in its preseason rankings.
Fresno State is No. 23, Oregon is No. 22 and BYU is No. 19. Ohio State is No. 1.
The Web site also listed Boise State senior Ian Johnson as a first-team All-American and the No. 10 Heisman candidate. Wide receiver Jeremy Childs and kicker Kyle Brotzman were honorable-mention All-Americans.

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Former Boise State linebacker, defensive end and special-teamer Josh Bean has signed with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League. Bean was a second-round pick in 2007, before his senior season.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Freshman safety George Iloka — who ought to be thinking about his high school graduation right now — has made quite an impression during spring ball.

The early start he created by graduating from high school in January and immediately enrolling at Boise State could land him a role this season.

“He’s fun to watch because he really probably shouldn’t be here right now,” coach Chris Petersen said. “He should be joining us in three or four months. He may be a factor in the fall.”

Defensive backs coach Marcel Yates said that Iloka already is one of the most natural players he has. He also is an imposing 6-foot-3, 200 pounds.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

MERIDIAN — The Boise State football team’s offense needed 77 snaps to finally find the end zone on Friday afternoon at Mountain View High.
The defense dominated the second scrimmage of spring ball, two weeks after the offense used an array of explosive plays to score five touchdowns in the first scrimmage.

The final scrimmage is Friday at Bronco Stadium (6 p.m.).

“I never like it when our offense gets after our defense too much,” Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. “I just don’t think that’s the way it should be. It was nice to see our defense step back up, especially with as many defensive guys as we have out right now. That means some of these young guys are really taking to coaching and taking a step in the right direction.”

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

The Broncos are so young in the secondary that the only senior is a player who wasn’t a defensive back last year.

Ellis Powers, who was a blitzing linebacker and special-teams phenom last year, has moved back to safety this spring. Powers played safety his first three years at Boise State.

Powers made the move this week, after missing the first two weeks of spring with a shoulder injury.

“He wanted to do it,” defensive backs coach Marcel Yates said. “We’re pretty deep at linebacker. We felt like he could help us out.”

The other safeties are four freshmen and two sophomores. The Broncos’ projected starting secondary is made up of three sophomores — safeties Jeron Johnson and Jason Robinson and cornerback Brandyn Thompson — and junior cornerback Kyle Wilson.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Boise State offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin said Monday that none of the Broncos’ four quarterbacks have taken control of the race for the starting job yet.

He plans to give all of them time with the first-team offense this week in practice and reward the guys who play the best with more playing time in Friday’s scrimmage at Mountain View High in Meridian (3:30 p.m.).

Freshman Kellen Moore and senior Bush Hamdan did impress Harsin with their play in the first scrimmage. He also liked the presence of sophomore Mike Coughlin, who is a threat in the option run game and was on the field for some long run plays.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Freshman quarterback Kellen Moore and sophomore wide receiver Titus Young were the offensive stars of the Boise State football team’s first spring scrimmage Friday afternoon at Bronco Stadium.

Moore was 10-of-14 passing for 114 yards and a touchdown, including a 50-yard strike to Young. Moore also ran 6 yards for a touchdown.

Young had six catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.

“That was nice to get the ball moving, get a flow in the game and complete some passes,” said Moore, who is one of four quarterbacks competing for the starting job. “It was nice to get a couple touchdowns in there for us.”

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Senior Bush Hamdan will start with the first-team offense in the Boise State football team’s first spring scrimmage Friday at Bronco Stadium, offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin said.

The practice begins at 3:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

Hamdan, who finished last season as the backup, has had a strong spring so far.

“He’s doing a nice job,” Harsin said. “Right now, until we get into that scrimmage, it’s hard to start making a lot of separation.”

The other three quarterbacks — junior Nick Lomax, sophomore Mike Coughlin and freshman Kellen Moore — also likely will appear with the first-teamers, Harsin said.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Boise State freshman defensive end Jarrell Root will miss the rest of spring ball with a knee injury, coach Chris Petersen said Tuesday. Root will have arthroscopic surgery, Petersen said.

Root should be back for fall camp.

Root is the Broncos’ No. 3 end, behind senior Mike T. Williams and sophomore Ryan Winterswyk. The Capital High product was the Defensive Scout Player of the Year last fall.

Root (6-3, 233) is part of a stellar group of freshman defensive linemen who are expected to make a big impact this year. The others are tackles J.P. Nisby (6-2, 308), Billy Winn (6-4, 260) and Chuck Hayes (6-3, 250).

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Lyle Smith — the legendary Boise Junior College football coach and Boise State athletic director — stopped by the Broncos’ football practice Monday on the field that bears his name.

Coach Chris Petersen spotted Smith and halted practice, gathering his players at midfield. When the players broke the huddle, they trotted over to Smith and one-by-one shook his hand and wished him a happy birthday.

They even sang to him.

Smith, who still lives in Boise, celebrated his 92nd birthday Monday.

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Freshman quarterback Kellen Moore has gotten his first real chance to run the Boise State offense this spring, and he looks like he belongs.

By Chadd Cripe
ccripe@idahostatesman.com

Ian Johnson’s goals for the 2008 offseason:

Stronger.

Faster.

Fatter.

Wait, fatter?

Johnson has bulked up to 202 pounds — he finished last season at about 194 — and hopes to reach 210 pounds before the season begins. He’s doing it in part by increasing his body fat, a response to the two internal-organ injuries he has suffered in the past two seasons.

“One thing that has always, not been a fault, but it has come up, is that I don’t have much body fat,” Johnson said Friday, “and it does lead to the possibility of internal injuries.”