Boise State Broncos Losing Players: Not Making Excuses Or Losing Heart

Former Oregon Duck players no doubt left the team because they were not good enough to start. To bad – there gone Justin Roper etc, were replaced by better players and they did not want to fight for second place. EGO!

The Broncos have that to put up with themselves. In 2007 Nick Lomax the son of NFL super star quarterback Neil Lomax was third string? losing out to Taylor Tharp and Bush Hamden. Oh well, surely by 2008 he would get his shot.

It didn’t happen once again as super freshman Kellen Moore won the honors to start and that was the final straw for the 6’7 Nick Lomax. Lomax was a great quarterback. He just was not good enough to best Moore.

Well Oregon’s Roper and Harper whatever couldn’t beat out Jeremiah Masoli or apparently anyone who mattered so they left. The Boise State Broncos had 7 walk-ons who left the team cause they could not beat out the talent, or special circumstance.

Oh well we’re gonna miss them, but in all seriousness there was two that left the team this week that will be deeply missed. The first being tight end Josh Hill!
Josh transferred to Idaho State where he will get a fine education and he will get to start at tight end. Its not that Josh wasn’t any good – my god he hauled in a sweet 67 yarder for a touchdown from backup QB Coughlin.

The problem is there is just too much competition at tight end in 09 and in 2010 Trevor Peterson will be coming off his redshirt. Yeah buddy what can you do but boogie.

Next was the traveling certificate made out to Drew Hawkins, last years redshirt quarterback and a potential for wide out had he not hit himself in the head playing baseball.

Concussion times a few too many and Drew is on his way back to Colorado. Young Hawkins had crazy legs – he could make stuff happen where there was no potential – he was gifted and bronco fans will miss them.

Jake Densley a very good defensive lineman appeared he would be able to make the team this year but the Boise Staters are just to manned so after one year of hanging around he is gone.

If it was just one player that would keep Jake off the blue that player would be another walk on JC Percy who may end up starting if he gets any better.

The bottom line is the Broncos are deeper in talent then most people media etc, and even some fans realize. What you gonna do? What can you do - but extend a hand bid good luck and get on with it?

Heck in eight more months Boise State Broncos will be celebrating the newest signings to the 2010 football team. According to interest of some pretty talented kids Bronco fans will be hoo-rah-ing big time and that will be another story.

Big Sky Player And Coach Gets Second Chance: Joe O’Brien Coaching Again

Not everyone in life is afforded a second chance, especially when drugs are involved, much less drugs around kids, even drugs around kids at a school.

Albeit, defensive line 1st team All-American Joe O’Brien appears to be on the road to letting “bygones be bygones.” Just poking around the Internet doing that google thing, it appears that Joe O’Brien is getting plenty of publicity.

O’Brien’s former life was tragic, or just short of according to some. The word “justification” seemed to being the missing key to O’Brien’s shortcomings.

Heck it appears that a book deal is 25 percent finished? There is also talk of a screenplay and potential movie of Joe O’Brien’s life. That may be a good thing because O’Brien is coaching football again, for free.

No the former Montana State assistant head coach was not asked to return to the facility he was working for when arrested, this time O’Brien gets to help coach the defensive line of the Central Valley Coyote’s of arena football2.

O’Brien claims he never sold drugs – that’s his story and he’s sticking to it. Well good for him, here is hoping he never gave any of his precious Meth or GHB to any of the kids he worked with - or not with, if you will.

O’Brien admits to taking drugs and alcohol all while playing for the Boise State Broncos. Joe O’Brien had the fortune of playing for the Bronco’s in 1994 when they finally bested the Vandals of Idaho for the Big Sky Championship.

With that statement made O’Brien would like to be recognized more fully by Boise State. There is even a painting of him in the Allen Noble Hall of Fame Gallery. But that’s not good enough?

That’s not good enough for a man who went to prison for drugs. In fact O’Brien feels he should be recognized for his Bronco playing days being inducted into the Boise State Hall of Fame.

Well, he may get his wish. He’s been extremely lucky so far – doing minimal prison time – not hard time.

O'Brien may not be being paid at his present job but he is expected to coach until 2014. Most likely the books and film plays, etc will have generated to his bank account by then.

Well, bully for him. Yes some people get all the breaks no matter how bad they seem to mess up.

However, when I think of Bronco championship caliber football and quality athletes who leave a positive mark on their school and society in general – the name Joe O’Brien is not among them.

Bronco Running Back Malcolm Johnson: Boise States Future Star Back

Malcolm Johnson may be just one of 22 quality players that Boise State signed on this recent February 4th (LOI signings of 2009), but he is a running back – a record setting RB from the state of Oregon that the Ducks and Beavers missed out on.

Johnson will redshirt this season while he attempts to bulk up and work on his speed. Not that M.J. needs to work on his speed much as he boasts of being in the range of a 4.5 40, but it is just his style, not to boast but get better.

Malcolm Johnson has been incredible running the 6A record against Centennial with a 458-yard performance. Numbers like that are difficult to say the least no matter who one is or whom that person is playing against.

Malcolm runs consistently hard -- he just has the instinct and the power. M.J. is 6’1 and 185 lbs of solid muscle. That is good size for a running back, and he may get bigger and faster yet – Johnson has made that a goal?

This guy is going to be a handful for defenses regardless if he gets bigger or not. M.J. has the ability to stiff-arm defenders out of his path and not drop any speed doing so. Bronco fans are pumped to see this ones debut.

Due to the supporting cast for Bronco backs Jeremy Avery and D.J. Harper there simply is no need to rush Malcolm. Thus M.J. will have the honor of coming out in 2010 for RB coach Keith Bhonapha – in Avery and Harper's senior year.

The running game coach Pete is taking seriously placing Bhonapha in charge, going after Malcolm to commit, addressing specific patterns that also commit to the success of the running game.

Because of those changes Avery and Harper and their supporting cast of backs will do much better this 09 season, but by 2010 those guys will be primed for success and M.J. will be added to the rotation, and may simply be the star on the "Blue."

The Broncos play Oregon State in 2010 and no doubt that game will be special for Malcolm. Bronco Fans believe that game will also be special for them. Young Malcolm seems to be unlike (style wise) of any present or former back BSU has ever had.

Malcolm Johnson has an elusive style and is perfectly balanced going along with his 4.5 40 speed. Johnson may very well be the finest running back to ever sign with Boise State – and that would be saying a lot as Avery and Harper are fantastic backs and prior to them it was Forsey and Ian Johnson.

One thing for sure Bronco fans are anticipating outstanding games from M.J. and when it first happens that will be another story.

Boise State: Potato Head University or The Gem Of Idaho?

It’s amazing how many peoples relegate Boise Idaho to spudsville when truly Boise is better known as the capital of the Gem State. Boise State University likewise is not filled to the rafters with potato heads but truly marvelous gems.

BSU continues to turn out superb individuals who take their education seriously. Unlike many universities’s Boise State student athletes not only graduate as winners and true competitors in their sport but as true competitors in their academic field.

For example, Ian Johnson who was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as a free agent studied General Business Management. Indeed fans, Ian will be marketable long after his football days in Minnesota are over.

Recent articles from Boise State and devoted media have established BSU athlete’s academic standard as being above par (exception going to the local men’s golfers, which is not the sport that Boise State is known for all over the country.)

Indeed football is BSU’s power sport and those graduating are overachievers in the classroom as well as on the blue turf. Ironically the gems that play football for BSU most often still have to prove themselves at the next level and they do.

Some better known BCS schools have their kids drafted by the NFL and some wash out for lack of talent, heart, both, who knows? BSU kids sometimes get drafted and recently when they did it was first and second round as was the case for Ryan Clady (first in 08) and Gerald Alexander (second in 07).

Orlando Scandrik, Legedu Naanee, and Derek Schouman were all part of the memorable 2007 Fiesta Bowl game along with Ian Johnson and Vinny Perretta. Those three were drafted in the later rounds of the NFL and are still playing.

However, in the 2009 NFL draft there were no players drafted from BSU but a half dozen signed to free agent contracts. Some were signed by clubs with really sound players thus making the task of making the squad much more difficult.

Perretta and Johnson, were offered by the Minnesota Vikings who are not that deep in any position, thus the task of making the team for those two is exceptionally easier done.

However, Boise Bronco’s understand the concept of hard work and like Ian and Vinny except their roles and will do everything they can to make the team - and are talented enough to get the job done.

Quintin Mikell and Chris Carr, like Johnson and Perretta, were Bronco free agents just a few years back and they are still playing in the NFL.

Undrafted Korey Hall is also a player from the Fiesta Bowl team and is still playing for the Green Bay Packers. Bronco players may be looked on as rough by many, but it doesn’t take those diamonds long to shine.

Boise State instructors and coaches well understand the quality of individuals they teach – they always were the finest cut. Bronco fans are looking forward to their successes and that will be another story.