How the Boise State class of 2011 change Me and College football forever.

I’ve been a football fan for as long as I can remember, and I have been an even bigger fan of college football for just as long. In my 45 years of breathing in and out I’ve seen a lot of great college football teams, and players but never as a single class of players ever had as much impact on neither me my family nor college football. The 2011 graduating class of Boise State Bronco’s has forever changed the way we look at the game, and those around it. Never has a team so galvanized the media for and against nor the fan bases. In a deeper sense what these guys have done over the 4 playing years at Boise State is challenge the very idea of the elites while at the same time shown the true benefits of limited scholarships and coaching.

In their 4 years Boise State has finished 13^th 2008  4^th 2009  7^th 2010 and currently 7^th in the coaches poll no doubt they will finish this last year in the top 5 as well when all is said and done.  In 2010 Boise State and these players where the sum total of college football conversation, no other team was talked about more and no other team in the history of the FBS struck fear in to the hearts of AQ fans supporters and media.  These young men however did more than just strike fear into the hearts of others, they transformed a Nation, a Metro, a State and a school.

The class of 2011 in their four years showed not only the world what Boise could do they showed Boise what Boise could do and the result of their work is already taking root, with improved player facilities Stadium expansion not to mention the effort to build better academic’s . Certainly many of these things would have happen regardless, but certainly not this quickly. The success of this class not only facilitated the jump to the MWC but made Boise State the prime target of The Big East in hopes of saving their conference.

Before the class of 2011 my idea of an away game travel was watching CMU play in Mt Pleasant Michigan, my idea of bowl games was a fun day at home. Plans to visit D.C at least once in my life time were on the back back burner but there. Visiting Gettysburg was just a dream. Moving back to Idaho was an idea not a family goal. All of that was changed by the class of 2011 to profound impact on me and my family. The class of 2011 gave me the motivation I needed to Go to Gettysburg ( a must for all Americans) not once but twice and we are planning a family trip back in 2013 for the 150^th anniversary of the battle. I had always wanted to visit the capital and see the museum’s and site and again the Boise State Bronco’s provided.  I had never attended a BCS bowl or a bowl of any kind and Boise State provided!

In 2001 I was a Boise State fan in so much as I watch every game that was available to watch here in Michigan, but in 2008 as the score of the Criminal U game came across while watching a Michigan game, and I spent the money to buy game plan so I might watch it, who knew in that game I would see so many future greats playing their first road game, Kellen Moore, George Iloka, and Billy Winn just to name a few. I was hooked before RR could drop 8 of 11 I was already gone, while those around me drowned in the misery of RR I flew high on the class of 2011. Was there pain in the loss to TCU yep, there was more so then the loss to Georgia in 05 and the bowl games on the Blue Turf, but when 2009 rolled around I knew something special was about to happen and they didn’t disappoint. 14-0 with revenge win over TCU.

Starting with a defensive gem against criminal U I was hooked and knew that this year I would be making a trip to someplace nice and warm in January and I did all thanks to the class of 2011.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WBDYpAeFKy8

By the time the bowl win in Glendale was coming down round 4 am watching espn, back when they liked us. All I could think about was V-Tech and DC and planning got straight under way.

Back in the Detroit Metro I put up my flag loaded my car with Boise State gear and if I was out in public for anything but business I was all ablaze in my Boise State gear. And throughout the summer and season of 2010 the people here loved it, I would constantly get props from passersby or anyone I came into contact with, and then came Reno. One of the most thrilling games I had ever watched and it resulted in a 4 day drunken binge to get over. It wasn’t right that the class of 2011 played in a bowl before Christmas it still wouldn’t be right if they had played in a bowl before the new year but that was the best one could hope for due to conference alignments, and everyone felt that way as well. I wonder when the next time Herby and Brent will do the Macco bowl ? never is my guess, and that’s just how deep the impact of this class has.

The class of 2011 has changed so many lives and so many paths as it is to be immeasurable, it’s impact on the game, and on the world of college sports is only now being felt, but it will be long lasting. No school may ever see again one class of athletes who had so much impact on the game a city and a nation as this class had, it will live forever in the laurels of college football as one of the greatest classes of all time and while they were never given a chance to play in the mythical National Championship game they are truly champions!

For all those who stayed and all those who played!

You all will be greatly missed

Fear not Bronco Nation as they are just another layer of bed rock Boise State football is being built upon, and while they never made it to the MNCG they built the future in which Bronco Nation will attain that ultimate goal!