2012 Boise State Bronco’s

A couple days ago ESPN updated its roster pages and when you first look at the number of players with a (FR) after their name one might think half the team is made up of freshmen. Then you have to consider that almost half of those listed as freshmen are Red shirt freshmen so then it doesn’t appear so bad, as if being loaded with youth is a bad thing in college football. The long list of freshmen however does help support the belief that Boise State, if not in a rebuilding mode is at the very least quit young. Trust me when I say it’s good to be young I certainly wish I was and it is after all the youth of the game that makes college football so much more exciting. Certainly the likes of Matt Miller and Lee Hightower provided much new excitement last year filling in some very big shoes. While their style of play and skill sets are different from those they help fill in for, the results were pretty much the same.

Current Freshmen Roster

0 Chaz Anderson CB 5-10 164 FR LOS ANGELES, CA
0 Travis Averill OL 6-4 270 FR ANAHEIM, CA
0 Steven Baggett OL 6-3 225 FR ARLINGTON, TX
0 Darien Barrett DE 6-3 215 FR INGLEWOOD, CA
0 Chris Collins LB 6-1 208 FR SANTA MONICA, CA
0 D.J. Dean WR 6-1 180 FR EAGLE, ID
0 Donte Deayon CB 5-9 155 FR RIALTO, CA
0 Devan Demas RB 5-9 176 FR HOUSTON, TX
0 Jack Fields RB 5-10 196 FR EL PASO, TX
0 Tyler Gray LB 6-4 225 FR TEMPLETON, CA
0 Elliot Hoyte DL 6-4 273 FR INGLEWOOD, CA
0 Chanceller James S 6-2 190 FR SPRING VALLEY, CA
0 Archie Lewis OL 6-4 255 FR RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA
0 Sam McCaskill DE 6-3 230 FR EUGENE, OR
0 Armand Nance FB 6-2 245 FR HOUSTON, TX
0 Nick Patti QB 5-10 189 FR ORLANDO, FL
0 Andrew Pint LB 6-1 220 FR HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO
0 Hayden Plinke TE 6-4 240 FR HILLSBORO, OR
0 Christopher Santini S 6-1 208 FR SAN JOSE, CA
0 Sean Wale P 6-2 175 FR LA HABRA, CA
0 Ben Weaver LB 6-1 225 FR KLEIN, TX
0 Shane Williams-Rhodes WR 5-7 160 FR SPRING, TX
0 Mario Yakoo OL 6-4 320 FR SAN DIEGO, CA
14 Jimmy Laughrea QB 6-1 201 FR ROCKLIN, CA
18 Jake Van Ginkel K 6-1 186 FR UPLAND, CA
23 Eric Agbaroji DB 6-1 201 FR MIDLOTHIAN, TX
27 Jay Ajayi RB 6-1 219 FR PLANO, TX
28 Dillon Lukehart S 6-1 202 FR EAGLE, ID
34 Taylor Loffler S 6-3 210 FR OAKLAND, CA
35 Darian Thompson DB 6-1 195 FR LANCASTER, CA
42 Jake Hardee TE 6-3 239 FR BOISE, ID
44 Jamal Wilson FB 5-11 233 FR FONTANA, CA
49 Hilton Richardson DB 6-2 222 FR KIRKLAND, WA
58 Robert Ash DL 6-3 280 FR ELK GROVE, CA
63 Adam Sheffield OL 6-3 323 FR SAN JOSE, CA
67 Rees Odhiambo OL 6-4 298 FR MANSFIELD, TX
72 Marcus Henry OL 6-3 295 FR BELLEVUE, WA
82 Samuel Ukwuachu DE 6-4 218 FR PEARLAND, TX
83 Troy Ware WR 6-2 192 FR OCEANSIDE, CA
85 Holden Huff TE 6-5 220 FR ROCKLIN, CA
98 Jeffrey Worthy DT 6-3 280 FR LA MIRADA, CA

Things however are not what they might at first glance seem at Boise State, and while I knew as much 5 months ago, upon further review I know much more today. Youthful yes Boise State is but in no way does that translate into lack of experience. While Potter, Hays and Byrd are gone those remaining have just as much big game experience as those that are departing if not more when compared to games played leading up to 2011 vs. games played leading up to 2012. Frankly the O line just might be the best complete line of blockers Boise State has ever fielded. Throw in Paul and the host of TE’s we have and it’s by far the most complete set of blockers any team in America could ask for. There is nothing more one could want when breaking in a new starting QB with a stout line to protect him. Whoever wins the spot this fall will be secure in knowing they are going to have the best protection any QB could ask for.

Depth at running back too is better with D.J. Harper, Drew Wright and Ajayi and some of the other guys pushing hard I see no reason to fear that we cannot present a dual threat to the opposing teams through the air and on the ground. Add in Coach Pete’s reputation of schemes and play action and MSU’s defense will be living in the film rooms and over thinking every play every down just like every other team Boise State plays, and that my friends will give these young men come August 31^st the one step they will need to attack MSU fast and powerful defense.

For all the talk about Boise State losing so many to the NFL and graduation you would suspect of all the playing time Bacon has gotten in these last 4 years covering form both Billy and Baker when they were out with injuries, same could be said of Ricky would be considered game start experance . I could go on but the real unknowns are not the QB play it will be DE and LB play, while I may be over confident at every other position I’m just as confident that we will field both competent and physical enough players at those positions to be consistent against any team in America. The D line has depth experience and physicality, the DB’s are experienced with loads of leadership and teamed with great young talent.

In the video attached to go along with the first part just like last year some guys I just flat out didn’t have any film of. We all knew or at least suspected Mr. Miller was going to be a stud, maybe not as big as one as he turned out to be but certainly with Shoe there we knew he would be good enough, what we didn’t know was Lee Hightower would be player he was as a true freshmen and I certainly didn’t see Dallas Burroughs playing as big a role as he did last year, nor did I for see just how solid a player Mitch was going to turn out to be, all those guys are back and under them is a supporting cast we really don’t know much about other then we suspect 2 or 3 of them will turn out to be major contributors this coming season.

I certainly would love to hear some of your thoughts on who you would have included in the list of the 10 reason. Last year I left Shea McClellin out of the list and I did so, on purpose. There was much talk that Shea could not repeat his Junior year as with Winterswyk the year before, teams would schemed for him so I thought I would give them Tyrone and Root to think about, trust me coaches do watch youtube video’s and are just as hungry for info on opposing teams as you and I are, did it make a difference doubtful Shea is just that fricken good why else would I make a Superman video of him the day of the game if I believed otherwise in fact I had argued against those who would tell me not to expect the same numbers from Shea. While I argued that Shea was just to athletic to be stopped. Shea proved me right. I bring this up because there is a player on this team whom I suspect is going to play a major role in defeating MSU one not in the videos and who until game day will remain nameless but I see this person being our secret weapon someone easily over looked and underestimated but has tremendous skills that may be unequaled. We shell soon see.

Also let me know how these compare to last years videos.