Q&A with OBNUG
You might have noticed our exclusive interview with the folks at OBNUG, Boise State's very active, heavily commented blog, yesterday. Check it out for all the Boise State perspective your inquiring mind desires.
But today, we return the favor and get some insight into the heads of the Broncos fans as we head into Week 3 -- which for us means rivalry week!
Bulldog Bounce: Which Fresno State player scares Boise State most?
OBNUG: Speaking for Bronco Nation as a whole, I would have to say nobody, because Boise
State fans can tend to be a little full of ourselves. Speaking for myself, I am most afraid of Ryan Colburn. I think that Colburn is the one player who can make the biggest difference in the game on Friday. Boise State's defense can play bend, don't break with the best of them, so a decent rushing day for Fresno might not lead to the impact you'd expect. However, if Colburn is on his game (think early against Wisconsin), we might be in for a different story.
Bulldog Bounce:Which Boise State player should Fresno State be most afraid of? OBNUG: It's hard to pick just one, since Boise State has done so well this season playing as a team. QB Kellen Moore can tear a defense apart. WRs Austin Pettis and Titus Young can turn small gainers into long TDs. CB Kyle Wilson can shut down an entire side of the field. But I'm going to go with DT Billy Winn on this one. He has been phenomenal so far this season. Winn helps set the tone for the defense with his penetration and line play, and he causes headaches for opposing offensive lines with his quickness and versatility. In the Broncos' new 3-3-5 look, Winn could line up as a stand-up defensive end, or even as a linebacker. His pass-rushing skill are top notch, but his specialty is run defense. He'll make some noise in the backfield unless Fresno gameplans to stop him.
Bulldog Bounce: Do you miss Tom Brandstater?
OBNUG: Only every day. I would have much more confidence in the outcome of this game if Brandstater were under center. Can't he get a medical redshirt for incompetence or something?
Bulldog Bounce: Are Boise State fans happy with their non-conference scheduling, or is there a buried sense of inner-questioning about how the Broncos would fare with a schedule like Fresno State's?
OBNUG: I think we're kind of over it. Our schedule picks up next season with games against Oregon State and Virginia Tech, so the AD has shown a willingness to start scheduling better teams. In the meantime, I can't complain about the success our team has seen using the scheduling tactics the university employed. Would the Broncos have made a BCS championship game with a tougher schedule? No. Would they have not gotten screwed over so many times by the bowl selections if they hadn't cleaned up on cupcakes? Maybe. Would they have had their incredible winning percentage and national recognition with more BCS teams on the sched? Probably not.
P.S. Don't tell anyone I said this because my official stance as a Bronco fan is supposed to be: "Boise State deserves a BCS game every season, regardless of who is on their schedule. College football is unfair. Mark May is a boob. Potatoes!"
Bulldog Bounce: Where does Kyle Wilson rank among the Broncos all-time greats?
OBNUG: His 2008 season was one of the best of all-time, so if he can replicate his success from last fall, I think you have to consider him to be Boise State's all-time best cornerback. He has had more national recognition than anyone before him, and he'll probably go higher in the draft than any other Bronco defensive player. Boise State has had great cornerbacks before, but none with the NFL talent of Wilson.
Bulldog Bounce: Why is it Fresno State often has the more celebrated players and bigger NFL prospects but can't beat Boise State regularly?
OBNUG: Coaching is a big part of it. Execution, game management, and game planning are huge on the college level, and it can really make a difference in the outcome of a game or a season. I'm not saying that Pat Hill is a bad coach. Actually, yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.
I also think that, for whatever reason, the desire has been greater for the Broncos. I'm not sure if it is a motivation thing or what, but Boise State always seems to give greater effort than Fresno when the two teams take the field. Sources: My biased point of view, and I think Rod Gilmore said this once.
Bulldog Bounce: Why can't Dan Hawkins win at Colorado when he was so good at Boise State?
OBNUG: Karma, most likely.
Bulldog Bounce: Be honest, should the Broncos be forced to wear something other than blue uniforms in their home games?
OBNUG: No more than North Texas should be required to wear something other than green.
Bulldog Bounce: How many yards will the Broncos allow rushing on Friday? How many points will they allow?
OBNUG: Rushing yards allowed: Less than 100. Points allowed: Less than 25.
I think that Fresno will be forced to pass once the Broncos' get their offense rolling. That will cut into the rushing totals, but I don't really see the Bulldogs getting much push in the ground game anyway. The 25 point threshold is generous, in my opinion, judging by how the BSU defense has played so far this year. Throw in factors like special teams, turnovers, and late game defensive strategy changes, and I think 24 or so could be a possibility. In my heart of hearts (where all my homerism is kept), I think it will be in the teens - if that.
Bulldog Bounce: What's Boise State's best tradition?
OBNUG: You mean, besides the age-old sledgehammer thing? I can tell you what the most grating tradition is: the "Boise! ... State!" cheer. It used to be that Bronco fans would break out the cheer to inspire the team, shouting back and forth across the stadium and creating a really cool echo effect. Now, we do it in a Carl's Jr. if we some guy wearing a BSU shirt. It's bad.
Bulldog Bounce: If the Mountain West wanted to expand, would Boise State want to go with or without Fresno State?
OBNUG: As a fan, I would like to see Boise State and Fresno continue to play at least once every other year. I don't think that BSU necessarily wants the Bulldogs in the MWC with them, if only because Fresno hasn't exactly provided ideal competition the past eight years. I think the university would be quite ambivalent. However, as fans, I would probably grow tired of the annual Boise State - UNLV game and long for the days of Pat Hill's fu manchu and Fresno quarterbacks choking away big games. If I already miss Tom Brandstater this much, then I don't know what I would do without my annual dose of Fresno fan shtick.
Bulldog Bounce: First word that comes to mind with the following:Red Mile - Tom Hanks movie sequel.
Bulldog Stadium - Upsets.
Ryan Dinwiddie -Demigod.BCS - Playoff.
the color orange - Homeland Security threat level.
White Out - Snow.
Chris Petersen - President of the United States of America.
Derek Carr - Metrosexual.
Bulldog Bounce: Which Fresno State player scares Boise State most?
OBNUG: Speaking for Bronco Nation as a whole, I would have to say nobody, because Boise
State fans can tend to be a little full of ourselves. Speaking for myself, I am most afraid of Ryan Colburn. I think that Colburn is the one player who can make the biggest difference in the game on Friday. Boise State's defense can play bend, don't break with the best of them, so a decent rushing day for Fresno might not lead to the impact you'd expect. However, if Colburn is on his game (think early against Wisconsin), we might be in for a different story.Bulldog Bounce:Which Boise State player should Fresno State be most afraid of? OBNUG: It's hard to pick just one, since Boise State has done so well this season playing as a team. QB Kellen Moore can tear a defense apart. WRs Austin Pettis and Titus Young can turn small gainers into long TDs. CB Kyle Wilson can shut down an entire side of the field. But I'm going to go with DT Billy Winn on this one. He has been phenomenal so far this season. Winn helps set the tone for the defense with his penetration and line play, and he causes headaches for opposing offensive lines with his quickness and versatility. In the Broncos' new 3-3-5 look, Winn could line up as a stand-up defensive end, or even as a linebacker. His pass-rushing skill are top notch, but his specialty is run defense. He'll make some noise in the backfield unless Fresno gameplans to stop him.
Bulldog Bounce: Do you miss Tom Brandstater?
OBNUG: Only every day. I would have much more confidence in the outcome of this game if Brandstater were under center. Can't he get a medical redshirt for incompetence or something?
Bulldog Bounce: Are Boise State fans happy with their non-conference scheduling, or is there a buried sense of inner-questioning about how the Broncos would fare with a schedule like Fresno State's?
OBNUG: I think we're kind of over it. Our schedule picks up next season with games against Oregon State and Virginia Tech, so the AD has shown a willingness to start scheduling better teams. In the meantime, I can't complain about the success our team has seen using the scheduling tactics the university employed. Would the Broncos have made a BCS championship game with a tougher schedule? No. Would they have not gotten screwed over so many times by the bowl selections if they hadn't cleaned up on cupcakes? Maybe. Would they have had their incredible winning percentage and national recognition with more BCS teams on the sched? Probably not.
P.S. Don't tell anyone I said this because my official stance as a Bronco fan is supposed to be: "Boise State deserves a BCS game every season, regardless of who is on their schedule. College football is unfair. Mark May is a boob. Potatoes!"
Bulldog Bounce: Where does Kyle Wilson rank among the Broncos all-time greats?
OBNUG: His 2008 season was one of the best of all-time, so if he can replicate his success from last fall, I think you have to consider him to be Boise State's all-time best cornerback. He has had more national recognition than anyone before him, and he'll probably go higher in the draft than any other Bronco defensive player. Boise State has had great cornerbacks before, but none with the NFL talent of Wilson.
Bulldog Bounce: Why is it Fresno State often has the more celebrated players and bigger NFL prospects but can't beat Boise State regularly?
OBNUG: Coaching is a big part of it. Execution, game management, and game planning are huge on the college level, and it can really make a difference in the outcome of a game or a season. I'm not saying that Pat Hill is a bad coach. Actually, yes. That's exactly what I'm saying.
I also think that, for whatever reason, the desire has been greater for the Broncos. I'm not sure if it is a motivation thing or what, but Boise State always seems to give greater effort than Fresno when the two teams take the field. Sources: My biased point of view, and I think Rod Gilmore said this once.
Bulldog Bounce: Why can't Dan Hawkins win at Colorado when he was so good at Boise State?
OBNUG: Karma, most likely.
Bulldog Bounce: Be honest, should the Broncos be forced to wear something other than blue uniforms in their home games?
OBNUG: No more than North Texas should be required to wear something other than green.
Bulldog Bounce: How many yards will the Broncos allow rushing on Friday? How many points will they allow?
OBNUG: Rushing yards allowed: Less than 100. Points allowed: Less than 25.
I think that Fresno will be forced to pass once the Broncos' get their offense rolling. That will cut into the rushing totals, but I don't really see the Bulldogs getting much push in the ground game anyway. The 25 point threshold is generous, in my opinion, judging by how the BSU defense has played so far this year. Throw in factors like special teams, turnovers, and late game defensive strategy changes, and I think 24 or so could be a possibility. In my heart of hearts (where all my homerism is kept), I think it will be in the teens - if that.
Bulldog Bounce: What's Boise State's best tradition?OBNUG: You mean, besides the age-old sledgehammer thing? I can tell you what the most grating tradition is: the "Boise! ... State!" cheer. It used to be that Bronco fans would break out the cheer to inspire the team, shouting back and forth across the stadium and creating a really cool echo effect. Now, we do it in a Carl's Jr. if we some guy wearing a BSU shirt. It's bad.
Bulldog Bounce: If the Mountain West wanted to expand, would Boise State want to go with or without Fresno State?
OBNUG: As a fan, I would like to see Boise State and Fresno continue to play at least once every other year. I don't think that BSU necessarily wants the Bulldogs in the MWC with them, if only because Fresno hasn't exactly provided ideal competition the past eight years. I think the university would be quite ambivalent. However, as fans, I would probably grow tired of the annual Boise State - UNLV game and long for the days of Pat Hill's fu manchu and Fresno quarterbacks choking away big games. If I already miss Tom Brandstater this much, then I don't know what I would do without my annual dose of Fresno fan shtick.
Bulldog Bounce: First word that comes to mind with the following:Red Mile - Tom Hanks movie sequel.
Bulldog Stadium - Upsets.
Ryan Dinwiddie -Demigod.BCS - Playoff.
the color orange - Homeland Security threat level.
White Out - Snow.
Chris Petersen - President of the United States of America.
Derek Carr - Metrosexual.
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this guy reminds me of why i cant stand boise state and its fans...
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