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Thursday, February 4, 2016.
The ability to pivot panned out for Boise State as the Broncos revealed a 2016 recruiting class of 24 players on National Letter of Intent Day (not including the four early enrollees last month). The flip of quarterback Micah Wilson and running back Damarea Crockett to Missouri less than two weeks ago had lots of fans wringing their hands. But coach Bryan Harsin activated the backup plan, and quickly he had quartrerback Jake Constantine and running back Alexander Mattison aboard. “You’re dealing with people,” said Harsin. “And they have dream schools sometimes.” Harsin said Wilson’s and Crockett’s families called him. “It’s hard. I respect that. They’re 17—they’re going to go live their lives. I’m not mad at ‘em.”
Harsin sure is happy to have Constantine and Mattison, though. They had long been on Boise State’s board. “You have other players that this is their dream school,” Harsin said, adding that there’s not much difference between the decommits and the newcomers—especially Mattison. Sometimes the second choice is the best choice. “That drive, that chip, that they want to be here, that makes up for a lot of things in my mind,” Harsin said. The Broncos lost one commit on signing day, defensive tackle Joshua Fatu, who got an 11th-hour offer from USC and went for it. Fatu is from Lakewood. CA, by way of Long Beach City College. The Trojans are hard to resist for guys like that. Boise State can take it as a compliment. But most of the Broncos’ targets stayed true throughout the process, including three others who got a late push from USC.
Speaking of the ability to pivot, Boise State had a Plan B for recruiting assignments on the coaching staff, too. The Broncos, of course, lost offensive coordinator Eli Drinkwitz and defensive coordinator Marcel Yates to Power 5 programs last month. “Being a couple coaches down during recruiting, and these guys making up for one-two-three-four-five guys (Drinkwotz and Yates) were recruiting, (our staff) did a great job.” Harsin even dipped into his “practice squad,” so to speak. “Taylor Tharp, we actually had to activate him and put him on the road,” said Harsin, noting that it was Tharp who ultimately landed Constantine. “He’s batting a thousand,” quipped Harsin.
The “silent commits” were all the buzz during Boise State’s recruiting season. There were three of them, and all three faxed their letters yesterday. Wide receiver Bubba Ogbebor of Frisco, TX, and defensive lineman Jabari Watson of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, came aboard earlier in the day. Then, in the middle of Harsin’s press conference, word came that a letter arrived from defensive end Curtis Weaver of Long Beach, CA. The coaches were particularly fired up about Weaver. Defensive line coach Steve Caldwell stood at the top of the team theater room and said, “USC. Washington State.” Both apparently made late runs at Weaver, but he stuck to his commitment. Harsin credited Boise State President Bob Kustra in landing Weaver, working specifically with his mom on academic goals. “Dr. Kustra was the No. 1 triggerman on that one.”
The Broncos have long had a commitment from linebacker Ali’I Niumatololo of Annapolis, MD, the son of Navy coach Ken Niumatololo. They still do, we think. Last week the younger Niumatololo tweeted that he had decided to attend Boise State for a year before going on his LDS mission. But he said yesterday on Idaho SportsTalk he’s not so sure. Niumatololo hasn’t signed his Letter of Intent, saying he may not do so until after his two-year mission. But he maintained he’s still committed to the Broncos.
It looks like Boise State’s defensive staff may be full again. And this time it’s another former Bronco coming home. FootballScoop.com reports that Gabe Franklin has left UTEP to join the BSU staff, at a specific position to be determined (the Statesman’s Chadd Cripe reports it’ll be the safeties). Miners head coach Sean Kugler, the one-time Bronco offensive line coach, has already announced Franklin’s replacement in El Paso. Franklin was one of the cornerstones of the Boise State defense as the Broncos built themselves into a Top 25 program in the early 2000’s. He had 18 career interceptions, the school FBS-era record until Darian Thompson broke it last season. Franklin has been defensive backs coach at UTEP since 2011.
Idaho’s recruiting class numbered 18 players yesterday. None are from Idaho (in fact, Kole Bailey of Twin Falls at Boise State was the only Idahoan to sign in-state, and Wayne Kirby out of Highland was the only one to sign out-of-state—at Oregon). The Vandals’ three-star recruits are defensive end Charles Akanno of Inglewood, CA, wide receiver J.J. Willis of Clovis, CA and running back Dylan Thigpen of Laverne, CA, and Damien High School (that’s Ian Johnson’s alma mater). The group also includes coach Paul Petrino’s son, Mason Petrino, of Pullman High. Petrino was a three-year starter for the Greyhounds, gaining 7,116 yards of career total offense and 68 touchdowns.
Idaho State and College of Idaho are better stocked with Idahoans, as is the norm. The Bengals’ 29-player class included 11 of them, five from the Treasure Valley, led by 5A Offensive Player of the Year TreyTon Bell, the running back out of Mountain View who will move to wide receiver at ISU. The Coyotes welcomed 23 players yesterday, although only eight are from Idaho as coach Mike Moroski and staff start to spread their recruiting wings. That group is keyed by 5A All-State linebacker Joey Tuccinardi from state champion Rocky Mountain.
Realistically, there’s only one path now for Boise State to get to the NCAA Tournament. After the Broncos’ recent struggles, their RPI has dropped all the way to No. 84, about 30 to 40 spots short of where it would have to safely be to warrant an NCAA Tournament at-large berth. So it’s Mountain West Tournament championship or bust. Well, bust may not be the right word. But the tournament is where Boise State’s season-long dream of a berth in the Big Dance is rooted. The Broncos have to keep their eye on the ball game-by-game, starting with Saturday’s test of tempo at Air Force. It would be shocking now if the Mountain West became a two-bid conference next month. That would require a continued roll by San Diego State—then a loss by the Aztecs in the MW championship game.
It was an out-of-body experience last night for the Idaho Steelheads. The team that was on a roll and had won four games in a row got worked in CenturyLink Arena by the Alaska Aces, 6-1. The dam broke after the Steelheads’ Andre Bouvet-Morrissette scored first late in the period. The Aces answered twice before the period was over, and the rout was on. The irony is that earlier in the day, Steelies’ netminder Jack Campbell had been named ECHL Goalie of the Month after posting an 8-3 record with three shutouts in January. Campbell allowed all six goals in the Alaska onslaught.
This Day In Sports…brought to you by ZAMZOW’S…nobody knows like Zamzows.
February 4, 1969: At 33 years old, John Madden becomes the youngest head coach in pro football when Oakland’s Al Davis taps him to take over the Raiders. Madden would lead the team for 10 glorious years, compiling a 103-32-7 regular-season record and, of course, a 32-14 win over the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl XI. He’s best known, though, for his NFL broadcasting career that spanned three decades, from 1979-2008.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment Sunday nights at 10:30PM on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors five sports segments each weekday on 93.1 The Ticket. He also served as color commentator on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football for 14 seasons.)
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