Presented by HANDYMAN CONNECTION.
Wednesday, April 9, 2014.
Quarterback Brett Rypien was a guest on KTIK’s Bob & Murph Show yesterday and talked about his commitment to Boise State. The subject of jersey No. 11 came up. The nation’s ninth-ranked QB (according to Scout.com) has worn that number throughout his formative years. And Rypien is well aware of who sported 11 before him here. Despite the legacy left by Kellen Moore, Rypien said he would be honored to get that numeral and try to create a legacy of his own. The Broncos don’t retire numbers—the only one has been Jim McMillan’s No. 12 in the 1970s—and since they’re not going to retire Kellen’s, they’re not going to retire anybody’s. So No. 11 will be available. Of course, Shane Williams-Rhodes has it now. SWR will be a senior when Rypien is a true freshman. Presumably the star from Shadle Park in Spokane can take that jersey over in 2016.
When I dissected the numbers from Boise State’s 2013 pass defense on Sunday Sports Extra this week, things didn’t look as bad as they may have on the surface in December. Despite what was truly an off-year for the secondary, there seems to be peace of mind at those positions as spring football wraps up with the Blue & Orange Game Saturday. The Broncos allowed 249 yards a game and 17 touchdowns through the air last season. But then, in 2011, they yielded an average of 211 yards and 21 touchdowns in a year they won a share of the Mountain West championship.
The importance of defending the pass becomes quite apparent, though, when you look at 2010 and 2012. Boise State had perhaps its best pass defense in history four years ago, giving up just 151 yards per game and eight TD passes. The numbers in 2012 had a lot to do with the Broncos’ 11-2 record: 169 yards a game and a total of four touchdowns allowed (count ‘em, four).
Almost unnoticed is the fact that the secondary has everyone back this year. Donte Deayon, Darian Thompson and Bryan Douglas combined for 14 interceptions last season, and Deayon led the Mountain West and was tied for ninth in the nation with six picks. That equaled the most at Boise State since Gabe Franklin grabbed seven in 2002. Douglas had an up-and-down year, but he did make plays, including 13 pass deflections. Jeremy Ioane is back for his senior year (he didn’t have an interception last year). Now, will true freshman Dylan Sumner-Gardner crack the roster and make an impact this season?
The College of Idaho holds the final scrimmage of its first spring football session in 37 years Saturday morning. Following the scrimmage, the Coyotes will unveil their new helmets, which were voted on yesterday by C of I students, faculty, staff and alumni. The Yotes will drill at Symms Field while Simplot Stadium continues to be prepped for fall. Curbing has been installed around the field and the fill is beginning to be laid in before the new field turf arrives. The infrastructure is being put in for the new scoreboard, and the old press box has been completely gutted in preparation for the remodel.
Boise State basketball coach Leon Rice has emerged from seclusion, appearing on Bob & Murph yesterday. Rice touched on the reasons he stayed with the Broncos instead of going with Washington State. “This team just means a lot to me,” Rice said. “To put this team together we have next year, I’m just really excited about it.” He acknowledged that the difference between Boise State and the next step up—seen in teams like Kentucky, San Diego State, and New Mexico, among others—is size. “One of the biggest things that hurt us was how much bigger they are, especially in the middle,” said Rice. “We’ve made some strides there. We had a 6-9 kid (James Webb) redshirting, and we signed a 6-9 kid (David Wacker).”
There was one name that wasn’t mentioned at all this winter when people were trying to pinpoint the difference between last season and this season at Boise State. Kenny Buckner played in 29 games, averaged 5.2 rebounds, and had three double-figure rebounding games in 2012-13. Buckner pulled down 11 boards in the 69-65 win over San Diego State in Taco Bell Arena. He was a nice complement to Ryan Watkins in the middle. Buckner was missed this season.
As Graham DeLaet tries to chill in today’s annual Par 3 Contest before the heat of his first Masters hits tomorrow, there are those who think the former Boise State star will fare well at Augusta. A feature at ESPN.com asks, “Which Masters rookie do you think has the best shot to win and why?” Kevin Maguire, ESPN.com’s senior golf editor, says, “There are 23 rookies in the field of 96, which equals about 24 percent. That's a hefty allotment. That being said, watch out for a guy like Graham DeLaet. You have to think 2003 Masters champion—and fellow Canadian—Mike Weir will share a few insider tips. And DeLaet sits top 10 on the PGA Tour in driving distance and greens in regulation, a key statistic to playing well at Augusta National.” DeLaet’s first-round tee time is at 10:31 a.m. our time tomorrow.
Let’s see if we can clear up the Idaho Steelheads’ playoff picture going into the final weekend of the regular season. The No. 3 seed in the ECHL's Western Conference for the Kelly Cup Playoffs is at stake. The Utah Grizzlies have it now, with the Steelheads right behind. And it’s Utah which hosts the Steelies Friday and Saturday. The Steelheads can leapfrog the Grizzlies with a sweep. Depending on how this week shakes out, Idaho’s first round opponent next wek could be Colorado, Bakersfield or Stockton. We do know this: Idaho will host playoff games at CenturyLink Arena on April 18 and 19, and tickets go on sale today.
Former Boise Hawk Robinson Chirinos had one of his better days in the majors yesterday, igniting the Texas Rangers’ 10-7 win over Boston at Fenway Park. Chirinos started the Rangers’ five-run third inning by hitting the first home run of his big league career. The 29-year-old Venezuelan went 2-for-5 and scored two runs. Chirinos, now a catcher for Texas, was a second baseman in Boise in 2002 during a Northwest League championship season. He batted .247 and hit eight home runs.
This Day In Sports…brought to you by HANDYMAN CONNECTION…trusted home improvements.
April 9, 2006: Phil Mickelson wins his third major in three years—and his second Green Jacket—with a championship in the 70th edition of the Masters. That propelled him to No. 2 in the World Golf Rankings behind Tiger Woods. Mickelson has never made it to No. 1. Lefty would win the Masters a third time in 2010. He’s also been victorious in one British Open and one PGA Championship, but he has yet to win the U.S. Open.
(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.)
Scott Slant sponsor sites:
