Presented by BLAZ’N DIAGNOSTICS.
Thursday, September 18, 2014.
Boise State’s stats can make it look like the Bronco offense is still just a three-man show (outside of quarterback Grant Hedrick). Jay Ajayi had all but one of the rushing attempts by the running backs last Saturday at UConn—Devan Demas gained eight yards on the first play of the second half. Outside of one catch for two yards by Dallas Burroughs, Matt Miller and Shane Williams Rhodes collected all the receptions in the wide receiver group.
The statistical subtleties come at the tight end position, where Holden Huff became the first Boise State tight end other than Jake Roh with a catch this year during the second quarter at UConn. Roh and Huff went vertical, combining for five catches for 77 yards on the day. Jake Hardee and Alec Dhaenens are still looking for their first receptions of the season, and Connor Peters is set to return from academic suspension for the Air Force game next week. But the tight ends are running purposeful routes, getting open, and changing the nature of the offense.
The Bronco wide receiver spot remains essentially a two-man operation, though. Miller and Williams-Rhodes have a combined 43 catches so far. Dallas Burroughs has only three and Troy Ware two, and that’s it. Thomas Sperbeck doesn’t have a reception a quarter of the way through the season, nor does Chaz Anderson, who made the much-publicized move from cornerback to wideout in fall camp. And Ajayi remains a one-man gang at running back with 71 carries. As a matter of fact, Williams-Rhodes has more rushing attempts, five, than Boise State’s other two running backs. Demas has four carries and Jack Fields two. Does somebody other than Miller, Williams-Rhodes and Ajayi emerge against Louisiana-Lafayette Saturday night?
When Ben Weaver was hobbled by a foot injury late last season, fellow linebacker Tanner Vallejo became a major part of the Boise State defense as a true freshman. He began the year as a redshirt, but finished with 51 tackles, 5½ of them for loss. Vallejo’s 2013 performance was obviously not a mirage. Take UConn’s first possession of the game last Saturday, for example. Vallejo notched two tackles and scored a touchdown. That’s defensive efficiency. He leads the Broncos with 18 tackles overall this season.
So, who is it coming into Albertsons Stadium Saturday night for homecoming? Is it “Louisiana” or “Louisiana-Lafayette” who will take to the blue turf? Here’s what the school’s release says: “Our official name is the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, but we simply go by Louisiana when referring to our athletic programs. We ask that Louisiana, Ragin’ Cajuns, or Cajuns be used to refer to us athletically.” Well, it’s hard to find a major media outlet that calls the school Louisiana. The Sun Belt’s official website says “UL Lafayette.” Okay, I’m stickin’ with Louisiana-Lafayette.
From Fresno State's official athletic website: “The Bulldog football team will be holding open tryouts for full-time Fresno State students to be a kicker on the Bulldog football team. Interested students with past kicking experience are asked to attend a meeting with the coaching staff this Thursday at 11 a.m. in the Josephine Theater of the Duncan Building. Attendees must bring proof that they are a full-time student at Fresno State and film of their past kicking experiences.” Yikes. No further comment necessary.
The moment of truth has arrived for the College of Idaho. Carroll College is the standard-bearer for Frontier Conference football—maybe all of the NAIA, right? Well, the Saints have already been conquered this year by the Coyotes’ next opponent. C of I visits Southern Oregon in Ashland Saturday, two weeks after the ninth-ranked Raiders upended Carroll 38-35. The Yotes’ Cinderella secondary will get a test from NAIA All-America quarterback Austin Dodge, who has already thrown for 925 yards and eight touchdowns. This will be a Frontier Conference game, but it’ll be the first meeting between the College of Idaho and Southern Oregon in 46 years.
Orlando Scandrick has had his suspension cut in half and will now rejoin the Dallas Cowboys. The NFL and the Players Association announced an agreement on a new performance-enhancing drug policy yesterday, eliminating suspensions for drug violations in the offseason (in-season violations will still trigger four-game suspensions). The former Boise State star’s penalty was handed down August 12—he ends up serving a two-game suspension. Scandrick, Denver wide receiver Wes Welker and St. Louis wideout Stedman Bailey have all been reinstated and are eligible to play immediately.
The Idaho Stampede are poised to retire the second uniform number in franchise history. The Stamps will hoist Roberto Bergersen’s No. 11 when the season opens against the Erie BayHawks November 14 in CenturyLink Arena. It’s as much a lifetime achievement award as anything for the former Boise State star. Bergersen is indelibly intertwined into the community in the Treasure Valley, yet he is the Stamps’ career leader in points and games played. His number will hang next to the No. 32 of Stampede great and former coach Randy Livingston, alongside the 2008 D-League championship banner that both players helped secure.
Another new name for Idaho Steelheads fans to get to know. Forward Steve Quailer has agreed to terms with the club and he, too, brings AHL experience with him. The 25-year-old Quailer spent his first two pro seasons in the AHL after being selected in the third round of the 2008 NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadians. In that span, he scored 10 goals, but timing is everything. Five of them were game-winning tallies.
Meridian’s Kareen Markle made it all the way to the semifinals before being eliminated at the U.S. Women’s Amateur in Deal, NJ. Markle routed Susan West of Tuscaloosa, AL, 7-and-6 in the quarters and fell to Joan Higgins of Glendora, CA, in the semis. Elsewhere, the LPGA’s satellite circuit wraps up its season this week with the Symetra Tour Championship in Daytona Beach, FL, and Boise’s Maddie Sheils is a longshot to capture an LPGA Tour card for next year. Only the top 10 money-winners advance, and Sheils goes into the tournament today in 38th place. The Bishop Kelly grad and former Nebraska standout has $17,495 in earnings. Sheils’ likely destination is the LPGA’s version of Q-School.
This Day In Sports…brought to you by GROUND FX…the Treasure Valley mulch experts!
September 18, 1968: One day after San Francisco’s Gaylord Perry no-hits St. Louis, Cardinals pitcher Ray Washburn returns the favor by no-hitting the Giants, 2-0. The big story the day before had been Perry out-dueling Cards great Bob Gibson, 1-0. Gibson was in the home stretch of the best season in his career and would finish with an ERA of 1.12. It was the best in the majors in 54 years, and nobody has come close since.
(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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