John Patrick-Idaho Sports Talk Producer @JPktik
***click the bold text for exterior links***
Not always by choice, Boise State has had a knack for being at the forefront of changes in college athletics.
The latest came last week when what appeared to be a game winning buzzer beater by James Webb III turned into a dumpster fire for the Mountain West Conference. First, the shot was ruled good and Boise State beat Colorado State in overtime. Then, the referees decided to over-officiate with modern technology. The shot was then ruled no good and Boise State lost the game.
You know the rest. After a firestorm in social media, the Mountain West released video trying to prove their point only to look foolish. It turns out the technology was flawed. The shot should have counted. Too bad for Boise State! They still didn’t get the win, but all of this led to a new “protocol” when using the DVSport replay system. As the Mountain West put it; The video of the play will be used as a teaching tool for the future.
It reminded me of different times when Boise State got publicity for changes in the way things are done at the NCAA level.
The Tim Gilligan (halo) Rule:
The halo rule for punt returners was eliminated in 2003 in part thanks to Boise State’s Tim Gilligan. The rule gave punt returners two yards of space to catch the ball. Tim Gilligan was never a person who would fair catch. Unfortunately for him, he was viciously leveled in back-to-back games against Tulsa and Fresno State, all for a five yard penalty on the kicking team. The rule was changed to protect the punt returners, who were encouraged to signal a fair catch. You can see the hit from Fresno State at about 1:35 into this video:
The Dayton Rule:
The Boise State basketball team got an at-large berth in the NCAA tournament. Unfortunately, they landed in a first-four game in Dayton … against Dayton. The Broncos suffered a 56-55 loss in front of Dayton’s home crowd of 12,500 fans. On July 20th, 2015 the NCAA announced the selection committee can slide teams up and down the seeding list in part to keep this unfair advantage from happening again.
NCAA violations:
The Boise State athletic program was placed three years probation in 2011. The football team lost practice time and three scholarships per year in the 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 academic years. The reason was improper housing and benefits for football players who had not yet enrolled in school.
Read the infractions report here
There was some backlash against the NCAA when it was later revealed that the football players were sleeping on floors and couches of current players. Although it’s hard to find definitive proof, I believe the NCAA has taken a more human approach to situations like these since then. In 2014, the NCAA granted a waiver so Boise State could help junior college transfer Antoine Turner when it was revealed he was homeless, even though he had not yet enrolled in school.
BCS:
You have to give Boise State some credit in forcing change in the way college football crowns it’s national champion. In 2009, then Athletic Director Gene Bleymaier testified in front of a panel of congressman in Washington D.C. about the unfairness of the BCS system. I can still hear his words; “How many times must we go undefeated before we get our chance.”
In 2012, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff talked about bringing an anti-trust lawsuit against the BCS because schools like Boise State were being snubbed.
In 2011, The Broncos were 11-1 and ranked in the top 10, but were passed over for the Orange Bowl for teams with three losses. They were snubbed by the Sugar Bowl for two teams that were ranked below them. Boise State went on to dominate Arizona State in the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl. The lawsuit never got off the ground because the BCS adopted the current playoff system.
So, last week wasn’t the first time Boise State had a part in changing the way things are done in college athletics, and I doubt it will be the last.
