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Wednesday Weekly: May 13, 2026.
Boise State men’s basketball announced an old-fashioned player signing last week. It’s a true freshman, Kaur Tomann from Estonia, a 6-9 forward who played for his country’s U18 team in the FIBA European Championships last summer. Tomann suffered a torn Achilles last December, which may put him on the redshirt road next season—we’ll see. But this is the way it used to be: the Broncos bring in a freshman, develop him, and get a good four-year career out of him. These days, those guys don’t last through a career, with the exception of an occasional RJ Keene. Development over the past 10 years meant Derrick Marks, Chandler Hutchison, Justinian Jessup, Tyson Degenhart—guys like that. Would any of those players, Degenhart included, have stayed in this year’s explosive NIL world?
THE WAIT FOR PORTAL GRADES
With Boise State’s roster now theoretically filled out with the addition of guard Ty Rodgers from Illinois, we begin the wait to see how good this transfer portal class is. Rodgers is getting a lot of guff for attempting only one three-pointer in his two active seasons with the Illini—and missing it. But he’s getting just as many props for being a defensive tone-setter and leader. Rodgers is the only Power 4 transfer, joining players from North Dakota State, Alabama State, Campbell and North Dalota State College of Science. Prejudging any of these guys is unwise, though. I remember a lot of shoulder-shrugging when Javan Buchanan transferred in two years ago. Buchanan was from NAIA Indiana Wesleyan. This was the player who was supposed to pick up the slack for Chibuzo Agbo? Buchanan worked out okay.
OUT OF THE NEUTRAL COURT COMFORT ZONE
For three straight seasons, Boise State has faced Saint Mary’s on a neutral court in Idaho Falls (and has won all three). They were, of course, more akin to road games for the Gaels. But technically they’re neutral, and they’re resume builders, as a victory over a top 50 team in the NCAA NET rankings is a Quad 1 win. At home, the opponent has to be top 30. Against that backdrop, the Broncos are going into Nebraska’s backyard for a neutral court game on November 15 in Sioux Falls, SD. Lincoln is actually closer to Sioux Falls than Boise is to Idaho Falls—by about 50 miles. The Broncos are getting the Cornhuskers at a good time, at least in terms of metrics. Nebraska famously won its first NCAA Tournament game in March and made it all the way to the Sweet 16.
COBY KARL AND HIS DAD
The news reported by B.J. Rains that Coby Karl won’t be part of the Boise State coaching staff next season shouldn’t come as a surprise. We’ve always thought of Karl as an NBA guy, what with his G League championship and experience as a Philadelphia 76ers assistant. The timing is what was interesting—on his dad George Karl’s 75th birthday. That was the subject of my “This Day In Sports” item at KTIK.com Tuesday—George’s birthday, and Coby’s shared experience with him as a cancer survivor. Coby was diagnosed with thyroid cancer before a Broncos game against Utah State in January, 2006. He had his thyroid removed in April of that year, but he continued to play for the Broncos the following season (his senior year). It’s part of his fabric, and he will succeed at his next stop.
DON’T UNDERSELL THE BEAVERS
Boise State has celebrated several $1 million gifts this year through the Lyle Smith Society. The Broncos are better off than many non-power schools, and that’s great. But here’s an example of what they’re up against in the big-money arms race. Oregon State announced a $48 million revenue-sharing initiative last week, with $24 million of it already aboard thanks to late longtime donors Wayne and Gladys Valley. It’s a game-changer for the Beavers, who are coming off traumatic football and men’s basketball seasons and are replacing their athletic director. According to John Canzano of the Bald-Faced Truth, OSU’s new football and men’s hoops coaches have been told to “go for it,” as this is all new money to the program. Some preseason predictions may have to be recalibrated.
CASEY’S DIFFERENT SHADE OF BLUE
Former Boise State star Kage Casey, Denver’s fourth-round draft pick, met the Broncos media for the first time last weekend at the team’s rookie minicamp. Casey said he feels good about his first experimentation at guard during Senior Bowl week and where that might take him. Darren McKee of Altitude Sports asked Casey what it’s like to be coming to Denver from Boise State. “Y’know, I go from a Bronco to a Bronco,” he grinned. “I saw JL (Skinner) over there a little bit. It’s great to be on the team with him, but even the culture is all the same. It’s awesome to be in a similar environment.” Casey was issued No. 78 by Denver—Prater deftly pointed out that it’s the same number worn there by Ryan Clady, Boise State’s first-ever first round NFL Draft pick. That fact wasn’t lost on Casey.
BIG STEP FORWARD FOR KELLEN?
The honeymoon’s over for Kellen Moore in New Orleans. But that just means a solid marriage is taking root. NFL pundits are high on the quality of the Saints’ draft and their prospects for 2026. The Athletic calls New Orleans’ offseason one of the best in the league, saying, “This offseason was about surrounding second-year quarterback Tyler Shough with talent. Through free agency, they added the best guard on the market in David Edwards. First-round pick Jordyn Tyson has naturally deceptive body language that the NFL’s top receivers have. Shough now has all the tools he needs to prove that he can be the franchise quarterback.” New Orleans also added tight end Noah Fant. On paper, the Saints also have the second-easiest schedule in the NFL for the upcoming season.
FIESTA BOWL REMINISCIENCE YEAR UNDERWAY
The Minnesota Vikings gave us an excuse Monday to talk about the 2007 Fiesta Bowl again as we approach the 20th anniversary of the most memorable season in Boise State history. Peterson was at the Vikings rookie minicamp to speak to the team’s newcomers, or so he thought. The team surprised him with the announcement that he’s going into the Vikings Ring of Honor. Which takes us back to Peterson’s final college game for Oklahoma against the Broncos in Glendale, AZ. One of the keys to the upset: the Boise State defense holding Peterson to 77 yards rushing. And 25 of them came on the first snap of overtime. So in regulation, the Broncos limited him to 52 yards on 19 attempts—just 2.7 yards per carry. Going to be fun reminiscing about that season this fall.
HASSANEIN’S PATHWAY
This can only be seen as good news for former Boise State star Ahmed Hassanein: the Detroit Lions have been granted a continuation of their International Pathways roster exemption for Hassanein. It’s a developmental rule that allows NFL teams to carry one additional international player without using a standard spot. Typically it’s used for a 17th player on the practice squad, which would probably be fine with Hassanein after his rookie year was wiped out by a pectoral injury in a preseason game. It does indicate the Lions are invested in him. Usually, International Pathways is reserved for players born outside of the U.S. Hassanein was born in Anaheim, but he spent most of his life in Egypt before returning to Anaheim when he was 15 to attend high school—and eventually learn American football.
GET READY FOR THE GUSTS
How does wind affect a professional soccer match? We may be about to find out. Athletic Club Boise’s first three home games had weather served on a silver platter, but tonight there’s the wild card—a wild cold front with winds that could gust up to 39 miles per hour. Fans will deal with it, but how about the soccer ball? If the wind treats AC Boise and FC Naples evenly, this is going to be a competitive match. Boise has outscored opponents 12-8 through seven league matches while converting chances at a 20 percent rate, among the strongest marks in USL League One. Naples reached the USL1 semifinals in its inaugural 2025 season and enters tonight’s game tied for the league lead with four clean sheets (as in, shutouts).
Everything’s a first for Athletic Club Boise this season, and the new pro soccer franchise has logged another. Denys Kosyshyn was named AC Boise’s first-ever USL League 1 Player of the Month last week. The Ukrainian midfielder immediately endeared himself to local fans by scoring the franchise’s first goal in the team’s first victory. But that was in March. In April, AC Boise was undefeated, and Kostyshyn helped get them there with three goals and an assist. He received 54 percent of the fan vote among the four candidates for the award, and 75 percent of the league vote.
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May 13, 1961: The birthday of one of the most polarizing players in NBA history. Dennis Rodman was one of the game’s great rebounders, but he had some quirks, from his multiple hair colors and piercings to his marriage to Carmen Electra to his friendship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. But as disruptive as he could be on the court, Rodman’s hoops skills were indisputable. He led in the NBA in rebounds per game a record seven consecutive seasons and was part of five NBA championships with the Detroit Pistons and Chicago Bulls. Dennis Rodman…65 years old today.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK. He also served as color commentator on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football for 14 seasons.)
