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Wednesday Weekly: August 12, 2026.
There’s a theme this season coming out of the transfer portal at Boise State: players playing up a level or two. There are four who could be key contributors. Tyler Ethridge has already been anointed Boise State’s next great left tackle. Ethridge, from Division II CSU Pueblo, hasn’t taken an FBS snap yet, but the reviews are glowing. Roman Tillmon, a standout at FCS South Dakota, started fall camp as the Broncos’ No. 1 nickel. There’s also wide receiver Darren Morris from FCS Southern University and defensive lineman Mikaio Edward from Division II Central Washington.
They could be late bloomers, or FBS programs may have simply missed them in the recruiting process. But a case can be made that they embody the spirit of the players who made Boise State unique 20 years ago—guys who have been overlooked and are hungry, with good ol’ chips on their shoulders. These are highly-motivated individuals. And you can add junior college transfers in there, too, like wide receiver Akeem “Nitro” Wright and safety Kyle Hall. It bodes well for a program wanting to embrace its blue-collar roots.
A LONG WAY FROM EL PASO
Roger Carreon is the new graybeard on a Boise State offensive front that has high expectations. And he’s a lot more than that. “Roger is the hands-down leader of the offensive line,” said coach Spencer Danielson. The Oregon game will be Carreon’s first as a father, as baby son Kolton is going on three months old. He can’t stop thinking about that. And now Carreon is newly-named to the Outland Trophy watch list. He is so far removed from his first start in 2022, when he was pressed into service to fill in for injured Ben Dooley in the Broncos’ infamous loss at UTEP. “Feels like a long time—I kind of had it handed to me,” grinned Carreon at Media Day. “It was an opportunity to grow. It’s been an awesome four years.” He has certainly grown—second-team All-Mountain West last year.
RILEY’S INSPIRATION
Boise State running back Dylan Riley’s interview with the media last week was priceless, as he detailed his reasons for remaining a Bronco this year after his 1,125-yard season. Riley said money wasn’t going to take him away from the program, and he coined a phrase he learned from his late father: “Loyal to the soil.” Riley dad Willie, who died last year, still inspires him. I harken back to 2024 in Section 110, where players’ families often sit. There was a row at the Portland State game with a group sporting No. 24 shirts, rooting for Riley, then a true freshman. He exploded for 18 yards on the first carry of his college career, and Willie jumped up and pointed to his No. 24. And you should have seen the family when Riley broke off a 64-yard touchdown run. It was awesome.
CAPABLE CANDIDATES FOR ‘RB3’
Harry Stewart III and Juelz Goff are going full-tilt in Boise State fall camp, and those are names you will know sooner or later. Stewart, from Kansas, and Goff, from Pitt, are transfer portal grabs, and they’re in the mix to be RB3. After all, the Broncos will need one behind Riley and Sire Gaines. Goff missed the bulk of spring football with an injury, but he looks to be in the mold of Riley and Gaines. We didn’t get a good sample of Stewart in the Spring Game—seven carries for 10 yards—but he’s built to be a power back and could be a key change of pace in short yardage. At any rate, not all the touches will go to Riley and Gaines. Hey—Boise State’s only rushing touchdown of the 2024 Fiesta Bowl against Penn State was scored by an RB3, Tyler Crowe.
BRONCOS VS. ‘FREAKS’ IN 3½ WEEKS
From the “oh boy” department comes the 2026 edition of The Athletic’s “Freaks List,” which picks out the 101 strongest and/or most explosive players in college football. Boise State doesn’t have a guy on the list, but the Broncos will face two of the top 15 right out of the gate next month. The No. 3 “freak” this year is Oregon defensive tackle A’Mauri Washington, “down” to 327 pounds from 338 last season. Washington has vertical-leaped 35 inches, did a back squat with 765 pounds and power cleaned 365. Holy moly. Carreon and his Broncos compadres on the O-line are going to have their hands full. Scroll down a little bit, and you’ll find Ducks linebacker Devon Jackson at No. 11. The Athletic calls Jackson “the fastest linebacker in college football.” Good times.
A HYPOTHETICAL BIG XII MOVE
One of the provisions of the “Protect College Sports Act,” if it ever becomes law, prevents Power 4 conferences from expanding beyond 19 teams. So Matt Baker at The Athletic wonders out loud what it would look like if each P4 league grew to 19 teams. There would be a trickle-down effect, and the Big 12 would be the last conference to fill to 19. Baker’s candidates include Air Force, Memphis, San Diego State, Boise State, UNLV, and “Washington State/Oregon State.” Writes Baker: “If the Big 12 wants more big brands, then Boise State is the best football option available.” And the verdict? “Boise State and Memphis feel like obvious additions as two of the G6’s biggest programs,” Baker said. “San Diego State has been burned before but gets the last spot.” If only it were that easy…
MERRITT AND THE ALBERTSONS BOISE OPEN
Boise State Hall of Famer Troy Merritt plays his first Albertsons Boise Open in nine years this week, and he’s fired up. Merritt’s yips with the putter over the past couple of years have come from carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands and wrists, and he’s dealing with it now and is making cuts again. Merritt told IST that he’s on a “pitch count” of sorts and doesn’t practice anymore—nor does he even play practice rounds. He just goes out and plays courses sight unseen, and it has freed his mind. Merritt has played four PGA Tour events since 4th of July weekend and has made the cut in three of them, including a top 25 finish at the John Deere Classic.
With the PGA Tour’s FedExCup Playoffs starting this week, Merritt needs an event to play in to stay sharp—and no better place than Hillcrest Country Club and his hometown Korn Ferry Tour stop. Merritt’s comeback this year has taken a little longer than others. In 2018, just 11 days after winning the Barbasol Championship, he had emergency surgery to remove a life-threatening foot-long blood clot caused by Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Then six days after that, he defied the odds by teeing off in the PGA Championship. That’s a comeback. But the problem wasn’t solved. In January 2019, doctors surgically removed his top-left rib entirely. And Merritt still came back. Here’s hoping he’ll get some momentum out of the Boise Open as he tries to regain his PGA Tour card next year.
AC BOISE’S INTERNATIONAL INTERLUDE
On the heels of the World Cup, why not get some world flavor at Athletic Club Boise Stadium? Coming off perhaps its most satisfying win of the season, ACB steps away from USL League One tonight to host its first international friendly—against Sporting FC of Costa Rica. Ten-year-old Sporting FC has competed in Costa Rica’s top division since earning promotion in 2020. The Primera División is widely regarded as one of strongest pro leagues in North and Central America. It’ll be interesting to see how Boise stacks up.
BLOGGING ABOUT BLAKE BODILY
It was only his third goal of the season, but it was a big one. Blake Bodily’s tally in the 87th minute last Saturday night allowed AC Boise to avenge its worst loss of the season and take down Forward Madison FC 2-1 on the home pitch. Let’s talk a little Blake Bodily here. The Boise native was signed by ACB not just for local ties, but for experience that includes stints at American soccer’s higher levels. During the first three months of the season, Bodily was a steadying force despite not finding the net—then he suffered an injury that kept him out of seven games over six weeks. Since returning July 17, he has been on a roll, scoring three goals in five games.
HAWKS PREPARE TO PACK THEIR BAGS
It’s the last homestand before the Boise Hawks’ annual 12-game journey known as the Western Idaho Fair road trip, and it started Tuesday night with an 11-8 victory over the Pioneer League’s traveling team, the RedPocket Mobiles at Memorial Stadium. The Hawks are hangin’ in there in their quest for a winning season after last year’s 48-48 finish—they’re 38-35 now. Last week Boise dropped four of six games in Idaho Falls, including back-to-back losses last Friday and Saturday that saw Hawks pitchers yield a staggering 48 runs combined.
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August 12, 2016, 10 years ago today: Alex Rodriguez plays the final game of his checkered 22-season major league career, contributing an RBI double in the New York Yankees’ 6-3 win over Tampa Bay. A-Rod hit 696 career home runs, the fifth-most in history, but he was also a symbol of baseball’s Steroid Era. Rodriguez was suspended by Major League Baseball for the entire 2014 season for his involvement in the Biogenesis performance-enhancing drugs scandal. He returned with a solid season in 2015, but he faded in his final year, and his playing time had dwindled to almost nothing at the end.
(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.)
