Yes. I know so many of you around the valley are in dire straits over the horrific performances that the Bulldogs have put on week after week. But the honest answer to this question I pose is yes. Boise State is not the same killer team they have been in the past. They give up large chunks of yards through the air just as the Bulldogs do. Boise's strength is the one thing the Bulldogs seem to defend well against: the run. Ian Johnson is the best player on Boise State and the offense goes directly through him. Here are the following reasons why Boise State should worry about Fresno State next Wednesday:
1) Boise State's Pass Defense - Horrendous would be a great word to describe how bad Boise's secondary is. I am not saying the Bulldogs secondary is any better because God knows we are horrible when it comes to the secondary. However, Boise State allowed 526 yards passing to Chase Holbrook but came out with the win over New Mexico State. Boise State then allowed 326 yards passing to Idaho's QB but again came out with a close victory. Boise State has the same exact problem in the secondary that the Bulldogs do but this will only be a plus for the Bulldogs if they decide to throw the damn ball for once.
2) The Boise-Fresno Rivalry - Fresno State will be up for this game, I don't care what anyone thinks. We may be a soft team this season as FormerDog has pointed out about a thousand times in the comments section, but I saw a different Dogs team against LSU. I thought the Dogs played well against a far superior team in LSU. If the coaching would open the offense at all the Dogs would have been in that game well into the fourth quarter. If our wide receivers would catch balls right in their hands that game against LSU could have possibly been tied going into the fourth quarter. Boise State is not on the level of LSU (even if the BCS has put them ahead in their ridiculous rankings that also has a very strong Texas team at #7). Boise State is in the position that Fresno State was in 2001 and this Bulldog team is not as bad as the 1-6 record says. Fresno State will be in this game down to the end. Of the big three game stretch they were to endure this season I felt the Boise game was the most winnable of them all. We do not match up well with Hawaii's offense and LSU is just too good overall. However, Boise State is not that much better than most NCAA teams this season and have just closed out the games the way a decent team should.
3) Pressure - Fresno State has absolutely no pressure on them anymore. They have endured one of their worst years to this date but can begin to turn things around and give us something to look forward to in 2007. Sean Norton will only get better and if the Bulldogs can follow through with a medical redshirt he will have three years remaining as the starter for the Bulldogs (even if they can't two more years as our starter bodes well for the future). This kid is a gamer and if you are not convinced that he can make the necessary throws to win games then you did not watch the LSU game closely. No the receivers dropped the great throws he made, but look how well Norton threw all three deep balls in the game. True one was underthrown to Williams but he made the catch. His other deep ball to Williams was where it needed to be and his first deep ball to Moore may have been the best throw of the day. Our offense will get better and against Boise we will score at least 30 points. Formerdog I know you don't agree, you don't have to tell me this but we will get better on offense.
This is going to be a great game between two teams that are usually at the top of the WAC year in and year out. Last year we broke the streak of four straight losses to Boise and I think we can steal one this year and ruin their BCS chances. Boise is not invincible to say the least. We just need a few breaks and have to get an interception on defense soon. We are the only divison one school without an interception this year and I am willing to bet Zabranski will throw one to us. Just have some faith, I know it's hard to right now but I really believe that fans need to support the players. Even if you have no faith in the coaching don't forget that many of the players are out their doing their best for us. Support them and know that we can only go up from here.
5 comments:
My formerdog impression:
FIRE PAT HILL!!!
He'll never change and this team is soft. It starts at the top! Hill is soft and his coordinators both are horrible.
Let me coach the team blindfolded and I'll do a better job. Hell, we'll probably even beat Boise by 40.
The offense will never change:
1st down:
Run: 1000% for the season
Pass: -200% (the only time we pass on first down is when it is to the other team hence the "-" sign)
The defense is so bad that we should go get Clovis East team and make them play. I think we should just pust in two more D-Lineman instead of out D-Backs because they just stand around and don't tackle anybody anyway.
I don't care what ncs says, my prediction:
Boise: 121
Fresno: 2 (only because Boise snaps it out of the endzone)
Oh and incase you missed it:
FIRE PAT HILL!!!!
PS:
"Shut Your Mouth and Just Win"
I agree with FormerDog. If PH did not change the plan against the number 1 Defense in nation then why would he change it vs. Boise?
We will lose against Boise due to insufficient offensive production. This will be due to PH's fear to let Norton air it out more often.
How ridiculous is PH that he must "stay the course."
I really think that if we had a better D-coordinator in 2001, we would have gone undefeated.
In 2001 our D was good enough to win. Was Coyle still coordinator?
The thing that real sticks with me is that in 01 the weeks prior to the Boise game, Pat Hill was defending himself by not "running up" the score. He was taking criticism about not putting lesser teams away like Nebraska or Tennessee did.He would say stuff like "I'm not that kind of coach" and " that's not how we do things here" and other nonsense.
So we get up on Boise straight away. I remember thinking to myself "oh man, this is going to be over in a hurry"
Then Pat decides that a 14 or 17 (can't remember)point lead is good enough. Heavy dose of Paris Gains. A lot of 3 and outs. Boise hits the long play. Fresno panics. Ball game.
FSU crying on there own field, BCS bowl hopes shattered, the birth of Boise's dominance in the WAC, and the "lets run on first down come hell or high water" was born in Bulldog stadium in the second half of the Boise State game in 2001.
Coyle bio:
http://www.bengals.com/team/coach.asp?coach_id=4
He finished with us in 2000.
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