Cowboys welcome Broncos
LARAMIE ? Boise State will be without its starting quarterback for today?s game against the University of Wyoming.
No problem, according to the Boise State coaches and players.
UW will be without its best cover cornerback and its All-American kicker.
That?s a definite cause for concern.
And that?s where the big differences between Boise State and UW lies. Boise State (1-1) is a team that has won 28 games the last three seasons. Despite the loss of starting quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie to a broken ankle last week against Arkansas, the Broncos have senior B.J. Rhode to take his place ? a guy who has been in the system for five years.
UW has won only three of its last 24 games, including a 10-game skid dating back to last season ? one shy of the all-time school record. The Cowboys enter today?s home opener a seven-point underdog, and go in with a cornerback who has never played a Division I game, and a kicker who has never attempted a field goal at the Division I level.
Not to mention a team that has not experienced a win since Sept. 22, 2001.
?We need to get some wins to get the guys believing in themselves,? UW coach Vic Koenning said. ?We let one get away last week (32-20 loss at Central Michigan), but this team this week is really, really talented ? probably as good as most teams in our conference. We think this is one that we?re going to have to play perfect almost to win, but we do think we have a shot.?
The Cowboys have been far from perfect in their first two games. They have been outscored 79-27 and rank last in the Mountain West Conference in six offensive and three defensive categories.
?Personally, I need to know when to move the chains,? UW junior quarterback Casey Bramlet said. ?Sometimes I?ve been doing things I shouldn?t. On a third-and-short, instead of throwing something, I need to find a way to get a first down.?
UW players held a players-only meeting this week to try to get to the bottom of some of the problems.
?It?s been a frustrating start for the whole team because it seems like when one aspect of our game is on, another aspect of our game is off,? UW senior offensive tackle Adam Goldberg said. ?We haven?t hit on all cylinders.
?As an offensive line, we?re going to install a mentality that all the time Casey needs to do whatever he wants, he should have. And the running backs shouldn?t get touched until they get to the safeties, period.?
Defensively, UW will try to stop a Boise State offense that has averaged more than 300 yards through the air and features one of the better running backs in the West in senior Brock Forsey.
At cornerback, sophomore Gary Wright is out for the season with a broken foot. In his place junior Chris Dixon and converted wide receiver Scottie Vines will split time. Junior Roderrick Jackson and senior Ryan Calahan also will play.
Koenning said he and his defensive coaches don?t plan to alter their game plan for Boise State because of the lack of experience at corner.
Boise State is cautiously optimistic about facing UW?s defense.
?I expect Wyoming to come out full bore and attack us,? said Rhode, who will make his second career start today. ?Like us, they got whooped last weekend. We had nothing to lose, and I?m sure they felt they could have won that game last weekend.
?We?re expecting them to come out in their home-opener with nothing to lose. I think we can attack them, but they?re not invincible.?
UW will play a new kicker in redshirt freshman Scott Parker, who replaces senior All-American J.D. Wallum. Wallum is out for at least four to six weeks after undergoing knee surgery this week.
While UW seeks a win for confidence and to avoid a record for futility, Boise State searches for national respectability. The Broncos were preseason picks to win the Western Athletic Conference, and were on the cusp of breaking into the top 25 before the Arkansas loss.
?This is gut-check time for both us and Wyoming. This is a must-win for both of us,? Boise State senior receiver Jay Swillie said.?
Injury report: Junior tight end Marshall Schapp (knee), redshirt freshman offensive tackle Dan Fisher (knee), redshirt freshman cornerback Chad White (hamstring) and freshman receiver Jarreau Grant (ankle) are out today.
Senior defensive lineman Josh Rollins (ankle), junior linebacker Tyler Gottschalk (leg contusion), junior free safety Armand Woodson (groin), junior receiver Ryan McGuffey (concussion), sophomore tight end Chris Cox (back) and redshirt freshman receiver Jovon Bouknight (ankle) will play.
LARAMIE ? Boise State will be without its starting quarterback for today?s game against the University of Wyoming.
No problem, according to the Boise State coaches and players.
UW will be without its best cover cornerback and its All-American kicker.
That?s a definite cause for concern.
And that?s where the big differences between Boise State and UW lies. Boise State (1-1) is a team that has won 28 games the last three seasons. Despite the loss of starting quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie to a broken ankle last week against Arkansas, the Broncos have senior B.J. Rhode to take his place ? a guy who has been in the system for five years.
UW has won only three of its last 24 games, including a 10-game skid dating back to last season ? one shy of the all-time school record. The Cowboys enter today?s home opener a seven-point underdog, and go in with a cornerback who has never played a Division I game, and a kicker who has never attempted a field goal at the Division I level.
Not to mention a team that has not experienced a win since Sept. 22, 2001.
?We need to get some wins to get the guys believing in themselves,? UW coach Vic Koenning said. ?We let one get away last week (32-20 loss at Central Michigan), but this team this week is really, really talented ? probably as good as most teams in our conference. We think this is one that we?re going to have to play perfect almost to win, but we do think we have a shot.?
The Cowboys have been far from perfect in their first two games. They have been outscored 79-27 and rank last in the Mountain West Conference in six offensive and three defensive categories.
?Personally, I need to know when to move the chains,? UW junior quarterback Casey Bramlet said. ?Sometimes I?ve been doing things I shouldn?t. On a third-and-short, instead of throwing something, I need to find a way to get a first down.?
UW players held a players-only meeting this week to try to get to the bottom of some of the problems.
?It?s been a frustrating start for the whole team because it seems like when one aspect of our game is on, another aspect of our game is off,? UW senior offensive tackle Adam Goldberg said. ?We haven?t hit on all cylinders.
?As an offensive line, we?re going to install a mentality that all the time Casey needs to do whatever he wants, he should have. And the running backs shouldn?t get touched until they get to the safeties, period.?
Defensively, UW will try to stop a Boise State offense that has averaged more than 300 yards through the air and features one of the better running backs in the West in senior Brock Forsey.
At cornerback, sophomore Gary Wright is out for the season with a broken foot. In his place junior Chris Dixon and converted wide receiver Scottie Vines will split time. Junior Roderrick Jackson and senior Ryan Calahan also will play.
Koenning said he and his defensive coaches don?t plan to alter their game plan for Boise State because of the lack of experience at corner.
Boise State is cautiously optimistic about facing UW?s defense.
?I expect Wyoming to come out full bore and attack us,? said Rhode, who will make his second career start today. ?Like us, they got whooped last weekend. We had nothing to lose, and I?m sure they felt they could have won that game last weekend.
?We?re expecting them to come out in their home-opener with nothing to lose. I think we can attack them, but they?re not invincible.?
UW will play a new kicker in redshirt freshman Scott Parker, who replaces senior All-American J.D. Wallum. Wallum is out for at least four to six weeks after undergoing knee surgery this week.
While UW seeks a win for confidence and to avoid a record for futility, Boise State searches for national respectability. The Broncos were preseason picks to win the Western Athletic Conference, and were on the cusp of breaking into the top 25 before the Arkansas loss.
?This is gut-check time for both us and Wyoming. This is a must-win for both of us,? Boise State senior receiver Jay Swillie said.?
Injury report: Junior tight end Marshall Schapp (knee), redshirt freshman offensive tackle Dan Fisher (knee), redshirt freshman cornerback Chad White (hamstring) and freshman receiver Jarreau Grant (ankle) are out today.
Senior defensive lineman Josh Rollins (ankle), junior linebacker Tyler Gottschalk (leg contusion), junior free safety Armand Woodson (groin), junior receiver Ryan McGuffey (concussion), sophomore tight end Chris Cox (back) and redshirt freshman receiver Jovon Bouknight (ankle) will play.
