Boise St vs TCU Articles

GridironGems · Dec 23, 2008

Bored right now, so reading a bunch of articles about the game tomorrow...thought may as well post em for all.

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<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="arttitle">Poinsettia Bowl Preview Series-Linemen </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="arttitle"> <table class="artReleaseIcons" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" align="left"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr> <td class="articlecopy" valign="top" align="left"> Courtesy: Staff
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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Football games are often won and lost based on the physical play of the big guys up front. In some games, that matchup takes on a bigger emphasis, as establishing tempo, field position and either defensive or offensive play selection come down to how the line of scrimmage is controlled. Tuesday’s Poinsettia Bowl between #9 Boise State and #11 TCU could very well be one of those games. A battle between two teams who pride themselves on a physical front and an offense that dictates game flow.[/FONT]<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]“We know they are a physical and fast defense,” said Boise State head coach Chris Petersen. “Offensively, they are dangerous because they have weapons, but seem to have that methodical approach to being in second and medium, then third and short, moving the chains and controlling time of possession.”<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]“They go hard every snap with kids who want to play,” said TCU head coach Gary Patterson. “They do it all and it’s with a variety of people, not just one or two.”[/FONT]<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]So effective at the time of possession game is TCU that they are first in the nation in that category, holding the ball for nearly 35:05 minutes per game. Boise State counters with the 12<sup>th</sup> ranked scoring offense in the country, despite an offensive line that had to replace four starters from 2007 and seemingly had a different starting combination each game.<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]In the first of a series of Poinsettia Bowl previews, broncosports.com breaks down the key head-to-head matchups in the trenches. Clearing space or clogging space. Speed rushing versus pass protecting. Establishing the game plan on both offense and defense starts here.[/FONT]<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]TCU Defensive End Jerry Hughes vs. BSU Offensive Tackle Nate Potter:

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Hughes is a first team All-American and Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, leading the nation with 14 sacks. Athletic and disruptive, rest assured Bronco coaches and Kellen Moore will want to know where #98 in black and purple will be on each play. TCU brings him from the right, which means for the bowl game, he’ll be matched a good deal of the time against Bronco freshman tackle Nate Potter. Potter has a load of potential, and this will be a big time test for the youngster from Boise’s Timberline High School, as he looks to solidify a long term spot on the Bronco offensive line. With the number of line combinations Boise State has used, don’t be surprised if Boise State coaches throw all the looks they can to try and at least make Hughes work for everything.<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]BSU Center Thomas Byrd vs. TCU Nose Tackle Cody Moore:<o></o>[/FONT]
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Byrd looks to be a mainstay on the Bronco offensive line for years to come. The young freshman has answered the call in the middle late in the season, and is Boise State’s quarterback on the line. He will draw the big assignment of trying to create space in the middle. To do that it means recognizing defensive fronts, making the line call and then getting off the ball quick. While Hughes gets all the headlines on the TCU front four, 292 pound senior nose tackle Cody Moore is a load to handle. Moore is a second team All-MWC pick and has spent his career clogging the middle so that guys like Hughes and the TCU linebacker corp can grab the glory. Still, he has 29 career starts with 22 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks for the Horned Frogs.[/FONT]<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]BSU Defensive End Ryan Winterswyk vs. TCU Left Tackle Marshall Newhouse:

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Winterswyk may not come with all the accolades and credentials as Hughes, but he is equally as disruptive. ‘Swyk’ earned first team All-WAC honors and uses his ability to rush from the outside and the multiple looks Boise State provides up front that allows him to come from underneath. Like Boise State, TCU’s offensive front will pay attention to #98 on the Bronco side. The ultimate test falls to junior left tackle Marshall Newhouse, who will be making his 26<sup>th</sup> consecutive start for TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl. It will be Winterswyk’s quickness, agility and all out intensity against Newhouse’s large 6-3, 317 pound frame.<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]BSU Defensive Lineman Billy Winn vs. TCU Right Tackle Marcus Cannon:<o></o>[/FONT]
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A matchup that will be fun to watch, between two up and coming youngsters. Winn, just a freshman, showed flashes of brilliance this season, earning first team Freshman All-American honors from The Sporting News. His quickness and strength put him in opposing team backfields throughout the season, but his presence really showed in Boise State’s physical play and constant pressure up front. For the Poinsettia Bowl, Winn will find himself playing some on the outside at defensive end, with the loss of senior Mike T. Williams to a knee injury in the Fresno State game. Cannon, meanwhile, is in his first year as a starter for TCU and is the largest member of the Horned Frog team at 6-5 and 350 pounds. He earned Honorable Mention All-Mountain West Conference honors despite missing two league games to injury. [/FONT]<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]TCU Center Blake Schlueter vs. BSU Defensive Tackle Joe Bozikovich:

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]All-Mountain West and Rimington Watch List center Blake Schlueter anchors the middle of the TCU line. Among his primary assignments will be Boise State senior defensive tackle Joe Bozikovich. ‘Joe Boz’, is in his second year as a starter, had a solid season with 22 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss. He’ll need to step into a bigger role against TCU, with Billy Winn sliding to the outside as injuries to Mike T. Williams, Shea McClellin and Jarrell Root have depleted the Bronco depth at defensive end.<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Coming tomorrow in the next installment of the Boise State-TCU preview series will be the matchup at the skill positions in the secondary and at wide receiver. Monday’s preview will be the offensive backfield and linebacker matchups. And, Tuesday morning look for a complete game overview from broncosports.com.[/FONT]
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GridironGems · Dec 23, 2008

<table width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td class="arttitle">POINSETTIA BOWL Preview Series-Skills Positions </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="arttitle"> <table class="artReleaseIcons" width="100%" border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="top" align="left"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2"> <tbody><tr> <td class="articlecopy" valign="top" align="left"> Courtesy: Staff
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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]In the second of the series of Poinsettia Bowl previews, broncosports.com breaks down the key head-to-head matchups at the wide receiver and secondary spots. Two defensive secondary’s that have lockdown ability. Explosive offensive players that will strive to get in open space. Which offense is able to dent the defensive unit and gain an advantage. Questions that will be answered based on the match-ups below.<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]TCU enters the Poinsettia Bowl after setting a single season school record for points scored (420) and touchdowns (54). A balanced attack that is averaging nearly 215 yards per game with the ultimate in a run-by-committee approach, and just over 200 yards per game through the air. Boise State, on the other hand, maintained a powerful offensive attack, largely because of a deep and productive receiving corp.<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]The strength of the Bronco defense much of the season has been found in a secondary that brings experience and youthful talent. The starting four of corners Kyle Wilson and Brandyn Thompson and safeties Jeron Johnson and George Iloka have picked off 15 passes with 27 pass breakups. The Horned Frogs counter with an opportunistic defensive backfield group that includes three all-conference players, holding down the last line of a defense that is one of the stingiest in the country. Both teams have allowed just eight passing touchdowns the entire season, a remarkable achievement considering the offensive talent seen during the year.[/FONT]
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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]TCU Wide Receiver Jimmy Young vs. BSU Cornerback Kyle Wilson:<o></o>[/FONT]
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Young is TCU’s playmaker, leading the team in receptions (54), yards (926), yards per catch (17.1) and touchdown receptions (5). Wilson is arguably (and a pretty convincing argument) Boise State’s most talented overall player. He is a first team All-WAC cornerback with 10 pass breakups and a league high five interceptions. This is one of those games within the game that will be a great deal of fun to watch.<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]BSU Wide Receiver Jeremy Childs vs. TCU Cornerback Rafael Priest:

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Childs is Boise State’s go to guy in the receiving game, hauling in 65 passes this season and 147 passes the past two years. He is a precision route runner and has a nose for the first down marker to keep drives alive. Priest, just a junior, is a second team All-Mountain West pick with a team high 11 pass breakups. He has started every game since his freshman year, with 29 career pass breakups and will be called upon to shadow Childs.<o

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[/FONT]BSU Safety Jeron Johnson vs. TCU Wide Receiver Jeremy Kerley:<o></o>[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]One of the hardest hitting safeties in college football, Johnson will need to bring that physical presence to TCU’s receivers who go deep or over the middle. Kerley is a multiple threat athlete for TCU, with 155 yards rushing to go along with 11 catches during the season. He also lined up at quarterback during the course of the regular season.<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]TCU Safety Steven Coleman vs. BSU Wide Receiver Vinny Perretta:<o></o>[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Coleman is a big presence at safety at 6-3 and 204 pounds. He led the Horned Frogs with three interceptions in earning second team All-Mountain West honors. Similar in size to George Iloka of the Broncos, Coleman controls the middle and will draw the assignment of trying to determine where Boise State’s trickery originates. Much of that motion and mis-direction has to do with senior wide receiver Vinny Perretta. More of a slash player, Perretta has 34 receptions to go along with 17 rushing attempts and a passing touchdown as well. One of just two players in Bronco history with a receiving touchdown, rushing touchdown and passing touchdown in the same game, Perretta is asked to make things happen whenever the ball is in his hands.<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]BSU Wide Receiver Austin Pettis vs. TCU Secondary:

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Pettis has come up big late in the season for the Broncos, making huge third down catches and using his big 6-3 frame to win the jump ball battles in the end zone. He had six touchdown receptions over the last half of the season, as he proved to be the perfect compliment for Jeremy Childs. Boise State will use his size and uncanny timing for the jump ball to create mismatch situations with a variety of TCU corners and safeties.<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Coming tomorrow in the next installment of the Boise State-TCU preview series will be the offensive backfield and linebacker matchups. Tuesday morning look for a complete game overview from broncosports.com.[/FONT]
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GridironGems · Dec 23, 2008

[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]MIKE T’S BOWL 411[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Mike T. Williams is a senior defensive end from Sacramento, California. The second team All-WAC performer was having the best year of his Bronco career, and then suffered a torn ACL on his knee in the second quarter of the season finale against Fresno State. Mike T’s Bowl 411 is a daily journal capturing his feelings heading into the Poinsettia Bowl and the experiences here in San Diego.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Sunday 12/21[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Team competition. That was the story of today. Right before lunch, everyone was playing ping pong in the hospitality room. Basically, we were just trying to find out who is the best. (Kyle) Gingg always think he’s the best on the team. We all know Coach Pete thinks he’s the best. When he (Coach Pete) comes in, everyone starts yelling and next thing we know he and Gingg are playing. Gingg wins a close one in game one, then Pete wins the second one. In the last game, he (Coach Pete) pretty much got slaughtered. It was funny to see the head coach get whooped up on.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]At practice, I figured it was time to talk some smack, so I went up to Coach Pete and said, ‘I thought you were good’. He said, ‘if you want some let’s do it, but, you might blow out your other ACL when I make you run all around’. From there, I got Gingg’s side of the pong battle. He basically called Coach Pete out and said coach he didn’t finish. Good thing he’s a senior![/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I was not happy with dropping that game in NBA Live to Shea (McClellin) yesterday (if you need the details go to yesterday’s 411), so we went at it again today. I was the Lakers this time, and he was the Suns. We bet some 10 ‘on call’ push-ups, which basically means you do them whenever and wherever. I beat him by one point and started celebrating in his face. Made him do one push-up right then to make my point. The rest of the day, I made him do push-ups any time he said anything or looked at me. At dinner, on the bus, didn’t matter. Gotta always be teaching those young guys.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I was in a movie scene today. Well, kind of in a movie. Across from the hotel is a barbeque spot where they filmed that scene from Top Gun. They call it the ‘sleezy bar scene’, so went in there and ate. I’ll have to watch that movie again now to see where I sat. [/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Today at practice was (Head Strength Coach Tim) Socha ‘Appreciation Day’. It’s the last stretching practice of the season, so all the guys paid tribute by yelling things at him. Stuff like ‘Socha, you’re handsome’ or ‘Your body’s sexy’. That guy is one of the big reasons we’re where we are, so all the guys had some fun giving him his props in our own way. [/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Our night event was racing go-carts. Right when I got in there, I was talking crap with everyone. As I stepped in, I tripped over the steering wheel like a fool. But, I played it off like nobody saw it and went out there and spun some people around. Just like going after a quarterback baby![/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]San Diego has a bunch of those rickshaw type things where the guy bikes you around. Me, (Ryan) Winterswyk and (Sean) Bingham decided to take one. It’s only supposed to fit two, but he said get on. We’re thinking this dude’s crazy, having to go with 800 pounds. You kidding me? We made him work, going like 15 blocks. But, he got as at the end, as the sign reads with three people - 10 bucks per person. He took $30 off us, but dude’s feeling it for sure.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I’ll wrap today’s 411 by just saying that the whole team is still loose. That’s how we are. We’re still doing our job and having fun doing it! [/FONT]
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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Friday, Dec. 19<sup>th</sup>:<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]As we arrived in San Diego, it was great to be in nice weather compared to Boise. It’s like paradise here compared. Once we got to the hotel, the local police met with us real quick. The bottom line message was stay away from Tijuana (Mexico), or you might not come back. I don’t think we’ll have anyone head that direction after hearing that.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif] When I went down in the Fresno game, I was mad, upset. I didn’t want to believe that I had done something that bad to my knee. Dr. Wade said ‘you are done’. I said, ‘no I’m not’. Marc Paul (head trainer) said the same thing. It was sad sitting there in the locker room as everybody was celebrating the win. Things happen for a reason. I believe in God, and it was my time to go down then. I know he wouldn’t put too much on me that I couldn’t handle. It sucks, but that’s what it is.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]While I’m going to look at this bowl experience as having fun since I won’t be able to play in the game, I’m still a part of this team. I’m kind of like that ‘flava flav’, hype fan of football. Go out there and bring energy and coach them up. I’m out there talkin smack and all that stuff still. Just need to sit down a little more than I usually have to.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Watching our guys practice on Friday, kept thinking to myself how bright the future is. Coach Pete did some competition with a relay race. I was sitting back, and feeling that our team has great chemistry. [/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Saturday, Dec. 20<sup>th</sup>:<o

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[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]At SeaWorld, most everybody bought ponchos, as we had a feeling something was coming. One of the cool moments was when the host started singing and then stopped and had our team keep it going. There was a big crowd there and we all picked it up. This was at the dolphin show. The dolphins then rolled in and got us wet. I think they gave us a little extra. One of those dolphins came in and gave us like four flips. Only gave the others two or three. (Ryan) Winterswyk, Richie (Brockel), those guys wish they had a poncho then.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I was hoping to go on the Journey To Atlantis ride. But, with my knee, I couldn’t fit. Good idea not to get on, as it broke down halfway through the ride. Couple of our guys got tired of waiting so jumped out. Whole ride got shut down and everybody got kicked off and out of line. Broncos shut down Journey To Atlantis. Oh well, we had fun.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]At practice, I kept a close eye on the defense. Maybe try to talk to the guys, give them something else in a different way than the coaches say. Our d-line has been tops. It shows we have some depth and versatility, as guys can move around and take on a different role.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]After practice, Dale Claus (equipment manager Dale Holste) had some of the bowl gifts ready. He loves to give out the gifts. We love to get them. [/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]In the player hospitality room there are two X-Boxes with NBA Live and Madden NFL. After dinner, I lost to Shea (McClellin), which is really rare. He beat me in NBA Live. Wasn’t right as he had Ray Allen and the Celtics. It was a fluke, as I’ve won all the other times.[/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]I think that’s the thing with us, we’re always having fun no matter what. As long as you’re taking care of business, coaches are good with us having all the fun you can. That’s the way we’ve approached it all season. Why would we change that approach now? [/FONT]
[FONT=arial,helvetica,sans-serif]Look for the update from Mike T’s Bowl 411 on Sunday evening.[/FONT]

GridironGems · Dec 23, 2008

Johnson readies for final game with No. 9 Broncos <noscript>Johnson readies for final game with No. 9 Broncos

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SAN DIEGO (AP) He used to be known more for crocheting than running.

That only piqued everyone's interest in Ian Johnson - his quirks, his idiosyncrasies that helped him become the face of the Boise State football program as running became his forte.

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</td></tr><tr><td align="right">Stanley Brewster / foto208.com</td></tr></tbody></table>Whether it was his proficiency for scoring touchdowns or Johnson's famous national-television proposal to his cheerleader girlfriend following the Fiesta Bowl two years ago, the Broncos' football program became synonymous with its starting running back.

Now after what seems like a decade chewing up the Boise's blue turf, Johnson is about to play his final game for the Broncos in Tuesday night's Poinsettia Bowl against No. 11 TCU.

"Ian obviously is the poster child at Boise State," said quarterback Kellen Moore. "He'll probably be that for quite a long time after this ... a guy who's been a great example of Boise State football, on and off the field."

That face of the program is still there, his engaging personality, thoughtful speech and wide smile. But he's no longer the star that finished eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting as a sophomore.

Johnson is now a role player, a part-time running back, part-time special teams standout. It's not due to a diminishment of his talent, but because the Broncos have taken a different course with their offense, necessitated by a young offensive line that can't consistently open the holes Johnson sprinted through and into fame two years ago.

So he splits carries with shifty youngsters Jeremy Avery and D.J. Harper. Johnson didn't record a 100-yard rushing game until the regular season finale against Fresno State when Johnson popped for 128 yards, his best day since the middle of the 2007 season.

It sounds stunning that Johnson, who ran for 1,713 yards and 25 touchdowns as a sophomore, averaged only 61.5 yards as a senior. But Johnson understood the offensive change that was needed if Boise State was to reach its potential with an inexperienced offensive line and a redshirt freshman at quarterback.

"The coaches knew I understood because I've been here for a while, I'm the old dog. I could see the writing on the wall," Johnson said. "The (offensive) line we had in 2006 was one where we were going to run the ball, we don't care what you line up in we're just going to do it.

"As those guys started to leave I recognized right away, 'we're not going to be able to do this as well, to do this as well.'"

Perhaps surprisingly, Johnson decided to volunteer himself for grunt work. He asked to be put on special teams, to do little things like block on punt returns and be the personal protector for the Broncos' punt team.

"Personal protector is certainly not a glamorous job," he jokes.

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</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Ian Johnson busts into the endzone to tie Marshall Falks WAC touchdown record at 57.</td></tr></tbody></table>But if nothing else, those yeoman jobs only endeared him to a community that embraced Johnson as the Broncos grew in national prominence.

Even as his profile on the field has dwindled, Johnson still gets stopped when out for dinner or walking through Boise with his wife, Chrissy, by fans who continue to admire Boise's "star couple," part of the small-town, Bronco-centric attitude of the community. His intensely public personal life - partly his own doing with a public marriage proposal after scoring the winning two-point conversion against Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl - and the willingness to embrace a public profile has wooed the community even more.

"When you understand the situation, it's not hard. It's definitely not the best thing in the world at all times because you want to relax and go out and have a bite to eat without any interruptions, but luckily for me and my wife we're both very personable people," Johnson said. "We love talking to people and we understand that if we're going to go outside this city has done so much for us it's only right for them to want to come and say 'hey, how's it going?'"

While Johnson's wife works 12-hour days as a private cheerleading coach, property manager and kickboxing instructor, Johnson is preparing himself for the next stage of his career. Despite the decrease in productivity the last two seasons, Johnson firmly believes he can be a successful NFL running back.

If nothing else, his turn playing on special teams this season only makes the 6-foot, 196-pound Johnson more marketable to the NFL. Not many likely NFL draft picks have tape of blocking on punt returns to add to their highlight reel.

But there's still one more goal for Johnson - the Western Athletic Conference all-time record for rushing touchdowns, a mark he currently shares with Marshall Faulk.

Johnson still speaks in awe of standing on the sidelines last month in the home finale against Fresno State and hearing fans chant "I-an! I-an!" trying to persuade coach Chris Petersen into giving Johnson one more goal line-carry and a chance at tying Faulk's mark of 57 TDs.

Petersen obliged and added another lasting memory for Johnson. His chance at holding the mark himself comes on Tuesday night when Johnson will conclude his career, ironically, in the stadium where Faulk was a college star.

"Will I settle (for) being tied with a Hall of Fame running back? Of course," Johnson said. "But would I love to be outright? Oh yeah, especially a game-winning or 50-plus-yard run

GridironGems · Dec 23, 2008

Boise St.-TCU Preview <noscript>Boise St.-TCU Preview

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ANTHONY GIORNALISTA,
STATS Senior Writer

(AP) -- Boise State used trick plays to upset Oklahoma in a BCS bowl two years ago. Though they were left out of a big-money game this season, the Broncos may be in need of some extra offensive ingenuity again.

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</td></tr></tbody></table>The ninth-ranked Broncos, whose undefeated record wasn't good enough for a BCS spot, look to overcome the second-ranked defense in the nation when they face No. 11 TCU in the Poinsettia Bowl at San Diego on Dec. 23.

Boise State (12-0) has landed in the four-year-old Poinsettia in perhaps the marquee matchup of any of the non-BCS bowl games.

Despite winning their games by an average of 27.2 points, the Broncos were a longshot to nab one of the two at-large berths available in the BCS, especially with Utah from the Mountain West Conference ranked two spots higher. The Utes will face Alabama in the Sugar Bowl and the Fiesta Bowl went with Ohio State instead of Boise State, even though the Broncos were ranked one spot higher in the final BCS standings.

But Boise State, coming off its sixth WAC championship, doesn't mind facing a team as highly regarded as TCU (10-2), which has only lost to No. 2 Oklahoma and No. 10 Utah.

"We wanted to go to the BCS, but I believe this is the best bowl game there is outside the BCS," Broncos receiver Vinny Perretta said. "We did everything we could do. I'm not going to sit here and complain about it."

The Broncos have faced just one ranked team this season, then-No. 17 Oregon on Sept. 20. They led the Ducks 34-13 before winning 37-32 in Eugene, their first road win over a BCS-conference team.

Boise State has the 12th-ranked offense in the nation, averaging 39.4 points a contest, but may find it tough to put up 30 points versus TCU.

In the Broncos' stunning Fiesta Bowl upset over the Sooners two years ago, they used a hook-and-lateral to score the tying touchdown and a Statue of Liberty play to score the decisive 2-point conversion to cap a 13-0 season and earn a No. 5 ranking in the final AP poll.

They may want to think about digging deep into their playbook for this contest, too.

The Horned Frogs boast the nation's second-ranked scoring defense, holding opponents to 10.9 points per game. Only No. 5 Southern California has allowed fewer points, giving up 7.8 a contest.

TCU has the top-ranked rushing defense, with opponents gaining 48.7 yards per game. That's 24.9 yards less than No. 3 Texas, which is second in that category at 73.6 yards per game.

"I totally think TCU is a BCS team and most of the people who know about TCU think the same," Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. "This is the best team we will have played all year. It will present a tremendous challenge to us without question."

Foremost, the Broncos will have to account for Frogs defensive end [db]Jerry Hughes/db], who leads the nation with 14 sacks and has 18 1/2 tackles for loss. He also has two interceptions, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.

Hughes helped lead TCU in a 44-10 win over Air Force on Nov. 22 in its regular-season finale. It was the eighth time the Frogs held an opponent to 10 points or fewer.

Boise State, though, has an offense that flourished late, averaging 49.0 points in its last five games, and it has plenty of playmakers. The Broncos set a season high in points against Fresno State on Nov. 28 in their final regular-season game, winning 61-10.

[db]Kellen Moore[/db], a second-team all-WAC selection, led the league with a 161.5 passer rating. The redshirt freshman completed 70.0 percent of his passes for 3,264 yards and 25 touchdowns against nine interceptions.

Moore is complemented by a rushing attack that averages 183.5 yards a contest. Ian Johnson[/b] and [db]Jeremy Avery share the load, combining for 1,416 yards and 16 TDs.

"Boise State is a BCS-caliber team, and I have a high admiration for Chris Petersen and his staff," TCU coach Gary Patterson said. "They do an outstanding job in all phases of their team."

Still, the Broncos have been inconsistent on offense at times, and they will have little margin for error against the Frogs.

TCU also has a potent offense, which is often overshadowed by its stifling defense. The Frogs have five players with at least 399 yards rushing, and lead the nation in time of possession (34:50). It will be critical for TCU to try and control the clock, especially if Boise State finds a way to crack the Frogs' defense.

The Frogs ranked 13th in the nation in rushing offense, averaging 215.6 yards per game. But TCU's passing game also started heating up toward the end of the regular season, topping 300 yards in two of its last four games.

Andy Dalton has been mostly mistake-free, completing 58.8 percent of his passes for 2,045 yards and 11 TDs while getting picked off four times. He'll be facing a Boise State defense that has certainly held its own.

The Broncos are third in the nation in scoring defense at 12.3 points per game, a number inflated by 27 points on interception returns. They rank 15th against the run, giving up 104.9 yards a contest.

TCU and Boise State will be facing each other for the second time. The first meeting was also a matchup of Top 25 teams with the 18th-ranked Broncos beating the 19th-ranked Frogs 34-31 in the 2003 Fort Worth Bowl.

GridironGems · Dec 23, 2008

Moore thrives in freshman year for No. 9 Broncos <noscript>Moore thrives in freshman year for No. 9 Broncos

</noscript> .
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By TIM BOOTH,
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SAN DIEGO (AP) For all the success Tom Moore has enjoyed as a small-town football coach in Prosser, Wash., there's one area he couldn't win: making major colleges believe his son Kellen could play at the next level.

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</td></tr><tr><td align="right">Stanley Brerwster / foto208.com</td></tr></tbody></table>No matter the gaudy numbers Kellen Moore posted as a high school star, no BCS conference school would believe in Moore's talent. Certainly not the Pac-10 schools in the Northwest, who believed Moore wasn't capable of being a successful major college quarterback.

"You can't try and sell your own son. I couldn't sell him," Tom Moore recalled. "I just had to send out the film and had people watch it."

Boise State saw something special. They actively courted Moore from the beginning of the recruiting game, and landed the undersized Moore. It's now looking like a genius move by the Broncos, who have seen Moore blossom as a redshirt freshman, leading No. 9 Boise State to a 12-0 record entering Tuesday's Poinsettia Bowl against No. 11 TCU.

"I think it's just been fun, out there playing with those guys. I think I'm pretty lucky," Kellen Moore said.

Boise State's season began filled with questions, none more pressing than who would be the Broncos' starting quarterback. The assumption was fifth-year senior Bush Hamdan would get the nod, continuing the line of Broncos' quarterbacks waiting their turn for the opportunity to direct Boise State's potent offense on the famous blue turf.

But from the start a battle developed between Moore and Hamdan, a close, friendly contest that wasn't decided until the days leading up to the Broncos opener. Boise State coach Chris Petersen finally went with Moore, making him the first freshman to start a season opener for the Broncos.

"It was close. Bush did a heck of a job," Petersen said. "We have some good quarterbacks in this program. ... (But) you saw what I saw. It was pretty close."

While there might have been some debate initially about starting a freshman, no one is questioning Petersen's decision after Moore threw for 3,264 yards and 25 touchdowns. He was the Western Athletic Conference freshman of the year among his numerous other honors. He led Boise State to its first road win against a BCS conference team when the Broncos beat Oregon in September. He's imprinted his name in the Boise State record books after only one season.

Not bad for someone whose offer sheet coming out of high school consisted of Eastern Washington from the Football Championship Subdivision, and a late push by Idaho.

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</td></tr><tr><td align="right">Stanley Brewster / foto208.com</td></tr><tr><td height="3">

</td></tr><tr><td align="center">Boise State QB Kellen Moore calls signals during Boise's 37-32 win over Oregon.</td></tr></tbody></table>The lack of offers was stunning considering the numbers Moore posted as a prep star. Knowing that his talented son was soon to take the helm of his team, Tom Moore began using more of a spread offense to take advantage of a left arm he first took notice of when Kellen was 4 years old playing in the backyard.

Kellen Moore threw for 4,600 yards and 66 touchdowns as a high school junior, then followed up with 4,269 yards and 67 touchdowns as a senior. But those jaw dropping numbers couldn't get a sniff from any of the big-name schools in the region.

It took only one afternoon to sell Boise State offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin on bringing the lefty to Boise, despite Moore's smallish 6-foot, 187-pound frame.

Moore has passed every challenge this season, but his biggest test still awaits on Tuesday night with TCU's fast and aggressive defense that held Oklahoma to its lowest point total of the season and frustrated everyone it faced.

"They make some big plays. I think they have that big-play potential on defense that everyone likes to talk about on offense. I've seen three interceptions just by their defensive ends. Those front guys get after the quarterbacks pretty well," Moore said. "I think overall it's a pretty impressive D to watch. They don't give up a lot of points."

There's even more awaiting Moore next year. The coaching staff has already hinted at the idea of letting Moore call his own plays. Then there is the arrival at Boise State of his brother Kirby, a star wide receiver, who at 6-foot-3 had every major college in the West jockeying for his services. Kirby Moore finished his high school career as the national career leader in touchdown receptions with 95.

Tom Moore was the last to find out his sons would be playing together again. He learned it while standing at the concession stand during halftime of Boise State's game with Bowling Green in September. Kirby had already told Petersen, his brother and even his mom.

"That's what we told him, 'Kirby you've got to go where you want to go. You can't go there just because your brother is there,'" Tom Moore said. "Boise did a nice job recruiting him ... and they are truly best friends. They get along great."

---

Associated Press Writer Todd Dvorak in Boise, Idaho, contributed.

GridironGems · Dec 23, 2008

Game Day Nears For Frogs In San Diego Frogs putting finishing touches on preparation for Boise State.
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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif][SIZE=-2]TCU arrives in San Diego[/SIZE][/FONT]

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Dec. 22, 2008
 

SAN DIEGO - With its Poinsettia Bowl meeting with Boise State just 48 hours away, TCU had another full day in San Diego. The Frogs began the day with team meetings before a one-hour practice at the University of San Diego. TCU then headed to the Miramar Raceway for indoor kart racing.
Monday's itinerary begins with head coach Gary Patterson taking part in a 10:30 a.m. news conference at the Omni Hotel. Both the Horned Frogs and Broncos will then attend a noon luncheon on the USS Midway. Following the luncheon, TCU will return to USD for a final walkthrough.
After missing their graduation ceremony in Fort Worth on Saturday, TCU seniors Walter Bryant, Kagen Elenburg, Austin Galifaro, Matt Panfil, Jason Phillips and Blake Schlueter will receive their degrees in a 5 p.m. commencement at the team hotel. Bryant was a summer 2008 graduate. The other five Frogs finished their degree work this semester.
TCU will conclude Monday with additional team meetings.

GridironGems · Dec 23, 2008

Patterson Holds Bowl Game Presser Horned Frogs depart Friday for San Diego
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Gary Patterson

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[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, Sans Serif][SIZE=-2]TCU arrives in San Diego[/SIZE][/FONT]

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Dec. 18, 2008
 
News Conference Video

FORT WORTH, Texas -- TCU head coach Gary Patterson met with the local media Thursday in the Four Sevens Team Room, just 24 hours before his 11th-ranked team departs for San Diego and the Poinsettia Bowl. The Horned Frogs (10-2) face No. 9 Boise State (12-0) Tuesday at Qualcomm Stadium. Kickoff is 5 p.m. Pacific with the game televised on ESPN.
Included below are excerpts from Patterson's comments to the media.
Opening Statement ...
"Obviously, it's a big game and we get to play a great opponent in Boise State. It's their third undefeated regular season in five years, so they know how to win. They believe in themselves, and we will have to go and take the ballgame. I think our kids will be excited. We are just now finishing final exams. We'll end up with 10 or 11 practices before the game next week.
"We are kind of mirrors of each other. They go hard every snap with kids who want to play. They have won a lot of games and are my definition of a good football team. They do it all and it's with a variety of people, not just one or two."
On whether this game has an impact on next season's polls ...
"All I'm trying to do is get us to 11-2 and back in the top 10. I don't want to put that kind of pressure on my football team or coaches. The bottom line is winning one more ballgame. It's a chance for these seniors to win 11 games and get to 41 victories in their career, which would be the most ever in a four-year span at TCU."
On Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore ...
"He's very accurate and is a winner. You can put him in the same category as a (Utah quarterback) Brian Johnson. He's just a winner. He gets the ball into the hands of the people he's supposed to."
On TCU wide receiver Jimmy Young, who needs 74 yards for a 1,000-yard season ...
"He's had a really good year. We needed a guy to step up and he's done that. I'm excited about our entire receiving corps. We have one senior, no juniors and everyone else is a sophomore or freshman. That's going to be one of the strong points of our football team in the future. They aren't just good receivers. They all play on special teams which really helps."
On Horned Frog senior linebacker Jason Phillips ...
"Jason Phillips has been wearing No. 39 through a lot of football games the last four seasons. Unless they play hard, are physical, don't complain and fit the mold of someone who could someday wear that number, I'm not sure I will let anyone be No. 39 for awhile. It's hard to replace a guy like that. All of these seniors have added a lot to this program and university. They have represented TCU well on and off the field."
On TCU All-America defensive end Jerry Hughes ...
"I'm proud of him and we are excited about all of his awards."
On the Poinsettia Bowl ...
"The exciting part about this ballgame is there will be a large crowd. The Poinsettia Bowl is selling a lot of tickets to football fans, outside of TCU and Boise State, that just want to see a great game. The same people that run the Poinsettia Bowl also do the Holiday Bowl. They do a great job with unbelievable hospitality. They have been around a long time and know how to do it right. The hotel is fabulous. You are right on the water."
On keeping his team focused over the long break ...
"The middle of the week practices last week were pretty tough. We had a lot of kids turning in papers, doing a lot of different things with class and not getting enough sleep. Now that we are just about done with finals, we will have four or five good practices to get the game plans in and then a couple of days to rest and get our legs back before we are ready for Boise State."

GridironGems · Dec 23, 2008

<table><tbody><tr><td colspan="3" class="storytitle">2008 Poinsettia Preview - TCU vs. Boise State </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="primaryimage" valign="top">

Boise State's Kyle Wilson & TCU's Jason Phillips
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</td> <td valign="top"> <table width="60%" bgcolor="#f5f5f5" border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="1"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td valign="middle" nowrap="nowrap">By Pete Fiutak
CollegeFootballNews.com
Posted Dec 20, 2008
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</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

It's as good a matchup as any non-BCS game, and it's better than the Orange Bowl. Boise State and TCU are two teams who came very, very close to playing in the BCS, but instead they should play a whale of a battle in the 2008 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl. Check out the CFN Preview & Prediction
</td></tr> <tr> <td colspan="3">
2008 San Diego Country Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl

TCU (10-2) vs. Boise State (12-0)

Dec. 23, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Payout: $750,000 Location: Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA

[SIZE=-1]

[/SIZE]
- 2008 Poinsettia Bowl Player Profiles, Histories, & More
- 2007 CFN Poinsettia Bowl Preview | 2006 CFN Poinsettia Bowl Preview

[FONT=verdana, arial, sans serif][SIZE=-2]By Pete Fiutak[/SIZE][/FONT]

There but for the grace of a late break in Salt Lake City and the whims of the pollsters, this could’ve been a BCS game. The bowl is, at the very least, in the discussion of the best non-BCS games and has higher ranked teams than the Orange Bowl (Virginia Tech vs. Cincinnati)
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</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table9" width="213" border="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="2" width="206" align="center" bgcolor="#000000"> National Rankings</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="206" align="center"> <table id="table10" width="205" border="0" height="139"> <tbody><tr> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066" height="6"> Boise State</td> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066" height="6"> TCU</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="6"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066" height="1"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 13th 456.75 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066" height="1"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 29th 417.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Total Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066" height="11"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 16th 294.5 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066" height="11"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 2nd 215.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 12th 39.42 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 19th 35 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Scoring Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 3rd 12.25 ppg[/FONT]</td> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 2nd 10.92 ppg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066" height="5"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 49th 162.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066" height="5"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 13th 215.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Run Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 15th 104.92 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 1st 48.67 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Offense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066" height="1"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 12t 294.08 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066" height="1"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 70th 201.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Pass Defense[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066" height="1"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 37th 189.58 ypg[/FONT]</td> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066" height="1"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 9th 166.42 ypg[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" width="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff" height="16"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] Turnover Margin[/FONT]</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066" height="1"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 24th 0.58[/FONT]</td> <td width="50%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066" height="1"> [FONT=Arial, Helvetica] 9th 1.08[/FONT]</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td valign="top" width="101" align="left"> Boise State [FONT=Arial, Helvetica]
[/FONT] Idaho State W 49-7
Bo Green W 20-7
at Oregon W 37-32
La Tech W 38-3
at So Miss W 24-7
Hawaii W 27-7
at SJSU W 33-16
at NMSU W 49-0
Utah State W 49-14
at Idaho W 45-10
at Nevada W 41-34
Fresno St W 61-10</td> <td valign="top" width="102" align="left"> TCU
at N Mexico W 26-3
S.F. Austin W 67-7
Stanford W 31-14
at SMU W 48-7
at Oklahoma L 35-10
San Diego St W 41-7
at Col St W 13-7
BYU W 32-7
Wyoming W 54-7
at UNLV W 44-14
at Utah L 13-10
Air Force W 44-10</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="100%"> <table id="table11" width="100%" border="0"> <tbody><tr> <td colspan="3" width="100%" align="center" bgcolor="#c0c0c0">Position Ratings
relative to each other</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center" bgcolor="#000066"> B</td> <td width="33%" align="center" bgcolor="#000000">5 highest
1 lowest</td> <td width="34%" align="center" bgcolor="#660066"> T</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"> 4.5</td> <td width="33%" align="center">Quarterbacks</td> <td width="34%" align="center"> 4.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"> 5 </td> <td width="33%" align="center">RBs</td> <td width="34%" align="center"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"> 4</td> <td width="33%" align="center">Receivers</td> <td width="34%" align="center"> 3.5</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"> 4</td> <td width="33%" align="center">O Line</td> <td width="34%" align="center"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"> 5</td> <td width="33%" align="center">D Line</td> <td width="34%" align="center"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"> 4</td> <td width="33%" align="center">Linebackers</td> <td width="34%" align="center"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"> 4.5</td> <td width="33%" align="center">Secondary</td> <td width="34%" align="center"> 5</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"> 4</td> <td width="33%" align="center">Spec Teams</td> <td width="34%" align="center"> 4</td> </tr> <tr> <td width="33%" align="center"> 5</td> <td width="33%" align="center">Coaching</td> <td width="34%" align="center"> 5</td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> Boise State has gone unbeaten in three of the last five regular seasons, has won ten games or more in seven of the last nine seasons, and has won 108 games in the last ten seasons. Of course, there was the 2007 Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma in one of the biggest statements ever made by a non-BCS program. With its résumé of victories and consistency of excellence over a decade, you’d think the team would get the benefit of the doubt when it comes to getting the nod for a BCS game.

But noooooooooooo.

Boise State is ranked ninth in the final BCS rankings while Utah is seventh, meaning the Utes got the automatic bid. Utah beat TCU and blew away BYU, but its best win over a BCS team was against Oregon State. The Broncos beat Oregon in Oregon, and the Ducks later blew away the Beavers. Ohio State was ranked tenth in the final BCS standings, but it still leaped over the Broncos on the way to face Texas in the Fiesta Bowl. Thanks, Hawaii.

It might not seem fair, but Hawaii’s embarrassment in the 2008 Sugar Bowl against Georgia hurt the national perception of the WAC and didn’t have anyone doing cartwheels over having two non-BCS teams playing in the big money games. Boise State might be ranked higher than Ohio State, but the two OSU losses came at USC and to Penn State. Would Boise State have won either of those two games? Probably not, and then there’s the issue with the rest of the schedule.

There are a slew of wins over teams that finished the regular season with winning records, but outside of the win over Oregon, the second best victory was against Nevada … whoopee. Even so, Boise State could only play who’s on the schedule, and considering no one, no one, wants anything to do with this team when it comes down to putting together a non-conference slate, it’s a problem for the program.

TCU didn’t have the same scheduling issues, getting its shot at the big time with an early season game at Oklahoma. While the defensive front was able to get to future Heisman-winner Sam Bradford better than anyone else, it was still a 35-10 loss. It might have been a 25-point blowout, but the 35 points allowed tied Texas for the best job anyone did this year against the mighty Sooners. Even with the loss, TCU likely would’ve finished ahead of Boise State, and would’ve gotten the automatic BCS bid, had it been able to hold on against Utah.

The Horned Frogs had all the respect and all the national attention after blasting BYU 32-7, but they suffered a missed field goal late in the fourth quarter against Utah and the defense couldn’t hold on in the 13-10 loss that propelled the Utes to the BCS. Even so, TCU still has a special defense and is putting together a special season that could be capped off with a top-ten finish, which is what it’ll get with a win.

Boise State has a defense of its own, leading the WAC in several categories. With an efficient offense, a defense that only allowed more than 16 points twice, and among the best special teams in America, this team has it all. Now it’s looking to prove it on a national scale with the potential of a top-five finish with a victory.

The Mountain West is 2-1 in the short history of the Poinsettia Bowl with TCU winning the 2006 game against Northern Illinois, 37-7. Last year’s Utah exciting win over Navy was the first ever decent Poinsettia Bowl, but it’ll be a shock if this year’s matchup doesn’t turn out to be something special. The two defenses are too good to let either offense run away with the game in a must-see battle that’ll end up shaping up the rankings. Even so, it’s a shame that this isn’t being played on in early January on a bigger stage.

Players to watch: TCU junior DE Jerry Hughes was a former high school running back, and he has used that athleticism to become one of the nation’s premier pass rushers. He was a decent backup last season working behind Chase Ortiz, and this season he blew up with 14 sacks, best in the country, and 18.5 tackles for loss. He single-handedly abused BYU four sacks as part of a five game run of 11 sacks. Extremely quick and explosive, even if he’s not coming up with big plays on the stat sheet, he’s occupying the attention of at least two blockers on every play.

Boise State has several defensive stars, but the best of the bunch is junior corner Kyle Wilson, the WAC’s premier shut-down defender who can also hit a little bit. He not only tied for the WAC lead in interceptions with five, but he also was a top open field tackler. It’s not like TCU is going to throw the ball all over the field, but QB Andy Dalton will have to lock in on where Wilson is.

Offensively, Ian Johnson might be the name-brand star who gets the publicity, but Boise State’s attack revolves around QB Kellen Moore, who survived a tough off-season battle for the job and showed why the coaching staff made the right choice. He was one of the nation’s most efficient passers throwing for 3,264 yards and 25 touchdowns with nine interceptions. Three of those picks came in one game, and he didn’t throw more than one interception in any other game. However, he’s been used to having all the time he needs to throw. He won’t get that against TCU, and considering he’s not a runner, he’ll have to make very quick, very sharp decisions in the face of the Horned Frog pass rush.

TCU sophomore QB Andy Dalton isn’t flashy and he’s not a big-time bomber, but he does what’s needed for the offense. He keeps the chains moving, he doesn’t make big mistakes, and he lets the defense get the job done. He didn’t throw a touchdown pass over the first five games, missed two games in the middle of the year, and then came back roaring throwing 11 touchdowns passes and just two interceptions, both in the loss to Utah, in the final five games, and he showed against Air Force and Wyoming that he can throw a little bit going over the 300-yard mark in each game.

TCU will win if... get to Moore, get to Moore, get to Moore. Even with star LB Robert Henson not expected to play, TCU and the nation’s No. 1 run defense should be able to keep Boise State’s great ground game in check. The Broncos like to pound the ball, but TCU’s defensive back seven won’t allow many short runs become big ones. The key will be to throw Moore off his game by generating pressure from the start. That’s easier said than done considering Boise State doesn’t allow sacks, and Moore gets the ball out of his hands in a hurry, but the Horned Frogs are great at keeping plays in front of them. The sacks don’t have to be there, but Hughes and company have to hit Moore early.

Boise State will win if... keep the TCU running game in check and take advantage of any mistakes. The Horned Frogs commit lots and lots of penalties with ten or more in six games and 109 on the season. They also put the ball on the turf, but they’ve been great at recovering their errors. Boise State is good at forcing mistakes and it has to swarm around the ball and hope to come up with at least three turnovers. There aren’t going to be many long drives on the TCU defense, if any, so when the chances are there to capitalize on a short field, the Broncos have to capitalize. Defensively, Boise State led the WAC, and was 16<sup>th</sup> in the nation, against the run. TCU had problems with its running game against Oklahoma and Utah and lost both games. Colorado State gave the Horned Frogs a hard time by keeping their ground game to 141 yards. If TCU is running well, controlling the clock, and keeping the chains moving, the defense will do the rest.

What will happen: It won’t be a shootout by any stretch. These two teams are tough, efficient, and great at stepping on an opponent’s throat when the chances are there. TCU will get that shot. The defensive front won’t dominate, but it’ll do just enough to get to Moore and will shut down the Bronco running game. On the other side, Boise State will keep TCU’s ground game in check, but Dalton will be a bit more effective than Moore. It’ll be a good one.

Line: TCU -2.5... CFN Prediction: TCU 17 … Boise State 13

</td></tr></tbody></table>

GridironGems · Dec 23, 2008

<center>(9) Boise State (12-0) at (11) T-C-U (10-2)</center>

Tuesday, December 23rd, 8:00 p.m. (et) The Sports Network
By Gregg Xenakes, Associate College Football Editor
GAME NOTES: As one of only two teams at the Football Bowl Subdivision level to currently sport an unblemished record, the ninth-ranked Boise State Broncos have been rewarded, not with an invitation to a BCS Bowl, but with a trip to San Diego on Tuesday night to compete against the 11th-ranked TCU Horned Frogs in the fourth annual Poinsettia Bowl.
Unfortunately for the Broncos and head coach Chris Petersen, even perfection isn't good enough for college football anymore, not when there's another team like seventh-ranked Utah also undefeated and assuming the one spot allocated to one of the five prestigious bowls for a program outside of the BCS conferences. Sporting the nation's highest overall winning percentage the last 10 years with a record of 108-19, Boise State has to accept the fact that the Western Athletic Conference was not as strong this season as it has been in the past, which is why the team's strength of schedule came into question. Of the team's non-conference slate, only nationally-ranked Oregon was a true challenge and that game was won by just five points back in September (37-32).
As far as having two undefeated seasons in the last three years coach Petersen gives all the credit to his players. "I just think we keep getting great kids. They've just worked their tail off. They love football and compete hard. They take nothing for granted and play one game at a time - and all those corny things. That's how they end up getting it done."
The Horned Frogs' problem was that they were being measured against undefeated Utah and powerhouse BYU over in the Mountain West Conference all season long. Head coach Gary Patterson, who has had his name thrown into many a conversation about open coaching jobs at BCS schools around the nation, got his team off to a 4-0 start in 2008 before facing off against second-ranked Oklahoma on the road. In that situation, the Frogs were overmatched in a 35-10 decision, but to their credit they did not become one of the many squads that rolled over and gave up 60-plus points to the Sooners either.
Under Patterson, who is coaching in his 100th game, TCU has a record of 4-3 in bowl games which is rather impressive given that before he arrived in Fort Worth in 1998 to join the staff, the program had a total of just four bowl wins in its history. Overall, the squad is 10-12-1 in postseason appearances, taking out Houston last year in the Texas Bowl (20-13) and winning this same event two years ago versus Northern Illinois (37-7).
As for the Broncos, their recent move to the FBS level means they have a short bowl history, one that traces back only to the 1999 Humanitarian Bowl. Last season, the team was defeated by East Carolina in the Hawaii Bowl, 41-38, a year after shocking the world with a huge overtime upset win over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl (43-42). BSU is 5-3 in the postseason, with one of those victories being a 34-31 triumph over TCU in the 2003 Fort Worth Bowl as the first and only meeting between these two programs.
As one of the highest-scoring teams in the last decade of college football, the Broncos showed that they could dial up the offense down the stretch, especially as they made a huge statement in the regular-season finale against Fresno State in a 61-10 decision. BSU ended up first in the WAC and 12th in the nation in scoring with 39.4 ppg, thanks in large part to quarterback Kellen Moore who stepped in right away and earned himself the 2008 WAC Freshman of the Year award. Moore finished up the regular season second in the conference in total offense with 270.5 ypg and had a completion rate of 70 percent, the highest for a Broncos quarterback the last eight years. Moore converted 25 touchdowns and was picked off nine times in 370 attempts.
Despite his youth, Moore has had the right perspective on the season. "I think we take it one game at a time. We focus on our opponents. It's not worrying about what's ahead of us or what's behind us. It's been a great job all year by our team, focusing in and taking it week to week."
When the responsibility of carrying the offense did not fall on Moore, running back Ian Johnson stepped in to shoulder some of the load. Although he wasn't as potent this season as in the past, Johnson still rolled up 12 touchdowns and 738 yards to give him more than 4,000 yards in his career and place him atop the WAC all-time list with Marshall Faulk for rushing TDs with 57.
While the offense has been spectacular once again for the Broncos, scoring no less than 45 points in any one of the last five games, the defense has also been outstanding as well. Except for the meeting with Oregon on September 20th, opponents scored no more than a single touchdown through the first half of the season. The run defense for the group placed third in the conference and was 15th in the nation overall with just 104.9 ypg allowed this season.
The pass defense was equally impressive given that most opponents had to resort to throwing the ball as much as possible after falling into a deep hole against Boise State on a regular basis. The secondary limited those squads with 189.6 ypg through the air, placing the Broncos third in the conference and 37th in the nation. More important than the yards given up, Boise State made sure that for the most part those surges in yardage numbers didn't result in much. More specifically, the team had a defensive pass efficiency rating of 94.28, tops in the WAC and third in the entire country this season. The unit was 10th in the nation in sacks with 2.83 per game and 18th in tackles for loss with close to seven per outing. Playing a big part in the secondary for BSU was Kyle Wilson who logged five interceptions and 10 pass breakups on his way to being named First-Team All-WAC as a cornerback.
Expected to be in the running for the MWC Offensive Player of the Year this time around, running back Aaron Brown ended up being more a piece of a larger puzzle than he was the entire picture of offense for the Horned Frogs. Brown led the team with just 49.4 ypg on the ground, yet the group was still second in the conference and 13th nationally with 215.7 ypg rushing. The squad had a total of five players who gained at least 358 yards on the ground this season, with Joseph Turner leading the pack with his 494 yards and 10 touchdowns. Marcus Jackson, Ryan Christian and Andy Dalton contributed a combined 16 rushing scores as well. While the squad tended to switch ball carriers on the fly, Dalton was a crucial part of the offense in several respects, not the least of which was his 358 yards and eight touchdowns on 97 carries.
When he put the ball in the air, Dalton completed just under 60 percent of his throws for 11 TDs and just four picks, minimizing mistakes and allowing the Horned Frogs to keep control of the ball and the tempo of the game.
The defense for the Horned Frogs was certainly the centerpiece for the team once again this season and the jewel in that crown was clearly defensive end Jerry Hughes. The junior was named a First Team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and was also the Mountain West Conference Defensive Player of the Year. One of five finalists for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy which recognizes the nation's best defensive player, Hughes was ranked in the top-10 nationally in four different categories. At the top of the list in both sacks and forced fumbles this season with 14 and six, respectively, Hughes had 18.5 TFLs for a combined loss of 121 yards.
"I'm proud of him and we are excited about all of his awards," was coach Patterson's simple response when asked about the great season Hughes has produced. Because of the efforts of Hughes, the Horned Frogs ended up first in the nation overall with yards allowed on the ground, permitting a mere 48.7 ypg.
Opponents may have thought they were battling only a strong front line, but in reality the Horned Frogs have outstanding players all over the field, especially in the secondary. The pass defense surrendered just 166.4 ypg (ninth nationally) and had a rating of 96.61 in terms of pass efficiency defense to rank first in the MWC and fourth in the nation in that area as well. Don't forget that TCU was second in the country in total yards allowed (215.1 ypg) and points (10.9 ppg).
"The exciting part about this ballgame is there will be a large crowd," coach Patterson said of this contest. "The Poinsettia Bowl is selling a lot of tickets to football fans, outside of TCU and Boise State, that just want to see a great game," and it will be a great game pitting a top defense against a strong offense. As for the outcome, expect a few trick plays by Boise State to be the difference.
Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Boise State 21, TCU 14

CrimsonK · Dec 23, 2008

awesome articles, thanks for posting

pags11 · Dec 23, 2008

thanks for these articles gridirongems...

RetroVK · Dec 23, 2008

gracias ... awesome already and i am not through them all yet.

broadwayjoe · Dec 23, 2008

thanks for posting these man...

this should be an awesome game; i am fuckin pumped

JumpOnBoard · Dec 23, 2008

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