The 2009 season gets underway tonight with Boise State facing the unenviable
task of taking on the #14 team in the nation, the Oregon Ducks. Oregon has
so much talent that they rolled over Oklahoma State in the Holiday Bowl and
jumped the Poinsettia Bowl-losing Broncos in the final poll.
Oregon is favored by eight in the E/A Sports software simulations. It's
a good thing the game will be in Boise or they might be 15-point
favorites. They are by far the best team to ever grace the Blue field of
Bronco Stadium. To get us prepared for tonight's opener, we've prepared an
analysis of the matchups.
Oregon Offensive Line vs. Bronco Defensive Line:
Junior Ryan Winterswyk (6-4, 263) and sophomore Jarrell Root (6-3, 259) have
the job of containing the outside, but especially the running of Duck
quarterback Jeremiah Masoli (5-11, 214, Jr.). Masoli blossomed under
then-Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly's (now Head Coach Kelly's) spread offense
last season and if Masoli is given the freedom to do what he pleases and indeed
"spread" the Bronco defense, it will be a long night. Masoli
rushed for 718 yards (5.7 average) and 10 touchdowns last year, but even that is
a little deceiving. He started slow early in the year, but was at full
throttle by the Holiday Bowl against favored Oklahoma State.
All Masoli did in that game was rush 16 times for 106 yards against the
Cowboys, scoring three times on option keepers of 1, 17 and 41 yards, and pass
for another 258 yards and one score. On the 41-yard touchdown, Masoli
completely ran over Cowboy senior free safety Quinton Moore.
To keep all of that from happening, Bronco tackles Billy Winn (6-4, 288, So.)
and Chase Baker (6-1, 296, So.) must get penetration and yet not overpursue, not
creating any open lanes for Masoli to dart through. It's a difficult job
because their task will be to get into the Oregon backfield and disrupt the Duck
offense while also containing the run game up the middle. Star Oregon back
LeGarrette Blount does the bulk of his running up the middle, putting additional
pressure on the Boise State tackles. Blount bulled over, around and
through defenses for 1,002 yards and 17 touchdowns last year, sporting a
sensational 7.3 average in the process. The Broncos know him all too well,
as they allowed him 99 yards and a TD last year.
Sophomore Carson York (6-5, 285) gets his first collegiate start at left
guard, likely going against Baker. While Baker has 11 pounds on the big
Duck sophomore, York will be out to make up that difference with
technique. Big Mark Asper (6-7, 323, So.) started seven games last season,
so he is well versed in blocking for the spread. He could be going against
sensational sophomore Winn in a key matchup. Given that the left side of
the Bronco defense is their strength, look for a "cat and mouse" game
all night between new Duck OC Mark Helfrich and his counterpart, Justin Wilcox,
Defensive Coordinator for Boise State. Helfrich will likely attack the
relatively untested side of the Bronco line (Baker and Root), while Wilcox will
be shuffling his players around to get the best matchups. Expect sophomore
Byron Hout (6-0, 241) to get plenty of playing time at end and we may see Shea McClellin (6-3, 262, So.) as well.
Junior C.E. Kaiser (6-4, 290) is one of the more experienced linemen for
Oregon, and he gets the job of blocking Winterswyk. Both the Duck tackles
(Bo Thran (6-5, 303, Jr. being the starter on the left) have distinct size
advantages and fans will see the classic size vs. quickness battle on the
ends. But remember that Winterswyk and Root's main duties will be to
contain the outside, so they don't have to necessarily win the battle but just
make it a draw so they are there looking Masoli in the eyeballs as he tries to
get outside.
I believe this matchup on the line to be the key place to watch all
night. If Oregon wins this battle, it will be tough for Boise State to
win. The beauty of the spread offense, especially in this case where
Oregon runs it to perfection, is that it keeps defenses on their heels.
Most teams that run it don't have the run game to keep the defense honest.
Blount (6-3, 229, Sr.) is a freak of nature; he's fast, he's big and he's
strong. The only way to stop him is to A) hit him low, B) hit
him at the line of scrimmage and C) gang tackle him. That said,
Blount has so much athletic ability that he will simply jump over you if you go
too low. If you hit him high, you'll bounce off him like so much
rubber. You get the idea why he can be a defensive player's
nightmare. Once Blount gets past the line, he is like a locomotive.
He will plain run over you, especially if you are a defensive back, or he'll
carry a pile 10 yards or more. Usually one guy cannot stop him, so a
swarming defense is a prerequisite against Blount. If you're lucky enough
to hit him and still be upright, you call out for "Help!" from your
teammates.
This is where we bring in the Bronco linebackers.
Oregon vs. Boise State Linebackers:
Junior center Jordan Holmes (6-5, 285) is one of the leaders of the Duck
line. He will be leading the charge up the middle against MIKE linebacker
Derrell Acrey (6-1, 235, Jr.). This is another great matchup to
watch. Acrey can be dominating at times--for this game, Boise State needs
him to be consistent. With the quick, powerful Blount and the shifty and
strong Masoli looking to run up the middle, Acrey is Boise State's man in the
middle. If Derrell came to Boise State to be in the middle of the action,
he'll get his wish tonight. This is the time for him to show what he can
do. He has to be that disruptive force that plugs holes and makes the stop
for, if he misses, Blount could be gone.
The other matchup is Mackey Award candidate Ed Dickson (6-5, 243, Sr.) at
tight end against WILL linebacker Aaron Tevis (6-3, 228, So.) Dickson is a
savvy blocker as well as an outstanding receiver, being just 21 receptions shy
of the school career receiving record for tight ends (held by Josh Wilcox with
103). Josh just so happens to be the brother of Bronco DC Justin Wilcox in
that famous football family. Tevis has torn it up in practice for Boise
State and Bronco coaches are confident he can get the job done.
Nickelback Winston Venable (5-11, 223, Jr.) has dual responsibilities at the
hybrid position. His size will allow him to play up against the run, but
his quickness and coverage abilities also allow him to slip back and cover
Blount out of the backfield or provide extra help with the Duck receivers.
In fact, it wouldn't be a bad idea at all for Venable to shadow Blount all night
and be wherever LeGarrette goes.
Duck Receivers vs. Boise State Secondary:
Dickson's blocking will help dictate the success of the Oregon running
attack; his receiving could mean a Duck victory. As mentioned above, Boise
State believes they have the guy in Tevis. His size is comparable to
Dickson, although the Broncos would rather him be about 10-15 pounds
bigger. He does have good athletic ability to be able to hold his own in
coverage, and depending on the package and the alignment, he may have help from
Venable. Dickson has 82 career receptions for 1,006 yards and six
touchdowns, with 35 of those catches coming last year. He burned the
Bronco defense with seven catches for 103 yards and two late touchdowns in last
year's game.
The other three Oregon receivers are juniors Jamere Holland (6-1, 188), Jeff
Maehl (6-1, 175) and sophomore Garrett Embry (6-1, 200). Maehl is the top
returning receiver with 39 catches for 421 yards and five touchdowns. Last
season in Eugene, he caught two passes for 46 yards in the game against the
Broncos. Holland and Embry did not record a catch and are eager to show
what they can do. Oregon has high hopes for both.
They'll test an experienced Bronco secondary who is equally eager to punish
them if they catch the ball. Senior All-American Kyle Wilson (5-10, 186)
is a playmaker for Boise State and will need to do just that if the Broncos are
to win tonight. Although it isn't often, he can be beat deep and the
matchup against Holland will be a good one to watch. Junior Brandyn Thompson (5-10, 180) is Wilson's partner at cornerback. Thompson improved
his play tremendously last season and gives the Broncos excellent
consistency. What's more, opponents know they cannot pick on him just
because they want to avoid Wilson.
Hard-hitting safeties Jeron Johnson (5-11, 194, Jr.) and George Iloka (6-3,
207, So.) will do a lot of one-on-one coverage against the spread. They
have great instincts and athletic ability. Helfrich very well might try to
cross up the Broncos early with a flea flicker or end-around wide receiver
option to counter Boise State's aggressiveness. This is exactly what
happened early in the 2007 Washington-Boise State game and Johnson and Iloka
have to be careful not to bite too early on the run and know where the Duck
receivers are at all times.
Remember too that Venable as a nickelback is in his position just for a game
like this, where he is counted on to not only help stop one of the nation's best
running games but also to provide good help in the secondary. Most
importantly, Venable needs to carry out his assignments and stay in position.
We bring Masoli back into the forefront and evaluate his passing
skills. Last season, he was 136-239 (56.9%) for 1,744 yards and 13
touchdowns against only five interceptions. His job isn't to light up the
scoreboard with his aerial strikes; with the running skills that he possesses he
doesn't have to. No, he just has to be accurate with short strikes to
Dickson and be able to hit his wide receivers with bullets. And he does
just that.
O.K., we've looked at the matchups making up the Oregon offense vs. the
Bronco defense. Now let's flip it over.
Boise State Offensive Line vs. Duck Defensive Line:
The big games are won on the line and although I feel that the Bronco
defensive line against the Oregon offensive line is critical to the game's
outcome, this one is of course important as well. Boise State's offensive
front was the only weakness on the team last year. Their pass protection
was excellent, as they ranked fourth in the nation as a unit in allowing just 13
sacks last year. It was the run blocking, especially against powerful
teams like Oregon, in which they need to improve and improve in a hurry.
We saw it in the Poinsettia Bowl loss to TCU, where Boise State desperately
needed to pick up first downs in short-yardage situations and could not get it
done. And, although it's been a year ago, we also saw it in Eugene, when
Boise State rushed the ball 35 times for a net 38 yards. The Broncos were
fortunate last year because perhaps quarterback Kellen Moore (6-0, 187, So.)
caught the Ducks off guard a bit. He won't surprise them this year for he
is very much a known commodity.
That increases the focus on the Boise State line. They have bulked up
in the offseason and probably more importantly, have another year's experience
under their belts. They'll need both against a talented, swarming Duck
defense. Tackles Matt Slater (6-4, 290, Jr.) and Michael Ames (6-4, 281,
Fr.) will face off against Oregon defensive ends Will Tukuafu (6-4, 272, Sr.)
and Kenny Rowe (6-3, 215 Jr.). Tukuafu is a candidate for both the Ted
Hendricks Award (which is given annually to the top defensive lineman in college
football) and the Chuck Bednarik Award (top defensive player of the year).
He's a monster. Rowe will be greatly outsized but has tremendous athletic
ability and quickness.
If Boise State Offensive Coordinator Bryan Harsin chooses to avoid those two,
he'll have to contend with Oregon tackles Blake Ferras (6-6, 290, Sr.) and
Brandon Bair (6-7, 250, Jr.). Both are excellent against the run.
But Harsin will have to send the Bronco running backs, Jeremy Avery (5-9, 173,
Jr.) and D.J. Harper (5-9, 198, Jr.) somewhere. Obviously, given last
year's anemic running performance, Boise State will have to do better if they
want to stay in the game. Avery is a speedy runner that hits the hole
quick and yet has surprising strength. Harper (The Texas Tornado) is the
full package. He's built low to the ground, has the great strength, but
can also take it to the house on any play. Neither were effective last
season, however. Avery carried the ball five times for five yards and
Harper managed 12 yards on five carries. Only Ian Johnson (19 carries for
40 yards) had any kind of success against the Ducks and he's gone.
The Broncos will put guards Will Lawrence (6-2, 293, Jr.) and Kevin Sapien
(6-4, 286, Jr.) on Ferras and Bair. Boise State hopes that with Byrd at
Center, these two can assist the talented center in getting something started up
the middle. Frankly, it's an area of attack that is sorely missed.
Boise State vs. Oregon Linebackers:
Center Thomas Byrd (5-11, 284, So.) will lead the Bronco charge up the
middle against that swarming Duck defense. He'll go against middle
linebacker Casey Matthews (6-2, 235, Jr.) for Oregon. Although Matthews is
a great talent, this is a matchup that Boise State has to win to have a chance
tonight. Matthews had 67 tackles last season and 13 tackles for
loss. If he's a presence in the Bronco backfield, that means he's won the
battle with Byrd and that scenario is one that Harsin doesn't want to see.
So watch that matchup--Byrd vs. Matthews.
Spencer Paysinger (6-3, 216, Jr.) ran roughshod over opposing defenses last
year, piling up 95 tackles, 12 for loss, in 2008. He's a menace.
Boise State will have to put a body on Paysinger tonight and, depending on the
offensive package and the specific play call, that job will fall to Bronco
senior fullback Richie Brockel (6-2, 240) or the tight ends: Tommy Gallarda (6-5, 249, Jr.) and Kyle Efaw (6-4, 229, So.). If Bronco Stadium
announcer Bob Rosenthal is calling out Paysinger's name on play after play, it
means Oregon has once again bottled up Boise State's running game.
The other Duck 'backer is Eddie Pleasant (5-11, 223, So.) on the strong
side. Although he's another guy Oregon looks to with confidence, expect
Harsin to test him with constant shifting and short pass plays to Avery or
Harper out of the backfield or quick tosses to Gallarda and Efaw.
Bronco Passing Game Vs. Oregon Secondary:
This is the only reason Boise State won last year's game in Eugene. The
Bronco running game was ineffective and the Boise State defense allowed Oregon
to march down the field the entire fourth quarter. It bears repeating that
the Duck defense will be ready for Mr. Kellen Moore. Free safety T.J. Ward
(5-11, 201, Sr.) was Oregon's #1 tackler last fall with 101. Walter Thurmond III (6-0, 180, Sr.) is a candidate for the Jim Thorpe Award (given
annually to the top defensive back in college football) while Boise State's Kyle
Wilson is not. That should tell Bronco fans something.
On the other side, Oregon lines up Rover Javes Lewis (6-1, 185, So.) and
cornerback Talmadge Jackson III (5-10, 182, Jr.). Both have outstanding
quickness.
As mentioned in the "Breaking Out" position preview for the Boise
State receivers, the Bronco receiving corps looks to step up their game a level
this fall. Austin Pettis has been outstanding for the Broncos and will be
the go-to possession receiver. Pettis (6-3, 201, Jr.) is just coming into
his own after earning second-team All-Western Athletic Conference last
year. He had 49 catches for 567 yards and nine touchdowns, seventh on
Boise State's all-time single-season list. He runs great routes, possesses
great hands and has outstanding leaping ability. Count on Pettis to come
up with key catches tonight.
Titus Young (5-11, 170, Jr.) will be the "X" receiver in more ways
than one. Young could be a factor tonight with his speed. It will be
important for him to break free early to set the tone and stretch the Duck
defense. Tyler Shoemaker (6-1, 207, So.) gives the Broncos another
breakaway threat. Bronco fans know he has the ability and has been
lighting it up in fall practice. The question to be answered tonight
is: Can Shoemaker perform in the big game under the lights against the #14
Ducks on national television? Well, if you put it that way, few people
could, but Shoemaker will have to do just that if the Broncos are to win.
Moore is poised and polished as a second-year starter. An avid studier
of game films, Moore and his boss Harsin will have to come up with some
different twists to achieve a repeat performance. Moore may roll out on
occasion to escape the Duck rush and will this year have the ability to audible
a play at the line of scrimmage. His football intelligence (being a
coach's son) should aid him greatly. It will be on Moore to look over the
Duck defense and be able to analyze in a moment what will work and what
won't. This added responsibility will be another key to the game. If
the Ducks confuse him, plus stop the running game, it's a Duck rout. But
if Moore can read the defense, adjust, keep his poise, and let the game come to
him, he gives Boise State another dimension.
Battle Of The Special Teams: Boise State vs.
Oregon:
If, after duking it out on the front lines, with the hogs battling to a
standstill, the game will come down to special teams. Boise State can only
hope they get to this point. Even so, both teams take great pride in their
special units. Morgan Flint (5-9, 163, Sr.) is a dependable placekicker
but doesn't have great distance. If the Broncos stop Oregon shy of the
30-yard line, the Ducks may let Rob Beard (6-0, 214) try a long field goal or
simply go for it. Boise State's Kyle Brotzman (5-10, 201, Jr.) will need
to be deadly accurate to take advantage of scoring opportunities, as few as they
may be.
Brotzman will also handle the Bronco punting and he puts out gem after gem in
that department. Not only averaging 45 yards a kick last year, Brotzman
also pinned opponents deep on several occasions. Jackson Rice (6-3, 225,
Fr.) will do the booting for Oregon should Boise State be fortunate enough to
stop them.
Thurmond III and LaMichael James (5-9, 180, Fr.) will be back receiving
kickoffs for Oregon. Young and Doug Martin (5-9, 201, So.) will handle
kickoff return duties for Boise State.
Wilson led the nation with three punt returns for touchdowns but he didn't
have any against Oregon. Last year, Boise State had one punt return for a
grand total of six yards. Kenjon Barner (5-11, 180, Fr.) gets his shot at
punt returns for the Ducks.
On paper, this looks like a great matchup for a season opener. Most
people expect Oregon to win, but the game is on the Blue, where often strange
things happen to opponents. Will the Blue Voodoo absorb yet another
victim? Or will Oregon pound the Smurfs into the turf in whence they
came?
Only one way to find out: kickoff tonight shortly after 8!
Oregon Offense:
| Pos. |
# |
Player |
Ht. |
Weight |
Class |
| WR |
19 |
Jamere Holland |
6-1 |
180 |
Junior |
| LT |
69 |
Bo Thran |
6-5 |
303 |
Junior |
| LG |
77 |
Carson York |
6-5 |
285 |
Freshman |
| C |
54 |
Jordan Holmes |
6-5 |
285 |
Junior |
| RG |
79 |
Mark Asper |
6-7 |
323 |
Sophomore |
| RT |
68 |
C.E. Kaiser |
6-4 |
290 |
Junior |
| TE |
83 |
Ed Dickson |
6-5 |
243 |
Senior |
| WR |
23 |
Jeff Maehl |
6-1 |
175 |
Junior |
| QB |
8 |
Jeremiah Masoli |
5-11 |
214 |
Junior |
| RB |
9 |
LeGarrette Blount |
6-2 |
229 |
Senior |
Boise State Defense:
| Pos. |
# |
Player |
Ht. |
Weight |
Class |
| E |
98 |
Ryan Winterswyk |
6-4 |
263 |
Junior |
| T |
90 |
Billy Winn |
6-4 |
288 |
Sophomore |
| N |
97 |
Chase Baker |
6-1 |
296 |
Sophomore |
| SE |
96 |
Jarrell Root |
6-3 |
259 |
Sophomore |
| MIKE |
52 |
Derrell Acrey |
6-1 |
235 |
Junior |
| WILL |
36 |
Aaron Tevis |
6-3 |
228 |
Sophomore |
| N |
17 |
Winston Venable |
5-11 |
223 |
Junior |
| CB |
1 |
Kyle Wilson |
5-10 |
186 |
Senior |
| CB |
13 |
Brandyn Thompson |
5-10 |
180 |
Junior |
| S |
23 |
Jeron Johnson |
5-11 |
194 |
Junior |
| S |
8 |
George Iloka |
6-3 |
207 |
Sophomore |
Boise State Offense:
| Pos. |
# |
Player |
Ht. |
Weight |
Class |
| Z |
2 |
Austin Pettis |
6-3 |
201 |
Junior |
| X |
4 |
Titus Young |
5-11 |
170 |
Junior |
| H |
89 |
Tyler Shoemaker |
6-1 |
207 |
Sophomore |
| LT |
72 |
Matt Slater |
6-4 |
290 |
Junior |
| LG |
59 |
Will Lawrence |
6-2 |
293 |
Junior |
| C |
66 |
Thomas Byrd |
5-11 |
284 |
Sophomore |
| RG |
62 |
Kevin Sapien |
6-4 |
286 |
Junior |
| RT |
54 |
Michael Ames |
6-4 |
281 |
Freshman |
| TE |
85 |
Tommy Gallarda |
6-5 |
249 |
Junior |
| QB |
11 |
Kellen Moore |
6-0 |
187 |
Sophomore |
| RB |
27 |
Jeremy Avery |
5-9 |
173 |
Junior |
| RB |
6 |
D.J. Harper |
5-9 |
198 |
Junior |
| FB |
40 |
Richie Brockel |
6-2 |
240 |
Senior |
Oregon Defense:
| Pos. |
# |
Player |
Ht. |
Weight |
Class |
| DE |
39 |
Will Tukuafu |
6-4 |
272 |
Senior |
| DT |
88 |
Brandon Bair |
6-7 |
250 |
Junior |
| DT |
90 |
Blake Ferras |
6-6 |
290 |
Senior |
| DE |
58 |
Kenny Rowe |
6-3 |
215 |
Junior |
| SLB |
11 |
Eddie Pleasant |
5-11 |
223 |
Sophomore |
| MLB |
55 |
Casey Matthews |
6-2 |
235 |
Junior |
| WLB |
35 |
Spencer Paysinger |
6-3 |
216 |
Junior |
| LCB |
6 |
Walter Thurmond III |
6-0 |
180 |
Senior |
| FS |
2 |
T.J. Ward |
5-11 |
201 |
Senior |
| ROV |
14 |
Javes Lewis |
6-1 |
185 |
Sophomore |
| RCB |
37 |
Talmadge Jackson III |
5-10 |
182 |
Junior |
Boise State Special Teams:
| Pos. |
# |
Player |
Ht. |
Weight |
Class |
| PK |
35 |
Kyle Brotzman |
5-10 |
201 |
Junior |
| Holder |
46 |
Michael Choate |
6-0 |
190 |
Senior |
| Punter |
35 |
Kyle Brotzman |
5-10 |
201 |
Junior |
| Snapper |
44 |
Chris Roberson |
6-0 |
222 |
Freshman |
| KR |
4 |
Titus Young |
5-11 |
170 |
Junior |
| KR |
22 |
Doug Martin |
5-9 |
201 |
Sophomore |
| PR |
1 |
Kyle Wilson |
5-10 |
186 |
Senior |
Oregon Special Teams:
| Pos. |
# |
Player |
Ht. |
Weight |
Class |
| PK |
23 |
Morgan Flint |
5-9 |
163 |
Senior |
| Holder |
7 |
Nate Costa |
6-1 |
215 |
Junior |
| Punter |
49 |
Jackson Rice |
6-3 |
225 |
Freshman |
| Snapper |
46 |
Michael Clay |
5-11 |
220 |
Freshman |
| KR |
6 |
Walter Thurmond III |
6-0 |
180 |
Senior |
| KR |
21 |
LaMichael James |
5-9 |
180 |
Freshman |
| PR |
24 |
Kenjon Barner |
5-11 |
180 |
Freshman |