After watching our first 2 games and reading up on your first 2 games, I really don't know what to expect on the Blue.
Boise State looked hapless in Athens GA, but decent in Corvallis, OR. However, our captain and pre-season hyped QB hasn't looked like the player he was last year. He's making some mental mistakes and his accuracy isn't what we expected from his performances last season. However, he threw no INTs @ Oregon State and was much more effective than against Georgia.
Fortunately for us, our inexperienced receivers are proving that athleticism and quick-learning can make up for inexperience. If Zabransky could only deliver the ball a little better, we'd be 1-1 instead of 0-2. Our running game looks solid and may be as good as our off-season expectations. Ian Johnson looked REALLY good against the Beavers, but didn't get as many touches as some of us might have liked. The nice thing is that he's only a RSFR.
Schouman, our returning TE, from whom we've been expecting big things, hasn't had any impact in either of the two games we've thus far played. If we can get him into the game, our offensive performance will change dramatically.
Our O-Line has been solid, considering we're starting 3 sophs and 1 frosh. We gave up a couple of sacks to OSU, but I think part of that blame comes from excellent Beaver coverage (what a strange phrase!)
Our running game is decent, with 169 net vs UGa and 149 net vs OSU.Defensively, our D-Line has played pretty darn solid. They held their own against UGa and did pretty well against OSU. Even with a 51-yd TD run up the middle in the 1st quarter, our D-Line only allowed 83 yds total rushing yards v OSU, and against big, bad SEC UGa only allowed 180 yds net.
Our Linebackers have been the strength of our defense over the past couple of years, and we've gotten stronger since the UGa debacle. Colt Brooks was back for the Beavers game and contributed mightily. Korey Hall is one of the harder-hitting LBs in the WAC and can make you see stars and spinning birds all at the same time. They have been one of the bigger reasons why we have a decent running defense.
Alas, we come to our greatest weakness--our DBs. They've kept our opposition out of the end zone like the levees have kept water out of New Orleans. Chalk it up to inexperience. While we've got a returning starter back there, Gerald Alexander hasn't been lighting up the city with his bright play. We've got some great speed and athleticism in our defensive backfield with Q Jones and O Scandrick, but they haven't shown the ability to defend very well. The good news is that Cam Hall, who was recently had 3 felony vehicular manslaughter charges dropped, is returning this week to active roster, and will likely start against BGSU. He's been practicing all summer and fall camps, so should be in pretty good shape.
From what I've been reading, BGSU is exceptionally strong in your passing game (our defensive weakness), and much less strong in your running game (our defensive strength).
Defensively, you've struggled a bit and may not be able to stop an offense that has it together. Unfortunately, I'm worried that we may not be able to put it together by 9/21. The good news for us Bronco fans, is that we've got 10 days to put it together. We've got the tools, but apparently, someone left the User's Manual in the shed.
I won't make a prediction, because I'm always wrong, and someone always calls me out.
I know that many Bronco fans on BroncoCountry.com are expecting a shoot-out, but I'm concerned that we won't have the horses (pun intended) to offensively keep up with you right now. If our defense can mature in the next 10 days and learn to make a stop or two, we might be able to keep up offensively.
Based on what I've seen so far, our best bet is to keep the ball on the ground and to control the clock. This is something that our fans are not used to seeing used in our favor--only against us--so I don't know how our fair-weather fan will appreciate this tactic.
One thing is for sure--we Bronco fans wish you all the best, especially those of you traveling to Boise! Good luck and hope for an injury-free game!
