Bronco backs running all over the place

Boise State is not all about the high-flying, aerial attack that the nation thinks they are. Gone are the days of Ryan Dinwiddie and Bart Hendricks. Hello the days of a slashing Lee Marks, a pounding Jon Helmandollar, and a speedy Quinton Jones. Not to mention Calvin McCarty, Antwaun Carter, Jeff Carpenter and quarterback Jared Zabransky.

This is not a running back by committee like it was to begin the season, but each and every one of them has contributed at least rushed for at least 60 yards in a game this season. Since the Broncos moved to the WAC in 2001, the running game has been a force—but nothing like this season. In 2001 and 2002, it was all Brock Forsey. Last season it was senior David Mikell, but the emergence of six running backs that weren’t even the first choice following last season is the most amazing aspect.

Donny Heck was supposed to be the feature back for the Broncos, but following his four touchdown performance at the Fort Worth Bowl, he was kicked out of school for academic purposes. So, it was up to the coaching staff to find that one guy to take the load and do the job. Well, they did, and five other guys and a quarterback to do the same.

Marks has rushed for 902 yards this season, but Helmandollar has rushed for 13 touchdowns, and Zabransky has also taken the ball for the score 12 times. The amazing part about what Helmandollar has done is two-fold. First, it was Carter who was the short yardage back to begin the season, but the fact that he has scored his 13 touchdowns on only 43 carries this season is almost unheard of. Do the calculation, and he scores every 3.3 times he touches the ball.

But with all the praise that the running backs get for their school-record 46 rushing touchdowns this season, they will all tell you it’s because of the offensive line.

Helmandollar’s first words about his school-record five rushing touchdown performance against la Tech were to praise "his boys." With only one senior, and three freshman starting most of the season, the line has opened more holes for the running game than Wal-mart had checkout lines open on Black Friday.

Marks was easy to praise the line after Saturday’s game also. He was happy to say that if he had the money that NFL running back had, he’d "buy all of these guys cars."

The acclaim just rings true for a Dan Hawkins run team. No "I" or "me" said in any of the talk. It’s always about the others that made each play, each touchdown, each win so important. Because it’s a team game, and they have now gone undefeated together.

Trevor Horn
Sports Editor

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