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A Word on the Subject
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Velocity
The Western Athletic Conference started the season off on the right foot. At least most of the teams did.
Those who prevailed in the inaugural week of college football pulled it off in an impressive way. Let’s start with the winners.
Five teams found ways to pull out wins. The most impressive was Fresno State over Rutgers in New Jersey. This win propelled the FSU Bulldogs into another level of competition that many thought might not happen. Especially when the teams they open the season against include Wisconsin (1-0) and UCLA (1-0). They will face the Bruins Sept. 27 in Los Angeles just before jumping into their conference schedule.
Their season opener showed that the Bulldogs will be fierce when approaching the red-zone, going 4-4 when they reached the Rutgers’ end of the field.
I will say right now: fear the Bulldogs’ Ryan Mathews. This sophomore is clearly a force to be reckoned with. His 163 yards rushing and three touchdowns don’t lie.
If FSU continues to win, it will create momentum that will be difficult for any team to stop, specifically Boise State.
Boise State performed exceptionally against the lack luster Idaho State University Bengals. It was clear to myself, along with most Bronco fans, and even some Pocatello media, the game resembled sending lambs to the slaughter.
Kellen Moore surged to the fourth-ranked quarterback in the nation after one week of play. His ability to pick apart the defense with a knack beyond his youth seemed uncanny.
But let’s discuss the team. The Broncos were poised in all positions and made it clear that youth was nothing to scoff at.
Sophomores Derrell Acrey and Brandyn Thompson and freshman Aaron Tevis are the Broncos’ three leading defenders.
They were credited with more than one-fourth of the Broncos’ total tackles. As I looked down the defensive statistics sheet, it was clear that the presence of the young defense was felt Saturday.
The Broncos find themselves number nine in the top 10 offensive teams to open the season. Two teams that Boise State will face join them: Southern Miss and Nevada, ranked third and fourth, respectively. All three teams were good for seven touchdowns.
That brings us to Nevada.
The Nevada team made use of its dual quarterbacks in Nick Graziano and Colin Kaepernick, completing 17 of 29 passes.
Kaepernick was able to utilize his phenomenal running game to gain 51 yards on the ground, one rush going for 28 yards.
The Wolf Pack accrued 629 yards on their opening day to make their presence known as a dominant offensive powerhouse. It will likely be a make or break game for the Broncos. Nevada proved they are capable of putting up numbers that will keep them in competition against teams like BSU and FSU.
Louisiana Tech deserves a bit of recognition after downing Southeastern Conference team, Mississippi State. They performed well. Now they will have to continue their first week triumph and take their program forward.
Derek Dooley is the epitome of a multi-tasker in the NCAA as the athletic director/head football coach at La Tech.
The University of Idaho surprised even the biggest of naysayers with their ridiculous loss to the University of Arizona this weekend.
The Wildcats downed the Vandals with 10 touchdowns to make them quite possibly the biggest laughing stock of NCAA football.
“There was nothing we did right,” Idaho coach Rob Akey said.
They will be the tackling dummies of the WAC this season.
They are dead last in all the major statistical measures for the conference. I don’t see them improving much. We will see when they face Idaho State University this weekend at the Kibbie Dome in Moscow.
The WAC went into the 2008 football season with a bang. It will be what they need so they can move forward with momentum to continue the rise of the conference.
Velocity is the word. The top WAC teams have taken the first steps to slamming their way into competition with the BCS.
Continue hitting hard.
KIRK BELL
Sports Coordinator
