StarBulletin.com

Boise State continues to be the class of the conference


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POSTED: Friday, August 28, 2009

SEVENTH IN A SERIES

They're calling it “;A Decade of Dominance”; in Boise.

Scroll down the list of Boise State's accomplishments since 1999, and it's hard to argue with the assessment.

Among the highlights:

» 108 total wins, second most in the country.

» A 60-4 record in Western Athletic Conference games, including five undefeated league seasons, since joining the league in 2001.

» The landmark victory in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl.

               

     

 

UH SCHEDULE

       

       

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
Sept. 4Central Arkansas
Sept. 12at Washington St.*
Sept. 19at UNLV
Sept. 30at Louisiana Tech
Oct. 10Fresno State
Oct. 17at Idaho
Oct. 24Boise State
Oct. 31at Nevada
Nov. 7Utah State
Nov. 14New Mexico State
Nov. 21at San Jose State
Nov. 28Navy
Dec. 5Wisconsin

       

        * - at Qwest Field in Seattle
       

 

       

       

Chris Petersen's three years as head coach have elevated the program's profile, with the Broncos going 35-4 overall and 23-1 in WAC play under his watch.

All of the above place the Broncos squarely in the cross hairs of the other eight teams in the WAC.

“;You're going to get every team's best shot being Boise State,”; senior cornerback Kyle Wilson said. “;Any slip-ups will be exploited. (The seniors) have been through it all and it's up to us not to let that happen.”;

While the Broncos are accustomed to being the targets for the league—they had T-shirts printed with a bull's-eye to remind them of that fact—they enter the season aiming for lofty goals themselves.

Boise State checked in at No. 14 in the Associated Press' preseason poll, the program's highest such ranking to begin a season. The Broncos were 16th in the USA Today Coaches poll, giving them a starting point for a run at a BCS bowl berth.

Those aspirations will be tested early, as in Week 1, when the Broncos host Oregon on Thursday.

“;I think it's very important for our guys to stay focused and not get caught up in all this hype, not get caught up in any one game,”; said Petersen, whose lone blemish in WAC play came against Hawaii in 2007.

“;Expectations, if kept in check, are a good thing. But I've seen ... how expectations can sink a ship in a hurry.”;

Wilson was named the WAC preseason defensive player of the year, headlining a unit that ranked third nationally in scoring defense and returns six starters.

The Broncos allowed 10 points or fewer in eight games last season, more than ample support for an offense that averaged 37.6 points per game.

Kellen Moore returns to lead the Broncos offense after earning WAC freshman of the year honors a season ago. He led the league in passing efficiency, completing 69.4 percent of his passes—a Boise State record—with 25 touchdowns.

Ian Johnson is gone from the backfield, but Petersen is comfortable with the combination of Jeremy Avery and D.J. Harper taking on more prominent roles.

On special teams, Wilson is one of the league's top punt returners, taking three back for scores last year. Kyle Brotzman made 17 field goals and all 50 of his PAT attempts and averaged 45.8 yards per punt.