[WAC FOOTBALL]
Broncos poised
to defend WACBSU coach Dan Hawkins says
his players won't be intimidated
by the team's past achievements
RENO, Nev. >> If Boise State coach Dan Hawkins feels any pressure heading the flagship football program of the Western Athletic Conference, he did a very good job of hiding it last night. He seemed more worried about his golf game than whether his team can maintain the lofty standard it has set for itself. Since entering the WAC three years ago, the Broncos have won 22 of 24 games and two of three league championships.
Sure it's early. It's still more than a week before the opening of fall camp, and more than a month before the season opener.
But the Broncos haven't lost a WAC game in two seasons, and Hawkins will get plenty of questions over the next couple of days about maintaining the perch as the media that covers the far-flung league assembles here, along with the other coaches and key players from each team.
Hawaii quarterback Tim Chang and cornerback Abraham Elimimian were scheduled to arrive late last night, and Warriors coach June Jones was due in today.
Hawkins and Fresno State's Pat Hill -- coaches of teams seemingly always in the league championship race in recent years -- showed up early, and relaxed among media and conference officials at a social mixer last night.
The Broncos' motto this year is "Brick by Brick," which is fitting, since BSU is undergoing a rebuilding process with 13 starters having played their final game last season. That number includes quarterback Ryan Dinwiddie, the WAC's Offensive Player of the Year.
Hawkins said his 2004 team won't dwell on past accomplishments (such as finishing just three points shy of a perfect season last year) and whether such feats can be duplicated.
"Our guys are conditioned to not worry about that," he said. "We don't think about it that way at all. Once it's over, it's over, whether it's a game or a season. Every year's different, and every game's different."
And will the league be different this year?
The WAC has always been known as a passing league, but four 1,000-yard rushers return this fall in Ryan Moats (Louisiana Tech), Chance Kretschmer (Nevada), Howard Jackson (Texas-El Paso) and Dwayne Wright (Fresno State).
Meanwhile, three of the most prolific passers -- Dinwiddie, Scott Rislov (San Jose State) and Luke McCown (Louisiana Tech) -- have played out their eligibility.
Hill said it probably won't matter much.
"I think teams stay with their philosophies," he said. "UTEP will still throw, Hawaii, Boise. We will, too, with Paul (Pinegar) healthy and a good supporting cast. Other teams will run quite a bit. It depends on your program. Some live with the run, some the pass. I don't see any big change."
Of course, no one expects UH to shift from its pass-happy routine, especially with Heisman Trophy candidate Tim Chang closing in on the all-time NCAA passing yardage record.
"It seems like we've been playing against Timmy Chang every year for a long time," Hill said. "He's a great player."
Hill said he is looking forward to playing the Warriors at home on Nov. 12.
"That's a tough week of preparation for us, too. We come back from playing at Rice the Saturday before," Hill said. "We have a nice rivalry with Hawaii, but it's getting a little one-sided since they've won the last three. We'll have to see if we can do something about that."
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