Broncos looking
to stay on top

Dan Hawkins is like one of those great chefs who won't give you the recipe. He wants you to have a nice big taste, but he ain't gonna show you how to do it.

The highly successful Boise State football coach was asked last month if he's been getting requests from other staffs to come and hang out at practices, a standard practice among some in the coaching fraternity.

"We're a little selective," Hawkins said. "The reason I'm here today is a lot of great guys shared things with me. With that being said, I don't think you want to give your life's work away in two days."

Arrogant? Selfish? Paranoid?

Maybe a little, but there's no questioning that whatever it is Hawkins is doing in his own private Idaho is a big key to the Broncos' back-to-back Western Athletic Conference championships.

Hawkins took it a step further Friday night, when he locked everyone -- fans, media, possible spies -- out of Bronco Stadium as BSU held its third and final scrimmage of the preseason.

"This whole deal with the Internet, cell phones, video phones ... on some level you like to have your game plan not out there for everybody to see," Hawkins told the Idaho Statesman. " ... Whatever you do, you always have to have in the back of your mind, what if somebody was filming this right now? What would that mean?"

Hawkins' fears could be legitimate in the sense that the Broncos rely on their schemes as much as their talent and hard work. And, at least on offense, Boise State might need every edge it can get to stay on top this fall.

WAC offensive MVP Ryan Dinwiddie is no longer around to quarterback the Broncos' diverse and effective attack.

As of Friday, Hawkins was still trying to choose between sophomore Jared Zabransky and senior Mike Sanford.

The only returning starters on offense are junior tackle Daryn Colledge, senior right guard M.J. Ansel and senior wide receiver T.J. Acree. Acree was MVP of the Fort Worth Bowl after catching eight passes for 150 yards.

Junior Jeff Carpenter was the top candidate to start at tailback going into fall camp. He rushed for only 160 yards last year, but averaged 7.6 per carry.

After it's all done this year, Boise State might not have the top scoring offense in the nation, as it has for three of the past four seasons.

But it might not have to in order to maintain its level of past success.

"We've had the top defense in the WAC the last two years and our guys have quietly established themselves as a force," Hawkins said. "In the last half season of 2002 only one team scored 10 points or more against us. You have a defense that plays like that, you get a lot of opportunities to score."

And a lot of the guys from that defense two years ago -- who weren't too shabby last year, too -- are still around.

Eighteen returning lettermen are led by end Julius Roberts, linebacker Andy Avalos and cornerback Gabe Franklin. Roberts and Avalos were first-team all-league last year, and Franklin made the second squad.

Senior rover Chris Carr is another outstanding defender, as well as a huge difference-maker on special teams.

Senior kicker Tyler Jones and sophomore punter Kyle Stringer are both also among the best in the WAC.

Hawkins tried to downplay the advantage of playing title contenders Fresno State and Hawaii in Boise this year.

"Just because you have a road game or a home game doesn't mean anything," said Hawkins, whose teams have won their last four games at Fresno and Hawaii. "But it is nice to play seven at home and only four on the road. The ESPN exposure has helped us over the years. Before, people knew us for the blue turf. Now people know about Boise State as a good football team, and for the city and the state."

Boise State Broncos

Basic offense: Multiple
Basic Defense: Multiple
2003 Record: 13-1 (8-0 WAC)

2003 Results

Date	Opponent	Result
Sept. 6	Idaho State	W, 62-0
Sept. 13	at Idaho	W, 24-10
Sept. 20	at Oregon State	L, 26-24
Sept. 27	Wyoming	W, 33-17
Oct. 4	at Louisiana Tech	W, 43-37
Oct. 11	Tulsa	W, 27-20
Oct. 18	at Southern Methodist	W, 45-3
Oct. 25	San Jose State	W, 77-14
Oct. 30	at Brigham Young	W, 50-12
Nov. 15	Texas-El Paso	W, 51-21
Nov. 21	at Fresno State	W, 32-23
Nov. 29	Bethune-Cookman	W, 31-17
Dec. 6	at Hawaii	W, 45-28
Dec. 23	at Texas Christian*	W, 34-31

*Plains Capital Forth Worth Bowl

Lettermen Ret./Lost: 34/12
Starters Ret./Lost: 11/13
Head coach: Dan Hawkins (73-17-1)

2004 Schedule

Date	Opponent
Sept. 4	at Idaho
Sept. 11	Oregon State
Sept. 18	Texas-El Paso
Sept. 25	Brigham Young
Oct. 2	Southern Methodist
Oct. 16	at Tulsa
Oct. 23	Fresno State
Oct. 29	Hawaii
Nov. 13	at San Jose State
Nov. 20	Louisiana Tech
Nov. 27	at Nevada