The Broncos of Boise State have defeated a Top 10 team before, upsetting the more highly regarded Oklahoma Sooners in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl and the TCU Horned Frogs at the same venue two years later, will they do it again this Monday?
It all rest on the shoulder of the defense. Last year Defensive Coordinator Pete Kwiatkoski and the ‘Blue Defense’ dominated the Broncos’ two biggest rivals, as both the Oregon Ducks and TCU managed to put a combine 18 points on one of the most underrated units in the nation.
Nine starters return from a unit that forced 35 turnovers and racked 26 sacks last season. Both ends, Ryan Winterswky and Shea McClellin, are potential All Western Athletic Conference [WAC] candidates. Winterswky is the most active player along the line. Last fall, the 6-4 senior registered 9 unassisted sacks, tops in the Conference.
While the ends will provide outside rush, it is the interior line that would be actually the key Monday night. Look for junior tackle Billy Winn [12.5 tackles for loss, also the best mark in the WAC] and the underrated Chase Baker, to be heavily involve in attacking Virginia Tech’s unorthodox running attack.
Last year North Carolina showed how to stop RB Ryan Williams and company by splitting the gaps in the line and maintaining a constants edge rusher on patrol at each side if the defensive line. The Tar Heels limited the Hokies to just 95 (2.9 ypc) rushing yards. Boise has the same defensive structure and philosophy.
If the Broncos managed to shut down the Hokies’ vaunted ground attack, it will be up to QB Tyrod Taylor to win the game. Despite his vastly improved passing stats [136-243-2,311 with a 13-5 TD/INT ratio], the senior multithread signal caller is still a 56.0 completition percent passer with most of his connections going in front of the secondary, not over the top.
This means that probably most of the passes Taylor managed to connect against Boise will not travel more than 10 to 15 yards, well within the range of one of the fastest linebacker corps in the nation and the best overall secondary V Tech has faced in two years.
The Broncos defensive backfield is lead by Fiesta Bowl Defensive Most Valuable Player [MVP] and All American candidate, CB Brandyn Thompson. The other corner, Jamar Taylor, although only a sophomore, has the ability to cover speedy Jarret Boykin, the Hokies’ best wide out.
Of course, the best bet for the Broncos is for Heisman Trophy candidate, QB Kellen Moore to have one of those career-defining games, such as the one former Nebraska Heisman winner, Eric Crouch had against Oklahoma almost a decade ago.
Moore have the ability to do juts that and more and with All-WAC wide receivers Austin Pettis and Titus Young, tight ends Tommy Gallarda and Kyle Efaw, the Fiesta Bowl Offensive MVP and a plethora of efficient running backs. Boise should not have trouble moving the ball against a stingy but soft secondary.
In 2009, V Tech allowed an average of 167 passing yards a game [47.4 completition percentage], but that was mostly done versus average passing schemes. Sophisticated, pass-first teams such as Duke, which torched the Hokies for 359 yards, give Tech problems.
Keeping Moore straight will be another matter. The Hokies had one of the most active defensives fronts in the Atlantic Coast Conference last year registering 36 sacks, including three games with at least six drops.
But that part of the defense lost five starters, including both ends and one interior lineman. The secondary is vulnerable as it had only one starter back, Rashad Carmichael, who led the team with 6 INTs in 2009. The rest, CB Jayron Hosley, and safeties Davon Morgan and Eddie Whitley lack the experience to cover more than simple pass routes.
Prediction: The game is at Blacksburg, Va., which gives the Hokies an advantage, at least on paper. They are a well rounded team with Williams, who is a special talent that should, despite Boise’s best efforts, eclipse the 100 yard mark. The problem for Tech is that wouldn’t be enough to stop the most explosive offense they have faced in three seasons.
This game is the Broncos’ season. A win over the 10th ranked Hokies will almost assure them a trip to the Bowl Championship Series title game and boost Moore’s Heisman credentials.
Boise by five, 25-19.
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