Boise State Football: 10 Benchmarks for Spring Success

For Boise State the spring brings a load of work and expectations. Head coach Chris Petersen knows he has his work cut out for him as he leads his Broncos into the 2012 season.

Petersen is faced with the daunting task of replacing 15 starters from last year's squad. Those starters included a legendary quarterback, a fierce running back and several defensive linemen that are arguably the best in school history.

It will be a challenging process, but if anyone is up for the journey it is Petersen.

Add to all of this the departure and addition of a few different assistant coaches, and you have a recipe for many long nights and early mornings. Maybe that is why Petersen decided to move his practices to 8:45 a.m. this spring.

There is no question this will be the most challenging rebuilding year since Petersen took over the head coaching job in 2006. With that in mind, let's look at some of the things the Broncos might need to accomplish in spring practice to assure success in the fall.

Team Unity

Unity

The dictionary defines unity as: the state of being one; oneness. Or, a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.

This is something the Broncos will need to do as soon as possible. The problem with unity is that you can't force it on any group. It must happen over the course of time. However, time is not a luxury the Broncos can afford.

In a press conference Tuesday, Petersen acknowledged the fact that bringing the team together is a goal of his, but he also recognized it isn't easy. "When you have 85 guys out there it's hard to get those guys all gellin'," he said.

The Broncos are known for being a family-oriented environment, and this year will be no exception. Look for the coaching staff to work hard to get to know all the new players on an individual basis. Also, look for Petersen to do things that bring the team together.

Cohesiveness

Cohesiveness

The dictionary defines cohesiveness as: characterized by or causing cohesion, a cohesive agent. Cohering or tending to cohere; well-integrated; unified: a cohesive organization.

This is another topic that was touched on in Petersen's comments on Tuesday, but this probably starts with the coaching staff.

Petersen recognized the fact a few new coaches had been brought into the mix and he is working hard to make sure the staff all comes together. So much so that he is planning a BBQ at his house for all of them this weekend. He said that tongue in cheek, of course, after all these guys probably see each other more than their families do.

Andy Avalos returns to Boise to help out the defense, and former Oregon State quarterback Jonathan Smith comes to Bronco land to coach the quarterbacks. Robert Prince returns to BSU as well, but this time it will be to command the offense. All three of these guys bring a whole lot of talent and energy.

The cohesiveness between coaches will probably not be an issue, but they still need to bond with the players. Not only that, but the "lingo" that every coach and each new player is used to is not the language spoken at Boise State. Anyone who has ever played on more than one football team understands this basic concept. Every team has its own language and play book.

All of this must begin to melt together in a cohesive stew of greatness by the time spring practice finishes up.

Great, now I'm hungry.

Team Leadership

Another issue that was brought up in Tuesday's press conference was leadership. This is an area Petersen and his staff know is critical.

Coach Petersen recognized the fact that leaders on the team have to step up. However, he also said it can't be forced. "When you try to teach the concept and subject of leadership its like teaching someone to ride a bicycle out of book or teaching them how to swim," he said. "You can tell them how to do it, but they don't get it."

Petersen went on to say the leaders on the team aren't always the best players and they will be challenging guys to come forward this spring as team leaders.

There are 26 seniors on this team, so no doubt some of them will emerge as leaders. However, it is just as important for leadership to come from the ranks of the new guys on campus as well.

Find Young Players Who Can Make an Impact

As mentioned previously, there are several new guys on campus. Some of them will have to step up and be ready to contribute in the fall.

Who will those players be? Right now it is anyone's guess. However, as the spring goes on you have to imagine the Broncos coaching staff will have a pretty good idea of who might get their shot as a freshman.

Expect junior college transfers Connor Peters and Demarcus Lawrence to hit the ground running. Both of these guys will no doubt be competing for a spot come fall. Especially Lawrence, who just might win a starting role.

Backup Running Backs

D.J. Harper will be back for his sixth year of eligibility. He looked good last season after missing most of the previous two. Harper has the potential to be something special if he can stay healthy. To do that, he will need some help.

Right now Drew Wright is poised to be the backup with Jay Ajayi behind him. Ajayi is coming off a knee injury so only time will tell if he is up for it.

Beyond that you have a couple of redshirt freshmen in Phillip Hogan and Raphiel Lambert. Neither of them have any game experience and it is anyone's guess if they can compete for a backup spot.

All in all it should be a very competitive spring, and one of the goals has to be knowing who the Broncos backups will be at running back.

Quarterback Pecking Order

The quarterback competition has gotten plenty of attention for the Broncos. Many are interested to see who will be able to step up and become Kellen Moore's replacement.

Well, let's get one thing straight: No one can replace Kellen Moore. However, it will be very interesting to see who wins the starting spot and earns the difficult privileged of being Moore's following act.

Can you imagine the pressure that will be on the shoulders of whoever wins this battle?

One thing Petersen has made clear is they will probably not have a starter coming out of spring practice at quarterback. That is probably not a bad thing, but you know there will be some kind of pecking order.

As it stands now Joe Southwick probably has the edge simply because he has the most experience. Jimmy Laughrea, Grant Hedrick and Nick Patti will be right there with Southwick trying to make the most of every snap.

Petersen said they all looked good on the first day of practice, but he did also say that "everyone looks good in drills." He then singled out Joe Southwick and Nick Patti as looking great on that first day.

That may mean nothing. In fact, Petersen would probably roll his eyes at the mention of his comments, but it does mean something when a head coach calls you out—good or bad.

It will be an interesting year for Bronco Nation.

Develop a New-Look Offense That Looks Like the Old One

Robert Prince is the new offensive coordinator for the Broncos and you can expect him to get back to Bronco ball.

Last season under Brent Pease the Broncos didn't have the same kind of flavor as in years past. Some of that was personnel, but some of it seemed to be that Pease was a bit more conservative in his play-calling.

That shouldn't be the same for Robert Prince. Look for Petersen to develop a new-look offense with Prince that looks more like the Boise State play-calling we have become accustomed to. They will work with the personnel they have, but you can bet the offense will be opened up a bit more.

If Southwick, Patti or Hedrick are under center you can expect all kinds of fun. Mobile quarterbacks with the ability to throw from the pocket or on the run. It is every offensive coordinators dream come true.

There will be a learning process and some trial and error, but in the end you can expect the BSU offense to return to its unpredictable and exciting self in 2012.

All of that starts in the spring, and you have to believe a considerable amount of time will be spent on personnel evaluations and what-if scenarios.

With the talent on the roster there is certainly much to work with, and by the end of the spring practice you can expect Coach Prince to have a twinkle in his eye and a grin on his face.

Defensive Line

The defensive line is probably the big story few are talking about. Replacing Kellen Moore grabs the headlines, but replacing the defensive line is a huge issue for the Broncos this year.

Tyler Horn, Nick Alexander, Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe and Michael Atkinson will be back to do what they can to fill the void. However, depth is an issue.

This is where junior college transfer Demarcus Lawrence comes into play. He and others will need to step up. Darren Koontz, Greg Grimes and Kharyee Marshall will look to get some playing time, but the defensive line will not be what it has been the last couple of years.

It will be interesting to see who steps it up this spring. To be successful in the fall the Broncos will need players to surprise them.

It should be a great competition, and it will be critical for the success of the Bronco defense.

Special Teams

With the loss of special teams coach Jeff Choate to the Washington State staff, the Broncos will have to start from scratch—sort of.

Scott Huff was already on the Broncos coaching staff when Coach Petersen asked him to move from tight ends and fullbacks to special teams coach.

It is a role Huff is fit for and should do a great job. Spring isn't really the time to develop your special teams, but it is a time for Huff to begin to list the players he would like to see in that role.

This is where young guys can get some playing time and prove their toughness. Look for Huff to have a short list of guys by the end of spring practice.

Promote a Team Vision

Here is another area where Coach Petersen shines. When asked about how he would approach his team this year he simply responded, "The message never changes."

Petersen is smart, he knows consistency is a key to any method. However, he is also smart enough to realize that though the message never changes, the method sometimes has to.

There is no doubt that the spring time is valuable for getting a feel for what type of team you have. You can expect Petersen will be doing a lot to figure out what makes his team tick.

He will promote the vision he always does, one of excellence, family, dedication and responsibility. However, as the year rolls on and this year's squad develops a personality, there will be a theme that emerges.

What will that theme be? Stay tuned.