Boise State Football: Broncos' Keys to Unlocking a Mountain West Championship

The Boise State Broncos have had a lot of success on the football field over the years. In the trophy case at Boise State sits not one, but two Fiesta Bowl golden footballs. There are also several other pieces of cherished hardware from memorable bowl game victories and various conference titles.

However, the one stack of metal and letters that does not inhabit the impressive display of success and dominance in the BSU case is the much desired Mountain West Conference championship trophy.

The title eluded Boise State last season in their first year as a member of the MWC. Now, in 2012, the Broncos are in the last year of their Mountain West experience, and you know coach Petersen, his staff, his players and Bronco Nation want very much to go out on top.

The way it looks going into the season, the Broncos will have a very good chance at conquering this mountain. TCU, the team that took the trophy right out of the hands, or rather foot, of Boise State, is now a member of the Big 12. Not only that, but BSU will not have to play Air Force this season in a schedule that still makes many folks scratch their heads.

However, even with TCU and Air Force missing from the list of opponents, there are those in the MWC that can still pack a punch. San Diego State, Wyoming, Fresno State and Nevada all have the potential to give the Broncos fits. Still, with the coaching and talent Boise State has, it is well within their power to take the title.

The way it looks at this point is that there are five keys to unlocking the Mountain West for Boise State. Let's look at each one of those keys, and what it means for the Broncos.

The Defensive Line

It is no secret that Boise State will have to rebuild their entire defensive line. How well that construction job is done will be a key factor in the Broncos' success this season.

Michael Atkinson returns as one player with significant playing time. Last season he started five games, and contributed as a solid backup. In 2011 he had 31 tackles, and looked really good in the final game of the year against Arizona State.

Atkinson will be backed up by Greg Grimes and joined by Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe and Darren Koontz at the other tackle position. As always, rotation, and trying to keep fresh legs in the game, will be a huge factor in how successful the Broncos are on defense.

Koontz, Tjong-A-Tjoe and Grimes have all been around Bronco land for a while now. Koontz and Grimes are seniors, and Tjong-A-Tjoe is a junior. All three of these guys saw some playing time last year, but will need to step it up considerably to meet the expectations placed on them in 2012.

On the outside it looks like it will be newcomer Demarcus Lawrence and Tyler Horn on one end, and Beau Martin and Samuel Ukwuachu on the other. Of this group, only Horn has any playing experience for the Broncos. In 2011 Horn played in just eight games and had seven tackles and 1.5 recorded sacks.

Defensive end will be where the Broncos have to be concerned. With only Tyler Horn having playing experience, and not much at that, coach Petersen has a big question mark as to how these guys will handle it all.

Still, Ukwuachu and Lawrence looked really good in the spring, and both of these guys could be something special. Lawrence is a junior college transfer, so he does have some experience, but you have to believe Boise State is much different than Butler Community College. How well he adapts and learns the Broncos system will correlate with his on-the-field success in 2012.

Overall, there is a lot of potential here, but potential doesn't win you ball games, production does. How these guys produce this season will have a direct reflection on the overall team success.

The Broncos will need Atkinson, Tjong-A-Tjoe, Grimes and Koontz to give their veteran guidance to Martin, Ukwuachu and Lawrence, and each of those guys will need to play beyond their newcomer status.

It will be interesting to see how it all comes together. If it does, a solid defensive line spells trouble for any opponent, especially in the Mountain West.

Healthy Secondary

One of the strengths Boise State should have this year on defense is their secondary. It is a veteran group made up of some extremely talented players.

Jamar Taylor and Jerrell Gavins are going to be one of the best corner combinations in the nation, and no doubt the best in the Mountain West. Add Jeremy Ioane and Lee Hightower as safeties, and you give opposing quarterbacks nightmares.

Still, the one thing that could hurt this formidable force is the injury bug. Last season it was no secret that injuries devastated the Broncos' secondary. The Broncos were very thin late in the season, and many credit that factor as a big reason for the TCU loss.

This season, like last season, there is the potential of a very good starting defensive secondary. However, just like last season, the backups aren't quite up to par with the first group.

Ebo Makinde looked good as the season progressed last year, and he will be a solid backup corner. Borgman, another corner, has mostly special teams experience, and it remains to be seen if he can be a successful backup for Taylor.

At safety, Hazen Moss and Eric Agbaroji are also unproven commodities. Moss was a 2011 special teams standout, but as a redshirt senior has little experience in the secondary. Agbaroji is a redshirt freshman who has lots of potential, but absolutely no game time experience.

If the Broncos remain healthy in the defensive secondary all season, this will be a moot point. However, if like last season, the injury bug comes calling, Boise State may see a repeat of last year's issues with pass coverage late in the season.

The way it looks now, a healthy secondary will be a big key to keeping Mountain West quarterbacks in check.

Consistent Quarterback Play

No matter who wins the quarterback competition this fall, this key remains. The Broncos must have consistent play from their quarterback in 2012.

As it stands now, it looks like Joe Southwick will be the guy, but you never know. Even if if Grant Hedrick, Jimmy Laughrea or Nick Patti take the job, the one thing Boise State needs from their QB this year is reliable, consistent play.

The Broncos are loaded at wide receiver and have excellent tight ends with Gabe Linehan and Chandler Koch. With guys like Matt Miller, Kirby Moore, Chris Potter, Mitch Burroughs, Geraldo Boldewijn, Troy Ware and Aaron Burks catching the ball, all the quarterback has to do is get it to them.

If Southwick, or any other QB, is able to stay composed and give a steady stream of decent passes to his talented receiving core, Boise State should have success.

D.J. Harper helps as well. He has good hands as a receiver, and his ability to run will take some of the pressure off of the starter. It should give the starting QB, whoever it is, the confidence they need.

Look for coach Petersen and offensive coordinator Robert Prince to work with their quarterback to make sure he realizes that he doesn't have to carry the entire burden of offensive success. The team concept is already instilled in the BSU players, but it will be even more crucial for the 2012 Boise State quarterback to rely on those around him.

If the Broncos get consistent play from their starting quarterback, MWC opponents will have a very hard time shutting down all those weapons.

Fresh Faces

Boise State has a large group of fresh faces going into fall camp. They will need some of those faces to become much more recognizable as the season progresses.

There is no better example of this than at the running back position. D.J. Harper is poised to have an incredible year, and he is backed up by Drew Wright. But, beyond Wright there are some question marks as to who can be the backup to the backup.

Jay Ajayi should be healthy and is expected to contribute, but he is coming off a season ending knee injury from last year. Also look for true freshman Jack Fields out of El Paso, Texas to make his mark this season. He is an incredible, powerful runner, and his size, speed and maturity make him a good candidate for a freshman who could make serious waves.

Other positions will need the help of new talent as well. Ben Weaver is a linebacker out of Klein, Texas that could make an impact. Sam McCaskill is a defensive end out of Eugene, Oregon that could give the Broncos another talented player in the rotation. Demarcus Lawrence should make a huge impact on the defensive line.

Others that could contribute are Chaz Anderson who is a solid corner back out of Los Angeles and Devan Demas, who could be an excellent return guy.

Overall, Boise State will need some of these young players to step up and play beyond their years.

Very Special Special Teams

The Boise State "hammer" is a symbol of the teams blue collar work ethic. But it is also a source of pride for the BSU special teams.

This season more than most, the Broncos will need their special teams to be more than special. It won't be easy considering there is a new coach leading them. After the departure of special teams coach Jeff Choate in the off-season, coach Petersen was left with a void.

Coach Scott Huff, who coaches tight ends and fullbacks, was pegged by Petersen to take over as special teams coordinator. Huff has also been an offensive line coach for the Broncos. With all the different hats this guy has worn for the Broncos, it seems like an excellent choice on Petersen's part.

Huff will bring new energy and excitement to an already excitable group. Boise State has had some excellent special teams performers in recent years, and you should probably expect that to continue.

Special teams is a key to winning, especially tight games. Bronco fans aren't used to close contests, but this year they may see more of them than recent seasons. It will be crucial for their special teams to make plays all season long. Blocked punts, blocked field goals and excellent punt returns all play a big part in the field position game.

Of course, the kicking game is all part of the equation. Punting is crucial when it comes to field position, and field goals create something called points and those are very important, especially late in a game when trailing by one.

Sarcasm aside, the play of the special teams is probably one of the biggest keys to success for Boise State in 2012. If coach Huff can bring it all together and players step up, the Mountain West title will certainly be in reach for the Broncos.