Boise State And Moore: Bronco Receivers A Cut Above For The 09 Season

Normally when a team loses half a dozen quality receivers, their star running back (who was also adept at receiving), and the bulk of its linebacking corp., one would think that team is in for a very long season.

Albeit, there are not many football teams as fortunate as the Boise State Broncos. The Broncos have a lot of depth, and if that was ever in doubt, the matter was settled with the final scrimmage.

The Bronco spring practice(s) have showed coaches, fans, haters, and onlookers that they are indeed once again stacked with top quality players, ready to win the WAC, go undefeated, and persevere toward the BCS without digging into their red shirt surplus.

Sure some will get a chance to play as true freshman and make a significant contribution, but not because they are that needed.

Going into spring, there were questions about whether Boise State might have to utilize the service of more then a few of their freshman signee’s. Those questions seem sufficiently answered.

It appears that many of the Bronco's newest signee’s will get to red shirt due to the maturity of last year's young players. Many starting players last season were freshman and red shirts.

Those players have all advanced in their individual play and are looking forward to showing off their talent this fall. Nothing was more evident in showcasing these players' growth than the final spring scrimmage (Blue and Orange game).

The game was broken down to team best (blue team) versus the rest of the best (white team). The blue team won the first half (points only) and the white team won the game.

For the blue team, Kellen Moore and Titus Young hooked up for a TD with seconds to go in the first half. The white team took advantage of KM's backup, Drew Hawkins, pressuring him to throw poorly and keeping him from running.

Defensively, the white team was consistent throughout the whole game. Of course it was nice to see Kellen hit Titus for a score, but it was equally thrilling to observe the white team do an end around reverse with Austin Pettis on the final leg, in-stride heaving the ball down field for an 85-yard score to Tyler Shoemaker.

Shoe has shown his competence and durability; it appears that the third wide out position has been locked.

Young, Pettis, and Shoe will most likely head the front three of the receiving corp and Mitch Burroughs, Chris Potter, and possibly potential red shirt Burks will back them up.

Yet, there are two more receivers without utilizing Burks talents for this season.

It would seem logical to give Burks another year to get comfortable with the different QBs, this season's and next, as Mikey Tamburo and Joe Southwick will be showing up in the summer, and to work on his timing, speed, and routes.

Southwick is expected to red shirt and Tamburo may challenge Drew Hawkins for the third string QB. We will look at the linebacker and running backs in the next article. Until then—go Broncos!