There's really zero factual bases for saying BSU isn't an elite program and saying that they couldn't compete in any other league is purely speculation. This year BSU has soundly defeated an SEC team. That same SEC team has already beat three other SEC teams. BSU's recent OOC schedule includes ranked Pac10, SEC and ACC teams - all of which they have soundly defeated. Many of those teams have gone on to have excellent seasons. BSU has won, not just appeared, but WON TWO BCS bowl games - one against a 2 loss Oklahoma team and the other against an undefeated TCU team -- that TCU team beat Virgina and Clemson and OK had defeated three ranked teams including Nebraska. Last year, BSU beat a 2 loss Utah team in the Las Vegas Bowl - 26-3. BSU doesn't just compete with elite programs...they often dominate them. It's pure unfounded speculation when fans (who can't site any reasonable creditability) say they couldn't compete in a higher tiered league. Below is a list of former BSU players who have gone on to play professional - NFL/CFL football - all current/recent that proves the talent they field: Gerald Alexander - S, Miami Dolphins Richie Brockel - FB, Carolina Panthers Chris Carr - CB, Baltimore Ravens Ryan Clady - OT, Denver Broncos, 1st Round, 12th Pick Overall, 2009 Pro Bowl Daryn Colledge - OG, Arizona Cardinals Tommy Gallarda - TE, Jacksonville Jaguars Korey Hall - FB, New Orleans Saints Quintin Mikell - DB, St. Louis Rams, 2009 Pro Bowl Legedu Naanee - WR, Carolina Panthers Orlando Scandrick - CB, Dallas Cowboys Austin Pettis - WR, St. Louis Rams Titus Young - WR, Detroit Lions Brandyn Thompson - CB, Washington Redskins Derek Schouman - TE, Washington Redskins Ian Johnson - RB, San Francisco 49ers Ryan Winterswyk - TE, Atlanta Falcons Jeron Johnson - CB, Seattle Seahawks Winston Venable- DB, Chicago Bears Kyle Wilson - CB, New York Jets, 2010 1st Round, 29th Pick Overall Andrew Woodruff - OL, Montreal Alouettes Jon Gott - OL, Calgary Stampeders Ryan Dinwiddie - QB, Saskatchewan Roughriders
And what happens when those players move on? Are they capable of filling their shoes? I doubt it. I think this was a special team and once their star players are gone that will be it. Portland State had some good basketball teams, that doesn't mean they're a perennial power in NCAA basketball. Just wait and see. That team will be dead and gone from the polls in three years.
BSU has history, guys. They aren't a johnny come lately by any means. I don't understand why anyone would think the program is done after losing a single quality player -- not given their total history of fielding big time quarterbacks (I'm sure you've heard BSU called "quarterback U") and their overall history of dominance - including OOC schedules. 2001-03: Dubwiddie, 169 career pass rating was NCAA record for years 2004-06: Zabransky, 9119 career yards and accurate passer up to 80 yards 2007: Tharp, 3340 yards and 30 TDs, holds single game completion records 2008-11: Moore, should be no need to highlight his accomplishments 1999 Big West Conference - (Div. I-A) 10–3 (5–1) 2000 Big West Conference 10–2 (5–0) 2002 Western Athletic Conference 12–1 (8–0) 2003 Western Athletic Conference 13–1 (8–0) 2004 Western Athletic Conference 11–1 (8–0) 2005 Western Athletic Conference 9–4 (7–1) 2006 Western Athletic Conference 13–0 (8–0) 2008 Western Athletic Conference 12–1 (8–0) 2009 Western Athletic Conference 14–0 (8–0) 2010 Western Athletic Conference 12–1 (7–1) They have a verbal from a FL QB who threw 2000 yards, 37 TD's and took his team to the title game as a JR. In 2011 they beat out Pac10 teams for a 6'3" QB out of CA. In 2010 Oregon's first team all-state QB landed at BSU. Their #2 is Southwick...his bio reads: "RS FRESHMAN (2010): Back-up quarterback appeared in eight games during his debut campaign with the Broncos…completed 17-of-24 passes on the season for 202 yards and a touchdown…did not throw an interception…season highs in both completions (eight) and attempts (13) at San Jose State (Oct. 16)…completed 4-of-5 for 102 yards at New Mexico State (Oct. 1), including a 78-yard touchdown pass to Chris Potter, the first of his career…also had nine carries for 31 yards, including a long of 20 yards against the Spartans…named to the WAC All-Academic Team. FRESHMAN (2009): Redshirt season...named Offensive Scout Player of the Year. HIGH SCHOOL CAREER Lettered twice in football, and once each in baseball and basketball…named first-team all-state as a senior…first-team all-conference as a senior and second-team all-conference as a junior…completed 239 passes for 3,781 yards, while throwing 36 touchdown passes and only 11 interceptions as a senior…also rushed for 350 yards and eight scores on 90 carries" http://www.broncosports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9900&ATCLID=3660034
Those other Qb's you named don't even compare to Kellen Moore. Moore was the biggest recruit Boise State had ever gotten to that point. Zabransky won the Fiesta Bowl for them but they had an overall great team, and I would not say Jared is better than Moore. If you look at the year before that with Zabransky they got killed by Georgia, Oregon State, and Boston College on their own turf. Tharp's years they really didn't play anybody competitive, and when they did, it was to a terrible Washington team and they lost. Now I don't think Boise State's going to be terrible without Moore, but I've always believed that Quarterback is the most important position and if you don't have stability there, it's hard to be good.
I think Moore was more of a diamond in the rough as opposed to an elite recruit. Rivals had him as a three star (scout 4*) and he only received around three/four offers from teams like E. Washington and Idaho. He was ranked above 30 at his position. So far this year they have verbals from ten 3 stars and one 4 star. The point, as I understood it, was that BSU will drop off when key athletes leave. I disagree. They consistently send players to the NFL - a few professional pro-bowlers, even. So far, they haven't dropped off a whole lot. The program has over a decade long history of finding good talent, developing the players and winning on the field. There's no reason to think the trend won't continue. If you look at their current verbal list, you'll see kids from FL, TX, CA, Europe and even Canada. My guess is BSU will be a contender for years to come...although their athletic program issues may bite them in the arse.
Kellen Moore was not a diamond in the rough. He was invited to the Elite 11 QB camp, many teams knew his name. I remember how big of a deal Boise State fans were making about how good he could be, and they were right. Targus do you disagree that Moore has been their best QB ever? If not then who, if so, then why is it not reasonable to expect some sort of drop off after he leaves? Powerhouses like Texas struggle when they lose key athletes and important positions like QB. So I disagree that there wont be any dropoff, I believe Boise State will fall off the BCS radar over the next few years. They'll still probably take their extremely weak conference though.
He was a 3 star and he was rated 10th at his position in the state of Washington. That's not that big a deal. http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/recruiting/player-Kellen-Moore-47002
I agree there could be a drop off. They graduate a lot of SR starters including QB, RB, FB. What I do expect out of BSU is that they continue to be competitive. Next year looks to be a rebuilding year (check out their depth chart and all the SR's) but the year after that, they could be looking very good. Moore has been a total stud and arguably one of their best QB's. But, BSU has over a decade long history of fielding strong QB's and nothing leads me to believe the trend ends with Moore. I guess we disagree on Moore's recruit stats out of HS. I've referenced both scout and rivals Scout reports he received an offer from BSU and Eastern Washington and they called him "one of the most underappreciated quarterbacks out west. If he was two inches taller and a tenth faster, he'd be on the national radar." http://recruiting.scout.com/a.z?s=73&p=8&c=1&nid=2323395 Rivals states he also received an offer from Idaho -- not a single offer from any Pac school.
I do think they will drop off though. Moore has proven to be one of the best college quarterbacks ever in my opinion. He will not be easy to replace.
Which school do you guys expect to experience a bigger dropoff next year after their top QB graduates--BSU or Stanford?
in record I would probably say Stanford. They will lose more in the Pac 12 than BSU would in the MWC. But Stanford from top to bottom will be a better team than BSU IMO. Also am I the only one who thinks that TCU, Utah, BYU, and co would have been smarter to stay in a conference if it added BSU, Nevada, Fresno State, And could have stuck with Air Force, San Diego St and so on.
Stanford, because they don't get to load up on creampuffs for 8 games a year. Hell, Oregon playing Nevada was a sure-win, and everybody knew it. Yet Boise only puts up 30 points on them, and that's the program that knocked them out of a BCS game last year? Boise has elite results, but calling them an elite program is a disservice to teams from real conferences. I even question them being an elite program, because so many weird things have to happen for them to even get a shot at a BCS title, and even then, teams from the SEC, B1G, Big-12, and Pac-12 would have legitimate complaints if a no-loss Boise got in over a 1-loss team from any of those conferences.
They have won more BCS bowl games in the past decade than Oregon has. They beat Oregon twice recently...and actually beat an SEC team with a strong record this year. Would you call Oregon elite? This season they beat Fresno State 57-7 and Fresno played Cal VERY tough. Yes, Nevada played BSU tough this year. Cal played us tough last year and nearly beat us. Did that mean we weren't elite and deserving of a NC appearance?
Being an elite program means you are able to stay in the top ten year after year after year after year after year. We're talking a decade or more. No, I don't think Oregon is an elite program, yet.... They are definitely on their way. They have the facilities, the coaching staff, and the talent. BSU does not have what it takes to sustain this. They have had a great batch of guys for the past three or four years, but what happens when those guys are gone? Plus, I think a lot of people have taken them lightly, but that shouldn't be the case any longer. I would love to see Oregon take another shot at them, especially in a BCS bowl.
I'm not a Boise St. fan by any means. Don't really like them actually. But, for all the grief for playing cupcakes, they show up against good teams when put to the test in bowl games. They are for real.
They are for real right now, that's not what we are arguing. Some of us feel that they are not an elite program yet, and that they will suffer a dropoff when they lose some of the guys on the team right now. I feel like they haven't earned the automatic top-10 ranking that they've gotten this year. They were unbeaten last season, they lost a game and that should be that.
