The atomic clock actually says that we have just 68 days until the Ducks hit the blue turf (hard).

So, today we'll continue our countdown by briefly highlighting the Bronco players whose jersey numbers correspond with the number of days remaining till the opener.

I'm sneaking in two features today after another Friday slack-off. Hopefully neither player feels slighted and please make sure to scroll down.

And we're off...

#68 Greg Grimes, DT

Greg Grimes or "Grimey" as he likes to be called*, took an interesting path to the Blue. The 6'0" 270 lb. defensive tackle torched the camp circuit as a junior and senior, but came away frustrated when Pac-10 scholarships didn't materialize. Not wanting to let the opportunity to play Division-1 ball slip through his fingers, he jumped on the first significant offer he got and verballed to the Utah State Aggies. Meanwhile, the Broncos, whose assessment process can sometimes take a bit longer than others, had an offer for Grimes in their back pocket—it was an offer that Greg Grimes couldn't refuse.

Grimes may not be tall, but he's strong, athletic and has a great burst off the line. He was the Sacramento Observer's Athlete of the Year and the Tri-County Conference Player of the Year in 2007 after notching 94 tackles and 5 sacks. He was a three-time All-Conference selection at Sacramento's Inderkum High, and a second team All-State recipient 2 years running. Grimes will add depth and a solid body to the young Boise State D-line. His production in high school is hopefully a sign of things to come as he will likely be placed in heavy rotation with Billy Winn, Chase Baker, JP Nisby, and Mike Atkinson. Grimes may turn out to be one of the best of this crew and should be a leader on a line that could will be dominant in the coming years.

* does not like to be called "Grimey"

#69 Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe, DT

Let's just get this out of the way...it's pronounced "Chong Ah Choo". Ok, now who is he? Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe came from relative obscurity, playing as a Dutch exchange student at Boise High School, to being one of the big recruits the Broncos landed on LOI day. Tjong-A-Tjoe, the very definition of a "raw" recruit, saw his stock take a meteoric rise in January, taking trips to Washington State and Oregon and returning with scholarship offers in hand. In the end, the lure of the Blue and the possibility to continue his stay in Boise proved the deciding factor and he verballed to the Broncos a mere week before Letter of Intent day arrived.

Tjong-A-Tjoe doesn't have a long list of accomplishments. He very new to the game of American football after playing only on club teams in Amsterdam. Regardless, he possesses a very large body (6'3" 300 lbs.) and very good feet. In his lone season playing on American soil, he garnered first team All-State honors, racking up 35 tackles (9 for a loss) and forced 4 fumbles. While 35 tackles in a season is not as impressive as other DTs on the Bronco roster—consider that he has little experience...moves very well for his size, and will be able to be coached up in a big way. Tjong-A-Tjoe seems to be the very definition of a player that needs to redshirt, as he will need more time to gain an understanding of the American game. When that "raw" tag is removed, however, look out. This kid is going to be a big time player...NFL-type size for his position and light on his feet to boot. Here...enjoy a terrible video of Tjong-A-Tjoe playing on a very familiar surface.