Boise State depth chart versus Hawaii: What would Broncos do without their injured stars?

Tis the season for Boise State's injury report to be super long. The Louisiana Tech game left a lot of Broncos sitting on the sideline, and with little help from this week's injury report, it's anyone's guess as to what players will be able to go on Saturday. Fortunately, I love guessing! That's like half of what I write.

Continue reading for my analysis of what the Broncos might do without some injured stars and feel free to add your take in the comments. Plus, get a look at the complete depth chart for Hawaii week  as well as some strategy, notes, and thoughts on this week's personnel.

Disclaimer: Depth charts mean as much as you want them to mean. Keep in mind that things change over the course of a game week and that game situations, injuries, and performance will render some of this depth chart moot. Still, it's fun to speculate ... with hyperbole! Kyle Efaw better take out an insurance policy on his foot!

Medic! The injury bug strikes Boise State, allegedly

The Broncos were a hurting football team after the four-touchdown win over Louisiana Tech. How hurting? Nobody knows, and if they do, then nobody is saying.

Here is what we know: Tommy Gallarda is out for the remainder of the regular season.

Here is what we don't know: Anything else.

That leaves a laundry list of injuries that we fans have no idea about and are therefore forced to speculate on. Speculate? Gladly. Here's who's injured and what it means.

Tommy Gallarda

• Status: Out with a broken foot
• Replacements: Kyle Efaw, Gabe Linehan, Chandler Koch
  
• What this means: Gallarda was the team's blocking tight end and goalline Lynn Swann. With his injury, Efaw moves to starter, which is a role he has been ready to embrace for the past two seasons. He is not the blocker that Gallarda was, but he's definitely improved in that area. Behind him sits Gabe Linehan (a pass catcher) and Chandler Koch (a mauler). The passing game should remain the same without Gallarda. The running game may change. Will the Broncos run more out of shotgun and spread sets? Can Koch capably fill in on obvious run situations? Will Dan Paul play more tight end? Quick, intern. To Yahoo Answers!
  

Kyle Brotzman

• Status: Probable with a leg injury
• Replacements: Jimmy Pavel, Trevor Harman
• What this means: Bronco coaches expect Brotzman to handle scoring kicks this week, and thank goodness. After seeing Jimmy Pavel's try from 30 yards, I will never take Brotzman for granted again. Harman will remain the kickoff specialist (if that's what you want to call it) and the punter, and he also moved ahead of Pavel on the backup placekicker depth chart. Depending on Brotzman's health, we may see Boise State forced to attempt more 4th down tries this week. The Broncos are four-for-nine on 4th down this year.
  

Aaron Tevis

• Status: Questionable with leg injury
• Replacements: J.C. Percy, Daron Mackey
• What this means: The Broncos could really use Tevis's pass defense skills against Hawaii this week. The man had a one-handed pick-six for crying out loud. Percy did well subbing for Tevis, but he is more of a downhill run stopper than a savvy pass defender.

Cedric Febis

• Status: Questionable with undisclosed
• Replacements: Jason Robinson
  
• What this means: Febis's biggest contributions come on special teams. He is a strong tackler and sound football player, and his presence on coverage would certainly help on Saturday. Jason Robinson is probably at the point in his game conditioning (after coming off a suspension) where he is close to Febis's level on defense. Either player figures to see more playing time than usual against the pass-heavy Warriors.
  

Joe Kellogg

• Status: Questionable with leg injury
• Replacements: Faraji Wright, Chuck Hayes
• What this means: Kellogg was on crutches in the LaTech game, so his injury seemed to be one of the more serious injuries to come from that game. If he can't go, Wright may be the guy to fill in for him. The Broncos made a point of moving Wright's name next to Kellogg's on this week's depth chart, but Chuck Hayes (the former top Kellogg backup) is also in the mix. And then there's this: Could Nate Potter move back to guard? He was there almost all offseason.

Brandyn Thompson

• Status: Questionable with shoulder injury
• Replacement: Jerrell Gavins
  
• What this means: Boise State has the personnel to overcome an injury to Thompson either by subbing Jerrell Gavins or by running much more zone D. Still, it would be ideal to have Thompson healthy for this one.

Jeron Johnson

• Status: Questionable with undisclosed
• Replacement: Travis Stanaway
• What this means: Bronco fans had the same angst-ridden week of will-he-or-won't-he when Johnson was injured prior to the Virginia Tech game. So simply transfer your fears and worries from that scenario over to this week. Hopefully Johnson is fine.
  

Chase Baker

• Status: Questionable with undisclosed
• Replacements: Ricky Tjong-A-Tjoe, J.P. Nisby
• What this means:  T-N-T and Old Man Nisby get plenty of playing time as it is, so you would probably just see more of them than usual. Baker's injury looked like one of the least serious ones to come from the LT game, but then again, who knows. Certainly not anyone outside of the Boise State Shroud of Secrecy, that's for sure.

And now a rant about Boise State's injury report

Or lack thereof. Am I right?

As a Bronco fan, I want to know every single thing there is to know about the football team. I am like a lot of you, only dorkier and with my own blog. And I understand that my insatiable curiosity is going to go unmet most of the time. But I don't think it's too much to ask for updates to injured Bronco players.

When you think about it, we fans know almost as little as possible about this football team. We get suspension announcements hours before kickoff. We get access to scrimmages maybe three times a year. Boise State has information locked down so tight that even the local media only gets what Max Corbet allows out of his great wisdom.

Throw us a bone here. We simply want to know what's going on with the team.

Who's with me?

Don't blame Thompson and Taylor for Boise State's generous pass defense

Blame everyone but them. Except the defensive line. Never blame the defensive line. They are holy.

According to Coach Pete, Boise State's perceived secondary weakness is a result of opponents attacking the Broncos with short, quick throws that put the coverage burden on linebackers, nickels, and sub corners. And if Coach Pete says it, it has to be right.

"You think about your corners No. 1 and your safeties No. 2, and that's not what we're talking about," Petersen said. "Offenses are smart. We can be at times a very tough defense to run the ball on and we can be a tough defense to hold the ball a long time against. There's always give and take to what you're going to give up. Are we going to give up some short passes and rally to the ball? Yeah, we are. We can't let it be consistent, we can't let it break our back, but you've got to pick your poison."

And there you have it. The Bronco defense, no matter how incredibly great it is, cannot stop every single football play imaginable. The Broncos have to give somewhere.

So how do you feel about Boise State giving the short passes?

I feel fine about it so long as the Broncos tackle. You cannot beat Boise State by relying solely on dinking and dunking it down the field. You can beat them by doing that and breaking tackles.

Your thoughts?

The Mitch Burroughs Experience returns to the depth chart

After missing four weeks with a sprained ankle, Burroughs returned last week ... and promptly botched the downing of Kellen Moore's immaculate punt. Oh well. You have to start your road to recovery somewhere.

Burroughs is listed right behind Pettis, Young, and Shoemaker on the team's wide receiver depth chart, so you can expect him to resume his pleasantly effective role in the offense as soon as this week. Burroughs was not so successful in regaining his role as the team's top punt returner. No backsies! That, and Chris Potter has been a delight.

Ryan Winterswyk sack watch enters Week Eight, better start sacrificing goats

Seriously, seven games and no sacks? Winterswyk is having Jarrell Root's 2009.

Boise State exotic defenses return

The Broncos played a whole lot of 3-4 against Louisiana Tech with Shea McClellin and Jarrell Root taking turns as stand-up linebacker types. The scheme worked and it didn't work. The Bulldogs were able to run with a little more success than usual against a three-man front, but they were hardly setting the world on fire.

Will the Broncos go with more 3-4 this week against Hawaii? Will the 3-3-5 return? This game may be the biggest test of Pete Kwiatkowski's young coordinator career - coming up with a way to stop a hot team that specializes in exactly what your defense does not specialize in.

Boise State likes these players, so I like these players

The Broncos' internal players of the week against Louisiana Tech were Tyler Shoemaker (offense), Byron Hout (defense), Jason Robinson (special teams), Chase Baker and Thomas Byrd (linemen), and Shea McClellin (Hammer). Considering this game happened like five years ago in college football time, I'm not sure how relevant any of this is.

Your turn

What injured Bronco player do you think the team can least do without? How do think Boise State will defend Hawaii's high-flying offense? Will Ryan Winterswyk break through with a sack this week? Share your thoughts in the comments.