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Spring practice recap: Day Four: Keep the backup quarterbacks away from the red zone

Boise State has been working on red zone offense this spring so as never to be in another 34-16 game against UC Davis. Results so far? Mostly good, no thanks to Michael Coughlin and Joe Southwick.

After the jump, read about Coughlin and Southwick's red zone adventures yesterday, and share your thoughts on who you expect to be under backup center when the first spring scrimmage kicks off next week. Are you Team Coughlin or Team Southwick? Let's discuss.

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Story of the day

Mike Coughlin and Joe Southwick are not helping Boise State's red zone confidence

Dave Southorn reports from spring practice:

During the first four spring practices, the Broncos have done quite a bit of work inside the 20 during team drills, but on Monday, the defense got the upper hand, it seemed. Safety Travis Stanaway picked off Mike Coughlin and linebacker Derrell Acrey picked off Joe Southwick during the dozen or so plays the team worked on inside the 20 at the tail end of practice.

Southorn says nothing of the other 10 plays from inside the red zone or of how un-Coughlin-like Kellen Moore looked. So what can we really learn from this? A couple of things.

First, Coughlin and Southwick are going to have a fun time battling for Kellen Moore's backup job. It appears that both are flawed an equal amount, so the backup duties could come down to which one performs better in spring and fall scrimmages.

Second, Boise State is serious about this red zone business. Southorn also reminded everyone that BSU picked the brains of the Texas coaching staff on how to improve red zone efficiency. If only Tom Emanski made a DVD series on scoring from inside the 20! Bryan Harsin would be all over that.

Tom-emanski_medium

Endorsed by Fred McGriff! (via www.theonion.com)

 

And third, the Boise State defense is just fine, thanks. In case anyone had forgot, the Broncos specialize in turning offenses into fumbling, bumbling anarchists. As such, I can only assume that Mike Coughlin's interception came off an ill-fated option right that he audibled into a jump pass.

Former Bronco of the day

TE Trevor Peterson

Chadd Cripe reports that Peterson, a highly touted TE prospect who redshirted in 2009, has left the team. There was a lot of buzz around Peterson when he joined the team. The California kid was a big-bodied, fast-moving prospect right out of high school, and he was expected to be Derek Schouman 2.0 once he saw the field. He will be missed.

726-allstarfootball014

Note: He will not be missed by small, WAC defensive backs. (via assets.sbnation.com)

 

Too soon for a depth chart update?

What's more is that Peterson was on scholarship, which means the Broncos now have a little more room to maneuver with their 2010 recruiting class. Instead of grayshirting anyone who looks at Coach Pete funny, they can now afford to stick an extra player on the roster. Might it be Sosnowski now that the team is down a TE?

Miscellaneous

"We're back on the weird days," Boise State coach Chris Petersen said. "That's OK. Our guys do a good job with those."

  • Good to hear Travis Stanaway's name mentioned. For all intents and purposes, Stanaway is Jeron Johnson's primary backup, so having him playing well is key to Boise State's defensive depth. Plus, Johnson is likely to kill a man this season, and that will probably be a one-game suspension.

Dustin Lapray quote of the day

Lapray has not covered spring practice since last Wednesday, but he did take the time to write a fluff piece on the Broncos for Sunday's paper. Who doesn't love opening the Sunday paper and reading about the changed bodies of defensive linemen? I sure do.

These truths are evident in the eyes of redshirt freshmen so ecstatic to be on the active roster, in the changed bodies of defensive linemen hoarding carbohydrates and gutting high-calorie diets to put on extra weight (so invaluable in the trenches).

Carbo-hoard is the new calorie-glut.

Your turn

What do you make of the Coughlin-Southwick QB battle? Think the Broncos need to improve in the red zone to have a successful 2010? Bummed about the loss of Trevor Peterson? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Comment 21 comments  |  0 recs  | 

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Team Southwick

First off Coughlin is getting old and let’s be honest he probably will never really see significant playing time. Southwick on the other than was highly recruited out of high school and he’ll do fine. He just needs to get used to the surroundings and the players and all that good stuff. On Peterson at TE kind of sucks, but honestly I’m pretty happy with the play from what we have. Efaw and Gallarda both are playing really really well and it’ll be another good season with them.. BSU does need to improve around the goal line and inside the 20, but we have Chris Peterson at the helm (the best coach in america), so he’ll get it resolved.

by Tennisguy on Mar 16, 2010 8:06 AM PDT reply actions   1 recs

Southwick II at least based on last year's scrimmage

South looked very confident in QB role. Disappointed about Peterson. But we have a long time in college terms to develop. Several prospects looked like they could be TE. We have Efaw for 2 more years, Koch looked serviceable, and with our rep for using TEs I’m sure we can recruit. As for goal line we have 2 big WRs coming on line; I’m sure they can learn to “fade away” once Pettis leaves. It would be nice to have a poundign RB like Carter or Helmendollar but dont see one on roster at mo’.

by tvmunson on Mar 16, 2010 8:18 AM PDT up reply actions  

I am incredibly bummed that Trevor Peterson left the team...

Now I look like an idiot for telling everybody he was going to be the next great TE/FB hybrid.

by Drew Roberts on Mar 16, 2010 8:22 AM PDT reply actions   1 recs

Me too Drew-but maybe Intern is on to something

My first thought, unexpressed, is amybe eh saw the writing on the wall. I mean kid turned down harvard, then leaves after RS year? Could be looking to paly elsewhere a la Iona Key.

by tvmunson on Mar 16, 2010 8:36 AM PDT up reply actions  

I'm not concerned about the red zone offense of the backup QB's

After all, if they are testing out new schemes there are bound to be mistakes. Mistakes should happen in practice so they can be corrected before game time.

Peterson must have taken a look at Soz (That is what we’re calling him now, btw) and decided to split! I know I would!

Catch me on the BroncoNation Podcast!

by OBNUG Intern on Mar 16, 2010 8:32 AM PDT reply actions   2 recs

Ah, perspective

Good points about the new schemes, Intern. You deserve a rec for that. There are lots of factors that could play into throwing picks in practice, and that is one of the bigger ones.

I’m on board with Soz. Although I may trip up once or twice and call him Snoz by accident.

"Lunch has been canceled today due to lack of hustle." - Tony Perkis

by Kevan Lee on Mar 16, 2010 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions  

"Dallas Cowboy" phenom perhaps?

Cowboys were notorious in the day for trying lots of new schemes/guys in preseason and thus losing games. Season would start and they’d kick behinds. Nowadays emphasis on winning everything has ameliorated that some. With Broncos serious depth perhaps experimenting can explain mishaps. I honestly believe staff has the depth down to 2-3 levels; having a little fun makes sense.

by tvmunson on Mar 16, 2010 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions  

Knives sharpening knives

is how I look at our O playing our D. Our D is seriously good, and the fact that our backups have trouble with even the 3rd string D is not cause for alarm. Red zone issues, deep ball, left hash FG- just enough bumps in the road to make the ride interesting. I sense an overwhelming non-complacency; that’s a good thing.

by tvmunson on Mar 16, 2010 8:47 AM PDT reply actions  

wow....

Check out this report on Robinson….

http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/03/16/1119130/suspended-boise-state-football.html

now that is bad…..

Be Perfect Waterbug!!

by BleedBlue75 on Mar 16, 2010 9:15 AM PDT reply actions   1 recs

Team Southwick

I’m pretty confident that Southwick will be the primary backup. If previous years are a good indicator, they tend to go with the younger guy. Zabransky won the QB battle as a sophomore. And the Kellen Moore beat out Bush Hamden. In both cases the QB’s were performing at very similar levels and the Bronco’s have gone with the younger guy. Makes sense to me if the younger guy is performing as well as the older guy, then the younger guy more then likely have much more potential and room to grow.

Plus Southwick is looking more and more like Kellen’s replacement in the future, so they may as well get him as much game experience as they can before he takes over. Plus that gives the coaching staff a better idea if Southwick really is the QB of the future.

"All we can do is win the games on our schedule" - Coach Pete

by givemesomemoore on Mar 16, 2010 9:56 AM PDT reply actions   1 recs

so what game does coughlin start

and immediately throws a pick-6? Sr game, right?

Dr. William Block: You gotta lose the arm, Joe.
Joe: Lose the arm? What do you mean, lose the arm? My arm?

by Grindhouse on Mar 16, 2010 10:04 AM PDT up reply actions   1 recs

Good points all

rec’d

"Lunch has been canceled today due to lack of hustle." - Tony Perkis

by Kevan Lee on Mar 16, 2010 10:13 AM PDT up reply actions  

I don't know who will be #2 on the charts.

But there are several things that is needed to be a successful back up.

Leadership
This needs to be evident on and off the field.

Courage
You must be ready from the first snap to the last to take over

Trust
You have to have the trust of your teammates.

Ability to deliver
You may not have a better game, but you need to be able to bring home the win

by 7398Jacob on Mar 16, 2010 8:41 PM PDT up reply actions  

Southwick for sure

I’d like to see Southwick get more playing time this year and get some experience under his belt, too.

by CaptainBronco on Mar 17, 2010 6:03 AM PDT up reply actions  

Upon looking at Coughlin's stats...

They aren’t as bad as I thought. His completion percentage has gotten better each year peaking at 63.2% last year. That really isn’t too bad, but of course he has only had 38 attempts. The main thing I see with Coughlin is that he seems to really rush things. He doesn’t look confident in the pocket whatsoever. I’m sure if he was given the opportunity to be “the man” he could rise to the occasion, but given that he’s a senior this year and Kellen’s a junior…let’s just hope that never happens.

by Drew Roberts on Mar 16, 2010 11:55 AM PDT reply actions  

TE

Try this on…Gerke played tight end his sophmore year at BK and never dropped a pass. Have him drop 45lbs…down to 250 and I think he would make a great TE/FB hybrid…just a thought.

by hoopsbill on Mar 16, 2010 1:08 PM PDT reply actions  

Sounds like ...

he could be a good goalline option. Like a hefty Mike Vrabel.

"Lunch has been canceled today due to lack of hustle." - Tony Perkis

by Kevan Lee on Mar 17, 2010 7:09 AM PDT up reply actions  

Sorry..

Canadian Bacon has dibs on all ‘fat guy carries.’

Really want to see Bacon steamroll a linebacker on the goal line. Then then bounce into the Ickey Shuffle.

by ElPepeGrande on Mar 17, 2010 10:09 AM PDT up reply actions  

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