Numerical Roster Countdown: Day 51

Hard to believe, but there are under 60 days until the Broncos storm the Capital to take on the Hokies. As you may remember, last summer I embarked on the Herculean task of counting down a different roster spot for each remaining day until kickoff. So far this year, we're batting a thousand, so drop me notes of encouragement now and again so I can find the strength to get through the next couple months without breaking the streak.

We've got 51 days until kickoff...so today we'll be highlighting #51 on the Boise State roster—James Crawford

#51, James Crawford, Sophomore, LS

Stats

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 207 lbs. 

High School: Oaks Christian High School, Thousand Oaks, CA

How'd he get to The Blue™?

James earned two varsity letters in football at Oaks Christian High School, Cory Yriarte and Chris Potter's alma mater. Crawford played O-line and D-line for the Lions and racked up 46 tackles and 3 sacks his senior year.Crawford walked on in 2008 and redshirted.

Nickname

"The other Crawford"

Tyrone will be getting the pub this year. James hopes to make the media guide.

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Look-a-like 

 

Concussion-prone ex-QB, Drew Hawkins. (also known as "the good Hawkins")

Career highlight

Two letters in football at Oaks Christian, two in baseball. 46 tackles, 3 sacks senior year.

Career lowlight

Being stuck behind a decidedly inconsistent Chris Roberson all of 2009.

2010 prospectus

Long-snapping is a thankless task. A dedicated long-snapper gets little notice unless they screw up—which is why it is so troubling that the Broncos' long-snappers were just so noticeable in 2009. Chris Roberson won a battle royale in Fall Camp to become the squad's go-to guy at LS, but some shaky snaps against Oregon and Miami (OH) led many to believe that we'd start to see more of Crawford. We never did.

I don't really know what to make of the long-snapper battle going into Fall Camp. It seems that things were pretty tight between Roberson and Crawford in Fall Camp '09, but despite Roberson's inconsistency, Crawford was never really given a chance to show his stuff in a game. Roberson is the more stout of the two, and may just be a better blocker—this may be why the coaches aren't so eager to let Crawford into a game. Admittedly, I know little about the art of long snapping...but I know enough to realize it's tougher than it looks. In a close game, long snapping can be the difference between a win and a loss, so expect the Broncos to pit Crawford and Roberson against each other again this Fall to get the most out of the position. If Crawford can't overtake Roberson again, and Roberson costs us any more PATs, it may be time to see if Dallas Dobbs (now 35) has any eligibility left.

Completely made up fact

Last summer, James had an internship at the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle. He was the red snapper long-snapper.