Five spring practice questions: No. 1: Who starts at quarterback in the spring game?
by Kevan Lee on Feb 20, 2012 7:25 AM PST
in Boise State football
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PrintThe Boise State Broncos will begin spring practice on March 12, and OBNUG will begin overanalyzing spring practice today. More overanalysis to come.
THE story of Boise State spring practice will be the quarterback battle between incumbent backup Joe Southwick, incumbent No. 3 Grant Hedrick, and newcomers Jimmy Laughrea and Nick Patti. Daily updates on the QB derby are going to be like tasty manna from heaven, no matter how speculative they may be.
But there's one spring practice nugget that will be 100% speculation-free: Who starts at quarterback in the spring game on April 14?
The broader, more cynical question is: Does knowing the spring game starter get us any closer to knowing the season opener starter? Yes, the spring game means something and the positions and depth will be determined by practice performance. And no, we are not going to know who the next Kellen Moore is four months before the season starts.
But oh the summer celebrating / teeth-gnashing we can do when we get our first look at the new-look first team O in April.
The frontrunner for now is Southwick, considering offensive coordinator Robert Prince said as much last month. Hopefully Hedrick is fully recovered from a knee injury suffered in a game last year, and hopefully Laughrea and Patti know enough of the offense to make the spring interesting. And while I'm hoping, would it be too much to ask for Dustin Lapray to come out of retirement, take a break from birding, and pen an epic yarn blog about this QB race?
Yeah, it's probably asking too much. I won't plan on getting everything I asked for above, and I'll even go so far as to plan for Southwick to be taking first-team snaps in the spring game, beginning a long summer of my talking myself into Joe Southwick. What say you?
Your turn
Who do you think will start at quarterback in the spring game? Whom do you want to start? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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the way you say:
a long summer of my talking myself into Joe Southwick
makes it seem like you actively don’t want him to be the starter. is that the case? i like to hope that if a player is recruited and brought into the system, the coaching staff, at some point, thought: “this kid could potentially start at whatever position we’re bringing him in for”.
Does my logic make sense? realistically, sure, the coaching staff knows some dudes won’t ever be a starter, let alone a diamond in the rough, Moore-level find. but i would hope that they instill enough confidence in the players to make them believe that. It’s circular. You have to have confidence in yourself, but also you need the confidence of those in charge.
My QB has an AWARD named after him. How about yours?!
Moore’s effortless dissection of the defense in...practice reminded coaches why he’s here, despite his much-maligned measurables. --Chadd Cripe
Twitter: @iwasrun
Southwick may be a let down to some
because he was Kellen’s backup. I think everyone wants to see another Kellen like rise to the top because that is what we know. I have all the confidence in our coaching staff and players to step up and be the next starter.
Even if Southwick is the next starter, I believe he will get better this off season and be even better than he was in previous years….nothing like pointing out an obvious. He will be getting lots of reps with the offense.
Taylor Tharp started....so did Jared Zabransky. Sometimes it's ok to not be excited for a certain player
it’s just the way it goes. Having said that, I think Joe will be waaay better than the aforementioned QBs, and I think he’ll do alright. He never had much time to show what he is capable of but when he did get in, he wasn’t very…exciting.
by 4EverBleedBlue on Feb 20, 2012 9:33 AM PST up reply actions
it Zabransky's case, i remember his first game.
when they unveiled him as the starter as he was literally taking the field. i heard a lot of applause when he showed up on the jumbotron (then the mass confusion when….Stanford? showed up right afterwards).
but then, i wasn’t trolling blog sites back then so i don’t know the pulse around his hype.
My QB has an AWARD named after him. How about yours?!
Moore’s effortless dissection of the defense in...practice reminded coaches why he’s here, despite his much-maligned measurables. --Chadd Cripe
Twitter: @iwasrun
Hype or not, he proved to be a very good athlete and a blah QB. At least in my opinion.
by 4EverBleedBlue on Feb 20, 2012 9:54 AM PST up reply actions
for me it's the whole "interception" thing.
when Moore went back to pass, my thought process was stress-free to borderline “oh, another touchdown”.
with Zabransky i was: “oh god, please don’t throw it.”
so i get what you’re saying.
My QB has an AWARD named after him. How about yours?!
Moore’s effortless dissection of the defense in...practice reminded coaches why he’s here, despite his much-maligned measurables. --Chadd Cripe
Twitter: @iwasrun
I know how you feel
When Z had the ball there was Stress in my life.
He could have magic and lead the team and play great. Or he would try to win on his own and try to do more then he really could, and let a pick fly, or maybe a fumble.
But that does not mean I do not like the guy. His Jr year that he had more issues how often did Tharp come in so the coaches could get Z mind right? Seemed like every game, but that what a while back I do not feel like looking it up and I can not remember for sure.
"Every Damn Day."- Coach Pete
"Coach Pete is always right" Marty Tadman
by Broncograd96 on Feb 20, 2012 10:50 AM PST up reply actions
It was often enough that seeing Z on the field
got my stomach in knots. It wasn’t excitement, it was impending doom. But then, my stomach doesn’t stay calm with hot salsa, either, and that is what Z was. Hot salsa.
"Grateful to the friends and the circumstances that enabled me to be a Bronco. I'm just glad I lived to see these days." SeniorChief
32-5 as a starter
Fiesta Bowl offensive player of the game…
We have pretty high standards for blah…
by ce'sped azul on Feb 20, 2012 10:00 AM PST up reply actions
for some reason i thought he started four years.
but he backed up dinwiddie for one year.
My QB has an AWARD named after him. How about yours?!
Moore’s effortless dissection of the defense in...practice reminded coaches why he’s here, despite his much-maligned measurables. --Chadd Cripe
Twitter: @iwasrun
and was groomed to be the next starter
lots of wildcat snaps in the first half.
by ElPepeGrande on Feb 21, 2012 4:37 PM PST up reply actions
That team won in spite of the QB
The fiesta bowl isn’t special without the pick six. And Z had more pick sixes than the ‘great’ QBs —even managed a pick 6 in the Sr bowl.
We do have high standards, but if you watched every game, he isn’t Kellen, RD or even Hendricks. Hilde had better big games too. Boise State has at least 3 better QBs in the past 12 years—so blah is pretty accurate.
We got so spoiled with Kellen that it took kickers to lose games—-we didn’t get sick to our stomachs when the ball was in thee QBs hands.
by ElPepeGrande on Feb 21, 2012 4:37 PM PST up reply actions
I saw him compete in a dunk contest at hoopfest in Spokane.
Being athletic can make up for a lot of things.
by Rand McNalley on Feb 20, 2012 11:49 AM PST up reply actions
Michael Sanford was Z's backup
Took several classes with him back in the day.
by hummerofdoom on Feb 20, 2012 4:30 PM PST up reply actions
I think a lot of people are excited for Patti...
…expectations that he’ll be Kellen Moore 2.0 (with running ability!), and admittedly Southwick hasn’t been a lot of fun to watch (though it’s probably not his fault). I agree with the point that whoever gets the role in the end will deserve it, whether Southwick, Patti, or another…but I don’t think we have to fault anyone for hoping for one over the other. We all have opinions.
"Nobody likes it"
"I'm tired of even the BCS name"
"The whole thing needs to be changed."
-Coach Pete on the BCS.
by NYBroncosFan on Feb 20, 2012 11:08 AM PST up reply actions
I think Southwick is the Spring Starter.
Who know what happens after that. Bush Hamdan led the Spring AND Fall camps back in 2007. Anything can happen.
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." - Mike Tyson
Pete: "Here are the keys to the Ferrari, Joe. Try not to wreck it".
This will be interesting.
"Boise State football is now a Fargo winter. You know what's coming, and that information does you no good whatsoever". Matt James / The Fresno Bee
We have only seen Joe in a Clock Killing Role.
Its Premature to Call the 2012 Broncos a Ferrari, when a Blue Collar Off-Road SUV has what it takes to go all the way up the mountain. Yes this SUV will wreck it, that is the BCS.
I’d rather be rock hopping than racing like fool.
The only thing the BCS has to fear, is fear itself, and Blue is the color of fear.
by Trapperpk on Feb 20, 2012 9:18 AM PST reply actions 2 recs
I'm excited to see the new dynamic offense...
I’m more worried about the fans not wanting Southwick to be quarterback or booing at his first interception than I am of any of these guys abilities as quarterbacks.
Maybe I’m just skiddish after seeing my NFL team’s fans boo the incumbent starting quarterback all through spring practice and the first half of the season. Maybe it’s Patti’s voice that sounds eerily similar to Tebow’s (maybe it’s just the Florida accent) but it just makes me nervous.
I'd be absolutely mortified at our crowd if we ever booed anyone on a BSU team.
I expect Southwick to get the start in Spring, anything else would be disrespectful imo. After that though, it’s a competition. We’ll see…my wild guess remains Laughrea…Patti redshirts.
I Wall of Text like it's the in thing to do
"...and just things really starting to unravel now for Utah..." Herbie, BSU vs. Utah, 22 Dec 2010
Do I recall people booing Z?
"Grateful to the friends and the circumstances that enabled me to be a Bronco. I'm just glad I lived to see these days." SeniorChief
yeah.
that dumb H-Bowl game. threw that INT that could have won it…
My QB has an AWARD named after him. How about yours?!
Moore’s effortless dissection of the defense in...practice reminded coaches why he’s here, despite his much-maligned measurables. --Chadd Cripe
Twitter: @iwasrun
Me too
they’re all better football players than I’ll ever be, so I’m not complaining.
by Bleed Blue n Orange on Feb 20, 2012 11:00 AM PST up reply actions
Have faith in Bronco Nation
That would NEVER happen. In Coach Pete we trust and if he says Southwick then we trust Southwick.
Southwick shows leadership...from the sidelines.
I bet he can do the same on the field. He was always congratulating his teammates, being supportive after mess-ups, and generally wearing the headset like he was comfortable with the role. I think following Kellen would be an incredible challenge, even just to walk out on the field. My money is on Joe.
"Grateful to the friends and the circumstances that enabled me to be a Bronco. I'm just glad I lived to see these days." SeniorChief
I am good with however the QB is in the fall
because I know 2 things.
1. These are all players that Coach Pete wants on the team, and they will all work hard to be the starting QB.
2. Coach Pete does not play games. Whoever is ready to be the QB will be the QB and I will not second guess.
I can not wait to watch the race. I also think a lot of us who have been around for a while, remeber past QB’s many of whom played at least 3 years, and we like that stability in the QB position.
"Every Damn Day."- Coach Pete
"Coach Pete is always right" Marty Tadman
I think this is it in a nutshell.
I Wall of Text like it's the in thing to do
"...and just things really starting to unravel now for Utah..." Herbie, BSU vs. Utah, 22 Dec 2010
Southwick
Amen. Let’s go with Coach Pete. He personally recruited these fine
quarterbacks and he’ll make the right decision. For me, it will be Joe.
We all seem to believe Patti is the guy
based on his stats and highlights, but Southwick put up crazy numbers and his highlights videos were every bit as awesome as Patti’s. They both/all are great options to have and we will be just fine whichever way the coaches feel is correct.
Southwick is obviously the favorite.
Personally, I’m not a huge fan, but there are definitely worse QBs to have back there. I’m really interested to see what Hedrick and especially Laughrea can do with more reps. Laughrea’s really unknown at this point, and he could be a surprise.
Thank you, Nick Adenhart. You will always be remembered. #34
If Hedrick isn't the starter
I believe we’ll see his role increased at the wildcat. I’m still leaning toward Hedrick being the starter this year, but that’s based purely on my gut.
Not attacking you....
… because I hear them say this on TV all the time too, but can we stop calling what Hedrick does “the wildcat”. It’s not, the young man is a quarterback. To call it a Wildcat formation is to assume that he is a runningback, which he is not. I don’t know why, it just irks me.
by Taylor Devereux on Feb 20, 2012 9:21 PM PST up reply actions
Who are we? The wildcats!!!
Who are we going to beat?! The wildcats!!!
My QB has an AWARD named after him. How about yours?!
Moore’s effortless dissection of the defense in...practice reminded coaches why he’s here, despite his much-maligned measurables. --Chadd Cripe
Twitter: @iwasrun
by Grindhouse on Feb 21, 2012 4:40 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
You're right.
He’s running a read-option, not the wildcat.
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." - Mike Tyson
I think Laughrea is the darkhorse.
I’ve heard lots of positives about him on the scout team. Though I think Southwick does have an edge it wouldn’t surprise me to see any of others step up and claim the spot. Hedrick is the only I see remaining in his back-up read option role.
"Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." - Mike Tyson
Looking at your Tyson quote Mikrino...
…he was on at halftime during the Knicks game the other night and dropped an s-bomb during the interview (“I’ve done some dumb s—-”) Hysterical.
"Nobody likes it"
"I'm tired of even the BCS name"
"The whole thing needs to be changed."
-Coach Pete on the BCS.
by NYBroncosFan on Feb 21, 2012 10:25 AM PST up reply actions
In the last ten years of BSU football...
there has been a Bronco quarterback on the all-conference list 9 out of 10 years.
2011 Moore 1st
2010 Moore 1st
2009 Moore 1st
2008 Moore 2nd
2007 Tharp 2nd
2006 Zabransky 2nd
2005 – - – - – - – - -
2004 Zabransky 2nd
2003 Dinwiddie 1st
2002 Dinwiddie 1st
No reason to think things will be any different in the future, no matter who it is under center.
who was it Moore's first year?
i don’t remember being irritated that he got second.
My QB has an AWARD named after him. How about yours?!
Moore’s effortless dissection of the defense in...practice reminded coaches why he’s here, despite his much-maligned measurables. --Chadd Cripe
Twitter: @iwasrun
and i mean who got first team.
My QB has an AWARD named after him. How about yours?!
Moore’s effortless dissection of the defense in...practice reminded coaches why he’s here, despite his much-maligned measurables. --Chadd Cripe
Twitter: @iwasrun
You don't want to know...
It is he who shall not be named on this blog.
by ce'sped azul on Feb 20, 2012 3:10 PM PST up reply actions
If I remember right
He has long legs and looks a little like a large Bird…
"Every Damn Day."- Coach Pete
"Coach Pete is always right" Marty Tadman
by Broncograd96 on Feb 20, 2012 4:45 PM PST up reply actions
The Wolfpack gathers for a team dinner
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they, too, have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit.
Uuuggggghhhhhh
At least Moore had 1st teams thereafter.
My QB has an AWARD named after him. How about yours?!
Moore’s effortless dissection of the defense in...practice reminded coaches why he’s here, despite his much-maligned measurables. --Chadd Cripe
Twitter: @iwasrun
by Grindhouse on Feb 21, 2012 4:42 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
Kellen was named WAC Freshman of the Year
as well as 2nd Team QB.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they, too, have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexations to the spirit.
Hawkins just called
and says ‘Sorry for 2005.’
by ElPepeGrande on Feb 21, 2012 4:39 PM PST up reply actions
Nothing against Southwick
He seems like he has all the tools, but he’s NEVER made me say “wow, nice throw.”
He made a great pass
to Gabe Linehan against Tulsa last season. It was short yardage but he put the ball in the only spot where it could be caught. Impressed me.
though
he did look like he stared down the receiver.. that is what I am MOST afraid of. I loved that Kellen went through his reads when he needed to and did not stare down a receiver.
by East Coast Broncos Fan on Feb 21, 2012 6:28 AM PST up reply actions
I Love This Open Competition Stuff!
Every QB will be judged by the same standard. When things break down (and they always do) do you……….. A) Take the sack? B) Throw it out of bounce C) Zebranski it to a wide open defender? D) scramble for positive yards down field or E) Kellen it by moving in the pocket and finding your 2nd 3rd 4th read open down field?
No matte how good you are, if you do enough of C, you’ll be doing it from the bench.
He who takes care of the football while moving the chains the best will be our next starting QB!!
Who will it be? I don’t currently have a clue. Come on Spring BALL!!!
Any possibility there going to be a player draft this year?
I know they haven’t done it for a couple of years but I always thought that was cool, plus it would avoid having to select any QB to be the “starter.”
I like where your heads at
We won’t know anything until a week or two before the scrimmage. Maybe Pete will do just that to make sure the media doesn’t get too crazy about who starts and who doesn’t. Caves and Prater would get it (maybe). Andrea Adelson? Not so much.
I will get eggs thrown at me
but I have watched Southwick over the last couple of seasons and I have seen plenty of 3 and out plays, fumbles, interceptions, etc. but very little scoring overall and there have been plenty of games where he has been in for most of the second half. The thing is that I don’t buy the idea that he was simply out there to eat up the clock and fill in. It truly looks as if he was trying to make things happen but more often than not he couldn’t. I think Southwick has talent but his ability to react well under pressure and read defenses is seriously lacking. He also seems to struggle with getting in sync with his receivers. To his credit Southwick has gotten better this year, but I still think he has a long way to go when it comes to being able to read things. Hedrick definitely needs to work on his passing but that guy is definitely the best for the option that I have seen, he seems to be able to create at least positive yardage on his feet even in disaster situations. Southwick can also move on his feet, but IMHO not as well. Hedrick has a lot of learning to do though. Laughrea (sp?) I haven’t seen so I haven’t a clue. Patti IMHO has shown the most promise in terms of being able to read plays like Kellen and make things happen, however he hasn’t had any college level experience so that is a big “if” for him. If he can translate his skills and play at a higher level I think he could out do all of the other QBs. We shall have to see though.
I hate to burst everyone's bubble
but Patti will not be our starting QB this season. He’s a true freshman. I’ve never seen a true freshman QB start at any school. I know he came here a semester early and he shows a lot of promise and it’s worrisome that if another player starts it could be a couple of years before we see him play. I get it. But I guarantee that there is no way the coaches will have enough faith in a player as young as he is to let him start in East Lansing against a rabid fan base just ready to prove that the BIG 10(11,12) can bring down the usurper. It’s just not going to happen.
by daddy18 on Feb 20, 2012 11:09 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed; no true frosh will ever start at QB. In fact, Kellen is the ONLY frosh to do so.
On offense, the only positions I could imagine a frosh starting are RB and WR. No way at WR here; doubtful a frosh even plays (if a Troy Ware gets r-shirted, hard to see anyone else doing it; Kirby was an exception, then he RS’d). RB might play; Fields is big and might get some snaps to prepare him should DJ or Ajayi get hurt (both have ACL’s, DJ 2).
tvmunson
I agree with what you're saying...
But you have seen a true freshman QB start at another school if you watched the Wyoming game this year.
Brett Smith had a pretty incredible year all things considered. Check this link for a rundown of the last couple of years true frosh quarterbacks (written before last season)…
Some big names who’ve also done it..
Matt Barkley, USC
Brady Quinn, UND
Jimmy Clausen, UND
I don’t believe Patti will start and don’t think he should, but if he does, I think he would be successful.
by ce'sped azul on Feb 21, 2012 7:31 AM PST up reply actions
Starting and winning half your games at Wyoming
isn’t much of a guide. Their program is a joke, and only losing half their games with a young QB isn’t the same as taking over for Kellen.
All of the examples you gave got hammered as freshmen, had zero talent on the team at QB, and I think may even have had new coaches. Lots of desperation for those programs to start a true frosh. If Patti is that good, I can still see the reasoning to RS and then start all 4 years.
I am also completely on board with whomever coach Pete tells me is the starter.
by ElPepeGrande on Feb 21, 2012 4:43 PM PST up reply actions
The newest toy is always the favorite.....
Nick Patti has the potential to be good, but I just can’t see him being named the guy this early.
Joe Southwick can be a really good QB, and I suspect he’ll start. Once he graduates, Cooper Bateman will be ready to step in as a RS-Freshman. ;)
"Boise State has a strong history of getting people nobody knows about to play to a standard that nobody can forget about"
My dough says South takes the opening spring snap, but real fight is in fall.
What will forever stick in my mind is ‘08, where Coach Pete really made look like a dog fight between Kellen and Hamdan.
As we later learned, it was (pretty much) already settled. Be ready for anything. I just don’t know if Hedrick has the arm or the eye to overtake South; if he did, where were they last year?
tvmunson
Patti
Do not be shocked if Mr. Patti becomes the QB in fall – his play and style is a lot like KM
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2012 Boise State Football Schedule
@ Michigan State  |
Fri 08/31 | 6:00 p.m. MT |
| Miami (OH) | Sat 09/15 | 2:00 p.m. MT |
| BYU |
Thu 09/20 | TBA |
| @ New Mexico | Sat 09/29 | TBA |
| @ Southern Miss | Sat 10/06 | TBA |
| Fresno State | Sat 10/13 | 1:30 p.m. MT |
| UNLV | Sat 10/20 | 1:30 p.m. MT |
| @ Wyoming |
Sat 10/27 | 1:30 p.m. MT |
| San Diego State | Sat 11/03 | 8:30 p.m. MT |
| @ Hawaii | Sat 11/10 | 5:00 p.m. MT |
| Colorado St. | Sat 11/17 | 1:30 p.m. MT |
| @ Nevada | Sat 12/1 | TBA |
