Okay,  we are in the swing of things now.  No more waiting two weeks for games, and we are finally on our own turf.  It should be a good one for the home team.  Lets get right to it.

Offensively, we can expect to come out and finish drives this week.  Tulsa is running a 4-3 cover 2 defense.  This will open things up in the passing game for us.  Once again, expect us to be very balanced early on with our play calling selection.  But eventually we will give way to the passing game.  This isnt to say that we wont run the ball effectively, quite the opposite, but we what is better, 8 yards a carry or 20 yards a reception?  For those that arent exactly sure what I am talking about, picture four defensive lineman, three linebackers, two corner backs and two safeties.  The vulnerable parts or the zone are the areas up the sideline between the corner and safeties, the areas behind the line backers and in front of the safeties, and the run game may force the eight defender to come in.  For those of us that remember the field day the Kellen &Co had last year against Hawaii..... that was against a 4-3 cover 2.  Look for Coach Pease to abuse the Tulsa defense over the middle of the field.  Tyler Shoemaker, Matt Miller, and our TE's should be busy all day over the middle.  Mix in Mitch Burroughs on the outside and deep, Potter on the out routes, and a few screens to Doug Martin, our offense should net huge yardage.

 

Boise Offensive Keys

Boise must pass the ball for over 320 yards and 3 touchdowns.  Yes this is a low figure.... I think we will see in reality 430 yards of passing and 130 yards of rushing, but this is to win the game, not to put it out of hand. 

 

Shoemaker goes over 100 yards receiving this game. Somehow someway he manages to get open over the middle of the field, and it is my opinion that is why the coaches didn't sell him out to be an outside receiver.  

 

Score 31 points or better.  If we put up 31 points on our home field, then, our crowd and defense should be able to keep Tulsa with 30 points or less.  

 

Boise Defensive Keys

4 sacks.  The defensive line must get pressure, especially on a young quarterback.  Our line wasn't as imposing  against Toledo as they were against UGA.  The defense will bounce back this week.  

 

Limit Tulsa's young quarterback Kalen Henderson's big plays.  He is young, but he runs well.  It scares me that a young quarterback who is athletic, who can run well, who we have little film on is coming to Boise.  Sound familiar?  Keep Henderson to 20 yards rushing and hold his arm to 180 yards passing.  

 

Force 3 turnovers.  Henderson has three interceptions versus two touchdowns.  We are expected to win this turnover battle.  Last year we dropped alot of interceptions and couldn't pick up loose fumbles.  This year the name of the game is force those turnovers and win the turnover battle. 

 

Tulsa Offensive Keys

Do not turn the ball over.  Lets face it, without G.J  Kinne and Damaris Johnson they lose their two biggest offensive weapons.  They must play flawless ball. 

 

400 yards of total offense.  Either way you chalk it up, they have to get yardage, through the air or ground, they must move the ball early and often.  Their offense with Kinne was a pass happy offense but with the inception of the young, mobile Henderson they will be a run heavy team.  Look for the spread/read/ option to be the bread and butter.  They will try to find short yardage passes to help take pressure off Henderson.  We should press the receivers and give safety help. 

 

Tulsa Defensive Keys

Pick off Kellen Moore twice.  He is human, we know that.  But in order to limit him from doing considerable damage they must find a way to come up big in the secondary. 

 

Sack Kellen Moore 3 times. Either way you chalk it up... pressure from the linebackers, or "coverage sacks" somehow Kellen must eat dirt if Tulsa wants a chance. 

 

Score on a turnover.  Fumble scoop and score, or a pick 6. 

 

Tulsa must play flawless.  Plain and simple.  With Kinne and Johnson playing, and a healthy defense, this would be a pretty good game, but they are not, and it may get a bit out of hand.  After last week, I hope we dont see the game come down to a field goal.  Southwick must get the dang laces out, but we need to get a stinking extra point. 

 

On a side not, part of me wants to write a strongly worded letter to ESPN demanding that Joe Tessitore be sent back to the Boxing commentary where he belongs.  Why are these the only guys that ESPN sends to work the Friday night games?  And are these guys really the top tier commentating in the Nation.?  They rag on Kellen Moore for throwing to a "spot" on the field and how that can be a bad thing at time.  I played quarterback during my "glory days" (wink wink) and 80 percent of the time a quarterback passes he is throwing the ball to a spot.  Think about this folks, if a receiver is in motion, flight, or whatever you want to call it, you must lead him.  You cannot throw to the spot where he is at the time of the release of the ball, you must lead him depending the length of the route and how far down field he may be.  This is football 101, this is middle school stuff.  Even Coach Stallone mentioned this in his Coaching 101 book.  Only when a receiver runs a "hitch" or a "stop route"  or when the quarterback is flushed from the pocket and the receiver can shield the defender with his back can he remain stationary and still be passed to.  Tessitore and Gilmore are buffoons.  All they can talk about is Kellen being a coaches son and the loss to the Nevada.  Give me the damn headset and I can make it sound more appealing.  I will be the first person to say that I didn't play college football and I don't understand the more complicated offensive and defensive schemes but I understand the stuff I learned in middle school and I don't sound like a giant moron each time Boise takes the field.  

 

Final prediction, 41-0 Boise