Game Week: Boise - Wednesday News

Jason Kaneshiro writes about the scout team's role simulating Boise this week.

"(The Broncos) have different personnel groups and they come in and shift and they're just flying full speed. Our scout team has to simulate that for us," UH associate head coach Rich Miano said. "They're always valuable, but this is a week where they've got to be really quick and focused and give us the best picture they can."

Kaneshiro highlights the contributions of the backups this season.

Safety Desmond Thomas came up with a fumble recovery and an interception last Saturday. Defensive end C.J. Allen-Jones saw more action in relief of David Veikune in the last two games and came up with two tackles for losses, including his first career sack, against LaTech.

"Desmond has been a starter for us and C.J. is quick as a cat," McMackin said. "And now that we have (defensive end Francis) Maka it gives us more depth."

Stephen Tsai has some injury updates, writing that Rocky Savaiigaea may need surgery.

Savaiigaea is resigned to undergoing season-ending surgery.

"I'll find out, guaranteed" after today's examination, he said.

"I'm disappointed, but I didn't get my hopes too high," Savaiigaea said. "This was the week I wanted to come back. This was Boise. Every game is important, and we treat every game like a championship, but Boise is the top of the tops."

Tsai writes that Tyler Graunke and Blaze Soares also will not play on Friday due to injury, and talks to Fale Laeli about dealing with his nagging injuries.

Kaneshiro has some notes, including news that Laupepa Letuli practiced at left guard.

Here's a game preview from Island Sports Media.

Another game preview from the Sports Network. UH's third down conversion rate will be key:

As has been the case in recent years, while the Boise State offense tends to get all of the attention, it is the defense that keeps the program going strong. Against Southern Miss the unit held the home team to just 5-of-15 on third down and did not allow the Golden Eagles to convert one of their four fourth-down plays.

Dustin Lapray of the Times-News Magicvalley.com writes that Boise wants it bad.

"It's kind of weird that everyone's saying the WAC champs are coming to our house, because we're so used to being the WAC champs," Kyle Gingg said. "It kind of pisses me off - yeah, we're ready to go. We want to take it back."

That mantra of "Take back the WAC" has been so central for this emerging, new, undefeated team - it was screen printed in white on the black fall camp T-shirts. Winning the WAC is a major goal, and beating Hawaii Friday night at Bronco Stadium would be a huge step to achieving it.

"They're the defending WAC champs," Jeremy Childs said. "Obviously we respect them. Last year was an unfortunate situation. I just felt that they wanted the game better than us. I cried after the game. I'm a very emotional person. I'm just ready to get after this and give it to them Friday."

Boise State running back Ian Johnson has a bold prediction.

"A lot of the linemen, the funny guys on the team, say I do my best on nationally televised games," Johnson said. "... We'll see if I can go out and bust a 200-yard game and prove them right."

Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman has another quote from Ian Johnson.

“We’re not going to let these guys come into our house and keep us from getting another WAC championship,” senior tailback Ian Johnson said. “Right now, those guys are the reigning WAC champs. We want to show them that the new WAC champs are back.”

Cripe also has a few quotes from Inoke Funaki.

Dave Southorn of the BoiseStateFans.com blog writes about the burgeoning rivalry between Boise and UH.

"They're a big rival for us now," defensive end Mike T. Williams said. "This game is an opportunity for a little payback, I guess. We want to show we weren't too happy giving up that WAC title."

The rivalry is mutual.

"You expect a good game every year, so it makes sense that people consider it a rivalry," Hawaii QB Inoke Funaki said.

Tom Scott of KTVB.com has a bunch of news and notes, including more about Boise wanting to "take back the WAC".

I heard Chris Petersen refer to this three times in 18 hours Sunday night and Monday--in the KTVB studios, in his press conference, and at the Bronco Athletic Association luncheon. He was talking about Boise State's 39-27 loss at Aloha Stadium last Thanksgiving weekend. "There was more energy and passion in that stadium in Hawaii than I've seen in a long time, and we'd like to repay the favor."

And finally, if the poetry throwdown wasn't enough, Kevan of the aforementioned and slanderous OBNUG blog offered, and we accepted, a rival blog bet. Basically if Boise wins, OBNUG has one post on this blog to write anything they want. If Hawaii wins, I can post anything I want over on OBNUG. So if the Broncos happen to win, let's hope Kevan is gracious in victory. If Hawaii wins, let's hope they can take the gloating, swear words, insults, and compromising pictures of Papa Smurf. In any case, it's gonna be an awesome game!