Boise Notes, Mana Silva, Injuries

HawaiiAthletics.com has game info and notes for this week's UH-Boise matchup. I wish I had a 3D TV.

Also televised live on ESPN 3D with Tim Brown (color), Ray Bently (sidelines), and TBA (play-by-play).

Tell us how it looks if you do.

HawaiiAthletics.com also has quotes from Greg McMackin's weekly press conference. The Idaho Statesman has video of Boise State coach Chris Petersen's press conference. Opposing coaches usually praise the team they're going to play, and it's often a put-on, but Petersen has a lot of great things to say about UH. BTW, the camera operator needs to invest in lens cleaner.

Stephen Tsai profiles WAC Defensive Player of the Week Mana Silva.

Silva has drawn interest from pro scouts because of his playmaking skills.

More important than the interceptions, Silva is second on the team with 56 tackles, including 33 solo stops.

"Coach Miano emphasized being more of a physical safety," Silva said. "In the beginning of the season, Coach Miano said (the defensive backs) were as soft as butter. We've been trying to show we're tougher."

Tsai also has a lot of injury updates on Kainoa LaCount, Laupepa Letuli, George Daily-Lyles, Brett Leonard, Kealoha Pilares and Spencer Smith:

Hawaii strong safety Spencer Smith has received medical clearance, and is expected to play in Saturday's football road game against second-ranked Boise State, according to UH head coach Greg McMackin.

The AP has Boise State injury news, mainly about kicker Kyle Brotzman.

Brotzman, the nation's active career leader for total points (389) and Lou Groza semifinalist, is nursing a sore kicking leg and has been on rest and rehabilitation duty for nearly three weeks.

Petersen even acknowledged that not having Brotzman or much confidence right now in his backups could alter the way the Broncos handle fourth downs against the streaking, high-scoring Warriors (7-2, 5-0).

Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman has a heartwarming story about Boise State's new coach.

Boise State football coach Chris Petersen and the Broncos granted the wish of 12-year-old Stephen Kinsey of San Antonio, Texas, who is battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
His request: To be a coach for a day with Petersen.

He’ll spend part of Friday with the Broncos and watch Saturday’s game — a critical contest for Boise State — from the sideline with his dad, Bryan. The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Idaho arranged the details.

And if you ordered Oceanic PPV, but don't have ESPNU, you may not be able to see the game. Ferd Lewis writes:

Approximately 1,000 home subscribers and some commercial establishments could be without the University of Hawaii-Boise State football game Saturday unless ESPN and Oceanic Time Warner Cable are able to reach agreement soon on a simulcast.

But Santos said ESPN has so far "not agreed" to permit a simulcast. Santos and UH officials said Oceanic's parent company, Time Warner, and UH associate athletic director John McNamara are continuing to press the issue "up the ladder" in hopes of getting a waiver.