Blue-Orange Game Set for Saturday at 5

Of course the real "moment of truth" will be this fall, but in a way, it will be Saturday for the Boise State football team.  The Broncos will be on display for all to see how what they have learned in spring ball.

There have been several things to look for:

1.  Who is going to step up at receiver?  Tyler Shoemaker is the most seasoned, but you can't beat Georgia (or TCU, or Fresno State, or Air Force, or Nevada.....). with one receiver
2.  Has the defense conditioned itself so they can play four full quarters against a quality opponent without getting tired, ala the Nevada game?
3.  Will the Broncos have a kicker they can rely on to make the clutch field goal for them?
4.  Who will step up at safety to replace Jeron Johnson?

Boise State lost several players and a lot of talent off the team that lost a game last year, but we know that the Broncos reload each year and new players become stars before our eyes.  To be honest, there isn't a lot of improving that has to be done, but the four areas mentioned above must be taken care of for Boise State to dream of a game in January.

It will be an exciting year, if for no other reason because Boise State is entering a new conference, the Mountain West, with a new group of conference rivals and a new set of challenges.  The quality level goes up considerably week to week.  I always felt that the top part of the Western Athletic Conference could compete with most teams, but it was #4-#9 where it was suspect and fell behind the Mountain West and the "BCS" conferences.  That isn't to say the games were easy--Boise State could always count on getting another team's best effort, and that was something most outsiders could never understand.  But now, you not only get an opponent's best shot, but you get opponents that are solid top to bottom in the Mountain West. 

So Saturday, fans will get to see the "new Broncos", without Titus Young and Austin Pettis, without Jeron Johnson, Winston Venable and the rest of the talented senior class that surpassed all others before them.  That said, the Blue & Orange Game is nothing more than a glorified scrimmage.  Still, to the finely tuned Bronco fan's eyes, there will be enough action to be able to answer the questions posed above either affirmatively or negatively.

The "Game" starts at 5 p.m. Saturday in Bronco Stadium.  It will be most interesting to see how this new group of Broncos is progressing.