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Wednesday Weekly…January 15, 2025.

“When we address things, they can fix ‘em,” said Boise State coach Leon Rice off the top of the KBOI postgame show. The defense got fixed Tuesday night, and the Broncos blew out Wyoming 96-55 in ExtraMile Arena. “It was a great bounce-back,” Rice added after his team had allowed 80 percent second-half shooting at Utah State last Saturday. Wyoming managed just 35 percent in this game. Boise State would not let the Cowboys pierce the paint and constantly worked them deep into the shot clock. The frustrated Pokes were outrebounded by 11 and were victimized by seven steals, four of them from point guard Alvaro Cardenas. 

But that’s not to say the offense was mailing it in. The Broncos shot over 58 percent from the field and went 13-for-26 from three-point range. The newly-shorn Andrew Meadow put up 18 points, Cardenas had 14 along with another eight assists, and Julian Bowie came off the bench to score 16 and drain five three-pointers, including one at the buzzer to end the first half. Then there was Tyson Degenhart, who played only 17 minutes, half of what he’s accustomed to. Degenhart still scored 14 points. Ten players saw double-digit minutes, and even walk-on Brennan Ramirez played the final minute. You’d think this team will be fresh and rejuvenated for its next supreme test—Friday night against New Mexico in The Pit. (Bulletin: the Lobos lost 71-70 Tuesday night at San Jose State.)

‘D’ WAS THE MISSING LINK IN LOGAN

At Utah State last Saturday, it was a recipe for an upset. Boise State, which had been pretty much dead in the water from three-point range going into the game, hit 14 of them. The Broncos shot 53 percent overall, outrebounded the Aggies by six and built a 13-point lead a little more than two minutes past halftime in the deafening sold-out Spectrum. But Utah State shot 80 percent in the second half, including the five-bounce three-pointer that won the game 81-79. In postgame interviews, Rice would not use the Aggies’ red-hot hand as an excuse, instead bemoaning his team’s defensive effort. “Our defense has to get a lot better,” said Rice. And that was the table-setter for Tuesday night’s conquest of Wyoming.

IS HE MORE KURT RAMBIS NOW?

One of the revelations for Boise State men’s hoops this season has been Meadow. And now Meadow’s not a Hanson brother from “Slap Shot” anymore. We had been tipped off on the pregame show with Bob Behler and Abe Jackson at Utah State that Meadow had cut off his locks. But when the game started, I still had to do a double-take to figure out who No. 13 was. “It was cool to see all their reactions,” said Meadow of his teammates. “It was to break my own superstition that I needed the long hair.” Well, has it taken away his super power? No. Meadow was on his average against the Aggies, scoring 12 points and connecting on two three-pointers—and getting bonus points for doing that in the Spectrum, the most difficult place to play in the Mountain West. And he led the Broncos in scoring Tuesday night.

ZAK IS PART OF THE ATTACK AGAIN

The Boise State football staff has had success with guys who have been here before. Up next is Zak Hill, who was offensive coordinator at Boise State from 2016-19 and has now returned to the Broncos as quarterbacks coach. Hill did a good job with Brett Rypien, and you could argue that Hank Bachmeier was never better than during his freshman year in 2019. Hill has bounced back from some dark days at Arizona State, a place he left after the 2021 season amid an investigation of the ASU staff regarding recruiting violations during the NCAA-mandated COVID-19 dead period. Hill was an offensive assistant with the Seattle Seahawks this season. Also, Boise State offensive line coach Tim Keane has added the title of run game coordinator. Next season will mark Keane’s fifth on the Broncos staff—it’s been a solid run.

A COMMITTEE TO CONVENE

It’s looking like Boise State will be replacing Ashton Jeanty by committee next season. The Broncos just about have enough running backs to fill a conference table. I’d still give Sire Gaines the best odds of being RB1. Gaines was thrown into the fire in the opener at Georgia Southern and rushed for 110 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown run. And then he caught a TD pass from Maddux Madsen. Gaines, however, was injured in Game 3, not to be seen again. You also have former Fresno State starter Malik Sherrod, who caused Boise State some grief in 2023, Breezy Dubar, who was nicked up virtually all season, and Dylan Riley, who has the potential to be electric (witness his 64-yard TD run against Portland State).

WAITING ON THE WIDEOUT SITUATION

Speaking of “committee,” that’s the way the wide receivers room is shaping up. Cam Camper was the season’s head-and-shoulders leader with his 58 catches, and Boise State is waiting on his decision regarding 2025. Coach Spencer Danielson says Camper is still working through his options. Camper could return based on the NCAA’s one-year eligibility ruling for former junior college players, but there’s some uncertainty since this would be his sixth year. Beyond that, it’s a jumble. The Broncos lost Prince Strachan to USC, but they have Latrell Caples, Austin Bolt and Chase Penry back, and they’re at the same level. Cam Bates is primed to take a big leap, and Eagle’s Ben Ford waits in the wings after making a catch at the Fiesta Bowl. Boise State also has four three-star receivers joining the program this year.

TERMS OF ENDEARMENT

Despite the fact that the transfer portal window is closed—and Boise State lost only one frontline player to it—there is some comfort in seeing several players officially announce they’re returning. Maddux Madsen did it with an “I love Boise” tweet. Cornerback A’Marion McCoy posted, too. But perhaps the biggest declaration came from left tackle Kage Casey, who could have entertained thoughts of declaring for the NFL Draft. Casey gave it a “let’s run it back!” on Instagram after being named first-team All-Mountain West and a second-team All-American. This team will have something unusual in college football this fall: familiar names.

KELLEN TRIES TO CONCENTRATE

The Kellen Moore NFL dynamic in the may or may not be changing in Dallas. The Cowboys and coach Mike McCarthy have mutually parted ways (or so they say). Moore’s name is in the conversation—where on the list will he be in relation to Deion Sanders? After all, Kellen and the Cowboys also “mutually parted ways” two years ago after his offensive coordinator stint in Big D, and a certain segment of that fan base will go ballistic is he gets the job instead of Coach Prime. But after one thankless season with the L.A. Chargers, Moore’s star has risen again in Philadelphia, where he’s been a steadying force on a one-time dysfunctional staff (the Eagles host the L.A. Rams in the NFL Playoffs on Sunday). And there’s intrigue today, as we’ll find out if Moore is a new College Football Hall of Famer.

STEELIES TRY TO MAINTAIN

Fortunately, the Idaho Steelheads notched a thrilling 5-4 win over Florida last Friday, because the other two games in the series did not go well at Idaho Central Arena. The good news: Brendan Hoffman scored twice in the one victory, with the second goal coming in the final minute to win it. The bad news: the Everblades, one of the ECHL’s elite teams under former Steelheads coach Brad Ralph, won the other two games 4-0 and 6-1. The Steelies now face three games in three days this week—Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Tulsa.

BLAINE ROLLS OUT WAVES OF YOTES 

Coach Colby Blaine is spreading out his minutes as wide as ever at College of Idaho. There are 10 Coyotes averaging at least 13 minutes per game—Samaje Morgan gets the most, a modest 24.4 per game. That allows this team to stay fresh and wear out opponents. It happened again Tuesday night as the Yotes blasted Eastern Oregon 89-61 in Caldwell on the heels of road routs of Northwest University and Evergreen State last weekend. C of I has two more coming up in the J.A. Albertson Activities Center—Friday against Multnomah and Saturday versus Warner Pacific.

This Day In Sports…brought to you by WESTERN HEATING & AIR…the experts you can trust!

January 15, 2017: Justin Thomas cards the lowest 72-hole score in PGA Tour history when he comes in at 253, 27-under par, to win the Sony Open in Hawaii by seven strokes. The third-year pro’s week started with a first-round 59 and ended with a two-putt birdie from 60 feet on the 18^th. Tommy Armour held the previous record with a four-round score of 254 at the 2003 Texas Open. It was the second tournament win in a row for Thomas, moving him into the top 10 in world rankings.

(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK. He also served as color commentator on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football for 14 seasons.)

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