Boise State Football: Week 3 Spring Practice Stock Report

Boise State football is in its third week of spring practice after taking some time off for spring break. This is the first time the team has scheduled practice in this way, and from head coach Chris Petersen's reaction this week, it may be the last time as well. 

Overall, there are no big surprises from camp thus far. However, position battles are heating up and there is some injury news.

With all of that in mind, let's take a look at the Broncos' latest news and player reports to see who is getting the job done.

The spring break practice plan seems to be spring broken.

BJ Rains of the Idaho Press-Tribune reported that head coach Chris Petersen is not happy at all after his team returned from their week off for spring break.

In the article Petersen is quoted as saying:

It was average at best. We’ll have to maybe rethink our spring break plan in terms of whether we take spring break in the middle. We tried to give them a day off before we got back, and again it wasn’t terrible, but it was average and that’s not what we’re trying to get done at practice, being average.

 

Coach Petersen doesn't seem to mind trying new things. However, he also isn't shy about tossing things overboard if they way his team down or hinder the players progress.

Spring break during spring practice next season? Not likely.

So it doesn't really have anything to do with spring practice, but it was announced this week that Boise State has already gotten a strong verbal commitment from a quarterback out Serra High School in Gardena, Calif.

Jalen Greene has put a fairly confident stamp on his commitment as well, and if Coach Petersen sticks to his normal plan, Greene will be the only 2014 quarterback offered a scholarship.

Green was quoted in an Idaho Statesman article written by Chadd Cripe as saying:

I just felt that Boise was the place that I wanted to be, there's no reason to be waiting.

 

Green is quite an athlete and, at a reported 6'3", 194 pounds, he is quite the sight, moving like he does on the field. He can throw the deep ball with accuracy, but he isn't afraid to scramble. When he does run, he has excellent field awareness, speed and some very nice moves.

Boise State fans should be excited about Greene.

Local player D.J. Dean is out for the season with an ACL injury. Dean, out of Eagle High School in Eagle, Idaho, is a wide receiver with a fair amount of talent.

Dean grayshirted last year, and with the injury will have to redshirt this season.

This has to be absolutely heartbreaking for Dean. However, he seems to be the kind of person who can bounce back and work hard to get back on the field.

Another D.J. showed that a player can bounce back from this kind of injury. D.J. Harper had to do it twice for the Broncos, and his example should do nothing but inspire Dean.

Boise State welcomed back football coaches from Hosei University in Tokyo, Japan this week.

The two schools have developed a relationship over the years, even to the point of allowing the Japanese school to install patented blue turf on their playing field.

Coaches from Hosei have been showing up to spring practice on a regular basis, and they are always welcomed by Coach Petersen and his staff.

An Idaho Press-Tribune article quotes Petersen as saying:

They always give me a CD and they usually play in the championship game, and I don’t know how many people were at that game but it looked like 50,000 people, I’m not sure. The thing that is interesting is they look much different than they did a few years ago. They are continually evolving and they stay up with the times.

 

Boise State has been in the business of spreading its brand. The partnership with Hosei University certainly does that.

Last season the quarterback competition dominated the headlines. However, this season, most people realize that it is Joe Southwick's job to lose.

From what he has been doing this spring that doesn't seem likely.

Southwick continues to look like a leader, and although competition in spring camp is fierce, no one seems to be standing out as one who could out pace Joe.

Look for Joe Southwick to have a solid spring game and build confidence going into the fall.

Geraldo Boldewijn will play his senior season in 2013. His stock is up, if, for no other reason, it seems like he will actually get to play the first game of the season.

Most Bronco fans know that he has had a few issues with host family gifts and subsequent suspensions.

In 2013 it looks like he will get to play the full season, and that bodes well for him and the Broncos.

Boldewijn is looking good this spring, and he should be a solid contributor this fall. With Joe Southwick having a year behind him, look for the passing attack to step it up quite a bit.

Coach Petersen is quoted in an Idaho Statesman article as saying that he thinks Geraldo "is going to have a tremendous year."

For a coach that doesn't just throw around compliments like that, you have to believe Boldewijn is doing the right things this spring.

The Broncos have some very good receivers in Matt Miller and Kirby Moore, but players like Boldewijn should make the passing attack of the Broncos very dangerous.

Gabe Linehan is back this spring, and Boise State fans have to be happy.

Linehan, when healthy is an exceptional player. He had a really ugly injury last fall, but his recovery seems to be right on schedule.

According to the Idaho Statesman, Linehan is only participating in individual drills in spring camp.

However, he should be ready to go in full force by the fall, and he is even trying to be ready for the spring game.

A guy who Boise State fans already love is Shane Williams-Rhodes.

He hit The Blue with a splash last season, and it looks like he intends to make bigger waves in 2013.

Coach Chris Petersen is high on this guy as well, and in the Idaho Statesman he is quoted as saying:

Spring is really big for him to kind of test the waters there. But I know we need him to do more. I know we need to get him the ball more and we need to be creative in doing those things because we know when we get the ball in his hands in space he’s pretty electrifying.

 

Petersen goes on to say that he sees Williams-Rhodes as "being a real big part of scoring points. The stage is set for him to do some good things."