Boise State Football

Boise State could have to change its look in the future if the NCAA gets its way.

Brian Murphy of the Idaho Statesman reports that the team will no longer be able to wear its all blue uniforms at home on the blue turf of Bronco Stadium. He states:

The NCAA Football Rules Committee proposed several rules changes on Wednesday, including this one: To require teams to have either their jersey or pants contrast in color to the playing field.

The proposed rule change must be adopted by the Playing Rules Oversight Panel. The panel meets March 6 and typically approves the recommendations of the Football Rules Committee.

Opposing teams have seen this as an advantage for the home team, as the players blend into the scenery.

The Broncos were not allowed to wear the all-blue uniforms in Mountain West conference games in recent years. However, Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesmen reported last year that this role was as a response to the team leaving the league to go to the Big East.

Boise State has since decided to avoid the move and will stay in the Mountain West (via Brett McMurphy of ESPN).

Still, it appears that the issue is no longer in the hands of the conference. The NCAA is not necessarily singling out the Broncos, but it is something that directly applies to this program.

Boise State has received a lot of national attention over the past decade due to its great play on the field. The team has won at least 10 games in seven straight seasons and has two Fiesta Bowl victories in that span.

This new-found fame also brought into light possible negatives, like the stadium turf not properly clashing with uniforms.

While this is not the worst problem to deal with, it will certainly disappoint many followers of the program.

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With national signing day behind us, fans will now look forward to the spring practices to assess how well their team may do in the fall.

Although teams can’t win a national title in the 15 days of practice allotted, the intensity of the workouts and the information gleaned from those sessions can go a long way in determining who has a leg up once the regular season starts in late August.

In Boise, Chris Petersen will have the luxury of having a lot of pieces back at the offensive skill positions, but the coaching staff will have work to do evaluating some other areas.

Let’s take a look at four main weaknesses that the Boise State coaching staff will have to address during spring practice. Note that the factors that went into the final decisions for this list include the perceived strength of the unit, the experience of the unit and how quickly the unit will need to gel with each other.

Cornerback

Thanks to a strong recruiting effort at the position, the Broncos could have picked up their next two starters at corner in Mercy Maston and Cleshawn Page. However, even if Maston and Page do end up becoming the starters, there is still work to be done during spring practice.

Because both Maston and Page are new with the program, it will take some time for the pair to learn Boise State’s nickel package, in which an extra defensive back is applied to the defensive set.

In addition, there is no guarantee that either player will end up starting for the Broncos. Ebo Makinde, Donte Deayon and Deon’tae Florence will also be fighting for a starting spot in 2013, with Deayon having the most upside of the trio.

Cornerback is not a position that Boise State will be weak at all season, more than likely. But heading into the spring practices, it is definitely an area where the coaching staff needs to make some decisions.

Running Back

The argument that running back is an area of weakness for the Broncos is actually a difficult one to make.

Although D.J. Harper is no longer with the program, Boise State has a very capable man to fill the void in Jay Ajayi. The redshirt sophomore was second on the team in rushing in 2012 with 548 yards, and even managed to best Harper in yards per attempt (6.7 to 5.0).

Ajayi could be pushed in both the spring and summer practices by incoming freshman Aaron Baltazar, one of the prized pickups from the 2013 signing class. Baltazar is quick and agile, and will probably see some time on the field this coming season even if he isn’t the starter.

Thus, running back isn’t as much a weakness as it is an area where the coaching staff needs to evaluate who will be more effective in the starter’s role. However, if no decision is made in a timely manner, then it could become a bigger issue down the road.

Having two running backs that can get the job done is never a problem. But it is in the Broncos’ best interest to have pegged a starter by the beginning of the season, especially since Petersen likes to get things going with the ground game.

Offensive Line

Three players from the 2012 offensive line are gone. Three players with lots of experience, including first-team All-MWC center Matt Paradis and second-team All-MWC tackle Charles Leno Jr., return.

This is not a unit that will have problems all season. In fact, thanks to the leadership of guys like Paradis and Leno, the offensive line may not experience many issues at all. But there is the danger that it could take some time for the new starters to gel with the returning starters, making this an area of concern for Coach Petersen.

Spring practice is the best time to work out some of the kinks. Although nothing can replace actual game experience, the time that this group spends with each other during the spring will be invaluable to Boise State’s success as a whole.

The responsibility of getting the running game going rests on these men’s shoulders. So does allowing Joe Southwick time to find his receivers.

Put simply, this is the unit that will have the biggest impact on the offense’s ability to move the football. Whether it is a minor or a major weakness (and admittedly, it probably leans closer towards “minor”), the coaching staff will want to have the offensive line in sync by the summer.

Kicking Game

There is no area that has plagued the Broncos more in the past three seasons than in the kicking game. With uncertainty as to who will be the starting placekicker next season, this is again a weakness that needs to be addressed as quickly as possible.

Boise State made a good move by signing JUCO freshman Tyler Rausa in the most recent recruiting class, and there is hope that Rausa could provide the stability that the Broncos have lacked in the kicking game over the past few seasons.

At the same time, it is difficult to place all your eggs in one basket. Especially considering that the basket hasn’t even played one game on the blue turf yet.

Rausa will battle for the starting kicking job with redshirt junior Dan Goodale, who lost his job this past season after starting for the Broncos in 2011.

It is hard to feel confident that you have smoothed out any issues in the kicking game during spring practice, due to the nature of the job. A team can’t truly be sure how strong they are at the position until their starter has made some high-pressure kicks in a game situation.

However, this is an area that the Broncos will need to keep a close eye on during the spring. If they’ve learned anything the past few years, it is that the difference between a potential national title bid and a return trip to Las Vegas is as little as three points.

Overall

The Broncos aren’t in bad position heading into the 2013 season. The offensive skill positions appear to be pretty solid, and the defense has players ready to take the starting spots from departed seniors.

Clearly, some of the areas that have been dubbed “weaknesses” in this article are simply areas where there are some things that could be smoothed out before summer workouts.

Boise State looks better than they were at this point last season. There is the potential that this team could be very scary heading into its season opener against Washington.

Thus, fans should be more excited than scared about what kind of reports will come from the 15 spring practices.

National signing day has come and gone, and now pundits are left to assess the damage and predict how well schools will do with their new tools in the future.

Not an easy job, to be sure.

Out west, Boise State managed to make it through the day without much hoopla surrounding either itself or its newly signed athletes. The Broncos ended up with the No. 62 overall signing class, according to the team rankings from Rivals.com, reeling in 12 three-star athletes.

Although Boise State was relatively quiet on February 6, there were still good and bad elements to the school’s overall effort.

Let’s take a look at some of those areas.

The Good: Linebackers

Most of the linebackers signed to the class of 2013 won’t see much time on the blue turf for the Broncos this coming season, but their services will be greatly appreciated in years to come.

Boise State has some solid future parts in linebackers Joey Martarano, Tanner Vallejo, Gabe Perez and Durrant Miles. All four young men stayed true to their original verbal commitments to sign with the Broncos and could be making an impact together for the defense someday.

It remains to be seen whether Martarano, a likely first-round draft pick in this year’s MLB draft, will stick around Boise to put on the pads in the fall. Obviously, losing him would be a blow to what is currently a very good stock of young players at the position.

But even if Martarano does opt to play baseball instead, 2013 could be remembered for the pickups at linebacker as much as any other position in a few years. All four players have the physical tools to become starters at Boise State.

The Bad: Offensive Line

Yes, signing Andrew Tercek was huge for the Broncos, as he was one of the most talented and highly rated recruits that Boise State had gotten a verbal commitment from prior to national signing day. But other than Tercek, the Broncos only picked up two other offensive linemen, Eli McCullough and Archie Lewis.

Boise State will have to replace three starting linemen from the 2012 squad this coming season and will do so with some parts that have experience. However, the Broncos will lose three potential starters from the offensive line again at the end of the 2013 season. From there, things get a little hazier.

It would have been nice to see the Broncos pick up some pieces to protect their quarterback of the future. At the same time, Chris Petersen’s staff clearly did their heavy lifting on national signing day in the defensive department.

Surely potential starting quarterbacks of the future such as Nick Patti and Ryan Finley would have liked to see some big boys signed as well.

The Good: Outdoing the Rest of the MWC

For the third year in a row, Boise State’s overall recruiting class was ranked higher than any other Mountain West Conference school. This year, Fresno State came very close to taking the crown from the Broncos, ending up at No. 64 along with Connecticut and Kansas State.

For many, this fact isn’t all that surprising. As the program with the most success of schools in the MWC over the past decade, some may argue that Boise State should actually be ranked even further ahead of their conference mates on national signing day.

Although team rankings only go as far as adding weight to one’s argument about the future strength of a program, it is encouraging to know that Chris Petersen normally gets the best out of the players he ends up with. If the players he gets are generally more highly rated than those being recruited by conference rivals, it just serves as more of an edge.

Boise State’s rank overall was down from a year ago (No. 62 from No. 54 in 2012), but as long as it continues to outpace the competition in conference, the Broncos should continue to be the favorite every year to win the Mountain West crown.

The Bad: Stealing No One

If you were surprised that the Broncos didn’t receive more coverage on television networks that devoted the entire day to national signing day, you shouldn’t be.

Boise State simply didn’t experience any headline-worthy drama.

Twenty-one of the school’s recruits had verbally committed by February 2, and the Broncos' biggest signing of the day came from wide receiver A.J. Richardson, who was leaning heavily towards Boise State before national signing day.

Taking Tanner Shipley from BYU a couple of weeks ago was nice, but it would have been even sweeter to see the Broncos land a surprising steal such as defensive tackle Toby Johnson, who is considering a slew of SEC schools but had not yet made up his mind at the end of the day.

In reality, if not stealing any recruit is one of the worst things that happen to the Broncos in 2013, it should be a pretty good year.

Overall Grade

All things considered, the Broncos got almost everything they wanted, and there wasn’t too much drama in Boise. That much the coaching staff can be thankful for.

In the end, Boise State appears to have signed a pretty solid recruiting class and gave Coach Petersen’s staff a handful of options for the future, especially on defense. In addition, running back Aaron Baltazar and quarterback Ryan Finley could one day become stars on the blue turf.

I’m going to give the Broncos a B+ rating for their national signing day efforts in 2013. They didn’t exactly make a “splash," but went about their business effectively and came away with some good additions to the team.

That’s really all you can ask for from any school. A lack of fireworks in February is easily forgiven when Ws are being racked up in the fall.

Head coach Chris Petersen addressed the media on national signing day. He made it known that he is very excited about his latest recruiting class. However, he was quick to clarify that all he has is names on paper, and the true test comes when the players hit camp.

During the press conference, Petersen also addressed the new Boise State football complex and how it will affect recruiting. He acknowledged that the new complex certainly had an impact on the 2013 recruiting class and that it will certainly be a big influence for years to come, especially once construction is completed.

Petersen used words like "spectacular" and "phenomenal" when describing the new facility. He also went on to say that it was "as good as anything out there."

Coach Pete was most excited about the locker rooms and training rooms, but he also noted that having meeting space will be nice.

With the new facility already paying dividends, you have to wonder what it will do when it is fully complete.

Boise State has just put the finishing touches on its highest-ranked recruiting class in the history of the program. Scout.com ranked the Broncos' 2013 recruiting class No. 42 in the nation.

You have to wonder if Boise State can expect to have this type of recruiting class or an even better one in the coming years. Especially after the new facility is done, and the Broncos are back on ESPN six to eight times a season.

Coach Petersen also noted that the exposure aspect does play a part in recruiting as well, but it was clear that the new facility is what the coaches and recruits are the most excited about.

According to BoiseStateFootball.com, the new facility is set to open in July of 2013. It will be 70,000 square feet and will include a weight room, locker room, recruiting lounge, training facility, players' lounge as well as coaches' offices, meeting rooms and an academic and computer lab. 

Now that Boise State is a consistent winner, the team has to continue to recruit that way. This year's class has a bunch of players that will help keep the squad on top.

The Broncos are no longer just a small school looking to get noticed by the national media. They are a team that expects to compete for a BCS bid every season.

While the recruiting class will never be as good as a school like Alabama or Florida, these players will make a big impact on the field over the next few years.

Note: All photos courtesy of 247 Sports.

Aaron Baltazar, RB

Boise State is starting a trend of productive running backs over the past couple of years from Doug Martin to D.J. Harper.

Aaron Baltazar could be one of next in line as he is arguably the best player in the entire class.

The running back has great agility and the vision to turn short runs into big gains. He also has solid hands out of the backfield, which is a bit of a requirement for Broncos backs.

With scholarship offers to Cincinnati, UCLA and Washington (where he previously committed) it is no secret that Baltazar has plenty of potential.

Tanner Vallejo, OLB

The Broncos added a few linebackers in this class, but Tanner Vallejo is likely the best of the bunch. 

Many list Vallejo as an outside linebacker, but he might be best suited in the middle of the defense. He has solid speed and the range to cover the entire field from sideline to sideline.

In addition, he has great instincts for the ball that simply cannot be taught. 

Do not be surprised if the young player eventually becomes a leader for the Boise State defense.

Mercy Maston, CB

Taking a player out of junior college is always a risk, but Mercy Maston seems like he will be able to contribute immediately.

The cornerback is solid in both man and zone coverage and has the speed necessary to make up for mistakes. He also has solid hands that will allow him to make a few game-changing interceptions.

A lot of talent in the secondary graduated last year, so Maston is someone that will be needed right away. With his skill and experience, that will not be a problem. 

Andrew Tercek, OG

It is hard to succeed in college football without a good offensive line. Fortunately, the team got an important piece of that with Andrew Tercek.

The Texas native is a versatile player that could end up playing either center or guard at the next level. Either way, he has good technique and should be able to step in and be a solid run blocker for this squad.

Tercek needs to put on some more weight before he can play for the Broncos, but a redshirt year and some time in a college strength program could make him one of the better linemen in the country. 

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Boise State had a very impressive defensive secondary in 2012. Opponents were rarely successful in the passing game, especially in the area of touchdown passes. Going into the Maaco Bowl Las Vegas, the Broncos had only allowed an incredible three, yes three TD grabs all season.

However, in 2013 the Broncos will be without safety Lee Hightower, who was suspended from the team. They will also be missing two incredible defensive secondary guys in Jerrell Gavins and Jamar Taylor who hope to be playing on Sunday in 2013.

Enter the 2013 recruiting class. The Broncos have loaded up in the defensive secondary. There are a total of five commits who have reportedly signed their letters of intent to play at Boise State.

Cleshawn Page is a junior college player who has already signed with the Broncos. He is out of L.A. Harbor College in California, and he is certainly going to compete for playing time right out of the gate.

Page is 5'10", 190 pounds, fast, strong and covers the field. Boise State fans can be happy about this recruit.

Mercy Maston is another junior college guy, and it is being reported that he has indeed submitted his letter to play for the Broncos in 2013. He is another guy that could compete right from the start, and don't be surprised if his name gets called frequently next season.

Jonathan Moxey is a player out of the great state of Florida. The Palm Beach stand out has signed his letter to be a Bronco.

Cameron Hartsfield was once a Nevada verbal commitment, but not any more. On national signing day, he made it official. He will become a Bronco.

Harstfield is from Allen High School in Allen, Texas. He is 5'11", 182 pounds, fast and can hit. He may not see a lot of playing time in 2013, but expect him to develop into a solid corner for Boise.

Of course, the most appropriately named recruit on the Bronco's list is Dionza Blue. The cornerback out of La Puente, California will bring his talents to The Blue. He is ranked No. 93 by ESPN.com at the position and a 3-star recruit.

Blue should certainly make waves in 2013.

Last, but certainly not least, is safety Thomas Sperbeck. He played quarterback at Jesuit High School in Carmichael, California, but he will switch to safety to be a Bronco. 

He is an amazing athlete, and his experience at quarterback should give him an edge as a safety.

Overall, the Broncos have landed some very good talent in the defensive secondary. The junior college guys should contribute right away, but don't be surprised if one or two others on this list get some playing time in 2013.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for the latest news for the Broncos on national signing day.

Boise State has an impressive quarterback coming their way. Chadd Cripe of the Idaho Statesman has reported that Ryan Finley has signed his letter of intent to play for the Broncos.

Finley is ranked as the No. 9 quarterback in Arizona and the No. 34 pro style quarterback in this year's class by 247Sports.com. They also rate him as a 3-star recruit with a score of 87.

ESPN.com also has Finley as a 3-star guy, but they give him a No. 7 in-state ranking. Scout.com gives him three stars as well, and they have him ranked No. 49 overall at the position.

Chadd Cripe quoted Ryan's high school coach, Donnie Yantis, in a recent Idaho Statesman article. The head coach at Paradise Valley High School in Phoenix, Arizona paid Finley a huge compliment, calling him a "once in a lifetime" quarterback.

At 6'4" and 180 pounds, Finley will not look like the typical Boise State quarterback. However, he is cerebral and knows how to make great reads. He is also known for his accuracy and tremendous attitude.

In those areas, Finley is a typical Chris Petersen recruit, and he should have great success as a Bronco.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for all the latest national signing day news.  

National signing day is certainly starting off good for Boise State. Brandon Huffman from Scout.com is reporting that wide receiver A.J. Richardson has signed with the Broncos.

Update: Chadd Cripe tweeted that A.J. Richardson told him that he did commit to Boise State today, but didn't sign. He will apparently sign his official letter after dealing with some academics.

The Nathaniel Narbonne High School (Harbor City, Cal.) product is considered by most a 3-star recruit. Scout.com has him as the No. 50 wide receiver prospect, while 247Sports.com gives him a rating of 84.

Richardson's commitment is particularly significant for the Broncos after the team last month lost another impressive wide receiver recruit, Jack Austin, to Cal.

In an interview with the Idaho Statesman, recruiting guru Huffman said that Scout.com actually had Richardson ranked higher than Austin:

He’s such a big, physical receiver. He’s not an explosive receiver, but he’s not slow. … He’s kind of fallen into Boise State’s lap. Essentially they’re trading him for Jack Austin. We had him ranked higher than Jack Austin.

Richardson is a great addition to an already good 2013 class for Boise State. The Broncos are expecting to sign three other wideouts by the end of the day, with Jake Roh, Kendal Keys and Tanner Shipley expected to come aboard.

ESPN.com has Shipley ranked at No. 206, Roh at No. 205, Keys at No. 103 and Richardson as the No. 94 wide receiver in the nation.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for all the latest news on Boise State's national signing day results.