Boise State Football

Boise State head coach Chris Petersen is known for a lot of things. However, highly ranked recruiting classes is not one of them.

Over the years Petersen has been able to find hidden gems and build up players that have been overlooked or underestimated by many. Utilizing players with a passionate chip on their shoulder, and yet, high character and a solid work ethic, has served the Broncos well.

Now on the eve of the 2013 signing day, it looks like it will be more of the same for the Broncos. However, this year's recruiting class will probably be the highest ranked class in Petersen's tenure at Boise.

In fact, since Petersen took over at Boise State, Scout.com has never ranked a single Boise State recruiting class in the top 50.

In 2012, the Broncos had their highest ranked recruiting class ever with having that group ranked No. 56 in the nation by Scout.com. In his first season (2006), the Broncos were ranked No. 78 by the same service. In 2007 they were No. 57, in 2008 they were No. 64, in 2009 No. 60, in 2010 No. 97 and the 2011 class was ranked No. 65.

This year however, if the Broncos land their expected list, Scout.com has Boise State as having the No. 43 ranked recruiting class of 2013.

247Sports.com, which had the 2012 Boise State recruiting class ranked at No. 62, has this year's group currently ranked just outside of the top 50 at No. 52.

ESPN.com lists a total of 25 commits for Boise State in 2013. Of those, five are junior college players of which four have already signed. According to their list, the Broncos are poised to sign two 4-star and twenty 3-star recruits.

Among the list of names are some exciting players. 

The list includes running back Aaron Baltazar, offensive lineman Andrew Tercek, quarterback Ryan Finley, linebackers Tanner Vallejo, Durrant Miles and Joey Martarano,a solid group of cornerbacks and defensive lineman, a tight end, some very good versatile athletes, a few good wide receivers and junior college players that include a very good kicker.

Add to all of this, the team that the Broncos have coming back, including players from the excellent 2012 recruiting class who are getting ready to step up, and it sure seems like things are looking really good for Chris Petersen and the Broncos.

Bronco Nation should be very happy about their 2013 recruiting class.

Stay tuned to Bleacher Report for complete coverage of the Broncos on National Signing Day.

It was recently announced on Broncosports.com that a total of 56 Boise State athletes received Mountain West Conference All-Academic Honors. Of those 56 athletes, 30 of them were part of coach Chris Petersen's football team.

Chris Petersen has continually proven that academics are a very important part of his program. Under Petersen's direction, the Broncos have not not only proven that they are a top program in the Mountain West, but they have also earned top-10 status in the national BCS Academic Rankings for a total of six straight years.

In 2012, Boise State finished third in those rankings, and in 2011 and 2010 the Broncos were second.

The consistent pattern of academic success proves that coach Petersen and his staff not only demand their players be excellent on the field, but they must be successful in the classroom as well. It is something that Bronco Nation should certainly be proud of.

Here is the list of those players who were recognized in this latest round of academic good news for the Boise State football program:

Now that the Mountain West Conference is comprised of two divisions and will feature a title game between the champions of those two divisions, Boise State can rest easy, right?

Maybe.

At the very least, they are in a much better position than they would have been had the school decided to go ahead with the decision to join the Big East this summer.

There is also talk that the MWC could lobby for the same perks as the power conferences once the college football playoff system takes control.

In that case, there is no reason why Boise State would ever want to leave the Mountain West.

While not completely dominating the conference in its first two years, there is no denying the fact that the Broncos are the clear king of the hill. Sure, there are programs within the conference that are getting stronger every year, but none of them have truly knocked a chink into the armor quite yet.

If MWC commissioner Craig Thompson can somehow persuade the bowl directors that his conference is worth receiving an automatic bid to one of the six future major bowl games, only then could Boise State rest easy.

Getting a foot in the door isn’t as simple as adding an additional four teams to the conference, though.

Yes, the first conference to become a 16-team super-conference does have a considerable amount of leverage, since it appears that is where college football is ultimately headed. But adding any four teams in order to do it quickly isn’t necessarily the answer.

A school being geographically relevant or wanting to join the conference for quite some time isn’t good enough anymore. The Mountain West isn’t the Big East; it doesn’t need to take all comers.

Contrary to what some critics of the conference may think, the MWC has an image to uphold now.

In the past year, only the best up-and-coming programs from the WAC were admitted. Three of its teams finished the 2012-2013 season ranked in the final AP Poll, and there are five or six teams that could realistically win the conference in 2013.

In other words, the Mountain West is a powerful as you can get without being labeled as a “power” conference.

Granted, the conference does need to prove itself under its new guise. The team that wins the conference title game had better be an elite team, or darn close. There is no room at the table for a conference that presents an unranked, 8-5 squad as its prized pig.

So, what is Boise State to do?

Simple: keep its ears perked.

Until the Mountain West establishes itself as a major player, the Broncos’ membership in the conference should not be taken for granted.

Despite the revenue-sharing deal that the school was able to work out, money will be lost if Boise is again on the outside looking in with regards to playing in the big games. The Broncos must demand equality, because they have earned it.

When the MWC can offer Boise State the same opportunities as the Pac-12 or another potential super conference could, it can be seen as a permanent home.

Until then, it’s nothing more than an apartment with a yearly lease.