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01-01-2007, 02:53 PM
Boise State Offense vs. Oklahoma Defense
Boise State's offense will show Oklahoma many different looks throughout the course of this game. Quarterback Jared Zabransky spends a good deal of time working out of the shotgun and the Broncos like to consistently spread opponents out with three- and four-receiver sets. With that in mind, though, Boise State has been far more effective running the ball than throwing it this season. Sophomore Ian Johnson has emerged as one of the most explosive running backs in the country. Johnson, who ranks third nationally averaging 146.6 yards rushing per game, is a big and tough runner with some burst in the open field. He shows good vision and typically does a great job of exploiting creases that open up -- frontside and backside -- as a result of the spread scheme. Boise's offensive line is technically sound and possesses more size than many people seem to think. The unit is especially big on the perimeter with tackles Ryan Clady (6-foot-6, 319 pounds) and Andrew Woodruff (6-3, 331), which should be helpful against a deep Oklahoma defensive front.
Ironically, Boise State actually has a size advantage up front on this side of the ball, but the big question mark is its ability to handle the speed and aggressiveness of a Sooners' defensive line that uses an eight-man rotation. Oklahoma will use four defensive tackles in order to keep fresh at that position. The starters are Steven Coleman and Cory Bennett, but the backups -- Carl Pendleton and DeMarcus Granger -- are just as talented. If the interior of the Sooners' defensive line can do its job, senior linebackers Zach Latimer and Rufus Alexander have the size, speed and experience to contain Johnson on the ground.
Zabransky has been far more efficient this season after throwing 16 interceptions as a junior. The senior signal-caller spreads the wealth between his top three receivers, Legedu Naanee, Drisan James and Jerard Rabb. The senior trio has combined for 1,583 yards and 11 touchdowns on 100 receptions this season. The Sooners had some early secondary problems but since have suredup that unit with Reggie Smith settling in at strong safety and sophomore Lendy Holmes emerging as a solid No. 2 cornerback opposite No. 1 starter Marcus Walker. Oklahoma, which ranks seventh nationally in pass efficiency defense, has a distinct advantage in terms of athleticism on this side of the ball and should keep the deep throws from Zabransky to a minimum. Finally, against a spread scheme like Boise's it is critical to get front-four pressure on the opposing quarterback. While the Sooners have been somewhat disappointed with the play of their defensive ends this season, there is still a lot of talent at that position with Larry Birdine, Calvin Thibodeaux, C.J. Ah You and Alonzo Dotson, who have combined for nine sacks on the season.
Oklahoma Offense vs. Boise State Defense
Oklahoma star RB Adrian Peterson is expected to return for the Fiesta Bowl, which would give the team a big boost. The Sooners have won eight games in a row with Allen Patrick and Chris Brown sharing the load running back, so they'll be just fine if Peterson is limited in this game. But if Peterson, Patrick and Brown are all at full strength, it could be a long evening for Boise State's undersized defensive front seven. Oklahoma shows a lot of different looks offensively and it has proven capable of running the ball effectively from a spread set, bunch formation and from the shotgun.
Led by versatile MLB Korey Hall, the Broncos' front seven has been dominant versus the run and ranks eighth nationally in rushing yards allowed per game (82). However, the Broncos haven't come close to lining up against the likes of the Sooners' offense from a talent perspective. Peterson is obviously the complete package when healthy, displaying a rare combination of size, speed and power. Patrick lacks ideal lateral mobility but he's a tough north-south runner who has exceeded the 100-yard rushing plateau in four of the last five games he has played. Finally, Brown is a good change of pace back with limited experience and size, but impressive speed and elusiveness. Senior Paul Thompson has made a remarkable transition from wide receiver back to quarterback, where he has completed 60.9-percent of his throws with 20 touchdowns compared to only eight interceptions so far this season. The Sooners will maximize Thompson's mobility by getting him outside the tackle-box in order to give him a run-pass option on occasion, especially when they line up in the shotgun formation. Thompson has improved as a pocket passer, but he still seems more comfortable when throwing on the run. Regardless, his favorite target is 6-foot-4, 204-pound sophomore WR Malcolm Kelly, who leads the team with 62 receptions for 993 yards and 10 touchdowns. Kelly's size should prove to be a nightmare matchup issue for the Broncos, as both of their starting cornerbacks -- Orlando Scandrick and Kyle Wilson -- check in under 6-feet tall and weighing fewer than 190 pounds. As a result, expect FS Marty Tadman to play a lot of "free" coverage over the top of Kelly in an effort to prevent big plays on fade routes. Tadman is a ball-hawk in the middle of the field and the entire secondary benefits from the pressure generated by DT Andrew Browning (eight sacks), OLB Colt Brooks (6.5) and Hall (3.5 sacks). The Broncos are undersized up front, but they do have good quickness and speed along the defensive front seven. It will be imperative that they use that speed to keep pressure on Thompson and force him to get rid of the ball quickly, as their secondary does not match up well against the trio of wide receivers Kelly, Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson.
Special Teams
Boise State PK Anthony Montgomery has been excellent this season, nailing 13 of his 14 field goal attempts. The team also gets tremendous production out of PT Kyle Stringer, who averages 45.2 yards per attempt while also landing eight of his 39 attempts inside the opponents' 20-yard line. However, the Broncos have not been nearly as effective in the return game, as they rank 59th and 66th nationally in punt and kickoff returns, respectively. Marty Tadman and Quinton Jones handle most of the punt returns, while Jones and Rashaun Scott do most of the returning on kickoffs.
Boise State is decent on special teams, but Oklahoma clearly has the edge in this facet of the game. Sooners' PK Garrett Hartley has connected on 17 of 18 field goal attempts this season with his only miss coming in the form of a block from 44 yards out. Michael Cohen has done a fine job as the team's primary punter, averaging 41.1 yards per attempt. The team will also use Mike Knall on short punts because of his outstanding directional skills. Knall has landed nine of 11 punts inside opponents' 20-yard line this season.
Oklahoma can also be dangerous in the return game, especially on kickoffs. Reggie Smith and Juaquin Iglesias handle the majority of the kickoff returns for a unit that ranks ninth nationally with an average of 24.5 yards per return. Smith is also averaging 7.9 yards per punt return, including a long of 62 yards for a score.
Matchups
• Boise State RB Ian Johnson vs. Oklahoma WLB Rufus Alexander
• Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson vs. Boise State MLB Korey Hall
• Oklahoma WR Malcolm Kelly vs. Boise State CB Orlando Scandrick
Overview
There are several intriguing story lines surrounding this year's Fiesta Bowl, including the return of Oklahoma's star running back from injury and Boise State's remarkable undefeated run under first-year head coach Chris Peterson. Boise boasts one of the top backfield-tandems in the country with Zabransky and Johnson, and it also possesses underrated speed on the defensive side of the ball. However, Oklahoma owns biggest advantage in terms of personnel where it counts the most -- in the trenches. The Broncos might strike for a couple of big plays early on, but the Sooners will eventually wear down their undersized opponent on both sides of the ball.
There's no question that playing in the Fiesta Bowl is a bigger thrill for Peterson's Broncos, but expect coach Stoops to have his Sooner team motivated enough to play hard throughout this game. If Oklahoma gives anywhere near its full effort, Boise State will struggle to keep within two touchdowns.
Oklahoma 34
Boise State 17
Oklahoma -7
Boise State's offense will show Oklahoma many different looks throughout the course of this game. Quarterback Jared Zabransky spends a good deal of time working out of the shotgun and the Broncos like to consistently spread opponents out with three- and four-receiver sets. With that in mind, though, Boise State has been far more effective running the ball than throwing it this season. Sophomore Ian Johnson has emerged as one of the most explosive running backs in the country. Johnson, who ranks third nationally averaging 146.6 yards rushing per game, is a big and tough runner with some burst in the open field. He shows good vision and typically does a great job of exploiting creases that open up -- frontside and backside -- as a result of the spread scheme. Boise's offensive line is technically sound and possesses more size than many people seem to think. The unit is especially big on the perimeter with tackles Ryan Clady (6-foot-6, 319 pounds) and Andrew Woodruff (6-3, 331), which should be helpful against a deep Oklahoma defensive front.
Ironically, Boise State actually has a size advantage up front on this side of the ball, but the big question mark is its ability to handle the speed and aggressiveness of a Sooners' defensive line that uses an eight-man rotation. Oklahoma will use four defensive tackles in order to keep fresh at that position. The starters are Steven Coleman and Cory Bennett, but the backups -- Carl Pendleton and DeMarcus Granger -- are just as talented. If the interior of the Sooners' defensive line can do its job, senior linebackers Zach Latimer and Rufus Alexander have the size, speed and experience to contain Johnson on the ground.
Zabransky has been far more efficient this season after throwing 16 interceptions as a junior. The senior signal-caller spreads the wealth between his top three receivers, Legedu Naanee, Drisan James and Jerard Rabb. The senior trio has combined for 1,583 yards and 11 touchdowns on 100 receptions this season. The Sooners had some early secondary problems but since have suredup that unit with Reggie Smith settling in at strong safety and sophomore Lendy Holmes emerging as a solid No. 2 cornerback opposite No. 1 starter Marcus Walker. Oklahoma, which ranks seventh nationally in pass efficiency defense, has a distinct advantage in terms of athleticism on this side of the ball and should keep the deep throws from Zabransky to a minimum. Finally, against a spread scheme like Boise's it is critical to get front-four pressure on the opposing quarterback. While the Sooners have been somewhat disappointed with the play of their defensive ends this season, there is still a lot of talent at that position with Larry Birdine, Calvin Thibodeaux, C.J. Ah You and Alonzo Dotson, who have combined for nine sacks on the season.
Oklahoma Offense vs. Boise State Defense
Oklahoma star RB Adrian Peterson is expected to return for the Fiesta Bowl, which would give the team a big boost. The Sooners have won eight games in a row with Allen Patrick and Chris Brown sharing the load running back, so they'll be just fine if Peterson is limited in this game. But if Peterson, Patrick and Brown are all at full strength, it could be a long evening for Boise State's undersized defensive front seven. Oklahoma shows a lot of different looks offensively and it has proven capable of running the ball effectively from a spread set, bunch formation and from the shotgun.
Led by versatile MLB Korey Hall, the Broncos' front seven has been dominant versus the run and ranks eighth nationally in rushing yards allowed per game (82). However, the Broncos haven't come close to lining up against the likes of the Sooners' offense from a talent perspective. Peterson is obviously the complete package when healthy, displaying a rare combination of size, speed and power. Patrick lacks ideal lateral mobility but he's a tough north-south runner who has exceeded the 100-yard rushing plateau in four of the last five games he has played. Finally, Brown is a good change of pace back with limited experience and size, but impressive speed and elusiveness. Senior Paul Thompson has made a remarkable transition from wide receiver back to quarterback, where he has completed 60.9-percent of his throws with 20 touchdowns compared to only eight interceptions so far this season. The Sooners will maximize Thompson's mobility by getting him outside the tackle-box in order to give him a run-pass option on occasion, especially when they line up in the shotgun formation. Thompson has improved as a pocket passer, but he still seems more comfortable when throwing on the run. Regardless, his favorite target is 6-foot-4, 204-pound sophomore WR Malcolm Kelly, who leads the team with 62 receptions for 993 yards and 10 touchdowns. Kelly's size should prove to be a nightmare matchup issue for the Broncos, as both of their starting cornerbacks -- Orlando Scandrick and Kyle Wilson -- check in under 6-feet tall and weighing fewer than 190 pounds. As a result, expect FS Marty Tadman to play a lot of "free" coverage over the top of Kelly in an effort to prevent big plays on fade routes. Tadman is a ball-hawk in the middle of the field and the entire secondary benefits from the pressure generated by DT Andrew Browning (eight sacks), OLB Colt Brooks (6.5) and Hall (3.5 sacks). The Broncos are undersized up front, but they do have good quickness and speed along the defensive front seven. It will be imperative that they use that speed to keep pressure on Thompson and force him to get rid of the ball quickly, as their secondary does not match up well against the trio of wide receivers Kelly, Juaquin Iglesias and Manuel Johnson.
Special Teams
Boise State PK Anthony Montgomery has been excellent this season, nailing 13 of his 14 field goal attempts. The team also gets tremendous production out of PT Kyle Stringer, who averages 45.2 yards per attempt while also landing eight of his 39 attempts inside the opponents' 20-yard line. However, the Broncos have not been nearly as effective in the return game, as they rank 59th and 66th nationally in punt and kickoff returns, respectively. Marty Tadman and Quinton Jones handle most of the punt returns, while Jones and Rashaun Scott do most of the returning on kickoffs.
Boise State is decent on special teams, but Oklahoma clearly has the edge in this facet of the game. Sooners' PK Garrett Hartley has connected on 17 of 18 field goal attempts this season with his only miss coming in the form of a block from 44 yards out. Michael Cohen has done a fine job as the team's primary punter, averaging 41.1 yards per attempt. The team will also use Mike Knall on short punts because of his outstanding directional skills. Knall has landed nine of 11 punts inside opponents' 20-yard line this season.
Oklahoma can also be dangerous in the return game, especially on kickoffs. Reggie Smith and Juaquin Iglesias handle the majority of the kickoff returns for a unit that ranks ninth nationally with an average of 24.5 yards per return. Smith is also averaging 7.9 yards per punt return, including a long of 62 yards for a score.
Matchups
• Boise State RB Ian Johnson vs. Oklahoma WLB Rufus Alexander
• Oklahoma RB Adrian Peterson vs. Boise State MLB Korey Hall
• Oklahoma WR Malcolm Kelly vs. Boise State CB Orlando Scandrick
Overview
There are several intriguing story lines surrounding this year's Fiesta Bowl, including the return of Oklahoma's star running back from injury and Boise State's remarkable undefeated run under first-year head coach Chris Peterson. Boise boasts one of the top backfield-tandems in the country with Zabransky and Johnson, and it also possesses underrated speed on the defensive side of the ball. However, Oklahoma owns biggest advantage in terms of personnel where it counts the most -- in the trenches. The Broncos might strike for a couple of big plays early on, but the Sooners will eventually wear down their undersized opponent on both sides of the ball.
There's no question that playing in the Fiesta Bowl is a bigger thrill for Peterson's Broncos, but expect coach Stoops to have his Sooner team motivated enough to play hard throughout this game. If Oklahoma gives anywhere near its full effort, Boise State will struggle to keep within two touchdowns.
Oklahoma 34
Boise State 17
Oklahoma -7