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The Lowdown 2006 Schedule Coach: Chris Petersen (first season) 2005 record: 9–4 (lost to Boston College 27-21 in the MPC Computers Bowl) WAC finish: 7-1 (t-1st) 2005 offensive rankings: Rushing: 19th (202.5 ypg) Passing: 62nd (222.5 ypg) 2005 defensive rankings: Rushing 15th (107.9 ypg): Passing: 100th (261.8 ypg) Date Opponent Aug. 31 Sacramento State Sept. 7 Oregon State Sept. 16 at Wyoming Sept. 23 Hawaii Sept. 30 at Utah Oct. 7 Louisiana Tech Oct. 14 at New Mexico State Oct. 21 at Idaho Nov. 1 Fresno State Nov. 11 at San Jose State Nov. 18 Utah State Nov. 25 at Nevada Depth Chart: Offense 9 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. WR 1 Jerard Rabb Sr. 4 Legedu Naanee Sr. WR 11 Drisan James Sr. 19 Vinny Perretta So. LT 79 Ryan Clady So. 70 Tony Volponi Sr. LG 66 Tad Miller Jr. 61 Jeff Biedermann Jr. C 54 Jeff Cavender Jr. 69 Jadon Dailey Sr. RG 64 Pete Cavender Jr. 67 Andrew Woodruff So. RT 71 Ryan Keating Sr. 78 Paul Lucariello Fr. TE 91 Derek Schouman Sr. 39 Ryan Putnam Jr. QB 5 Jared Zabransky Sr. 10 Taylor Tharp Jr. FB 34 Brad Lau Sr. 30 Michael Lose Jr. TB 41 Ian Johnson So. 33 Jon Helmandollar Jr. Depth Chart: Defense 9 returning starters in red Ps. No. Player Yr. No. Player Yr. DE 97 Nick Schlekeway Jr. 93 Mike T. Williams So. DT 58 Tim Volk Sr. 90 Ian Smart Jr. DT 57 Andrew Browning Sr. 75 Dan Gore Jr. DE 96 Mike G. Williams Sr. 74 Mike Dominguez Sr. SLB 31 Colt Brooks Sr. 13 Mike Altieri Jr. MLB 25 Korey Hall Sr. 56 Josh Bean Jr. WLB 43 David Shields So. 44 Kyle Gingg So. CB 16 Orlando Scandrick So. 22 Kyle Wilson Fr. CB 37 Austin Smith Jr. 23 Quinton Jones Sr. S 2 Gerald Alexander Sr. 29 Ashlei Nyong-Dunham Jr. S 20 Marty Tadman Jr. 18 Ellis Powers So. Special Teams Ps. No. Player Yr. Ps. No. Player Yr. K 47 Anthony Montgomery Sr. P 42 Kyle Stringer Sr. KR 23 Quinton Jones Sr. PR 23 Quinton Jones Sr.

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Continuity is the theme of the Broncos' coaching changeover. Former Boise State offensive coordinator and first-year head coach Chris Petersen, 41, takes over for Dan Hawkins, who went to Colorado.

Former tight ends coach Bryan Harsin, 29, assumes control of Petersen's offense. Harsin will call the plays, but Petersen will help game-plan when he can.

Former California linebackers coach and BSU graduate assistant Justin Wilcox, 29, gets his first defensive coordinator job. Wilcox will keep the defensive scheme the same, because the Broncos' defense started in 2001 with Bob Gregory, who is now the coordinator at Cal.

Some changes are inevitable, though. Petersen is less of a gambler than Hawkins, and much of his staff is new. The only full-time staffers who remain from the Hawkins staff are Petersen, Harsin and secondary coach Marcel Yates. Players say the new personalities and new concepts have awakened a team that had become somewhat stale.

The Broncos are coming off their worst season since 2001. They went 9-4 last year, tied for the WAC title with Nevada after three consecutive solo titles, lost a conference game and a home game for the first time since 2001 by losing to Boston College in the MPC Computers Bowl.

The Broncos were 36-3 in the previous three years with three top-25 finishes. They hope to regain that form this year with 15 returning starters and a schedule reminiscent of the slate against which they went 11-0 in the 2004 regular season.

Offense

Senior quarterback Jared Zabransky and six other starters return to an offense that will be run by Harsin. Zabransky is 20-5 in two seasons but enters his final year under fire from fans and coaches for his mistake-prone play last year. Efficient play from Zabransky is critical to the Broncos' success.

Sophomore Ian Johnson is the only returner from the Broncos' four-man tailback committee. He averaged 5.6 yards per carry last year and looks like a star in the making, but the Broncos lack depth behind him.

Boise State is loaded with underperforming talent at receiver. Senior wideouts Drisan James, Legedu Naanee and Jerard Rabb and senior tight end Derek Schouman all have the skills to become All-WAC first-teamers, and this could be the year the group busts out. Sophomore Vinny Perretta also is a promising threat.

The offensive line is the Broncos' strength. They return three full-time starters and four part-time players from a unit that paved the way for 36 rushing touchdowns last season while allowing only 19 sacks. Freshman All-America tackle Ryan Clady and junior guard Tad Miller, a third-year starter, anchor the left side.

Defense

Senior tackle Andrew Browning, senior end Mike G. Williams and junior end Nick Schlekeway bring six combined years of starting experience to the line. All are hard-nosed, blue-collar, low-ego guys who get little recognition but form the backbone of the Broncos' vaunted rush defense, which ranked top 16 in the nation the past four years.

Seniors Korey Hall and Colt Brooks form the WAC's best linebacker duo. Hall is a fourth-year starter, a two-time All-WAC first-teamer and a favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. Brooks emerged last year as a tremendous playmaker in his second year as a starter at strong-side linebacker. He led the team with six sacks, 11 tackles for a loss and three forced fumbles.

The secondary should be more physical with the move of senior Gerald Alexander, a two-year starter, from cornerback to safety. Alexander is 6-foot, 204-pounds. Starting safety Austin Smith (5-9, 173) moves to cornerback.

The other safety is junior Marty Tadman, who led the WAC with five interceptions last season. The other cornerback is Orlando Scandrick, who started as a true freshman.

Specialists

Senior Kyle Stringer is considered one of the nation's top punters, despite regressing in his junior season. Stringer's strengths are his hangtime and ability to kick toward the sidelines.

Senior kicker Anthony Montgomery, though, was 6-of-10 on field goals last season. He was given only one field goal try in the last six games last year because of his inaccuracy.

Senior Quinton Jones leads the return game. He scored three touchdowns on punt returns last season, including two 92-yarders.

Final Analysis

The Broncos enter the Petersen era with soaring optimism and several reasons for concern. The optimism stems from the return of 15 starters, experienced depth on the offensive and defensive lines, and a favorable schedule. The concern comes from the inexperience of three key coaches -- Petersen, Harsin and Wilcox are all rookies.

The season could turn on two players -- Zabransky at quarterback and Johnson at tailback. Both need to step up, and both need to stay healthy. If that happens, a fifth straight WAC title seems likely.