2006 BOISE STATE BRONCOS FOOTBALL TEAM

The '2006 Boise State Broncos football team' represented Boise State University in the 2006 college football season. The Broncos won the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) championship with an undefeated 12-0 regular-season record (8-0 in the WAC), their second unbeaten regular season in the past three years. This was also Boise State's fifth consecutive season with at least a share of the WAC title, and the fourth in that period in which they went unbeaten in conference play. They became only the second team from outside the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) to play in a BCS bowl game when they faced Oklahoma in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl, defeating the Sooners in a dramatic thriller.
The Broncos completed an unbeaten season with a 43-42 overtime win over the Sooners. The Broncos led most of the game, but fell behind late in the fourth quarter when quarterback Jared Zabransky threw an interception that was returned for an Oklahoma touchdown. They tied the game on a 50-yard hook and ladder play that ended in a touchdown with 7 seconds left. In the overtime, Sooners star running back Adrian Peterson scored a touchdown on the first play of Oklahoma's possession. Zabransky led the Broncos on a touchdown drive, capped off by a trick play in which backup receiver Vinny Peretta connected with tight end Derek Schouman on a fourth-down pass. They then gambled for the win on a two-point conversion, and tried another trick play. The Broncos ran a play very similar to the Statue of Liberty play, with Zabransky looking toward three receivers before handing the ball off behind his back to star running back Ian Johnson, who ran into the end zone untouched for the win.
Due to Florida's 41-14 thrashing of previously unbeaten Ohio State in the BCS National Championship Game, the Broncos ended the season as the only undefeated team in NCAA Division I football, as no team in Division I-AA (officially known as the "Football Championship Subdivision") finished undefeated, however as it turned out they did not share any part of the Division I National Championship. (Three teams in lower divisions finished unbeaten: Grand Valley State in Division II, Mount Union in Division III, and Sioux Falls in NAIA.)
The Broncos play their home games at Bronco Stadium, most famous for its blue artificial turf surface, often referred to as the "Smurf-turf."

Contents

Previous season

Pre-season

Pre-season awards

During the season

Postseason awards

Schedule

Roster

Notes and references

Previous season

Boise State finished the 2005 regular season with a 9-3 record. The Broncos' 7-1 conference record was good enough for a share of the title with Nevada. They would end their season with a 27-21 loss to Boston College in the MPC Computers Bowl on their home field in Boise, Idaho to finish the season at 9-4. After the season, head coach Dan Hawkins left to take over the head coaching vacancy at Colorado, with offensive coordinator Chris Petersen taking his place.

Pre-season

The 2006 Broncos were an overwhelming favorite in the league's Preseason Media Poll to win the WAC title. They returned more starters than any other team in Division I FBS football—nine on offense and nine on defense, as well as their placekicker and punter. Among the returning starters was quarterback Jared Zabransky, whose 20 wins in the previous two seasons was the most by any returning quarterback in Division I FBS.^[1]

Pre-season awards

'Korey Hall'

★ Dick Butkus Award watch list
'Ian Johnson'

★ Walter Camp Award watch list

★ Doak Walker Award watch list
'Jared Zabransky'

★ Maxwell Award watch list

★ Davey O'Brien Award watch list

During the season

The Broncos started the season unranked in both the Coaches Poll or the AP Poll, and would not enter the polls until they had won their first three games. They steadily rose in the rankings mainly on the strength of an offense that finished the regular season second in scoring.^[2] The keys to their offense were running back Ian Johnson, who was the nation's leading scorer^[3] and second in rushing yards per game,^[4] and Zabransky, eighth in passing efficiency.^[5] Due to their threats on both the ground and in the air, they were one of only two teams in the country to rush and pass for over 200 yards per game (the other being Oklahoma State).^[6][7] In a more obscure statistic, they led the country in percentage of fourth-down conversions, converting 15 of 19 attempts.^[8]
The Broncos played five bowl-bound teams during the season—Oregon State, their only opponent in one of the six BCS conferences; Utah; and conference rivals Hawaii, San Jose State, and Nevada. Four out of five of these teams won their bowl game. The only loser, Nevada, lost by one point. Notably, they put a 42-14 defeat on an Oregon State team that would later in the season end the 38-game regular-season winning streak of Southern California.^[9]

Postseason awards

'Chris Petersen'

★ Paul "Bear" Bryant Award winner

★ AFCA Region 4 Coach of the Year

★ Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year finalist
'Korey Hall'

★ WAC Defensive Player of the Year

★ Lott Trophy quarterfinalist
'Ian Johnson'

★ Doak Walker Award semifinalist

★ Walter Camp Award final watchlist
'Jared Zabransky'

★ Maxwell Award semifinalist

★ Davey O'Brien Award semifinalist

★ Fiesta Bowl Most Valuable Player

★ Cover athlete of NCAA Football 08 video game
'2007 Espy Awards'

★ Best Game- 2007 Fiesta Bowl

★ Best Play- Fiesta Bowl Statute of Liberty

Schedule

Roster

(as of 12/05/2006)
Edit
'Wide Receivers' ★  1 Jerard Rabb† - ''Senior'' ★  4 Legedu Naanee - ''Senior'' ★  9 Jeremy Childs - '' Freshman'' ★ 11 Drisan James† - ''Senior'' ★ 19 Xavier Lucas - ''Freshman'' ★ 19 Vinny Perretta - ''Sophomore'' ★ 21 Toshi Franklin - ''Sophomore'' ★ 45 Jovan Hutchinson - ''Senior'' ★ 83 Nick Harris - ''Sophomore'' ★ 84 Aiona Key - '' Freshman'' ★ 87 Tanyon Bissell - ''Sophomore'''Offensive Guards' ★ 61 Jeff Biedermann - ''Junior'' ★ 64 Pete Cavender ★ - ''Junior'' ★ 64 Jeff Cavender† - ''Junior'' ★ 65 Cameron Filkins - '' Freshman'' ★ 66 Tad Miller† - ''Junior'''Offensive Tackles' ★ 60 Andrew Woodruff† - ''Sophomore'' ★ 70 Tony Volponi - ''Senior'' ★ 71 Ryan Keating - ''Senior'' ★ 75 Dan Gore - ''Junior'' ★ 77 Ben Iannicchione - ''Sophomore'' ★ 79 Ryan Clady† - ''Sophomore'''Centers' ★ 69 Jadon Dailey† - ''Senior'' ★ 78 Paul Lucariello - '' Freshman'''Offensive Linemen' ★ 62 Kevin Sapien - ''Freshman'' ★ 68 Mitch Rudder - ''Freshman'' ★ 72 Matt Slater - ''Freshman'' ★ 76 Jon Gott - ''Sophomore''		'Tight Ends' ★ 39 Ryan Putnam - ''Junior'' ★ 40 Richie Brockel - '' Freshman'' ★ 49 Jared Hunter - ''Senior'' ★ 80 Peter Elliott - ''Junior'' ★ 82 Julian Hawkins - ''Sophomore'' ★ 85 Tommy Gallarda - ''Freshman'' ★ 86 Sherm Blaser - ''Senior'' ★ 88 Chris O'Neill - ''Sophomore'' ★ 91 Derek Schouman† - ''Senior'''Fullbacks' ★ 30 Michael Lose - ''Junior'' ★ 34 Brad Lau† - ''Senior'''Quarterbacks' ★  3 Bush Hamdan - ''Sophomore'' ★  5 Jared Zabransky† - ''Senior'' ★  7 Michael Coughlin - ''Sophomore'' ★ 10 Taylor Tharp - ''Junior'' ★ 15 Nick Lomax - '' Freshman'''Running Backs' ★ 27 Jeremy Avery - ''Freshman'' ★ 28 Jarvis Hodge - ''Freshman'' ★ 32 Andy Silsby - '' Freshman'' ★ 33 Jon Helmandollar - ''Junior'' ★ 35 Brett Denton - ''Junior'' ★ 41 Ian Johnson† - ''Sophomore'''Defensive Ends' ★ 48 Kapono Rawlins-Crivello - ''Freshman'' ★ 53 Sean Bingham - ''Sophomore'' ★ 74 Mike Dominguez - ''Senior'' (starting long snapper) ★ 93 Mike T. Williams - ''Sophomore'' ★ 96 Mike G. Williams† - ''Senior'' ★ 97 Nick Schiekeway† - ''Junior'' ★ 98 Ryan Winterswyk - ''Freshman'''Defensive Tackles' ★ 57 Andrew Browning† - ''Senior'' ★ 59 Will Lawrence - ''Freshman'' ★ 67 Joe Bozikovich - ''Sophomore'' ★ 90 Ian Smart - ''Junior'' ★ 92 Dennis Ellis† - ''Senior'' ★ 94 Phillip Edwards - ''Sophomore'' ★ 95 Sione Tavaki - ''Junior'' ★ 99 Steven Reveles - ''Junior''		'Linebackers' ★ 13 Mike Altieri - ''Junior'' ★ 24 Tim Brady - ''Sophomore'' ★ 25 Korey Hall† - ''Senior'' ★ 31 Colt Brooks† - ''Senior'' ★ 43 David Shields† - ''Sophomore'' ★ 44 Kyle Gingo - ''Sophomore'' ★ 51 Dallas Dobbs - ''Sophomore'' ★ 52 Derrell Acrey - ''Freshman'' ★ 55 Garrett Tuggle - ''Sophomore'' ★ 56 Josh Bean - ''Junior'''Cornerbacks' ★  6 Rashaun Scott - ''Junior'' ★  8 Orlando Scandrick† - ''Sophomore'' ★ 16 Tristan Patin - '' Freshman'' ★ 22 Kyle Wilson† - '' Freshman'' ★ 23 Quinton Jones - ''Senior'' (starting return specialist) ★ 26 Ia Falo - ''Junior'' ★ 29 Evan Surratt - '' Freshman'' ★ 37 Austin Smith - ''Junior'''Safeties' ★  2 Gerald Alexander† - ''Senior'' ★ 14 Jason Robinson - ''Freshman'' ★ 18 Ellis Powers - ''Sophomore'' ★ 20 Marty Tadman† - ''Junior'' ★ 36 Seth Anderson - '' Freshman'' ★ 38 Jeron Johnson - ''Freshman'' ★ 46 Jon Barry Van Hoogen - ''Sophomore'''Punters' ★ 42 Kyle Stringer† - ''Senior'' (also holder)'Kickers' ★ 47 Anthony Montgomery† - ''Senior''
† Starter at position      ★ Injured; did not play in 2006.

Notes and references

1. 2006 Bronco Football Media Guide
2. Division I-A National Team Report: Scoring Offense
3. Division I-A National Player Report: Scoring
4. Division I-A National Player Report: Rushing
5. Division I-A National Player Report: Passing Efficiency
6. Division I-A National Team Report: Rushing Offense
7. Division I-A National Team Report: Passing Offense
8. Division I-A National Team Report: Offense Fourth-Down Efficiency
9. Three and out: Beavers stun USC; BCS race wide open