The Bronco Leader

Chris Petersen's Boise Broncos got a big win over Oregon. It was a sloppy win though with multiple turnovers. Every time the Broncos could have sealed the game the Broncos turned the ball over. Every time the Ducks could have come up big they turned the ball over. After going for 2 to cut the score to 19-8 Oregon Head honcho Chip Kelly looked lost. He failed to follow up his two point conversion with a field goal that could have cut the score to a single score at eight in the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter failure on fourth down was nothing though compared to how lost Coach Kelly's offense looked lost in the two and a half quarters where their high powered spread offense was no match for the Bronco defense which shut out the Ducks and held them without a first down until 7 minutes left in the third quarter.

Neither team wanted to win in the second half as not only could the teams not execute but they turned the ball over, and failed to string together a series of successful plays. In what could have been the most indicative play of the second half as to how much of a home field advantage the Boise smurf turf is was when Duck quarterback Jeremiah Masoli threw an interception straight into the numbers of a Bronco defender five yards in front of him. It can never be underestimated that the smurf turf and the blue Bronco jerseys give the Broncos a decided home field advantage especially on defense where their defenders are camouflaged with the blue on blue.

In the end the game was just as ugly as Boise State sophomore defensive end, Byron Haut showed his immaturity heckling Oregon's mammoth starting tailback Lagarette Blount after the game only to get dropped by a hard right to the jaw. Despite the ugly game and the ugly conclusion to the game, Chris Petersen was as cool as a cucumber. Petersen was seen pulling his sophomore defensive end away from Blount before the right jab and in an interview calmly suggested it was just emotions. Give Chris Petersen credit, he did not get emotional and will undoubtedly use this as a learning tool for his Broncos to act like winners because next week will be a their toughest game of the season on the road against Fresno State where coach Pat Hill, his dirty ball cap and players will be waiting for the Broncos.

As for the Ducks, it could be a very long season in Eugene. New Coach, no head coaching experience, high expectations equals a lot of pressure. The Ducks got lucky 15 years ago when Mike Belotti succeeded Rich Brooks but the Ducks might have gone to the well one too many times with Mr. Kelly.