Tuesday, August 29, 2006.

It’s rare for a true freshman to play at Boise State, and so it will be this year. In fact, there may not even be one—for the first time ever. But if there is, he’ll be a contributing 6-2, 235-pound linebacker (and what will he look like as a senior?). Coach Chris Petersen says Darrell Acrey, the prized recruit from East Highland, CA, had an outstanding fall camp and will be warm in the bullpen the first few games in case they see a fit that wouldn’t waste a year for him. If Acrey does burn his redshirt year this season, he’ll join an exclusive club. Orlando Scandrick was the only true freshman to play a year ago, and Nick Schlekeway and Marty Tadman were the only 2004 newbies.

Kyle Stringer and Derek Schouman were the true freshman who played in 2003, with Schouman creating all those expectations that he has one year left to meet. Injuries have derailed those hopes so far, and it looked that way again earlier this month when the senior tight end was injured on the first day of fall camp. Now Schouman is back in practice, and coach Chris Peterson expects him to be on the field Thursday night against Sacramento State. Petersen says what fans generally see (and, of course, want to see) is Schouman making big catches downfield. Where the Broncos could really use him is at the point of attack. Petersen calls Shoe a “phenomenal blocker”, and that will be the coaching staff’s first priority if he sees considerable action in the opener.

Things only get stranger at New Mexico State, which is expected to end the nation’s longest losing streak Saturday against Southeastern Louisiana. Is that a sidebar? The latest distraction is a lawsuit filed against the university and coach Hal Mumme by three former players, all Muslims, who claim they were dropped from the team for their religious beliefs. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the federal lawsuit on behalf of Mu'Ammar Ali and brothers Anthony and Vincent Thompson, all of whom have transferred to Portland State. The lawsuit alleges Mumme barred the three players from spring football when he learned they were Muslim and claims he repeatedly questioned Ali about al-Qaida.

There’s NFL news galore this week, as the first major round of training camp cuts hits. First, injury news, as Bryan Johnson has been placed on season-ending injured reserve by the Chicago Bears. The veteran fullback, who would have been going into his seventh NFL season, had surgery last week on a hamstring he injured during the first week of Bears camp. Extremely frustrating for the one-time BSU linebacker, who played in 61 straight games until a foot injury ended his 2004 season four games early and carried into last year. Johnson started the summer fully recovered from the foot—then came the hammie.

Things have not worked out for Tyler Jones in Washington. The Boise State product was waived yesterday by the Redskins, who gave him two kickoffs in their exhibition opener, an onside kick in the second preseason game, and nothing last week in a 41-0 shellacking at the hands of New England. In that one, rookie punter David Lonie out of Cal handled the opening kickoff—and, needless to say, the Redskins never kicked off again. In his two opportunities on August 13, Jones didn’t reach the end zone, and that was key for college football’s leading scorer in 2004.

Also: Gabe Franklin, the Broncos’ interception leader in the Division I-A era, was cut yesterday by the 49ers after a short stay by the Bay. BSU products Shaunard Harts and Alex Guerrero were released by the Seahawks. Guerrero was pretty much expected—Harts was somewhat of a surprise, as he had an interception for Seattle against the Chargers Saturday. But he had been out of football for almost a year after been waived by Kansas City last August. And A.J. Feeley’s 4-for-4 night for San Diego wasn’t enough to hold as job with the Chargers; the former Ontario Tiger is on the waiver wire, too.

In Monday Night Exhibition Football last night, former BSU standout Daryn Colledge didn’t get a shot for the Packers ‘til the third quarter, and by that time there was a big enough cloud over the Pack that nothing he did was going to help his cause. Green Bay got squashed by Cincinnati, 48-17. It’s ironic that Colledge is not the starting left guard for Green Bay, but Tony Moll is the starting right guard. Just two years ago, Moll was a backup tight end at Nevada, switching to the O-line only last year—and to tackle at that. The 6-5, 308-pounder was a fifth-round draft pick of the Packers and has had a great training camp, earning his spot as a starter.

Things have not gone so well for Colledge, the second-rounder who’s basically back at square one after being demoted to second team. Pete Dougherty in the Green Bay Press-Gazette sees it this way: “Colledge is strong through the legs but comes from a Boise State program that doesn't emphasize weightlifting and needs to add significant upper-body strength. He has the athletic ability that convinced the Packers to select him in the second round.” There’s some material for BSU strength coach Tim Socha’s bulletin board. The Bronco coaching staff strongly disagrees with Dougherty’s assessment, by the way.

The Boise Hawks look to be in good shape as they return home tonight to start a six-game homestand. The finished their Western Idaho Fair road trip 7-4 with their 14-2 bashing of Yakima Sunrday. With nine games left in the season, the Hawks hold a three-game lead over Tri-City in the Northwest League East Division. But there’s always hope for Tri-City, because the Dust Devils play the Hawks in the final six games of season, in a pair of home-and-home three game series. Whoever wins will face Salem-Keizer, who clinched the West Division last Friday. The Volcanoes have been erupting wire-to-wire this summer—they’re 49-18.

This Day In Sports…August 29, 1998:

The New York Yankees beat the Seattle Mariners 11-6 for their 98th win in 134 tries, clinching a post-season spot the earliest in the team’s storied history. The Yankees ended up winning 114 games in ’98, the most in American League history until the M’s eclipsed that in 2001. The Yanks would add another 11 in the post-season for a total of 125—a major league record.

(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment Sunday nights at 10:30PM on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors five sports segments each weekday on ESPN Radio 1350 KTIK.)

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