Tuesday, October 17, 2006.

As bad as things looked for Boise State’s pass defense Sunday night, a case can be made for Jared Zabransky being just as effective as Chase Holbrook. And more efficient. My parting line last Friday on the subject of the Bronco-Aggie game was, “Remind me to check Zabransky’s and Holbrook’s pass efficiency rating for Sunday night’s game.” Well, I reminded myself. BSU coach Chris Petersen calls the NCAA’s complicated pass efficiency rating the one stat he pays attention to other than turnover ratio.

So here’s a guy, Holbrook, who threw a record 49 completions in 65 attempts and amassed 526 yards on BSU. And here’s Zabransky, who hit on 14-of-21 for 215 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Their ratings for Sunday night’s game? Zabransky 174.6, Holbrook 147.4. “Bingo,” says Petersen. For the record, Zabransky gets the nod for yards-per-attempt and touchdown ratio. And that doesn’t take into account that Z’s team won the game. Zabransky is now up to 159.3 for the season, second in the WAC and 14th in the nation behind Hawaii’s Colt Brennan and his stratospheric 179.2.

On the subject of Holbrook—he did move the ball with ease once he got his groove going. So why wouldn’t Idaho think it has a chance to break BSU’s seven-game winning streak against the Vandals? Coach Dennis Erickson loves to spread the field, and now he feels he can with receivers he has developed confidence in. And the Idaho defense is coming off a 211-yard effort in its win at Louisiana Tech. Petersen is all too aware of the upset potential. “It doesn’t matter what they say on paper,” says Pete. Not Sunday night, and especially not this week. Adding to the suspense is the fact that it’ll take an impressive Bronco win over the Vandals to shove the New Mexico State game into the more distant memory of Mr. Poll Voter.

When it comes to the BCS, of course, Petersen just won’t go there. Everybody knows the Broncos’ rollercoaster in Las Cruces didn’t necessarily help their BCS cause, but Petersen isn’t counting style points. “I’m not going to get caught up in how many points we win by and impressing voters. That’s not in the spirit of the game,” he says. Petersen simply wants his team to be at its best, and the rest will take care of itself. That didn’t happen Sunday; it will need to Saturday if the Broncos are to meet the expectations of the oddsmakers. BSU has been installed as a 20½-point favorite in the Kibbie Dome.

Line of the Day at yesterday’s BAA luncheon came from emcee Rolly Woolsey, filling in at the podium. Woolsey’s a former BSU cornerback from the early 70’s who went onto the NFL as third round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys. The one-time Rimrock Raider already had it goin’ with his dry wit—then he introduced Petersen, whom he said “was going to bring defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox along, but the plane dropped him and a few of our defensive backs off at the Burn Center in Salt Lake.” Touche. Woolsey acknowledges he can talk, as he was burned once or twice in his days as a dominant Big Sky defender. Sorry to bring up a “for instance”, Rolly, but it was (ahem) Woolsey who gave up the winning touchdown to fellow future NFLer Roger Carr in the 1973 Division II semi-finals against Louisiana Tech. It happens.

Talk about picking up the pieces, Fresno State is gathering them on its collective hands and knees after its 68-30 loss at home to Hawaii. It was the most points allowed in Pat Hill’s 10 years as Bulldog coach. And now it goes from bad to worse, as Fresno heads for LSU this week before its November 1 ESPN date at Boise State. Disheartened Bulldog fans were waiting with bated breath to see who Hill would start at quarterback in Baton Rouge, and he announced yesterday it’ll be Sean Norton, Tom Brandstater’s backup. Norton came in last Saturday and temporarily sparked his bewildered teammates, throwing for 225 yards and three touchdowns—and one interception returned for a TD by the Warriors.

Just when I talk about the Idaho Steelheads needing scoring punch this season with D’Arcy McConvey gone, McConvey’s not gone. The Steelheads’ leading scorer of the 2005-06 campaign is back in the fold, just about ready to play after rehabbing a sports hernia injury during the off-season. He’ll probably start the season on the injured reserve list, as he’s not yet in hockey shape for Opening Night Friday at Long Beach. The ECHL All-Star and Idaho team captain from a year ago tied for the league lead in goals with 39—in fact, McConvey led the Steelheads in eight different categories despite playing only 58 games (his season was interrupted by a mid-season callup to Iowa).

There’s a slew of former Boise Hawks on the Chicago Cubs roster now, and they all get to see how their personalities mesh with new Cubs manager Lou Piniella. If he’s anything like he was in Seattle, Piniella will want a rock-solid starting rotation. So Hawks alum Rich Hill could get to know Piniella quickly, as he’s poised for a breakout season next year. If you look at Hill’s numbers overall in 2006, the Cubs rookie seems very average—6-7 with an ERA of 4.17. But you have to read between the lines. Over the last two months of this season, Hill finally got it. In his final nine appearances, The 26-year-old southpaw went 4-2 with a 1.89 ERA and 61 trikeouts in 57 innings, highlighted by a two-hit shutout of the Reds on September 16. Unless he and Lou have problems, Hill’s expected to be a mainstay in the Cubs rotation next year.

Back to football—Brock Forsey had to be looking on with interest last night as Chicago rallied past Arizona, 24-23, on Monday Night Football (what a way to lose a game, by the way). The Bears are this season’s NFL glamour team as they improve to 6-0. Just three years ago Forsey was a rookie running back for the Bears in less glamorous times. And against the Cardinals that season the former BSU star had the best game of his brief NFL career, getting the start and rushing for 134 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries. The Bears won that time, too, 28-3.

This Day In Sports…October 17, 1974:

The Oakland A’s beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 5 of the World Series to win their third straight world championship under two different managers. Alvin Dark had taken over for Dick Williams, who guided Oakland to titles in 1972 and 1973. Reliever Rollie Fingers—he of the famous handlebar mustache—was the Series MVP.

(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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