Monday, March 31, 2008.

The sense of urgency resumes today for Boise State’s linebackers. The Broncos begin the second half of spring football at Bronco Stadium, and the ‘backers have the notion that they can’t waste a play. Rightfully or wrongfully, that position group is taking the brunt of the blame for a slip in the BSU defense last season, despite a campaign that saw the Broncos register two shutouts and hold four other teams to two touchdowns or less. It was in the big games that there was leakage, as Korey Hall and Colt Brooks indeed proved hard to replace. Starters Kyle Gingg, Dallas Dobbs and Tim Brady all return this year, but they know that no job is secure.

With those three pushed to take it to the next level, though, linebacker could turn out to be a deep position for the Broncos. Derrell Acrey was supposed to be the heir apparent to Hall after being named Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year in 2006, but his redshirt freshman season never jelled. Aaron Tevis and Hunter White are two highly-touted members of the 2007 recruiting class who become eligible this season and are getting a long look. Defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox is going to put his best linebackers on the field, whoever they turn out to be. There’s a reason Daron Mackey was one of BSU’s most prized recruits in February, coming out of Bakersfield College and poised to join the Broncos this summer. And the situation is such that Byron Hout from Lake City in Coeur d’Alene may have a shot at playing as a true freshman.

Chris Carr grew up in Reno following the Oakland Raiders, so when he stuck with the Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2005 it was a dream come true. But now, following three seasons with that rudderless ship, the former Boise State star has signed an offer sheet with the Tennessee Titans, with whom he feels he’ll have a chance at a bigger defensive role. Carr has certainly been a special teams dynamo by the Bay, as he is the Raiders’ career kickoff return leader. Oakland has until the end of this week to match the offer, but after dissing the Raiders a little in an interview with the Buffalo News, you get the feeling Carr hopes Oakland leaves well enough alone.

JaVale McGee is not poised to be the “Ryan Clady of WAC basketball”. But Nevada’s sophomore center is going to bolt for the NBA Draft nonetheless. McGee had an incredible 92 blocked shots this season to lead the WAC but is considered very green as a pro prospect. He’ll probably be at least a second round pick in June, though. And maybe we’ll see him playing in the D-League to earn his stripes. One thing’s for sure: the Wolf Pack will miss McGee next season like nobody’s business.

This NBA D-League West Division race is destined for a photo finish. The Idaho Stampede split with Utah over the weekend in Qwest Arena, and the L.A. D-Fenders pulled to within a half game of the Stampede again with a one-point win over Anaheim last night. The Stamps have six games left in the regular season and L.A. five, and both teams have clinched berths in the D-League Playoffs next month. Despite the Stampede’s roster churn of the past two weeks, coach Bryan Gates continues to have guys step up. Former Iowa State star Mike Taylor was one of the notables over the weekend with back-to-back 18-point nights.

Four straight wins over struggling Stockton was one thing, but a victory at Fresno would have been a real feather for the Idaho Steelheads. They had been winless against the Falcons going into Saturday night’s game at the Save Mart Center. And the Steelheads had built a four-game winning streak at the expense of Stockton, where they won 4-3 Friday night. Shoulda coulda woulda, but it didn’t happen Saturday, as the Steelies saw Fresno tie the game with 48 seconds left and go on to win in a shootout, 4-3. Coach Derek Laxdal started Steve Silverthorn between the pipes in both weekend games. Silverthorn, just back from a long stint in Iowa, got the win Friday but only had to make 15 saves.

Going into its final event, the Boise State women’s gymnastics team was in control at the WAC Championships, needing only an average performance on the beam to clinch the title. Counting two falls was definitely below average, and it opened an airplane hangar-sized door for Southern Utah. The Thunderbirds returned the favor on floor exercise, though, counting a couple stumbles and out-of-bounds deductions, allowing the Broncos to win their first WAC crown, and first title in any conference since 2004. Freshman Hannah Redmon cemented her status as the new face of the program, winning all-around, WAC Freshman of the Year, and WAC Gymnast of the Year honors.

The Boise State men's tennis team fed off its most dominating performance of the year last Tuesday—the 7-0 road win at Utah—and carried it though the weekend with a 6-1 win over Brown and a 5-2 victory over Denver. The Broncos are persevering in perhaps the most adversity-laced season of coach Greg Patton’s tenure. Patton indicates that No. 2 singles player Clancy Shields will have to shut down due to a hernia injury he’s been playing with. Shields went out in style yesterday with a straight sets win over Denver’s Nicklas Persson. Patton has already lost top player Kean Feeder for the season with a foot injury.

Opening Day is set at Wrigley Field, with the Chicago Cubs a trendy pick to win the World Series this year, if only because it marks the 100th anniversary of the last time they won it. Wow, 1908. There are five former Boise Hawks on the Cubs active roster: lefthanded starter Rich Hill, reliever Carmon Pigniatello, catcher Geovany Soto, infielder Ronny Cedeno, and outfielder Felix Pie.

This Day In Sports…March 31, 1998, 10 years ago today:

Mark McGwire begins his remarkable supplement-aided season by becoming the first St. Louis Cardinal to hit a grand slam on Opening Day as the Cards beat the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers, 6-0. After slugging 58 homers the previous season with Oakland and St. Louis, McGwire would go deep in his first four games in ’98, getting off to a fast start in his successful pursuit of Roger Maris’ record of 61 homers in 1961. Too Big Mac would end up with 70, of course.

(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 1350 KTIK/The Ticket. He also handles color commentary on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football.)

---

---