Tuesday, April 15, 2008.

The offensive line group that finished the spring with the first string for Boise State was essentially the same as the one that started with the first snap of the initial spring scrimmage a month ago. Now it’s jellin’ time. Nate Potter, Andrew Woodruff, Thomas Byrd, Jon Gott and Matt Slater were with the 1’s virtually all the way this spring. Woodruff, as the only returning starter and a three-year starter to boot, is presumably the glue that will try to re-create the chemistry that characterized the record-setting O-line of the past several years. They have 137 days to do it.

The most visible aspect of the offensive front in the scrimmage was the snapping in shotgun and abbreviated shotgun formations—be it to the quarterbacks or a Tanyon Bissell-type. The ones that went awry. The collective groan from the crowd at Bronco Stadium Saturday night could be heard all the way to Horseshoe Bend. Byrd and Cory Yriarte, the redshirt freshman centers, are the ones under the microscope. Coach Chris Petersen is unphased in Byrd’s case, though. Petersen calls Byrd, as a coach’s kid, a “football junkie” and has no doubt he’ll get the drill down before ground breaks on the 2008 season August 30.

Idaho has its own too-close-to-call race at quarterback this spring, and last Saturday’s scrimmage did nothing to change that. Sophomores Nathan Enderle and Quin Ashley were both effective in the scrum—incumbent Enderle went 8-for-11 for 107 yards, and challenger Ashley was 8-for-9 for 71 yards. The offense amassed eight touchdowns and four field goals, but coach Robb Akey would prefer to look a little deeper. The defense allowed only one TD on a sustained drive, and former Timberline High star Taylor Rust gave the D-line a huge boost with a pair of sacks. The annual Silver & Gold Game is set for Friday night in the Kibbie Dome.

Former Boise State coach Dan Hawkins has a short leash for his players, and the line in the sand was drawn once again Sunday. Hawkins kicked junior linebacker Jake Duren off the Colorado football team following an on-campus arrest. The Denver Post reported Duren was “found passed-out and bloody in the hallway of a school housing complex and has been charged with breaking into a truck outside the building.” He had been competing for a starting job with the Buffaloes and had intercepted quarterback Cody Hawkins in CU’s scrimmage the day before. Duren is the fifth Buff to be arrested or cited in alcohol-related incidents the past two months.

A little more momentum for the Idaho Stampede going into their second round playoff game Friday night in Qwest Arena, as Randy Livingston is the D-League.com Performer of the Week. Livingston had a solid weekend, scoring 53 points with 26 assists and nine rebounds as the Stamps ended the regular season with a two-game home sweep. A year ago, Livingston had been called up to the Sonics, presuming he’d be able to return to Idaho for the D-League Playoffs. But NBA rules prevented that. No such problem this season, as the Stampede begin the postseason against the winner of tonight’s Colorado-L.A. D-Fenders game in Staples Center.

The D-Fenders have done a quick fade heading into the playoffs, losing their final four games of the regular season to sub-.500 teams. They do have Coby Karl, the former Boise State star, who’s down again from the Lakers and is averaging 17½ points a game—and now looking to return to Boise Friday. The Colorado 14ers, guided by former Stampede coach Joe Wolf, are steamrolling into the postseason on a six-game winning streak. Guard Taurean Green, who had a cameo with the Stamps this season on assignment from Portland, is now a 14er after having been traded to Denver and reassigned.

So what happened to the Idaho Steelheads the past week? For one thing, they were smothered by the Alaska defense in their four-game sweep at the hands of the Aces. Taggart Desmet was the only Steelhead who managed more than one goal in the first round series (he had four). And John Lammers did not tally once, although he did have three assists and unleashed 17 shots on goal. Lammers had been the hottest Steelhead down the stretch, with nine goals in the month of March. He had been effective against the Aces as well, collecting his first professional hat trick against Alaska in February, part of a nine-goal explosion in seven games against the boys from the Frozen North. The Steelies’ exit was so sudden that they never had a chance to get Greg Rallo back from the Manitoba Moose.

Our former Boise Hawk of the Day is Troy Percival, whose comeback last year with St. Louis has become dependability this season in Tampa Bay. Percival, forced into near-retirement in 2005 by elbow problems, missed the entire 2006 campaign before returning last season. He went to the Rays as a free agent over the winter, and in four appearances this season, he’s gone four innings without allowing so much as a hit and has notched his 325th career save as he returns to his role as a closer. Percival became the Angels career leader in saves during his first 10 big league seasons. He played two summers in Boise (1990-91), the first as a catcher before being converted to a closer by manager Tom Kotchman.

This Day In Sports…April 15, 1947:

More than 25,000 fans witness history as Jackie Robinson bats second and plays first for the Brooklyn Dodgers, breaking major league baseball’s color barrier. It’s Opening Day at Ebbets Field, and the 28-year-old Robinson, signed by Branch Rickey, goes 0-for-3 against Boston Braves starter Johnny Sain but scores the deciding run in the Dodgers’ 5-3 win.

(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.)

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