Boise State Faces Tough Road As Top Talent Transfers Away
It was only a matter of time before the new laws of college football negatively impacted America’s favorite underdog, the Boise State Broncos.
The football team lost one of the most elite players in the country, Ty Benefield. The talented former Bronco left the team for the big-money world of LSU Football and coach Lane Kiffin.
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His move to Baton Rouge was so big that it was covered here on local television. Boise State lost a team leader who started 28 games and recorded 107 tackles.
A Double Standard For Boise State?
Bronco supporters will share the irony that the Power Five programs do not want to share with non-Power Five schools, but have no problem poaching players. The years of the Blue Brotherhood appear to be in grave jeopardy, if not gone for good.
Boise State Deflated Hoop Dreams
The football team isn’t the only program that has lost players. The Idaho Statesman reported the basketball team has lost two players to Big 12 programs. Javan Buchanan will head east to West Virginia. Andrew Meadow will head west to Eugene to become a Duck.
Although football is the major moneymaker, the men’s basketball team had a disappointing season. The team started the year with a high-profile embarrassing incident on national television, appearing on the Big Noon Kickoff wearing Utah Ute gear.
Boise State will begin play in the new Pac-12, which will include Washington State, Oregon State, and several teams joining them from the Mountain West. The football team is favored to win the new conference and possibly return to the College Football Playoff.
However, a program isn’t built on football alone. Leon Rice and his coaches must now find ways not only to attract but also to retain quality players in Boise. We’ll continue to update you on this story as it develops.
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