Most weeks this season the biggest drama for the defending Mountain West Conference champion Boise State football team has come in the last days preceding the Broncos’ games, not at them.
On the field, where they pursue a fourth consecutive appearance in the MWC Championship Game, none of the Broncos’ games have been decided by less than 19 points in a 3-1 (3-0 conference) start.
But off the field, the nervousness sets in about Thursday after morning practice as the Broncos head to meetings, the time they usually get their last COVID-19 test results before that week’s game, such as Saturday’s appearance against the University of Hawaii at Aloha Stadium.
Over the past three games the Broncos have lost the services of 19 players to either positive test results or contract tracing. Last week, before the Colorado State game, nine Broncos tested positive and five were out due to contact testing. As it turned out in the 52-21 victory, COVID-19 was more of a threat than the Rams were.
Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin said, “Yes, there is (drama) every time. I mean, yeah, we talk about it. There is not a guy or a person in this program who doesn’t think about it the next day. We all have the app (on the phone). We all check it. It is just a little bit difficult for everyone.”
In its last report to the Board of Regents, the UH athletic department said it has had 10 positive tests among 2,205 tests but did not break the results down by sport.
When Harsin was asked Monday about the potential of having to cancel Saturday’s game against UH, he told a media conference, “It’s not in jeopardy right now. I think, right now, we’re good, but we have a couple of more tests throughout the week. But, you’re right. Last week the challenge — when you get to the point where you are using an offensive lineman to play defensive line — you’re at that point.”
The Mountain West Conference, which pays for the tests, mandates thrice a week testing and minimum roster thresholds that result in cancellation if they are not met. For example, a team must have at least seven offensive linemen and four interior defensive lineman as well as at least 53 players available.
Among injuries and the impact of COVID-19, the Idaho Press reported that Boise “barely met” the offensive and defensive linemen minimums for its game against CSU. Not that it derailed Boise State much. The resourceful Broncos got three special teams touchdowns off blocked kicks.
The Broncos have won 12 consecutive conference games — a streak second in the nation only to Ohio State at the moment — and have lost only to eighth-ranked Brigham Young (8-0). The feeling in the Bronco Nation is that about the only thing standing between Boise State and another championship might be a batch of COVID-19 positive tests.
Harsin said, “Until you get that all-clear, everybody is just kinda waiting to see if someone is positive. You’re hoping it is not you but, at the same time, you hope it is not someone on your team.” Harsin said. “They get in those meeting rooms and they don’t know. They don’t know if they might be gone or if they get a chance to stay. And that is the coaches as well, right.
“Our team thinks about it, along with all the other things that we have to think about and try to stay focused (on),” Harsin said. “So, it is a juggling act of being focused but also being real about what we are dealing with each week.”
BRONCOS’ TOUGHEST TEST
Boise State players lost to COVID-19 impact
DATE OPPONENT PLAYERS SCORE
Oct. 24 Utah St. 0 Boise, 42-13
Oct. 31 Air Force 1 Boise, 49-30
Nov. 6 BYU 4 BYU, 51-17
Nov. 12 Colorado St. 14 Boise, 52-21
Note: Includes players with positive tests and in contact testing.
Source: Boise State
Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.
