Today, the local sports media got a chance to catch up with Coach Avalos, as well as offensive and defensive coordinators, Bush Hamdan and Spencer Danielson. We got some details on how the team has been preparing for New Mexico and how they’ve been handling the fallout from Fresno and the sudden McAlister transfer announcement. The coaches all had interesting things to say (between the lines of coachspeak–Example: See if you can tell how Andy feels about other schools snaking talent…it’s not very subtle) in their own ways, so it’s probably best if I let them do their own talking:
Boise State Football, Press Conference, Preview Press Conference
(Video) Pre New Mexico Interviews with Boise State Coaches Avalos, Danielson, and Hamdan
The problem isn’t the players leaving, the problem is that the players want to leave.
The coaches need to answer why.
Would be nice if the sports press wasn’t a bunch of weenies. Would be nice if they pressed them on the McAllister transfer. Avalos blew it off. Oh, transfer portal… just have to deal with it. Well, no Andy. Successful teams don’t have to deal with it. Teams with a plan and a positive outlook don’t deal with it. Jeanty and Green will be gone by the end of the year if not before the end of this week. My brother reminded me of their Texas connection. I guarantee that the way they have handled the situation with Green has… Read more »
As a former player, why does a player NOT have the right to do what he/she feels is in his best interest? Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, Joe Burrow, Caleb Williams & countless others transferred. Bo Nix caught a ticket out of town after dealing with Harsin & is having a Heisman season at Oregon. Michael Penix left Indiana & is the Heisman favorite at Washington & shredded our defense. Couples break up & people leave jobs for different environments / opportunities. Coaches leave at the drop of a hat all the time. I hope McAllister finds success elsewhere I wonder… Read more »
I don’t think most people begrudge Eric McAlister for hitting the TP. What sticks in the craw is that he “quit” on his team with 3 games left. Having said that, though, the BIG ISSUE resides with this coaching staff. Again, I wish nothing ill on Avalos, but he needs to go. He will get a $3+ million dollar buyout (a pretty “soft landing,” IMO). Avalos & Co. are the big issue. But, McAlister’s in-season move isn’t the greatest.
Exactly. Didn’t read your response before posting but yes. That bugs me and leads me to believe that there is more to the story than what we have heard.
The difference is that none of the players you mentioned left mid season. That is the part for me that raises a huge red flag. Sure, the way college football is now the players can do whatever they want. I get that. But part of football (and I’m sure you will agree being a former player and all) is accomplishing something as part of a team. You take the successes as a team and the losses as a team. What you don’t do is walk out on your team when things get difficult. Even if it is the “best thing… Read more »
So EMac gets 19 targets and he’s not happy. Would he have been happy with 20? My educated eye detected he gave up on one and dropped another he should have caught. My suspicion is that privately he told others if he doesn’t see more targets he’s gone. After coaches and the team looked at the video it may have become apparent EMac was no longer competing. He was called out for it and he may have been looking at some bench time. I don’t think this did not happen overnight. On the other hand, maybe he thinks there is… Read more »
I think it’s a bit early to compare EMac to Titus Young, who has some deeply rooted issues.
He just doesn’t like the direction of the program & their may be other issues behind the scenes. Maybe, he misses Texas? He’s gotta do what he feels is best for him for the last 2 years of his career in college.
Exactly. I suppose I’m trying to at least explain a disturbing situation and say let’s wait and see. I’m thinking as I write, hoping to come up with reasons–how unreasonable is that? What might appear irrational to most could actually be rational for the individual. I’m of the opinion it is best he leaves when he wants to leave. It is not good for him if he stays and not good for the team. It’s rational. Sometimes, (most of the time) fans are fickle. However in this instance, you are correct, it was a bad hire. Avalos is not a… Read more »
I would hope that players who do what is best for themselves despite the team are not OKG’s.
Again, it’s difficult to totally beat this young man up over this because of course we don’t know the full story. But it is obvious that other things transpired and for Avalos to gloss this over is laughable. Unless of course nothing else really did transpire and he is just a quitter. And in that case good riddance.
All wild speculation. What is not wild speculation is that it isn’t a good look for the program. Especially if other players follow suit.
Interesting Article talking about Tulane, etc.
https://www.eastvillagetimes.com/does-tulane-offer-sdsu-a-model-for-success
A starting QB leaves during the season one year and a starting WR leaves during the season the next year: is it more than coincidental?
I believe that those are different scenarios. Hank left because he was benched for a freshman. I don’t blame him for that.
McAllister because who knows. But we do know it was in the middle of a season. So whatever the reason it was an untenable situation for him or the staff.
Pretty lousy when a guy can’t even start a good conspiracy theory.
Dang. Sorry.
Did you know that there is a series of tunnels underneath the stadium? They connect to government bunkers…
That’s where D B Copper is hunkered.
Going to be interesting to see where McAllister lands.
TCU
Yep, ’em ‘er Texens like eggs ‘and players poached.
I’ve been thinking about the McAlister situation. Larry Bird left IU after a few weeks. He was homesick and large campus life was not for him. And he was less than a hundred miles from his home. He went to a smaller campus and by the time he hit Boston… I think Boise can be lonely for some. TCU is probably a half-hour drive from his home. When recruited from high school, he had some offers from P5 schools and a handful of G5s, plus all the service academies. I noticed nothing from TCU. He chose Boise, good choice. “Boise”… Read more »
Prater & Johnny “Ballgame” were reporting on Monday that TCU would be the landing spot, and that unconfirmed rumors (but still, rumors from within or near the team) had it that McAlister will get at least $100,000 + a car in NIL money/incentives. If this is true, and I totally believe it is, then it is pretty worrisome for BSU. Teams aren’t supposed to “tamper” during the season and before the transfer portal opens. But, as we all know in the real world, the P5 Teams are dirty, rotten cheaters and the NCAA only ever hammers the small guys (i.e.,… Read more »
The other part of the rumor mill that I don’t even want to think about is that Jeanty is the next to transfer out and he will be going to Texas (Longhorns). As I said before, I hate this. This is not what College Football is supposed to represent. I would take FCS football over this any day of the week. A lot of people say that the NIL deals are what’s best for the players and they deserve to be paid. My response still is that they are already being paid. Full meal ticket, housing and world class education… Read more »
Couldn’t agree more – the money men have ruined the once-glorious sport of College Football. I hope the “whole diseased temple comes down on their heads.”
I knew NIL would turn out this way. Recently Mike Sanford said NIL is the reality and it’s here to stay so embrace it.
I had a better solution for NIL. NCAA collects all the money and spreads it equally among the participating programs. Everybody gets the same. It’s the distribution of wealth. It’s what is being taught in campus classrooms today. Problem solved. And thank you.
I definitely don’t agree with the University’s profiting off players names and likeness to en extent. They shouldn’t be selling that to video games and third parties. The schools should have blocked any player from wearing #1 and just sold jerseys with #1 on them and no name. The solution was not to make this a free for all semi-pro league. It should have been to preserve the amateur status of athletes. There is a lot going wrong as of late. Gambling, alcohol sales at games (sorry, I know it’s an unpopular opinion), NIL, agents. It kind of makes you… Read more »
That sounds nice, but also reeks of communism. Unfortunately, the NCAA & universities made loads of money off the backs of players for years & finally it’s the wild, wild west for players & it will stay this way for sometime until a sane solution is found. I sometimes ask myself how much money I missed out on during my days of the NIL had been around. I really feel for the non-profitable sports. Most of them will never see a dime unless they are a very attractive female (see LSU gymnast, Olivia Dunne) or a national champion in a… Read more »
“Reeks of communism,” wow, I thought I could sneak that one past everybody. I don’t think a college education is what it used to be. In general knowledge and comprehension of the world, I’d put an HS senior of years gone by against a college senior of today. But that’s another story. Recently, I read an article by a student-athlete. He estimated all the free stuff along with a scholarship, he received a little more than $100,000 per year. Schools may make millions off Joe Football but nothing off Vicky, Stella, Judy, Rhonda, Betty, Linda, Brittney, Miranda, Ginger, etc. Stella… Read more »
Some are a big fish in a little pond. When they get to the big pond; they get swallowed by bigger fish.
There is always a bigger fish right?
Yeah, but it stops at Moby Dick.
Bottom line. Stop comparing ourselves to P5 and getting upset when players leave. More often than not, P5 players will leave for fellow P5 schools. BSU faces the same challenges as San Diego State, UNLV, Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Tulane, UTSA, South Florida, etc, etc, etc Schools like Memphis & Tulane are finding ways to win. Tulane was ATROCIOUS as a program for years & a far distant 2nd thought in a state that worships the Saints & LSU Tigers & they are winning. No doubt Willie Fritz will be gone. I know OKGs are the goal, but we seemed… Read more »
John Wick – I think most fans, including myself, agree. However, I don’t think we are under any obligation to applaud what McAlister did. If he went into the TP at the end of the season, fine! Well wishes and good luck. What he did isn’t just leaving for a P5 spot because his talent blossomed here … he QUIT on his teammates and didn’t finish the season. That is bush league. I realize we can’t control it, but it is BS and we shouldn’t applaud it or accept it as a standard for this program. BSU is an outlier… Read more »
Well put.
His quitting with games remaining leads me to think he may have been becoming a liability in the locker room. Perhaps he left by popular demand–his teammates. Often, when that happens, the team pulls together and plays better.
Just saw the depth chart. Maddog is listed as a starter ahead of TG. Bolt is in place of McAlister.
Hope Bolt go uninjured and has a stellar start off his career this sat!
When one door closes, another opens.
If it’s any consolation Hank Bachmeier has a worse QB rating than Madsen or Green