Boise State’s special teams unit had a NIGHT on Thursday as the Broncos squared off with the Colorado State Rams on the Smurf Turf. The home team opened as 13-point favorites on Bet MGM against the Mountain West Conference opponents and quickly made the spread look foolish.
After the defense forced a three-and-out on the Colorado State’s first offensive possession, they were forced to punt from their own end zone.
Boise State had different plans than to allow the field to be flipped and crashed in hard off of the edge and get a hand on the ball. Corner back Avery Williams blocked the kick and recovered it in the end zone for the first points of the night.What a start for @BroncoSportsFB 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ao5W5L8HvT
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 13, 2020
It was a great start for the Broncos, but the special teams unit wasn’t done there. As the Rams tried to put their first points on the board with a field goal late in the first quarter, 6-foot-3, 314-pound nose tackle Divine Obichere blew up the middle and swatted the kick away. His block landed right in the arms of nickelback Kekaula Kaniho, who took it 90 yards for six.
The Broncos special teams unit ate their Wheaties this morning and has blocked two kicks tonight. Both went for six! 🐴pic.twitter.com/gPjYfBV5Nb
— BroBible (@BroBible) November 13, 2020
Two blocked kick return touchdowns in one night is impressive, but the fireworks weren’t over. On Boise’s next possession, offensive coordinator Zak Hill dialed up a familiar scoring play.
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 13, 2020
The ‘Statue of Liberty’ as it has come to be known, was the final play in the school’s 2007 upset victory over Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl. To explain, the quarterback snaps the ball and puts it behind his back. He then fakes a throw to the outside with an empty hand and hands the ball off to the running back, who scampers around the corner to the end zone.
— QB1 Mentality (@QB1Mentality) September 24, 2020
Ahead by four scores on Thursday, the defense forced another Colorado State punt. AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN! The Rams didn’t learn their lesson the first time and let Williams come untouched off of the edge to block his second punt of the night, which was subsequently returned for the team’s third blocked kick return touchdown.
So, we did.#BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/vzbp6BV2aZ
— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) November 13, 2020
Winston Venable and Zac Alley are the team’s co-special teams coaches, and they both deserve a shoutout here. Whatever they gave their guys before the game worked. Boise State went to the half ahead 42-7.