UGA alum Bob Behler is calling Boise State over the Bulldogs
Because the voice of the Boise State Broncos happens to be a UGA graduate, people assume Bob Behler must be torn about how he wants Saturday’s Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the Georgia Dome to turn out.
Think again.
Behler
“There’s no question about it, I want Boise State to win,” Behler said Sunday. “That’s my team; it’s where I live; I know those kids. I don’t know Mark Richt. He seems like a nice guy. But I’m friends with Chris Petersen. I’m wearing blue and orange to the stadium and I think Boise State is going to win the game.”
So let’s just go ahead and get that out of the way.
While extremely proud of his broadcast journalism degree from UGA’s Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and very grateful for his two productive years in Athens, Behler has put in a lot of miles at a lot of places since 1985. Most recently that has been Boise, Idaho, where he came to succeed Paul J. Schneider as the play-by-play voice in 2008.
You could say Behler’s timing is pretty good. He happened to catch the Broncos during the takeoff of what has continued to be a pretty awesome flight above the college football landscape.
“Thirty-eight and two since I’ve been here,” Behler spouts proudly. “Of course, [quarterback] Kellen Moore is 38-2 during that time, too, so that might have something to do with it.”
Behler didn’t know exactly what he was going to be in for when he accepted the Broncos’ gig. He’d spent 22 years calling I-AA games at Bucknell and UMass and, frankly, was just looking to call some Division I football.
In fact, he actually didn’t set out seeking Boise State. He applied for the play-by-play job at Virginia and the search firm handling that opening also happened to be involved with the Broncos. They asked Behler if he’d consider them, too.
“I said ’sure, why not,’” Behler recalled with a laugh. “You know which job I didn’t get.”
He got the better job. At this particular point Boise State is one of the hottest college football properties in the country and Behler has been along for every minute of the ride.
“I knew I was getting a team that had won a Fiesta Bowl [in 2007],” Behler said. “But did I think we’d be a Top 10 team every year? Probably not.”
So Behler was there when the Broncos won a second Fiesta Bowl in 2010 to cap off a 14-0 2009 season. He was behind the mic when they knocked off Oregon in 2008 and ‘09. And he was there last year in Washington, D.C., when everybody and their brother was assuring us that Boise couldn’t get it done against a Virginia Tech team which was clearly too big and physical and had more tradition and whose fans were going to make up 80-plus percent of spectators in a pro football venue.
Sound familiar?
“I think this will be a great game, just like that one was,” Behler said, referring to Boise’s 33-30 win over the Hokies at FedEx Field. “I give us the edge with Kellen Moore at quarterback and our defense is very, very good. Led the nation in sacks last year. I also think our situation at running back is better. I think Georgia gets a big edge in the kicking game. Not sure about the lines.”
I asked Bob how the Bulldogs were being viewed out in Idaho.
“People think Georgia is a very talented and they know it’s going to be tough to play somebody from the SEC,” he said. “They’re concerned with their size and athleticism. All the same things they were concerned about with Virginia Tech.”
Behler was thrilled when he first learned his two favorite schools were hooking up. While his roots aren’t deep in the Georgia red clay of Athens, he credits the school for getting him where he is today.
A native of Stockton, Calif., Behler enrolled at UGA in 1983 because he wanted to “go someplace different” and because his high school journalism teacher new somebody on the UGA journalism faculty. Behler had called his high school’s games on radio and stayed behind the mic for two years of junior college.
At Georgia he was introduced to sports information director Claude Felton, who said he could work for him and call women’s basketball and baseball.
“Claude always impressed me in that he let his students do things that were important,” Behler said. “He was always around to help but he gave you real responsibility and let you get in there and do it.”
From Athens, Behler got a job broadcasting games for the Chattanooga Lookouts. Then he went north and worked for Bucknell for 13 years, then nine at UMass. Just about the time he felt like true Easterner, he was whisked back west.
“It’s different,” he said. “The town reminds me a little of Northern California. We’re in a valley and it’s not as rural as you might think. It’s a city of 500,000 people. But it gets pretty sparse a few miles out of town. You can’t just get in your car and drive to a lot of places.”
No need to leave. The Broncos are the biggest thing around. Behler is looking forward to watching Moore get the eight wins he needs to become the winningest college quarterback ever. And he’ll like it even more if the first victory comes against the old alma mater.
“Sometimes you get lucky and I certainly did,” he said being a Bronco.
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397 comments Add your comment
Trojan
August 29th, 2011
8:16 am
Why is the opinion of an announcer for Boise State relevant?
Bronco Nation
August 29th, 2011
8:20 am
Boise State 222, UGA 0 >>>> The beatdown of the year.
After the game, a UGA player who reads, writes, and speaks at a 5th grade level will be interviewed on TV, and millions of viewers will wonder why Mark Richt recruits these dummies and why UGA admits them.
It makes you long for the days when ethical UGA coaches like Wallace Butts and Harry Mehre recruited literate athletes who actually earned real college degrees.
If you doubt this, go back and read Caleb King’s farewell tweet. The guy couldn’t even write a coherent sentence. This simpleton should have been mopping floors somewhere, not enrolled in college.
Mark Richt and the University of Georgia are a disgrace to this state.
Gene Gene the tackling machine
August 29th, 2011
8:21 am
http://www.warriorandworrier.com
JB
August 29th, 2011
8:26 am
38-2….. Because they mostly play weak sisters. 9 games this year for them are rated 71 st OR higher on Rivals pre season 120. That translates into ALL patsies for SEC teams. Yes, they have a good team, but put teams ranked under say 35th or so every week in front of them, that 38-2 turns into say 20-20. I think the first comment from the Boise players after the first quarter to their coaches, “Damn, they ain’t North Nevada State”.
DawginLex
August 29th, 2011
8:28 am
Murray is going to have a field dayn against Boise. Our running game is underestimated to their peril. It will be enough to give Murray some play action opportunities.
One key thing this year versus last year-Murray didn’t know the offense well enough, especially early on to call check downs at the line of scrimmage. That means Bobo’s play call might not be the final play run(enter your smartalec Bobo bashing comment now).
I thought this would be fairly low scoring but I now think it is going to be a wild west shootout.
Whoever has the ball last wins
Advocati
August 29th, 2011
8:28 am
Boy, we sure appear to have a lot of classless and obnoxious fans. So Behler wants his employer and the kids he knows to win. Is that really a surprise? It’s no different that when Coach Dooley wanted to beat Auburn when his Dawgs played them, and Coach Dye wanted to beat UGA when his Tigers played.
Bottom line is that Behler has done a lot more to prove the value of a UGA degree than any of the smart alecks who are commenting on this site. I wish him well and hope he doesn’t read any of the comments here. Too embarrassing.
I bet most of the rude comments ae from jokers who never earned a degree at UGA.
JB
August 29th, 2011
8:30 am
Georgia is in a no win situation. Beat them and people say, Hell, It’s Boise, they don’t play real football against real teams…………Lose people say , You got beat by Boise? Who do they play? What are going to do against Carolina next week?….Go Dawgs…I’ll take a win.
George Stein
August 29th, 2011
8:32 am
His high school teacher “new” someone? Gotta do better than that, Chip.
JB
August 29th, 2011
8:34 am
The key to winning Saturday is putting pressure on Moore. Keep him flushed and running for his life and a few SEC type sacks, we should win. Allow him to sit in the pocket and survey the field, all bets are off. We have an advantage as just about every position.
Swami sez
August 29th, 2011
8:35 am
Bob B . is correct!
frannie mae
August 29th, 2011
8:36 am
UGA is in BIG BIG trouble……
humanpanty
August 29th, 2011
8:37 am
boise states record if they had georgia’s schedule over the past 3 years
w – l – toss ups
2010 8 – 3 – 1
2009 5 – 1 – 6 georgia had a pretty tough schedule looking back on it.
2008 7 – 3 – 2
Gator Mike
August 29th, 2011
8:37 am
GO DAWGS BEAT Boise St.
oompa loompa dawg
August 29th, 2011
8:38 am
our midget QB is gonna have a difficult time seeing over that big D line of Boise.
ga gator
August 29th, 2011
8:38 am
JB I think most people outside of the SEC states will be impressed when UGA wins; even a lot of coaches voted them in the top 10. It will be a quality win for Richt.
JAWJeRDAWG
August 29th, 2011
8:39 am
Since Boise State is favored in this game, for UGA, if we win, this is an attention-getter on the national scene, and a chance to redeem ourself for the past two dismal seasons.
If we can come out on our first offensive possession and move the chains consistently and score, maybe that will put BS in a mindset that maybe we can do that every position, and lessen their defensive strength.
If on our opening defensive set, we can stop them 3 and out or at least keep them from scoring, I believe this will disrupt BS’s offensive gameplan and give them some sense of doubt and uncertainty.
I know this is every team’s primary gameplan, but I hope we can pull it off. If we can play four complete quarters, I think Georgia wins and this will lessen the doubt that Murray can’t win the big game against a ranked opponent.
Hope we can. .. Go Dawgs!
DawginLex
August 29th, 2011
8:41 am
Who cares about last year?
Boise in ATL forgets we went toe to toe with Arkansas and lost wiht under a minute to go. I guarantee you Arkansas is better than Boise (and Nevada)
We lost our confidence after the bad start, waiting for AJ, all the negative crap with the arrests, red panties etc.
The only advantage Boise has is they are used to winning. Their formula has worked 38 out of the last 40 times. 8 of this e wins are against what I consider to be quality teams. The rest are OOC breathers for the SEC teams.
I’m tired of talking, Let’s play
The Truth
August 29th, 2011
8:43 am
Mr. DawginLex you forgot to mention that 2 of UGA’s losses last year were to OOC breathers.
Return to Glory
August 29th, 2011
8:45 am
Well at least he is old enough for his wants not to hurt him, Dawgs ready to roll,
The turf ain’t blue, the foe ain’t small and slow and the smurfs will be a long way from home.
GOOOOOOOOOOOO DAAAAAWGS. Welcome to the South Broncos now ya’ll come on back again next time you want another butt whuppin !
Eat and Tweet
August 29th, 2011
8:45 am
Tums or Rolaids anyone?
BAMA dude
August 29th, 2011
8:46 am
Y’all realize that typing the word carpetbagger as two words shows a lack of education and makes southerners look bad, right?
TampaDawg
August 29th, 2011
8:46 am
Ok Boise in Atl .. I could just read and be entertained by your comments until a couple of them struck a nerve. NO, JMU could not beat Colorado. Even lower level DI schools should be able to handle a DII school. VT is an enigma for starters. They haven’t played high ranked or hyped games well at all. Look at their record against Top 10 teams. But to lose to JMU? Inexcusable no matter who you just lost to the week before. Again, 4 or 5 big wins in a 5 year span isn’t that impressive. Let them play 4 or 5 big games a year and see how it goes. Then I will be impressed.
Joey
August 29th, 2011
8:46 am
“So the guestion is: would you rather have higher ranked players, bigger, stronger, faster, playing with heart and determination, or the lessor ranked players doing the same?”
*******************************************************
I’ll take the team with the best coaching staff.
The perception is Boise right now is a bit better than UGA, but that UGA has more talent. I say that makes the coaches the most important factor.
Who has the best gameplan? Who makes the best adjustments? Not who has the toughest conference, or the toughest schedule. Good conference vs bad conference doesn’t matter a bit in this, one, game.
All da way turnt up...not
August 29th, 2011
8:48 am
Dawgs will get creamed by potato state in thier new ghetto gear. Boise 56 – puppies 9
Buh Bye Mark
August 29th, 2011
8:50 am
Richts farewell tour begins at the Dome…. Be There!
Dogs Smell
August 29th, 2011
8:52 am
I think the only way Georgia even scores is from a turnover. Boise by 14 at least !
oompa loompa dawg
August 29th, 2011
8:52 am
our midget is gonna be running for his life. those horses can sack.
TampaDawg
August 29th, 2011
8:53 am
@Bronco Nation — You’re just spewing the same crap from a couple of weeks ago aren’t ya. You want to judge the entire program on a guy’s tweet message. Seriously? Do you even listen to yourself to realize how dumb of a statement that is? I am sure BSU is fielding 70+ future PHDs right? Wrong. Not to mention. Just check US News rankings for top academic colleges and see if you can even find BSU, that model university that just happens to be under investigation STILL.
ATL XMAN
August 29th, 2011
8:53 am
boise in atl..boise st might have a few players who could play in the big boy conferences but your team is not full of them. your team is too small and too weak to deal with the talent and strenghth and speed of uga. va tech is playing a conference thats only better than big east and beating them last year was a good win for you guys but facing a team from the sec is a totally different monster. uga defense will be way better and we already know that uga players are bigger faster and more talented at just about every position. this game shouldnt be close. your qb will most likley be laying on his back the whole game or at least running for his life back there. your running back wont have the success he had against the weaker teams you guys play every week. boise st is way overrated and after sat it will suck for boise st fans to watch the rest of the season because a loss means the end of the season for you guys as you play noone else worthy to even watch.
hell ucf last year would have beaten you guys too. just go over the rosters again for each team and put a check where you think you have a btter player than uga. then let me know if you feel confident about a win against uga. thia is a whole new season at uga and this team is a whole lot better on both sides of the ball as time will tell.
PreyDawg
August 29th, 2011
8:54 am
He should be less proud of his degree now. I know I am less proud of my UGA degree in biology. That is because the University had the duplicity to actually hire Cynthia McKinney from this paper to a position where she will “instruct” the next generation of “journalists”. I will allow Ms. McKinney’s credibility, or lack thereof, to speak for itself. I think the hire is a disgrace.
Mr. Peterson vs Bozo
August 29th, 2011
8:57 am
Peterson will show dawgie nation how to out coach Richt with 2 & 3 star vs 4 & 5 star players. It will be a clinic. Boise 51 dogs 6.
PMC
August 29th, 2011
8:57 am
I’m just not sure how Georgia could expect to win this one. It’s been a long way down since 2005. True, Boise doesn’t play much if any competition during their conference schedule, but they’ve already proven they can beat anyone in a one game matchup. I do feel Georgia’s front 7 is going to look more like something resembling an SEC front 7 than whatever that was last year, but Coach and QB and Boise are better right now. Aaron Murray is very good, but Georgia might not face a better QB the rest of the year. The good news for the Dawgs is that the Broncos have to replace both starting wide outs too.
The Truth
August 29th, 2011
8:58 am
XMAN what you say is true. If Boise loses their season is over; if UGA loses they still can redeem it by running the table in SEC. I expect UGA to win, however any UGA fan who thinks that just because they have more athletes than Boise that it will translate into a win is a moron. Boise plays hard and smart; if they lose it will not because of some bonehead play that one of their players makes. I wish that UGA could say the same. It also will not be because their head coach is so conservative that he kicks a fieldgoal on 4th and inches inside of the 5 yard line.
Whiskey Breath
August 29th, 2011
8:58 am
What is Bob supposed to do, he is employed by Boise State? Hopefully he want’s to keep his job.
Every year you can expect the following from Ga.
1) National Championship in August.
2) Immediate kissing of Buck Bulue’s backside. By the way, he does it better than you guys.
3) Celebration of the 1980 N.C. Get those wheel chairs in peak condition!
Nothing has changed in 30 years.
PMC
August 29th, 2011
8:59 am
PreyDawg, Cynthia Tucker is who Georgia hired from this paper. Cynthia Mckinney is a politician.
Joey
August 29th, 2011
8:59 am
Enter your comments here
ga gator
August 29th, 2011
9:00 am
Good post Truth.
BAMA dude
August 29th, 2011
9:01 am
Yes, it is true that Boise has had severe academic shortcomings in its athletic program. Money quote:
However, despite its football team’s #6 ranking in the BCS and a spot in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl in January (2010), Boise State University occupies the bottom rung of this achievement ladder with a school-wide graduation rate of only 26%.
They have ranked in the top 10 in APR the last few years, however, so they are making progress. That said, this ain’t an academic discussion it’s a football discussion, and I think the Dawgs are gonna have their hands full personally. I think it takes awhile for Murray to get accustomed to not having AJ around, and the defense ain’t an overnight fix. Boise comes in as the more mature team it seems.
Sick and Tired
August 29th, 2011
9:02 am
I am so sick of hearing about Boise State. I’m tired of hearing comments like: “no one will play us” “everyone is scared to schedule us” “no conference will give us a chance” “we get robbed out of playing in the NC every year” “Georgia’s players are big, fat, and slow” “Georgia has no chance of beating BS” “BS is 38-2″ “our stats are incredible” BLAH BLAH BLAH…. We heard this same crap for months before the 2005 game – you remember that game, right? It was a blow out. Yes, I’m aware that things have changed for both teams since then. If a team beats high school teams every week their stats will look incredible, their record will look impressive, and their players will not be injured/beat down like a team that plays good teams every week. Preparing for one good team a year is a joke. Your schedule is a joke. Your field is a joke. I’m sick and tired of hearing about this BS crap. PLEASE Georgia beat the crap out of them so this will go away! Then maybe those BS big mouths will learn to eat a little crow.
Joey
August 29th, 2011
9:04 am
“Nothing has changed in 30 years.”
************************************
Except that our winning % over tech is gotten better in the lasst decade.
9-1, techie . . .
ga gator
August 29th, 2011
9:06 am
Sick and Tired, most of what you said is true but basically they play a one game schedule and when that “one” game is the first game of the season they have all spring and summer to scheme for it; thus their success. UGA will win but it will not be a blowout like last time.
THE Dixie Redcoat Band
August 29th, 2011
9:07 am
We’re sure glad his high school teacher “new” somebody..whaaaaat!
Can we just beat Florida…
AltamahaDawg
August 29th, 2011
9:08 am
So now the tech trolls are calling themselves Boise Nation, huh?
TampaDawg
August 29th, 2011
9:09 am
All the coaching game plan in the world won’t help if guys are consistently getting beat off the ball, beaten to spots, pressured and pushed around.
Again, BSU is a quality team. You have to be to run the table in your conference. But they rarely play against a D that is even remotely ranked among the top defenses in the country. They won’t be playing Wyoming and even a down UGA team isn’t a pushover so all the trolls on here (again, a select few and a some BSU fans not withstanding) just throw out scores without even taking into consideration how difficult this game will be for BSU as well as UGA. That being said, the better defense will win the game. UGA 27, BSU 13
anotherdawg
August 29th, 2011
9:11 am
Anyone that thinks Boise will be a cakewalk is in for a rude awakening. They have beat too many top teams to be taken lightly, Oregon, Oklahoma, Virginia Tech, etc. It is true that we beat them pretty bad last time, but that was with a different quarterback and coach. And, that had to be the worst performance of his career. He literally threw the ball to us more than he did his own guys. I really feel that UGA will be much improved, especially on defense. But, Boise is ranked #5 for a reason, and will be looking for revenge in this game. UGA will be hungry also, and the dome should be rocking in red, so it should be a great game. I will be absolutely thrilled with even a one point victory.
dawgerbrown
August 29th, 2011
9:11 am
Saturday can’t get here soon enough. Think the defense will be much improved. Think UGA will be more physical and athletic. Question is, will our defense play with discipline? Will the backside defensive ends and linebackers remember their responsibilities on sweeps going the other way to stop reverses, etc.? Play smart, remember our assignments, don’t try to be heroes, and, we’ll be okay. GO DAWGS!
BAMA dude
August 29th, 2011
9:12 am
TampaDawg, you really believe 2011 UGA without AJ is that much better than 2010 VT? I don’t know that they’re as good, frankly.
Mr. Peterson vs Bozo
August 29th, 2011
9:13 am
Are ya ready for a beat down? Boise 66 – UGA 6
flo-ri-duh
August 29th, 2011
9:16 am
Bois will miss their two starting WR’s from last year who are now in the NFL They have almost all of their other starters back. The experience level is much higher with Boise than with UGA. The few starters that UGA does have back have mostly moved around to other positions – with the exception of QB. Georgia has better athletes but Boise is right up there in talent also. Boise has experience which counts for a lot. On the other hand Georgia is playing near home. It will take a supreme effort by Mark Richt to get his team of round pegs in the right holes and ready the first game of the year. Good luck Dawgs.
ga gator
August 29th, 2011
9:20 am
One other comment that I have not read yet and that is with temperature conditions. In 2005 UGA beat the crap out of Boise and no doubt the heat on Sept 3 that year between the hedges played a factor; Boise was not used to it and UGA was. This time it will be in the AC of the dome so UGA will not have that advantage; hence my close 27-24 UGA win prediction.