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
AltamahaDawg
August 29th, 2011
9:22 am
Anyone who claims to be “less Proud” of thier UGA diploma, because of the short term employment of a single professor, who is going to be lost in a sea of liberal professors that have been around forever, well…that’s on you.
SEC Reality Check
August 29th, 2011
9:24 am
SEC teams know how to hit “real” hard.
boots
August 29th, 2011
9:26 am
He went to UGA for two years and left? Guys like that never left their dorms and just sat around talking to dudes instead of girls. I seriously don’t get those people that went to school in Athens for 4 years and never went to a game or saw a band play downtown. But, that’s another topic for another day… This guy is about as “Georgia” as my Tech neighbor. UGA falls behind early but comes roaring back: UGA 24 Boise State 16
UGA Insider
August 29th, 2011
9:26 am
I was at The Dome Friday and let me tell you something… The UGA speed on D in unbelievable! JJ and Tree and going to be UGA’s best ever and don’t worry about Jenkins because Kwame is better and hungry to dominate. K Moore is going to be on his back all night long which really hurts on turf. He will see his Heisman chances get flushed down the toilet.
UGA 44- Boise 10
Prozac Dawg
August 29th, 2011
9:26 am
@SickandTired. My sentiments exactly. It would be refreshing to hear a BS fan that wasn’t full of it. I would love to see them with -27 yards rushings and zero passes completed. Maybe that would shut them up. Then they could go and color coordinate their stadium; oops they’ve already started that!
Golden Knight
August 29th, 2011
9:27 am
@ SEC reality check………. really?
Come On
August 29th, 2011
9:28 am
Boise in Atlanta
Come on… quit dwelling on the past years performance because this is an new year and new teams.
Nobody in their right mind would have predicted Auburn win the title last year after going 7-5 the previous year. Nobody would have predicted Alabama going 12-0 in the regular season after going 6-6 in Saban’s first year. Teams tend to follow up bad years with great or atleast good seasons.
So since you are going off fact from previous years then add this to it.
frannie mae
August 29th, 2011
9:29 am
I just watched the video and UGA is in BIG BIG trouble…….
@Mr Peterson
August 29th, 2011
9:29 am
If you really believe Boise will win by 60 points, then here’s your chance to hit the lottery. Vegas has Boise favored by 3 or 3.5, so go ahead and bet your house on Boise. lol
Prozac Dawg
August 29th, 2011
9:30 am
@Insider,
good news. I do hope Jenkins will be able to play if Kwame needs a breather. Injuries are a worry for me, B. Smith, B. Figgins
Golden Knight
August 29th, 2011
9:31 am
@ come on….. 8 – 5, bad year 6 – 7 follow up ? . “Teams tend to follow up bad years with great or atleast good seasons”
I-DOG
August 29th, 2011
9:31 am
I still find it interesting that the Boise newspaper doesn’t report injuries or ANYTHING negative about the program. I don’t mean a hatchet job, but they haven’t even reported a turned an ankle or general soreness happening to to a single player.
I know that the Broncos must do some hitting in practice, so either they are super men who don’t bruise or the Boise paper doesn’t do a very good job of covering the team. The only articles about the team this Fall have been about which polls have them ranked 5th and which ones have them ranked 6th.
How does a Boise State fan know what is happening with their team?
Just Asking
August 29th, 2011
9:31 am
Watch that video of the Boise State VT game. Georgia will NOT play that poorly against them. There was no blocking, no kicking, no passing, no running by VT. It might be close but I cannot imagine UGA playing that poorly.
That said, I don’t want to remember our last Bowl game. I think ga gator is right on. 27 -24 one way or another.
I-DOG
August 29th, 2011
9:34 am
UGA Insider:
Glad to hear that the D looked fast. You had indicated last week that Rambo was going to be suspended for the first game, but it just wasn’t announced yet? Is this still the case?
Hope you are wrong in this case, but over the year’s you really do seem to provide some very accurate inside info that others haven’t yet reported!
"Get on da Bus"
August 29th, 2011
9:36 am
Boise ’s D is nastier than UGA’s arm tackling.
Come On
August 29th, 2011
9:36 am
Golden Knight
Since you don’t follow UGA you wouldn’t realize that what held us down was players with poor attitudes. Now that they are gone players that want to play the Georgia way get to play now. Look at Tennesse… until you get these players off team that are all about them selves you will have bad years. At some point kids become uncoachable and sometimes the talent over weighs the attitude problems like down in Florida.
kybodawg
August 29th, 2011
9:38 am
hey tyree heres a flash for u boysee agreed to wear nike to.
Golden Knight
August 29th, 2011
9:39 am
“Since you don’t follow UGA you wouldn’t realize that what held us down was players with poor attitudes” UGA excuse # 29.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 29th, 2011
9:40 am
Pretty sure Ga is gonna win.
I-DOG
August 29th, 2011
9:41 am
I think it will be a good game, but don’t underestimate Georgia’s offensive line. The headlines make it seem like it is weak, but look closer. The issue with UGA’s line is experienced depth. At this point, the coaches are comfortable with two backups, but the starting five is the largest that UGA has ever assembled at about 325 pounds per man. That is bigger than many NFL lines. By all accounts they are playing well together. Georgia has 5-6 very good defensive lineman this year, so if the the OL is doing well against them in practice, that is a very good sign.
Last year, this was inexpicably one of the weak points on the team. However, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if our offensive line dominates this game.
chilidawg
August 29th, 2011
9:43 am
Enjoy the top 10 ranking while it lasts, Mr. Behler. You won’t be there next week.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 29th, 2011
9:44 am
However, it wouldn’t surprise me in the least if our offensive line dominates this game.
——————————————-
Many prognosticators have Boise’s D-Line ranked in the top 10 in the nation.
Come On
August 29th, 2011
9:45 am
Golden Knight
Just watch and see for yourself on Sept. 3rd…
Players have to earn playing time its not just giving to them anymore. You will be surprised this year at how different this team plays.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 29th, 2011
9:46 am
Players have to earn playing time its not just giving to them anymore.
——————————–
With the exception of Crowell.
Come On
August 29th, 2011
9:49 am
Crowell is actually listed #2 on depth chart behind Richard Samuel still. I expect after Crowell settles in he will end up with more carries but Richt will have a Samuel in there due to experience with pass protecting.
Dawg Squeeze
August 29th, 2011
9:53 am
I bet ole bob probably would have picked uga over UCF last December as well.
AltamahaDawg
August 29th, 2011
9:53 am
I notice you don’t have your patented……”I wonder” when the injuries are over at SC instead.
DAWGMAN
August 29th, 2011
9:54 am
Finally here. Time to put the delusions aside. One team is gonna leave the Georgia Dome 0-1 with their pants down around their ankles. Step up, Dawgs! Do it for your team mates! coach already bent over the log with his belt and shoe laces all jumbled up. He is at peace with it. Don’t you be. You still got a chance. Whatever strength you got inside you; you bring it. Leave the iPods and the cell phones on the bus. Pay freaking attention. No showboating, and no trashtalking. As The Bear used to say, “Act like you been there before”. Ride back to Athens with a win. Go up to the chapel and ring the bell.
And take New UGA with you. He wants to yank on that rope too. Give him something to help him get up off that bag of ice. Let him warm up from the waist down. Don’t let him learn how to be ‘at peace with it’.
TampaDawg
August 29th, 2011
9:55 am
Yeah actually I do. The offense that people keep cracking on for losing to teams like Colorado had a new Aaron Murray and NO AJ Green already. I believe that going from Caleb and Washaun to Isaiah and Richard is a VAST upgrade. The line is thin in depth but stronger in experience than last year. To be honest, VT hasn’t proven a thing lately either. In the last 3 years, VT has lost to James Madison, North Carolina, East Carolina, Miami and Boston College. None of these teams were ranked when they played so VT has a history of getting beat, sometimes at home, by lesser teams.
AltamahaDawg
August 29th, 2011
9:56 am
Crowell has done everything any other players has done to earn playing time. Maybe more so.
And while we are talking about “earning”, how is it that Jeffreys, and Lattimore, don’t even have to scrimmage like the rest of the guys. Talk about entitlement.
Nick
August 29th, 2011
9:58 am
Reminds me of Pat Dye helping us out since we weren’t “…man enough to beat Alabama”.
Bring it on!
TampaDawg
August 29th, 2011
9:58 am
NCBF – “Many prognosticators have Boise’s D-Line ranked in the top 10 in the nation.”
———————————————–
They probably had VT picked to cover the spread against JMU also.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 29th, 2011
9:59 am
And while we are talking about “earning”, how is it that Jeffreys, and Lattimore, don’t even have to scrimmage like the rest of the guys. Talk about entitlement.
———————————–
Lattimore and Jeffery scrimmaged some last Wednesday. Jeffery actually got a calf contusion in that scrimmage.
Thoughts of Kniles Davis causes many coaches to keep their studs on the sidelines during many scrimmages.
BAMA dude
August 29th, 2011
10:00 am
Players have to earn playing time its not just giving to them anymore.… Come On
Seems like we have us a bona fide insider on the board, folks.
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 29th, 2011
10:08 am
They probably had VT picked to cover the spread against JMU also.
———————————–
Just saying, Ga’s O-Line is not gonna be as dominant as you think.
ATL XMAN
August 29th, 2011
10:08 am
no way kellen moore has the time to throw that he had against va tech last year. uga will be in the backfield all night. 300 plus def lineman that are faster and stronger than your little 280 pound linemen.
TampaDawg
August 29th, 2011
10:09 am
BAMA dude — better than the guy who’s moniker states that he is an insider yet makes stuff up like Bacari Rambo being suspended and it being determined already that Smith will miss a couple of games due to injury.
Nice Spelling
August 29th, 2011
10:10 am
Who is the editor of your post? Nice Spelling… “New somebody”
AJC journalism at its finest…
Prozac Dawg
August 29th, 2011
10:13 am
Check out Buck’s Blog. I think he made a fair assessment of the O line.
http://blogs.buckbelue.com/
Sick and Tired
August 29th, 2011
10:13 am
This says it all… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diX7e_9hLAo
Gman 84
August 29th, 2011
10:17 am
We take a lot of justifiable heat for the debacle against UCF but Noisy St seems to overlook their own disaster against Nevada. They had everything riding on that game. Built a huge lead then fell apart. Just because the game was played in the middle of the night in the east, it still happened.
AltamahaDawg
August 29th, 2011
10:20 am
DAWGMAN, there’s been about half a dozen stories written by those that cover the team, and every single person of any credibility to comments about their personal observations has said that RIcht is most definitely NOT at peace with the results of the past couple of seasons.
Dee
August 29th, 2011
10:25 am
UGA 34
Boise St 20
hinesville Dawg
August 29th, 2011
10:27 am
After Saturday boise will suck hind Tit
Nothing Could Be Finer
August 29th, 2011
10:27 am
RIcht is most definitely NOT at peace with the results of the past couple of seasons.
———————————————
Doesn’t mean he’s gonna win this year.
AltamahaDawg
August 29th, 2011
10:27 am
Oh, my bad. They trotted out and took a few reps a week before the season. Meanwhile everybody else is busting their hump to earn their playing time.
AltamahaDawg
August 29th, 2011
10:30 am
Who said it did? You have a bad habit of making retorts that have nothing to do with the point made. (and certainly not made in your direction) I think it’s just the need to say something, anything, with nothng really to add.
funny...
August 29th, 2011
10:32 am
it’s knew.
David Granger
August 29th, 2011
10:38 am
On paper, the game is a mis-match…and UGA should win handily. (But then…you can say the exact same thing about the Liberty Bowl last year against UCF.)
Boise State has a good coach, and some good athletes, as well. They don’t attract the 4 and 5-star recruits like the SEC programs do, but they have a lot of 2 and 3-star players who come in and work hard. (And who sometimes have a chip on their shoulder from not being ranked as highly as they thought they should have been…so they hit the weight room hard, and play with a little aggressive resentment.) BSU is starting 14 seniors. Their senior class is 38-2, with a BCS Bowl win. This is going to be a good game, and I damn sure hope Coach Richt has the team ready to play hard.
I don’t want to belabor this “new uniform” crap, because I know that was Nike’s doing and not Coach Richt’s this time. But I sure wish he didn’t seem so delighted with it, and wasn’t pushing that “let’s red out the stadium!” mess. We red out the stadium every game, Coach. (Except for the time you asked us to “black out” the stadium for Alabama.) Get the team ready to play hard from the opening kickoff, and the support will be there.
I-DOG
August 29th, 2011
10:38 am
Nothing could be finer:
The Boise D line will certainly get a chance to prove just how good they are this weekend. If Georgia does win, I don’t think we will be reading these blogs on Sunday and Monday about how UGA somehow overcame a top 10 defensive line to get a victory over the 5th best team in the nation. I don’t see that being the story line in here, it will be wait until you play a real team like South Carolina or Florida.