While we await the opening of Boise State fall camp next week, we wonder if Cam Bates can become the Broncos’ go-to at wide receiver. Bates was the team’s sixth-leading receiver last year with 17 catches for 301 yards. Four of the five players ahead of him are gone now—the exception being Ben Ford, still rehabbing a torn ACL. Part of the equation will be getting into the end zone. Bates’ first career touchdown came on a reverse against Portland State in 2024. His second and third were on a similar plays last season versus Eastern Washington and UNLV, respectively. Bates’ first career TD catch didn’t come until the rematch with the Rebels in the Mountain West championship game. “It felt surreal, because I was so open,” said Bates. He’s looking for more “surreality” like that this season.
FINDING AT LEAST A TRIO
Without an obvious alpha this year, Boise State will need “domination by committee.” Bates can carry the flag to a certain point, but two more main characters would be huge. And that is the great unknown. Until Ford returns, they’ll have to come from some combination of Quinton Brown, Akeem “Nitro” Wright, Darren Morris, Rasean Jones and Terrious Favors. Brown, with two impressive touchdowns last year, is the only returnee in that group. Wright and Morris have JC and FCS experience, respectively, and Jones and Favors have the chance to be true freshmen phenoms. Jones, the Rocky Mountain grad, was the story of spring football, and Favors has been called one of the 100 fastest players in college football. I think the Broncos will find some answers.
ANOTHER PLAYER TO WATCH
Seven Boise State Broncos are featured on what is essentially the 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl watch list, which isn’t earth-shattering (although it is the top number in the Pac-12). What’s notable is that one of the guys is a transfer, and it’s not left tackle Tyler Ethridge. It’s defensive back JeRico Washington Jr., the portal addition from Kennesaw State. Washington was probably the most-mentioned newcomer at Media Day last week after Ethridge. Ford and Bates were among those talking him up. In three seasons at Kennesaw, Washington tallied 126 tackles and five interceptions, including a team-high three in 2023. Boise State’s projected starters at corner are Jayden Mickey and Sherrod Smith, but that’s why there’s fall camp. We’ll see.
BENGALS TRENDING UP – VANDALS TBD
The Big Sky holds Media Days, too, Pac-12. (Ahem.) Anyway, the Big Sky sessions wrapped up Monday in Spokane, and there are believers in Idaho State. Going into coach Cody Hawkins’ fourth season, the Bengals are picked to finish fifth by conference coaches. If ISU can overachieve that just a little, the Bengals could see their first FCS Playoff berth in 43 years. They’ve gone from 3-8 to 5-7 to 6-6 in Hawkins’ first three seasons. Expectations are high at Idaho for Year 2 of coach Thomas Ford, but Media Days will surely leave the Vandals with chips on their shoulders. Coming off a 4-8 season, Idaho was picked to finish seventh and had only one Preseason All-Big Sky pick, Brayden Rice on special teams.
MOST LIKELY TO SUCCEED
I liked this feature at The Athletic: “Assistants who could break out for each NFL team.” Among the group chosen by Jordan Rodrigue are two of local note. One is former Boise State standout Klayton Adams, Dallas offensive coordinator. “It was impossible to decide between second-year OC Klayton Adams and first-year DC Christian Parker, who combine to make as exciting a coordinator tandem as we’ll see in 2026,” writes Rodrigue. “Adams, a former offensive line coach, schematically blends modern, physical run concepts with a high-potential passing game.” The other is Bishop Kelly High grad Joe Bleymaier, Kansas City passing game coordinator and son of Gene Bleymaier. The Chiefs have built a dynasty, and Bleymaier, entering his 11th season on the KC staff, has been described as the “secret sauce” in the building.
AC BOISE DEVELOPING AS ROAD WARRIORS
It may be a first-year franchise, but Athletic Club Boise has not been intimidated by road games in USL League 1. AC Boise, which is 9-6-2 overall record and currently in fifth place in USL1, is 3-3-2 away from home and is coming off a 2-1 win in New Jersey over the New York Cosmos. After a scoreless first half, ACB got goals from Blake Bodily in the 52nd minute on a penalty kick and from Jake Crull just six minutes later. The Cosmos scored in stoppage time to make the final look closer than it really was. Tonight ACB will be in South Carolina to face Greenville Triumph SC, which is 4-9-2 overall. Boise has won four in a row including their USL Cup win over Sacramento. They’ll be back home this Saturday against Corpus Christi FC.
HAWKS HIT ANOTHER WALL
The Boise Hawks have had plenty of trouble with the Oakland Ballers since the B’s joined the Pioneer League two years ago, but the Hawks did salvage a 7-6 win last Sunday in their three-game set in the Bay Area. Things have not been going well for Boise, which lost four of six on the Northern California road trip that included three games at Yuba-Sutter. The rough sledding resumed Tuesday night with a 23-4 pounding at the hands of the Glacier Range Riders to open a six-game series at Memorial Stadium. The Hawks are now 30-31 on the season.
MERRITT TRYING TO MAKE WAVES
Former Boise State star Troy Merritt’s PGA Tour comeback has legs, although his finish at the 3M Open didn’t reflect that. Playing on what is essentially his home turf in Minnesota, where he spent his formative years, Merritt fired back-to-back 66s last Thursday and Friday and was tied for fifth place. The Meridian resident shot a 69 on Saturday before enduring a two-over 73 in the final round on Sundayday, dropping into a tie for 39th. But the big picture for Merritt: after a top 5 result on the Korn Ferry Tour, he’s played the last three PGA Tour events and has made the cut in each, including a 21st-place finish in the John Deere Classic. Merritt’s return to the Albertsons Boise Open in two weeks will be key—that’s where he can make a major dent on regaining his PGA Tour card.
PELTON-BYCE IS BACK FOR MORE
The Idaho Steelheads’ centerpiece has re-signed for the 2026-27 season. Forward Ty Pelton-Byce will be entering his fifth season with the Steelheads, after logging 13 goals and 28 assists last season. The 29-year-old Pelton-Byce has amassed 208 career points with the Steelies, fifth in team history—three more points and he’ll jump past Lance Galbraith and Jefferson Dahl into third all-time. The Steelheads have also signed forward Jordan Steinmetz to a second season with the club.
IT’S A WRAP FOR JORGENSON’S FIFTH TOUR
Boise High grad Matteo Jorgenson’s fifth Tour de France ended with a 30th-place finish, his lowest, after the race wrapped up at the Champs Elysees in Paris on Sunday. Jorgenson was dreadfully sick midway through the Tour but recovered in the second half of the famed event. He had one podium result: a third place in Stage 18 last Thursday a few days after the injury to teammate Jonas Vingegaard moved him out of a support role. Jorgenson just turned 27 on July 1, so he’s in his prime as it relates to cycling. His best finish in the Tour was eighth in 2024.
This Day In Sports…brought to you by CORSO ITALIAN STEAK…it’s about food, cocktails and vibe.
July 29, 2006, 20 years ago today: Boise’s biggest boxing card ever draws a disappointing 2,000 fans to see a past-his-prime Roy Jones Jr. win his comeback bout, a 12-round unanimous decision against Prince Badi Ajamu at what was then Qwest Arena. It also marked the end of Kenny Keene’s career. The “Emmett Eliminator”, at the age of 38, lost to “King” Arthur Williams on a 10th-round TKO. Keene, arguably Idaho’s most popular boxer ever, finished with a record of 51-4. The Boise boxing scene virtually disappeared after that night.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra and anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK. He also served as color commentator on KTVB’s telecasts of Boise State football for 14 seasons.)