Broncos will have a big presence in San Diego

One former Bronco is going to make sure Boise State's presence is felt in San Diego.

Former fullback/tight end Matt Strohfus, who works for Lamar Advertising in Los Angeles, has arranged for four Boise State billboards in the San Diego metro area - including one right outside Qualcomm Stadium, where the No. 9 Broncos will face the No. 11 TCU Horned Frogs next Tuesday in the Poinsettia Bowl.

Strohfus hopes to have the billboards up in time for the Broncos' arrival Friday. One of the locations is just outside the San Diego airport.

"We get a chance to make it feel like Boise State is moving into San Diego for a little while," said Brad Larrondo, the senior assistant athletic director for promotions and marketing at Boise State.

The billboards say, "Where we go, the Bronco Nation will follow." They feature the team rushing onto the field with five players at the forefront - tailback Ian Johnson, safeties Jeron Johnson and Ellis Powers, wide receiver Vinny Perretta and cornerback Kyle Wilson. Four of the five are from Southern California, including Perretta, who is playing his final college game in his hometown.

Boise State hopes the billboards enhance football recruiting efforts in the area and give the university some exposure.

"It's a chance for a lot of people, from high school kids to adults, to be able to see the Boise State message," Larrondo said.

The billboards, which are expected to stay up for a month, came at a heavy discount. Boise State only paid for the production costs - less than $1,500, Larrondo said.

The billboards were available and Lamar, which handles the Boise State account in the Treasure Valley, offered the school a one-time deal, Strohfus said. He would like to sell the Broncos advertising in key recruiting areas and where they play road games in the future.

"It would be fun to have a Bronco Nation presence before the game," said Strohfus, whose football career ended in 2002. "It certainly would create a little more of a stir around the visiting areas."

Lamar posted a billboard in the Inland Empire area of Southern California after the Broncos' 2007 Fiesta Bowl win as a way of congratulating the school, Strohfus said. Otherwise, Boise State hasn't done anything like this before.

Larrondo likes the idea of Oregon and Oklahoma State and their fans seeing the billboards when they arrive for the Holiday Bowl, which is a week after the Poinsettia at Qualcomm.

"It's as impactful of advertising as we've ever done in a market that size," Larrondo said. " This is pretty unique. And it's something we're very confident we can try to do some more of in the future."

TICKET UPDATE

Boise State has issued about 4,600 tickets to the Poinsettia Bowl, but fewer than 3,500 of those sales are to Treasure Valley-based fans. The rest are player tickets and sales to out-of-town fans, mostly in California.

Still, it's the most tickets Boise State has sold to an out-of-town bowl other than the 2007 Fiesta (about 25,000).

Boise State has 7,500 tickets for the Poinsettia. Any unsold tickets will cut into the WAC's payout from the game.

IAN JOHNSON GETS ALL-STAR INVITE

Ian Johnson was invited Monday to play in the East-West Shrine Game, a college all-star game scheduled for Jan. 17 in Houston. It will air at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.

If Johnson accepts the invitation, it will mark the ninth straight year that a Bronco has participated in the oldest college all-star game.

INJURY UPDATES

Defensive lineman Steven Reveles (broken arm) might return after missing the final five games of the regular season. Defensive ends Shea McClellin (knee), Mike T. Williams (knee) and Jarrell Root (broken leg) will not.

Redshirt freshman Billy Winn, a tackle, has been practicing at end and is listed as the co-starter at Williams' end spot for the bowl with true freshman Byron Hout. Hout, a converted linebacker, and All-WAC sophomore Ryan Winterswyk are the team's only healthy ends.

It's still unclear how much senior tight end Chris O'Neill (broken foot) will play. He has not practiced in pads yet, but he has said he expects to play. He hasn't played since Oct. 1.

"I assume he's going to suit up and be out there, but we'll see how much he can actually play," coach Chris Petersen said. "He's been out a long time."

YOUNG'S STATUS UNDECIDED

No decision has been made yet on whether sophomore wide receiver Titus Young will return to the team next year. Young has been suspended since the Oct. 11 game at Southern Miss.

"We haven't resolved his issue yet," Petersen said.

SNOWBALL FIGHT!

The Broncos' redshirts scrimmaged in the snow on the blue (turned white) turf Sunday afternoon.

"There was 5 inches of snow," Petersen said. "You couldn't see a thing. It looked like 1940 old time football guys coming out with faces full of snow. And then we had the world's hugest snowball fight afterwards."