PETE: MARTARANO CAN’T HIT THE CURVE

Boise State coaches didn’t have to fight anyone for the commitment of Fruitland High linebacker Joe Martarano, who wanted to play for the Broncos so badly that he committed in June 2011.

They might have to fight Major League Baseball for him. Martarano is a top corner infielder prospect for this June’s draft. Boise State coach Chris Petersen — no fan of negative recruiting — jokingly turned to that tactic Wednesday.

“My scouting sense says he can’t hit the curveball,” Petersen said at his press conference, which was broadcast live. “Just kidding Joey, we love you.”

So much so that Petersen opened the door to the idea of Martarano playing pro baseball and college football.

“We’ve had some discussions about can we work out both and that’s usually not our deal but I know this, the guy’s a football player,” Petersen said. “We’ll kind of cross that bridge when we see what happens with his baseball stuff down the road.”

Martarano, who played quarterback and linebacker at Fruitland, has dreamed of playing for the Broncos. His dad, Victor, played at Boise State.

MCCULLOUGH ARRIVES

Offensive tackle Eli McCullough of Rocky Mountain High in Meridian won the award as the top offensive lineman at the Broncos’ summer camp for three straight years.

“All the things that I like in tackles, he has — good feet, super athletic, he’s lengthy, he’s got long arms,” offensive line coach Chris Strausser said. “He’s a little bit in the Daryn Colledge mode — a lengthy guy who can run really well.”

Colledge was an all-conference left tackle and NFL second-round draft pick.

WIDE RECEIVER COMMITS

A.J. Richardson of Narbonne High in Harbor City, Calif., announced his commitment to Boise State on Wednesday but did not sign a letter of intent. He needs to take care of some academic and health issues — he has a torn anterior cruciate ligament — and hopes to sign soon, he said. Richardson would grayshirt and join the team in January.

QUICK HITS

Boise State has retained its full-time staff for the first time since 2007-08. The team lost a coordinator each of the past three years. “I can’t tell you what a relief that is for me,” Petersen said. ... Sophomore DT Jeff Worthy has been dismissed from the team, Petersen said. Worthy was suspended for most of last season. Petersen said Monday that Worthy had been reinstated, but his status changed during the week. … S Lee Hightower and TE Hayden Plinke, who were suspended from school for violating university policy, will not return to the program. Plinke joined Portland State’s recruiting class. … The Broncos signed six junior college transfers, the most in Petersen’s tenure. “Usually you don’t like to take that many JC guys, just because you don’t have them that long,” Petersen said. “It has to be the right guy because he doesn’t have much time. We felt like we had needs at these positions.”

TALENTED TAILBACK

Aaron Baltazar of Chula Vista, Calif., is one of the most talented players in this recruiting class. He played linebacker, cornerback and safety in high school. Running backs coach Keith Bhonapha attended a game in which he scored two rushing touchdowns and returned a punt and a kickoff for scores.

“I talked to the basketball coach — he’s been coaching for a long time — and he said Aaron is the best athlete he’s ever coached,” Bhonapha said.

Chadd Cripe: 377-6398, Twitter: @IDS_BroncoBeat