The Boise State football team will hold its first spring scrimmage Thursday afternoon at Bronco Stadium. The practice begins at 2:30 p.m. and is open to the public.

With some key players injured and the Broncos trying to build continuity on the offensive line and timing with the wide receivers, don't expect a clinic.

"There will be some very ugly football out there," coach Chris Petersen said. "We kind of know that goes with the territory."

The Broncos practiced Wednesday for the fifth time this spring. They are on spring break next week, then they return for three more weeks of practice. The other scrimmages are April 8 and April 17.

Among the players who have caught Petersen's eye this spring are linebacker J.C. Percy, tight ends Chandler Koch and Tommy Gallarda, nickel Doug Martin, quarterback Mike Coughlin and offensive linemen Faraji Wright and Spencer Gerke.

Martin, who moved from running back this spring, looks like a long-term fit.

"Any time you're learning a lot it slows you down, and he doesn't look slow to me out there, but I know in his mind he's probably a step slow," Petersen said. "If he makes as much progress coming back from spring break as he has the first couple weeks, I think he's going to be a good player on that side as well."

SCHEDULE IN FLUX

Tulsa announced this week that its home game with Boise State will be played Wednesday, Oct. 14, and aired on ESPN. That change means the Broncos must play a game the week of Dec. 5, the last week of the regular season.

Meanwhile, the Broncos likely will play at Bowling Green in September instead of Toledo. The Broncos then will go to Toledo in 2011 instead of Bowling Green. That swap is being orchestrated by the Mid-American Conference, which is cleaning up a mess created by Miami (Ohio). Miami scheduled an extra game and dumped Colorado, which now likely will play at Toledo.

If you're counting, that's three times in four years that the MAC has changed or eliminated one of the Broncos' opponents.

Boise State likely won't release its schedule until the end of this month. The school is waiting on the WAC to finalize the league schedule.

THE CHANGE IN EUGENE

Petersen said he wasn't surprised when his friend and former boss, Mike Bellotti, announced his resignation as Oregon coach. The Ducks open the season at Boise State.

"I knew he was really wrestling with the decision," said Petersen, who was an assistant at Oregon from 1995 to 2000.

Bellotti will become the Oregon athletic director. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly replaces him as coach.

"He'll be a great A.D. as well," Petersen said of Bellotti. "There's no doubt about it. He's an awesome leader."