Boise State football players know that hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of people are watching them on game day.

They are learning, through mistakes of their own and others, that the same can be true when they go online and visit one of the social-networking sites that have become an international phenomenon.

A fantastic performance in a big game can launch a player to stardom. A hastily and inappropriately written 10-word Facebook update can tear him down.

That was never more clear than last month, when reports surfaced that NFL teams troll social-networking sites to gain insight into prospects.

"You've definitely got to conduct yourself well on there to create a positive image," said senior cornerback Kyle Wilson, a top prospect for the 2010 NFL Draft.

Football players at Texas (Facebook) and Oklahoma (YouTube) were dismissed from their teams last season for inappropriate posts.

At BSU, defensive end Jarrell Root broke news about his broken leg on Facebook in November and wide receiver Austin Pettis caused an online stir by making wisecracks about Boise in Facebook updates during spring break.

Those incidents reinforced a frequent message from coach Chris Petersen: Whether players are wearing a jersey or not, they are representing BSU and don't have the freedom of other students. Athletic department employees occasionally check athletes' sites, Petersen said.

"Being a college athlete is an extremely tough spot to be in these days," he said, "and the more a program continues to grow, the finer the microscope becomes on you. É You are first and foremost a BSU student-athlete and you are Johnny Joe secondly - and that's a hard concept for guys to get."

Quarterback Kellen Moore has learned in school that employers in the business world check social-networking pages, too.

"Once something's on there, it's on there for good," he said. "You have to be a little bit careful, but usually it's just for fun, to talk to people and hang out."

FANS AND ATHLETESCAN 'GET CLOSER'

Paul Marobella, the managing director of the Chicago office for marketing firm Wirestone, said social media is one of the best things to happen to sports and athletes.

"It helps them get closer to their fan base,'' he said.

Marobella put together a presentation on the value of social media for Wirestone client Dan Wheldon, an IndyCar driver. Wirestone also has a large presence in Boise.

Marobella's message is that leagues, teams and athletes can create a dialogue with their fans through social-networking sites - becoming their own media entities.

"Sports marketing will be forever changed through the transparency that the social platforms provide," Marobella said, "and the good news is, as a fan or somebody engaged with the team or the league, you get unprecedented access. And maybe a little of the bad news is that same transparency will require everybody to be on their best behavior."

College football coaches, sensing the ease of connecting with recruits through these sites, are jumping onto Twitter. The collection already includes USC's Pete Carroll, Georgia's Mark Richt, Tennessee's Lane Kiffin and LSU's Les Miles.

Petersen, who says he's "never even seen Facebook," has no plans to jump into the social-networking arena.

"There's certainly some coaches that definitely believe that it can help them in recruiting, and it probably can," he said. "We haven't gone there yet ourselves, but we're not going to be nave enough not to think that's something we have to do down the road."

THE 'BUZZ WORDIS CONNECTION'

BSU's athletic department is about to make a social-networking splash. It already has a Facebook page, under Buster Bronco. The site is used mostly to promote smaller events like soccer games and volleyball matches to Buster's friends.

This summer, BSU expects to launch a YouTube page that could include video, interviews and commercials - short segments that can be shared easily. And the department is researching Twitter to find a use for that site. Many athletic departments use Twitter to send links to their latest news.

Other social-networking tools BSU might use are blogs, player diaries and interactive question-and-answer sessions. Petersen will be involved in some way, said Brad Larrondo, BSU's senior assistant athletic director for promotions and marketing.

"I definitely know we're moving that direction with our Web content - fans being able to interact," Larrondo said. "The big buzz word is connection. What you create is probably that fan loyalty É having people feel like they are part of the program."

One key question for BSU is how involved they want their athletes. The NCAA allows the school to use athletes to promote the program as long as the appearances don't interfere with schoolwork or come with an ultimatum.

Larrondo sees the transition to social media as a major change in the way athletic entities market themselves. BSU potentially could put out its message by contacting its online friends, who then would contact their friends, instead of purchasing advertising.

"It definitely is a powerful, powerful marketing tool," Larrondo said.

NEW RECRUITING TOOLS

Coaches can use sites to build a personality - Carroll posts a song of the day on Twitter - or discuss their program. Or recruit.

But the NCAA has drawn some strict lines. Coaches can contact recruits privately through Facebook and Twitter - that's considered an e-mail - but not through public messages. If a recruit responds to a coach's public message, the coach can only respond privately.

The NCAA doesn't limit e-mails, which recruits can easily avoid if they want. It banned text-messaging because those were considered intrusive and potentially costly. E-mails and Twitter messages also can be received on cell phones, but athletes must opt in to those features.

Fans also are restricted. They can't use social-networking sites to woo recruits.

The rules, like the sites themselves, are still evolving.

"We don't like things to be in the gray area,'' said Cameron Schuh, associate director for public and media relations for the NCAA. "This whole new medium, social networking, it's absolutely being discussed among our committees across all divisions."

One way BSU has used the sites is to get a sneak peek at recruiting prospects on YouTube. Julius Brown, then a graduate assistant, discovered linebacker Tommy Smith of Atlanta when a coaching friend e-mailed him a link to Smith's highlight video.

"It's a way where you can see kids faster," said Brown, the Broncos' director of player personnel.

CONTEXT IS CRITICAL

BSU football players say they use Facebook to keep in touch with family and friends. Some are choosy about their friends, to ensure their conversations are kept private. Others, like safety Jeron Johnson, welcome any friends.

"I add everyone, whoever sends me a request," Johnson said of his Facebook approach. "I'm a friendly guy. There's nothing bad on my page."

Still, even Johnson thinks twice about what he posts. An inside joke can turn into a controversy quickly.

"Something can be taken out of context," Johnson said. "That's what really scares me the most. You put a status up that has to do with football and people try to twist it and make it sound like I hate football or hate my life."

Petersen has made it clear that what happens behind closed doors must remain there. Cell phones shouldn't be used during meetings or in the locker room on game day, he said.

"We've always talked about the importance of having confidentiality with our team, that we're a family here, that these are your brothers," Petersen said. "If you tell one of your family members something happened, it's getting out, and you wouldn't want that to happen to you."

That risk will increase when the players figure out Twitter, an open forum that can be updated in the time it takes to send a text message.

"I'm trying to figure out what that is," Moore said.

If he does, all of Boise will be following his tweets.